Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-07-20

1
adapted TO their present situation and
accordingly, in the Island of Trinidad
the following provisions are made COM
pulsory on the government.
! LIST. The chastisement uffemales by
the whip, to be entirely abo lished.
I'd. The whip, as stimulus to labor,
to be abolished even for males, and only
retained as an instrument of punishment
for crimes, and then under strict regula-
tons.
! Sd. Institutions of religious worship
are provided for the slaves, and the en-
enlargement Of marriage strictly enloin-
: cd.
| 4tb. 1t is strictly provided, stbat, In all
future sales (for, as Mr.. Canning observ.
ed, the sale OF slaves could not, as yet,
! be prevented i'm all future sales, the
husband and wifc-the reputed husband
and the reputcd wite--the parent and the
child-shall not, in any case, be separat-
ed from one another.
| 5lh. To secure TO the slaves By iaw
whatever property had been considered
as theirs by custom and this law il-
cludes the right OF bequest.
9th. Those who shall take charge of
the religious instruction OF the negroes,
, shall have the power, and it will be their
duty, to certify the fitness ofthe slave to
give testimony in a court of justice-not
III any individual case, nor at The moment
the testimony may be required, but ge-
Derally, that such slave has made such
advances, under obstruction, as to be
conversant with the nature of evidence !;
and of these register shall be kept, and
they shall be considered, in that respect,
as privileged Class.
7lh. 1t is also prescribed, in addition
to other provisions favorabielo manumis-
sion, that every negro shall be allowed
10 purchase his own freedom, or tue
freedom Of his child.
Thus has process begun, under the
authority of government, by which ii is
lsped that such an improvement, IN the
moral condition OF Inc slaves may be CT
iectcd as will, besides The aba'e,nen, OF
their present n4iscrics, til them ior The
enjoyment of their freedom.
In addition TO the abuye regulations
that government has, during the last
year, formed treaty with oar own Oh
the subject OF the slave trade, which is
declared, by both governments, TO he
PIRACY, and punishable by death. BY
this treaty the mutual tigh, OF search is
admitted; and thus the natives of The
United States and Great Britain will, in
future, cooperate for the purpose Vi cx-
lingulshipg this infamous ,railick.
ln melancholy contrast 10 the cnlight-
encd and benevolent spirit OF the present
age, the retrograde movement, attempt
ed by the advocates of slavery in this
state, will BIZ viewed by future lgcncra-
lions, epen Of our pan hosterity, with as
punishment and disgust, as 1t is viewed, al
THIS time, by other nai'ous. " TVha,
Obey will cxclaim when they read The
his,orytof our present enD.es, w. would
these diGusers OF misery and crime have
conveyed the pes!ileace into the bosom
Of every family! Was no SPOT within the
extended and still extending limits Of The
American Republic 10 be e'.9 NET from
this deli.emept? Already had three fi(rhs
of the million ofsquare miles, which had
then been appropriated, become a field
OF oppression by the federation OF slave
~, and were they not yel ssled ? Over
every district, and through every planta-
lion, must resonnd the lash Of the slave
driver and the yeils Of its victims, to sa-
tisly their unnatural, their Internal appc
'ile yet they called themselves Re.
publicans; with liberty on their tongues.
disp laying the Declaration, OF Equal
Rights, other c2enchjng the lode
OF Slavery with monstrpus aYidiiy In
evidence Of the demoralizing influence
ofslavery on the society which tolera,cs
ii, this they could do with uublushing
e!frontery. Whilst ether, aud minor.
denominations skulKed in corners, and hid
from The public eye, this,
the master vice Of depraved humanity,
could stalk abroad in open day--could
raise its head IN the Senale-seat itself
on the Bench-and dared even to ap-
proach the affairs of benevolence and
peace !" Such will be the reflections OF
impartial posterity. PSI
But it is with heartfelt satisfaction
perceive this scene of gloom and dis
couragementreceding from our horizon /;
with conidens can declare to my fell
low-citizens, that the good cause.-the
cause Of humanity and OF our true int.
rest-is prevailing in almost every part
Of our state. The first Monday in An-
gust will, trust, shine brightly upon