West India Policy.
The Times, 1824-09-10T00:00:00

Trhe following letter from Oeorge Carriqgton, Esq., Agent for Barbadoes, with the accompanying documents, has beein laid before the Houise of Assemably osf that island: THE ~~~~~~London, March 1, 1824. TO TECOMIXtTTEE OF GOItRESPOX]DENCE, BAFRADOES. Gentlemcn,_1 hatiithe honiour to acddreiss yotion the 10th of Ft--- brnary, when I informea youts i general meeting hbsi been held of the West I ndia body, end a petition to the King hadl beeni agreed to. The chairtman wa-s directed to psesent it to His Maj0esty, accompa. niied by such Alemberis of Parliamnent connected with the We17st In- da lIiterest as might choose to attendc, and the a4ent-. I did not think it necessary to enclosea. copy of atie pctitionr, as it was publih- -~ ed in all the daily papers. The colonial agents h2ving Met rogctber, came-to the determneru- tion of addressing Earl 'Bathutst on the subject of th-e policy that has been pursued in Tegard to the West indies, end of the necesAity for his lllajastv's Go,vernment to aidopt some measured that may have the effict. of retoring tranquillity and credit. I have the bonour herewith to hand yoLa acopy,ol:'the remonstrance ;and ofcourse, ftswota -is an answer is received, it will be mnv dutv to comnmuniicate it tor vou., The Chancellor of the Excl.equer hIas in Parliament expressed ans intention of making en abatement in the duties on rum of ll~d per Kallon, the duty in future to be regulated by the excise according to the proof at sale, which gives an advantage ag cornpared With the present practice (which fixed the dluty by the Customs accordis,g to the proof when landed) equal to the reduction. itsef. , An anxious desire to consider every posible means by which the distresses of the colony tray be relievetd, and its general prosperity promoted, induces mie'to solicit your attentioni to the subject of the 4~ per celitage duty-, w-hich presses so beavily and so unju%tlr orn s'ottr comnmunity.. am tqware it is a subject that was v;ewea by 'the late lr. Jo'rda'n w-ith mnuclt solicitude, and that it wvas a source 01ovf'tatte dtsappointmentt to him to find his hiopes continually, fins.. itrated. After the. failure of attem pts under such auapices, it would Ibe the height of presumption in mne to entertain any ver-v srEiguine icxperttir.ttoavvndl I soust frankly declare I consider the subject Las one of tnfinitedtiffculty and doubtful r6rault. At thesante there are sorme circutns.ta-nces ,favo)urable tda renewalofthe attempt i-lirtt,thetaieeof prosiperity in wliich Great Britain now is with a surplus revenue-ttin "act thiat onewhalf of tthe assessed taxes hass bee-n reduced, and flit- titer reductlions expected-the state of the funds, end xeduc,tion of int. terest--the liberal line of policy which is advocated, and acted upon hrv the Chancellor of the Exchequer-these and ocher urgume,ita that. are ob-'euas front the geineral imiproved stte of ihe counTtv-, fromi- long -'i;ntitned wvar whbich threatened ruin to her finances to~ a state of pv,sce, lead me to think the question of 4~j dut3' might be 6rotight ott ithgreterproabilty f scces tat, on allyv formier occasion the erydepessd SateOS ur rodce,and thec declining c,esit of the est ndie Icotrased, oo, tubthe 1`ou1ri-Ahigl. condition of the eveue hre)certinl mtu beconidered to strengthen our plea-. l-ltvitgthu exlanedtutinf, t wllbe nit' du~to aevn wishs an insrucionsmadeknow tome htr proceed l t is obvious indeed thatEno e-fortofntin-e cud be miade witlt any chance of meetitlgattetition un less emanating from) yourselves ; should You be of opinion that it is extwdiet,t to act further, it will probably 'bethought advisiable to promnote a general mneeting in the island tO consider of certain resolutions, On which petitions to boith Houses Of Partiamtent a,nd to thie Throne mav be fraried : and further, that a resolution be passed-to petition tile tenancil and Hlouse of' Assembly to take the Question ipow their cot.sideration, wvitlh a view so %u ort by their in- fluaence the prayer ot' the-petirions. I hiave no doubt those islandi; that sufler under theL burdetn of' a sinerilar imptast will most t'eailY follo)w the example, a:nd titus simultaneous arpplications tiiglgtt be tiuade at thie next session of Parliatment; and 1.7 sitch combined in- itTrest andi co-op,ration. vreacter ~ffi~et mav' be prodiuced than by, single and unconnected atrenipts as heretofore. I requtested an audience of tnt Bistiop of London. to learn, if' p"s~ibie. what drrans-en,en's wecre made, or in conten.plation, con- nected withi tbe appoitittlielit OT bishops, but he gave mne to. under-r sta.nd they were tiut so settled as to enable. him to speak with cer- remit'-. Heexpressod ananxioust1eeling that the plan should be pro- ducivye of' good, disavowing in the most explici.t i;iarnrera an inten- tion on) the subjtect of emtancipation as being mixe(d UP with it: it is nrobab!e ithe new bishop will not ctnbark uil the sgsuinr. I beg leave to maention, that in conseqaence of lfhe commuittee of cori,spoudenice in Jamaica hioving given publicitsv to saute informa.. tion communicated to thiem t'v the agent 0Mr. Hibbert) frutti the Gcolonial-office, wlich it atppears wats intended in c-onfidence, Lord Bathurtrt has- signiified to, .Mr. Hibbert, thiat iii suture all comaiuiii- c:~utions must be in wtiting. I have nor 'Yet leartit whether tnis restric- tion is modi ied. to IMr. Hibbert,or meant to extend to the other agents. IL oIust often htappeni itt thte lull anti unreservedi c*mniunicatioins that pass between cotnndittees of cotresponidernceand the agents,that certain dhiIclosures of opinions, or intentions gathered frottt personal c-onfecr- edice wtetit itis .Mijesty's Ministers. cannot with propriety be made public, and thie incon' etiience that ivay arise in 'uonsequence of the tinstance alluded to, points oU!thlie CaittLion that is necessa;ry on thist hiead. I have tlhe honour to be, geittlemeni, voot obedient and faith- ful servant, *.CARRINGTON. - ~~~~March 11. The continue I di~te!16icm or the packer enables mc to forware to, vou. Earl Batiturbt's relply to the memorial of the c1oloial agentsN, sodi their answters, datedi the lst andi 15th (" MN1atch. The pt-ucla. niation, it is uinderstood, will be forwarded to the! \'vst Iindies gene- rally', bN, this packet, and is (it is saidi by thos,e whio have! seen. is) well calculated to produice a beniefiLial resol'. Thie debates on the. West India questionis will be btoueht on itt a tfew days;~ the general petitioti to the King was preseLnted by M r. Ellis, accunmpanied by severa! of the aigents, and members of Par- Lliament, yelterday - a suddeti inldisposition prevented mnY attenditig ott the occasion. Allow tr-w top rentark. thiat in conseqttence of tinot having rece:ived aniy docuntent. whiatever TrDrit thec represetttariyes of'the late Mr. .Iortdat, I feel tiiuch at a loss on many' subjects to whiich occasionis ofreferer,ce may frequjentlY otrur, p,articularly in regrard tu aCtS ot' the Legislature and your official cormnitunicattot's t should it be thouht ropr, ou wll,peraps tae mea-Rures for furnishing me withsuchcopii an pubic dcumets a-s should be retained in the ffie ofyou aget, nd tey hal be regultarlvytiled and car-- ftils-retine bytil. Ilasr te hnour to be. 'gentlemen, yoetr obeien an fathfl srvat,U. CARsRINGTON. The Committeecof Correspondence, Barbadoes. T0 TIUE ttIt.OH4T ttOyOt'tARLE T HE FA.RL ATHIt,RST.R G.n.&C. M1y Lord,_NWe, thie utidersigned agents in this kinigdom tar ills MAAjesty's WVest India colonies, are col,opelled hembly to represent t., s-o;tr Lordship, us thie approptriale channel of' oar cotmmuricatiun with His Ahaicaty's Govemtt, t, or seltse of the dlange: which nose itnpends over the lives and prop~rties; of our constituetnts. Wle forbear to enlarge on the distress witht which, in a cormnier- itial sond agricultural respect, the colonies, hatveso, long straiggled bittt it would be in us a trross dereliction a' ouar dutN. were we to del,'y any lunger to state: to Your Lordship our convfction of the danger. ous imcpressions which htave urisen on the n,inds of thie slaves, from Elhe Resolutions witich were passed by the House of' Corrmnons in itheir last Session, and fromn the consequentt despatches of your Lordshi to Lthe constituted aathioritices in rtie colotties. V. hetth~er these dociaments hare been rightly understooid or other. ,eise. it is certain that they have been generally interpreted by all classe in the colonies as announcing an enitincii;ation of' tthe slavres, which is to enianate. more or less, immediately, frotn theinterf1erettce of the British Parliamient. Titus hias the value of property in thte colonies, wlte,her in land or in slaves, been for any purpfse ofttiansfer nearly annihilated, anti the distress of the! proprietors of, Iantations. and of all the classes de-. pendent upon or connected wiN Ithem, in the various relations in life, lb thtreatened to be extended frotit a% loss of itleunie. which niight he temnporar%- to a loss of capital, whiceh must be irret rievable. R Te cun"fidriscee between master and slave is destroyed. enid in its place dissatisfatction, imnpatience, and ill-will have arisen 1 not OTt1s is- inutore amelioration of the condition ef the stlave prevent'd. ,but clie' progress already orade in civilization (and which Eto an iuiParttial eYe cannit but be eVident) is suspended; end must, if the Present state Of thing~s be continued, become retrograde. ltilt our duty to represent to your Lordlhip. that the colonies, feebly garrisoned as they were by troops of' the line, were yet, nott mnany months agco, owinig tn the tranquil and c.onten'ted diso-sition tif the slaves, in a state of comparative securtity but that sinoce 'the recent proceedings in Grt-at Britain. they- base in somet instances been endangered by actual insurrectiorn and cons.Pi- rac, atened y aconideabl sarifce f popetY;and are, Fe- net.ly seaing s ditubedbyirrtaed eeing, and by the cx- ateeraed xpetatonsof he lavs, s t rederther salety precn. duos no thereiforcmens alead set out or provided for thern Unde r.~e crcuataces,we ostearnestly submit, that mea- sures proportioae oth roi itend magnitiide of the dangee the Colonies ma e adpe ithte least possible delay. We' respectul umt hta p arocaation. from the1i shiould be Nsudanciultdn each ocolony. giving the negrke in th~e most decided terms to understand, thatgieat Misisppre:henlsioa has prevailed as to tie views of his Majesty's Goverfirrent'respect.. ing them, and that it is from a dutiful obediience to their masters, and to the laws of those Governments where they are placed, that thiey can alone look for support and protection. Such a liroclanation. we also submit, shouldl be accompanied by an increase of the military forcv in each colonY. B vne thate iiieatsures, it is hoped tliat the neeroes w"ill become edo- lln~ httey have misapprehlendedi the viiiws of Hils Mlajesty e-nd of the British G3overnment ; that theyvnil.l -asumc their wonted cc- cupations with cheerfulness and content ; and that colonial property w.ill regain its fair value. GE(ORGE HIBBERT, Agent for Jasaisitt-- GEORGE CH AL.NER.S, Bahama Agent GI. CA RR4 NGTON, Agent for Barbatileis. A.BROWiNE, Apent for Antigua and! -WontoIrrat. J.COLQUI.iOUN, Agent for St. V'incent, Domui. nica. Nevis, attd Tcirtola. HENRY CUTLER, Agent for Tritsid5d. JOHN" INNES, Agentfor Brbim WILLIAM .ii6LM ES, Agent for Dcerne-ra- February 5, 1824 ~ Downing-street, February, 1824..i Gentlemnen,_1. have had the honour of receiving your letter of thtei date of the 25th of Feb. 1824. It is unnecessary for me to remind you that his Majesty's - Ga-l versnment bec-ame pledged, by the tirst off the three re"o'tPon un- nitnouslv agreed to by the House of Comntozns, to -:tdupt efFectual- and dersishe tneasiures' for the- amelioration of the slave poPUlrnl in his -Majesty's colonial ptossessions; and I should preWunte tlat you Most be equally acquainted tith the tact, ti.t winth unebinglej exception, all the mreasiures which his Alla estv's G,overment r commended for the consider.tion of the c6Olnial legislatures wre founded on the suggestions of the great body of WCst India Plailt ters, and that, with respect to the only measure eiticbi is to ve so e;x. cepted, viz. the admissibility of slave evidence under certain coni.' ions, it was considered to be a snuasrte towards which that c respectable bodv always declared themsneves well disposed and th cautious qualifications 'ith Which it was accmrupanied wre calcuig;. ed to remove anyv indisposition tovards it, even if such cxisted In directing to governors to suLult these propositions, amid th remitarks upon them, to their respective legislatures, r50 t}ressio, whatever was used whichscould justify the interpretation, tlt Iii tllajesty's (Governnient wrere prepared-much less that theiy wert pledged-to do more than what the resolutions of the Houseof ei [mons unequivocally imposed upon them. 1 regret as desoly as any of you the alarn whichnhas been Unfort. naely excited iti the colonies thrat rcsult, however, it Was tnpo5 sihlenot in somerneasuze soanticipate,.as insepsrzbleftom theagr tation of a qisestion-in Parliarocr of susch e.xtreme delitiacy and ritp porsau ce, in volvin,g so many co nsid eranons ofPnablie andiiva.e it. tcrcst. Bat lshould ill express rny' s55ietss feeunng ups, thisoctasion7 were I nor to assure yo&tthat shsflbrmO5to&im ts recommetad ny meastires which may bin tacalatI 1O i.ipateghi alr providea thtt they. are not -iucosistet tWththe sjsrct of resolitions unaninmously passet} by the , oone of Commono e l;Sth ofMiay'last. - You hbve submitted to me, that a p lansation-fron t io thould bo issued, and ricrulated in ear a 4olony, Shng thc.n8tp to undeestnd that great mnisapprclienslon has prevailed with re. 0pert to t&e vievw3 of his Majesty's Government concerning them: and that it in to a dutiful obedience to their masters, and to thelawvs of those colonies in which thev are placed, that thev can atlone look fur uppot and protection, theprociamnation which you have thus recoromeftdtd corrisponds so closely in principle with, that which I have long ago directed to be issued in each colony, in the 6vent of any ruisunderytanding ot the views of his Mlajesiy's Govemment on the pairtof the slave pofitiatioh that I am disposed to consider that yoir object inay have been anticipated. if, however, You Ahould be of opi- nion that it would be mote advantageous that a general proclamattion7 should be iublished forthwith in the King's namne, expressing his Majesty's deep regret that the negroes should have conceived ant opinion so ernoneous as that his Mlajesty had sent out orde:s for thcir emancipation, and further declarinC that the slave population vonld forfeit all claim upon his Milajesty protection, if tlhev ihould faIl :o render entire submission to the lawvs, as well as dutiful obe- dience to their tinasteets or should not show a disposition to avail themselves of all means of iEprovemtent of their moral anti religious o nd r. will lose no timnein submiting this proposition to the con- sideration of his Majetsjty's Goverfitnent4 Ihave the honoiur to be, antleen, FourObedient humble servant, (S. S.) BATHUItST. ae Ag ents for his M ajesty's West Idia Colonies. MAarch 1, 1824. My Lord,_l'We basten to ackiowiledge with thankfulness, the lt:er which your Lordship has addiessed to us on the 28th'ult.. *fFo?ting so early a reply to that we took the liberty of writing to )our Lordship on the 25th of la;c month. We consider that in t'oe present critical state of the colonies, the ireatest rvaLntage migit be derived from a general proclaimation k bUshcd forthvwi;h in the King's name, cxprcssing his Majesty's the negroes shou d havconceived an opiniou so er- ronecus, as that his iMajesty had sent out orders for their emanctPa- *al ain fuTther declaringthat the slave population a nuld forfeit arl .irle upon his Uljesty a protection if thev should fail to render ertiresutbrmssiorn to the laws, as well as a dutiful obedience to their sters, or should not show a disposition to avail themselves of all rmcans of Iuprovement of their nioral and religious condition. Under a convictton that a proclimation confined to these topics 'lill prove to beneficial, ore lose no time in grateffully embracingyour 1fird-'htofitir of submitting that propcition to the consideralion , ajest's Governnient; and at the same time we auggest .hat the good effectsiof such a nroclamation would be promoted, if it shouid coniainvan exoreeison of his Mlajesty's highest displeasure at the darin insurrection v hich has lately tken place at Demerara, azt,d the attempts at insorrcuton in some other coloriies. YOur Lordship has not notced our recommendation, that such a procamation rhould bc actompanied by a reinforcement of troops- a precaution the necessity of which. we huambly,submit, has been proved by expericnce, and fo; which it does not yet appear to us that sufficient provision has been made. Thle expediency of adopting these measures with.theleast possible 'leisy, so as that th0e deternnination of his Majesty's Government thIereon, wnd a prOcrlaatoti in consequence, may go out by tllis wee's packet, Xzue s us to defierto another opportunity, any obser- vations which, it may appear tO US tO be otir duty jfurther to submit ulponthe u SJject of your Lordship's letter of the 28th ult.-We have tchnour to be. soy I,tord, Your l ordshlip's most obedienit humbleservants, GEO)RtGk; HIBBERT. Agent for Jamaica. t;EORG ( CltAL,MER S, Bahama Agent. GE(OR(GE CARRIN TON, Agent for Barbadoes. ANTHONY BROWNE, Agent for Antigua and lAlontserrat. J. COLQUIlO.,JN, Agent for it. Vincent, Nevis, Domninica, and the Virgin Islands. NV'tl. HOMI.ES. Agent for Demerara. H ENRY' CUTLER, Agent for Trinidad. JO it N I N N ES, Agenit for Berbice. The Earl Bathurst, K. O., &c<, &c. - M~~~~#arch 9, 1824. Sly lo-d,_In the letter which we, the Agents of his MajestY'* LiVest India Colonies, addressed to yVur l,ordship on the ist instant, sc took the liberty ot' intimating, tlal after embracing wiLhout de- lay you r Lordsbip's o er of a royal proclamation, we might find it to be our duty, respectfully tomakesome observations upon thecon. tents t1 your Lordship's letter of the 28th ult., and to thin duty we are now further impelled by obsex itig, that notice has been given of iroceedin.g to take lace within a few days in both Houses or' 'arliament, leading. to a discussioni most interesting to those colonies. upoui the result of which, inderd, mav probably depend their future cxistence as valuable possessions to Great Britain. WsVe have declard to your Lordship our conviction of the danger- ous impressions and universal alarm excited in tbe colonies by the rtmesua's adopted in the last year by the House ot Commons and the Bndsih Govemment * riot presuming, however, to determine whe- ?sher the object and the spirit of those proceedings tmay halve beets rightly ur.de-stood or otlherwise; but thence have doubtless orifinated occssional demonstrations of arngry feeling among subjects ever itingoished by loval attachment to the mvother country. Your' L,ords=lip has been Fleased wt assure us, that " you will be most will- m:g to recommend any nieasures which may be calculated to dissipate th at alarm, provided that th,ev are wot inconsistent with the spirit of' thi resolutions unanimously passed by the House of Coinmons on the 15th of Alay last." Your Lordbhip having been pleased to call our attention to what appears to you the neaily perfrct accordance of all that was recom- nente-b by His Majesty's Governmnent, for tbe consideration of the Colomal Legislatures,with the suggestions offered by the great body of West India planters, we beg permission, so far as tihis appeal di- r-,ct.lv concerns ourselves, to refer your Lordship to the memorial shicoh those of =s who represent the old colonies had the honeur to address to your Lordship on the 3d of iMay last, in which we te. ciared, that 'i even were we less restrained thaui we are bv our effi- cial situations, we could not unldertake to decide as to the expediency oi adopting various measures which we had understood to have bhen suggested, having in view the additional comfort, in- tcelectual an,l religious improvement, or extended privileges of the slaves in the colonsies, since the fittiess and policy of such mna- surs mnay be varied bv the particular circiumstances And existing lawsand regulatios ot each colony; and we proceeded to declare our opinion, that these are matters strictly within the province of the Colont Legislatures, and concerning which tihey are respectively more compe ent to judge. We further declared, that we were most ready and anxious carefully to cohimunicate to those L_egislatures all such suggestions relative to these eb'ects as his Majesty's Mli- nistems might think fit to recommend to their attentive consideration." A reference to this document we feel to be now requisite, in jus- tice to ourselves, and in order that we may declare to your Lordrihip that our sentiments upon this important subject are only the niore deeply inipresSed and confrlmed by sutctceding events: but, ancon- necteld as we stand with any proceedingsof the planters resident here, relative to the internal regulations of the colonies, we may be yet permitted to obsevye, that the maeasures which came under the con. sideration of rite gentlemeniwho conferred with his Majesty's Ai: nisters at the time referredl to by your L,ords.hip, did not pretend to pledgc. and could not ple-dge, either the whole of the colonial in- terest. or the colonial Legildatures, anid were, so far as we arc ac- quainted with them, applicatle to ,lte comfon ant instruacton of toe slaves, and dii not exDress a concurrence in any steps, however traduated, towards their e;nancipation. Upop thesegrounds, we trust that when the proceedings of the last year shall be resonsideredi, what has passed in the House of Con tmnons and in communications from vour Lordship's office will be so clearly defined and explained, as to 'remove any apprehension wbich may still exist, either in the colonies or among those of his Mlajesty's subjects who) are dependent on their fate, of an intention bauting been antiounced by the British Goveronscnt to occasion any .njury to that property, whicb under the sanction of the British law, the colonists possess in their slaves and estates, without full com- pensauon. 'We solemnly, bAtrespectfully, declare to your Lordship our full conviction, that only by a declaration under competent authority to this effect, can a fair value be restored tocolonialproperty, although we thankfully express a sanguine hope, that your Lordship in advis- ing a proclmation from the King, calculated to correct the erroneous imprmsion madeby the late proceedings upon the minds oftheslaves, has ataen a siep which vwill contribute essentiallv torestore the inter- nal tranquillity of the colonies. WVe have the'honour to be with grea; respect, my Lord, your Lordship's most obedient humble ser- vants, GEORGE( H1;3BERT Agent for Jamaica.. GEORGE CHALMEIiS. Bahama Agent. C. CARRINGTON, Agent fBr Ba;badoes. A. BROW 'NE, Agent for Antigua and Mfontserrat. J. COLQUHOUN, Agent fer St. Vincent, Dominica, Nevis, and Tortola. HENRY CUTLLEIt, Ageat for Trinidad. JAMES B LAIR. Agents for Berbice JOHN INNES j WILLIAM HOL.IIES, Agent for Demerara. 'fo the Right Honourable the Earl Bathurst, K. G. &c. W4ST INDIA POlIC1,