The New York herald., 1850-03-11
Oar Jamaica Cores ponde esce.

The Couwctl-O Oppression To,cards the Press
-Obeah Practices Trade.
Now that our legislative campaign has ceased,
and the opposing forces are Withdrawn, tor time,
from the hot battle field of politics, there is little
fosd of which acorrespondent Of foreign paper can
avail himself. The news brought here by the last
West India steamer, of the reaction in England
in favor Of a return to the old protective policy,
has inspired many Jamaican with the hope of
an early return of better days. / am not, must
confess, among the most saDguine Of these pros
perity prophets, although am as much Impressed
as any OF them can be-, OF the propriey and utl-
mate advantage that would result, not alone to the
"mother country" but also to her possessions,
from the adoption OF such course. But, although
It would, IN my judgment, be madness to hope for
language Of the hacRneyed adage, :.everv " evil
will work Its own cure )" and / do trust that the
day will come when reason shall resume her place
In the minds OF British statesmen, and they shall,
IN following the wise policy laid down by the
President of your republic, see that true happiness
prosperity on a solid basis, and national wealth, on
more than heetpg footing, are alone to be found
In fostering native agriculture, and In the protec
tion OF native industry A public meeting has
been called In this city, to take into consideration
the propriety OF CO. operating with the National
Association for the Protection of Industry and
Capital throughout the British Empire, IN appeal
ing to her Majesiys government, and to the I'm
perlal Parliament, tor return 10 the protective
system.
In the Supreme Court of Judicature, in this
island, cause has been argued, which created
little excitement, being one in which our go-
vernon, Sir Charles e. Grey was immediately
interested The Mather William
VS. Grey, the Right Honorable Sir Charles
Edward. IL was an action for debt: the first
count in the declaration on covenant on
mortgage deed, TO pay the sum therein stated the
second count was on covenant In assignment of
policy OF lie assurance to pay premiums, and the
9TH tarr Ion st,a
on, &c. To these counts, the defendant enter.
ed the plea OF non-Junsdicnon, by reason of the
defendant beng governor OF The island, the
keeper of the public seal and chancellor of the
same, ought not OF right 10 oe compelled 10 an.
swer The suit, Sc: aud To this plea the plaintiff de-
INJURED The case was argued at some length,
and am happy TO say, that The three judges were
unanimously OF the opinion that the mad urls
ciciion ever HIS Excelency Thus hasour worthy
governor, TO whom we pay $4,000, or $50 900 per
annum, been lolled IN hs dishonest attempt TO re-
pudiate an honest debt because, forsooth, he p
pens 10 represent Her Majesty here. A fine
example this, for community not too tar advanced
morals!
II is with very considerable satisfaction have
to inform you, that the operations In the cotton
cultivation, noticed in my previous letters are
being pursued with increased energy. Some of the
samples have seen appear remarkably good but
do not boast OF beng any great Judge of this
article III can procure 1t, will send you sample
by another opportunity. Mr.. William Smith, the
resident director, aud the original proprietor of
our railway out here, has commenced cu.tivatIng
the article on rather extensive scale. l have
little doubt OF his success, or OF the success of
many others here, who have embarked ia the
same projects. The pantain tree fibre is noticed
by our press as beng extracted from the tree
tolows:-"l IL appears To us 10 be as strong as the
best hemp. We drew one fibre the whole length of
the sample-about three feet-and have not
the least doubt that they could be extracted the
enlre length OF the tree. From the single fore
are eas ly obtained a great number OF extremely
~ tat.
ance. With thle, smell cord was twisted, which
resisted our utmost eilurts to break II with me
hands. Judging from the length of the fore, we
firmly believe, that a rope equal, perhaps superior,
TO the best hemp, could be manufactured from this
article. Indeed We are not CERTAIN that sort of
linen might not be woven from IT," There
Is 10 doubt that the resources OF this fac island
are, 10 O very great extent, unknown, and, where
known, TO very great extent neglected We
require very little capital, and good deal of
energy, 10 raise us from our fallen and most un-
enylable conditicn.
The weather, In almost every quarter Of the
Island, has been remarkably wet la 81 Georges.
and other parishes near that district, the ram mad
fallen almost necessarily tor two weeks. the
roads were much destroyed In consequence
The Council Of this lsland-notoriou corrupt
and unpopulsr-sre fast sinking deeper and deeper
INTO dlsrepute. Not alone have they hitherto sue
cessiuly opposed ell efforts made by the popular
branch OF the Assembly TO reduce the expenditure
Of the colony, because they themselves are reci.
plents, 10 large extent, OF the taxes wrung from
the hard earnings Of poor community, but they
have now acded 10 their cruelty, by ali attempt TO
ruin the only independent journalist on the south
side Of the island, who has courage enough, on
behalf ola suffering community, to expose the cor
ruption and selishness ot which their august body
is composed, They have caused an eticio infor-
nation To be instituted against Mr.. William Glrod,
editor OF the Colonial Nionda,d, for a libel con-
tanned in the following extract:-
"~"With every respect for Mr.. Bravo, however,
the presentation of this remarkable petition is
"A haye w IN
TO this pass, that the Council OF Jamaica, having
brought Itself into universal contempt, is engaged
IN the laudabe effort to bring the Assembly OF
the people IRto equal contempt with itself The
time was, when a petition rejecting IN gross terms
on the House Of Assembly never would have been
permitted access to the Councils journals. There
Is scarcely line, certainly not paragraph, In the
whole document, which does not contain "A mani
fest breach OF the privileges Of the House. Tue
petition, we are told, contains the sigma
lures OF some members OF the House, who
charge the majority OF the Assembly, Of
which they are constituent part, with personal
and corrupt motives Tor their proceedings Ii Is a
petition, not against any one public measure lying
on the table OF the Council, but a remonstrdnce
against batch Of bills, all different u their nature
still under the consideration OF the Assembly, and
which, tor aught the petitioners could know, may
never pass through their several stages In that
House, or may, at any rate, assume a different
form before they reach the Council. We are not
skilled enough in Parliamentary law, to be able to
state the extent to which the Council have slnned
against that degree Of etIluette which CUSTOM at
least, II not mutual respect. has ever maintained
between the two lower branches OF the Legislature
But this we know, that the Council have now
opened the door TO recrimnaton, and they need
not be surprised II, at an early opportunity, the
true opinion OF the people Of JamaIca-of those who
are competent to offer an opinion the wealth. the
education and the respectablIity OF the country,
finds its way in the form OF accumulated contempt
OF the Council, their selfishness, their corruption,
End their avarice, upon the journals OF the As.
sembly"
THIS extract supplies in itself a pretty correct
idea Of the petition alluded to but nevertheless,
may be permitted to explain fully ITS nature,
what led to 1t, and the description OF names at-
iached TO IT. The Council, by the influence which
belongs to their station, have succeeded IN obtain
ing party In the Assemby-a small minority
favorable to all their views and projects. need
not tell you, that most OF the honorable members
of this " honorable" minority, are tne-serving, |
OF place. holding men, opposed to re-
lrenchment. The Council, having natural dis
tate TO "a batch OF bills,' introduced into the
House by the different memhets nf the malorlfv