An extract from the Missi...
The Times, 1824-04-01T00:00:00

An extract fronm theAlissionary Clironicle has been transmitted to us, containing particulars of the melancholy event which took place some time back at Demerara-we mean the death of Mr. SMITH{, who, being convicted on a charge of high treason, was confined as a State prisoner from November 26, until February 6, when he died of a disease which had attacked hiin during his captivity. So en- veloped is erery sabject connected with colonial slayery in painfiul remembrances, and in fearful appiehensions, that we would gladly escape from noticing such occurrences as the presont, if our duty as journalists did not bind us to the task. The fact alleged against Mr. SMITH was always liable to the charge of improbability, because it seemed hard to conceive any rational motive by which a Christian clergyman could be actuated, to throw into fierce rebeUion, and to expose to certain destruction, a race of beings whom it was the understood object of his most diligent endeavours to civilize, to regulate, and to serve. We are at the same time far from venturing to affirm, that the improbability of any fact, reasoning a priori, renders the trath of it incapa- ble of demonstration. Premising thus mnch on the gene- ral aspect of the case, we are forced to add, that out of the relations of master and slave, and the symnpathies-or, if you will, the antipathies-thereby generated, there does too frequently proceed a state of mind in each party, not the most favourable to a calm and just decision upon those acts of the other which affect the interests of both. A black jury in a slave colony woul.l not be deemed a compe_ tent tribunal for trving a charge brought by people of the same colour against a white master for oppression. Allow- ing for more upright principles, for superior intellectual attainments, and for a more thorough freedom from low, vinelictive hatred, a white tribunal cannot perhaps be alto- gether divested of some of those prepossessions of colour against colour, which, in the untutored inegro, assume a tinge too dark and menacing to admit of his capacity for decision. True, that in this instance the accused was not a negro; but he was chargrd with being the instigator, the counsellor, and the chieftain of the rebels. He was of a class of men not kindly looked upon by our fellow-subjects in the colonies. All the distrust and prejudice embodied against the Blacks would there- fore be brought into action against their supposed apostate lcader, aggravated by those peculiar jealousies to which his character as a Missionary would expose him. True again, that, as we learn, the Court was composedl of Offieers, not Planters; but white officers have the specific sympathies of whites, and those who sat as judges on the trial had been engaged but just before in attacking and| shooting the insurgents. It is possible, therefore, but we do not aver it for a truth, that a less degree of testimony might have satisfied the Court as to theguilt of this accused individual, than would have been deemed sufficient for his condemnnation had he been tried by a Judge and Jury at home. That the Directors of the Alissionary Society are convinced of Mr. SMfITH'S innocence, they make, no scru- ple to declare-and they adduce the Royal pardon as a prooi of it-they speak of an "cimrmoveable seal of guile' being " affixed to the act" of his sentence; and here it is that we could wish the Missionary Society to have been more temperate, because they in one breath annouRced their determination of having formal redress for " the injury " done to the deceased Missionary, to the cause of mis. "C sions, and- to the violated lawvs of their country;" if so, we would respectfully submit to the Direetors, that they ought 'not to prejudge the result of such proceedings, or the conduct- of -those at whose expense the proposed retri- bution is to be sought.. If their cause of complaint be validt, it can afford to wait the forthcoming issue. It appears that the treatment of Mr. .SITH in prison was all that the most- humane -and. liberal mind could desire, as the following ex- tract will-prove:- . "TheBarbadoes Afercury of the 14th of February-contains the following statement:- Deterasa, Feb. 6.-Died this mornnga at 20 ininutes past one o'clock, in the colonial gaol, where he had- been-confinedas a state prisoner since the 2&th of November last, on the termination of his trial-by general court-martial, on a charge-of- high treason- sentence thereon having-been transmitt&d teo-his Ma- jesty for his final decisi.on, John Smirh missionary. Hle lad been iu 4SPoot stare of hcsltlh,~and bad sndical adice, for a considerable time previous; and sinc he took seriouly ill, about three weeks |ago, has beern attended regularly by ukl>ld ,hysicin. We are ord hi*jys e af c s comji`irear2 fI comf&thshfclt hi-s-twste or}us namecfti.Ki-6red. Hi'bs left d wfdowtb deplore his fate, We ffirther iwrekent that pissae i,n which the Directors pledge themse,les tonieasures fQr. redressiig the isijuasice whieh they state, to-have-bee' eomniitied : "The Directors feel that-theissue,nowvso deeply deploredb)ythem does not relax the duty of seeking. redress for>the injury done by these proceedings to their deceased missionary, to the tause of mis- sions, to the violated laps of their country, nor of. endeavoulring to obtain future protection of the lives and liberty-of other individuals engared in thc same disinterested an&'benevolent-labours Tbe ob- ject is now somewhat ahanged 'but that justice whicb cannot be done to the person, must-be sought for to the character of tbe mar,_ tyred missionary. The measure of the Directors since their last re- port have more particula4ly been directed to obtain a Tremision otl the part of his Majesty's. Gvernment of the recogmnzasices-required of Mr. Smith -not to return to the West Indies; but the arrival-of tbe news of his death, on the morning on which an aprointment ias made for presenting x memorial to that efftectt has rendered that plo- ceeding iriapplicable. They had also submitted a case, embracin the legal bearinga of the whole question, to the opinion of sevens couasel, eminent in different departments of the law, and have re. quired their advice a to the measures proper to be pursued for ob. taining the desired redress. Some hindrance in the further proceed. ings must necesssrily take place from the change occasioned in the case by the decease of 31r. Smitlh; but the members of the Society mky be assured that no eritable delay shall be incurred. It is, no doubt, generaUly known that some proceedings have taken place in *.he Hlouse of Commons, which will probably read to a full investiga. tioa of thetransactdons in Demer3r2, connecred wiith this subject, to which the public will look w ith earnest attention."