The West Indian Controver...
The Times, 1824-01-03T00:00:00

T Trv [Ez I:DITO OF THE TIMES. S'r_Th thiti sbjcct:t which the }GovernorsoftliWest India ~aica nore dIisitd tdeeport, wasthe inotal and religioisi wproavc of sithe i';egreea; r pengthashnmenislngiesof whlchs by thic tuaat, ufie Afsicuu nsltitution have publishsed the ofoowing. rsn at-..u ,. " The CcLzinL L lagures, ifthey had regatd'ed the aborition nacNa4I, w0ald also have bee anious t( poOMOe the zellgibus ibucuua of thir saves. Howeveralverseoriandiflrenc in geie, ei, to the cante of Christiacniy, they - wul& dbav desired to take. tl.b hp-ttcf its inafluence, in ibe reatmaint of polVtgamy and. other pructites tzdveraeto theintezoats of population. Euttno.sct of. AS- a blycen be slj. whici~b;as redeemed our islandcs ir, anjy de- g- flora tle repch of tir t'rmler gz.ro neglect in rard to this red~datyrc-.n tlip OOotT . laws have been paessd aggravating that sin5 r positive obstrctions to the pious purp,ose of a master, whssliouI~. desire torefonsi the mornals aa.dmanners of his. slaves by tho rz mca- which Chiistianity affirds. In some of our eolonies t-least, --alJamaica in particular, laws-lhave ben- passed opposing, positive prohibition to the onlv attainable means ofreWtous instruc- elan rrel worubip ; and though the Royal negative has been properly aDpplie, on ofti en such acta of Assenibly have bceatransmitted for ins Majesty's ollowance, their telt3porary operation and renevwal, aidd by nena of Perscutio3, which have been c~raftiy resosted to nDder oth3er e nd still subsisting laws, have very materially checke i the chartable zal of those who woould h1ave communicated fireely tee Nneeieentlight of the Gospel to thc poor Paganbondsmenofour colouim,. Itis nov important toinquire how far this -representation, made by indlividuls resding in Europe, correspondb with the reports of the Gorernora of the different. West -I scolbajes vvhich will be dome by comparing it with the following diJtracts fror -them, on the subject in question:- ntELIGIOUS XPROV5EtE;T OF 'EGROES. As'-mtm-Extract of i letter from Goveroor Rainsay to PtarleBathnrst. "In ttansmitg the accompanying reports of the sever jn- cambauta, I have only to add that I consider them impartial state- mats; and it onlr renains for me to observe, that Ihave always krand their pious LI=Gra i::defatigably exerted, to the conversion of naves to Christianity, and the best means of moral example iniiatia- hly used by.them to ezc=exS the slave population to embrce the extaMshi-d ir.s.'!Poe 143.) A reu rn isgivch of cix churches, and five officiating clergymen. NiW PROVIDEN-CE-Extract-Of a letter GroniOovermot Catneron to E arl Batlhust. "1 rave every reston to criect the most -benevoleit effects wilt nz te the colony [Ittratted toi ny -eare, from the present. niinage- znc- respecting the establishment of respectable clesgymerti these, -i _5 ;*given often livings, aneof which dnly sa4 vacantr 7 l-' 5foEs.-Extraet of a letter from Lord Cothbermere to ;-Mr Bat.hurst. t5 It s bat jee to the respeczabe clergy of this island,, thbt I : state to y?ar KLrdship, for the information of His Royal . s the Prinar Ilegent, that theduties of thechurph are most * Ig-gr2y and -tively Ahschaeged; and I wish Icouldadd tbat the clgy met x7with that support annd-encouragetnent from-the principal mrcnts and pkaters of Barbaflars, which it is no less their in- -n theirdnty to afford the Established Church, particularly a time when seets of alideseriptions ore naking such exertions to the canversion f slayesu".-(Page 150.) A returm i3givenof 11 churches, anal officiating rectors, DsaaxpAR..-EXtract of a letter from Mraor-General Munrray to Earl Bathurst. "Phere is only one livingof-the Church of England within my Govreaimets, namely, that.. of George Town, with a. salar. of 8 silders per annum attached, to it, 3 200 of which is paid out of tbe Cng's chest, and &,C0out of theco;onial-ehesx. There B a church for which the congregation of late is become too lsrge; and yet I -must obs=rve that it is sciree ever crowded. The cIlony, however, woald not be diainclined to erect a new one in dce tine; nordo l tbinka inyopposieon vould be made to build- ing a pusona, which there is hot nt pfesent; the incumbent, ALr. Snngman, resides in George Town, is eaenpsed from town taxes, and the cutrch is opento people of al colours during divine service. "These Ii8aDtch clergyman upon the sarne' establishinentas. theEnglish one; and hisfockbaas ermission to asSemble in the Mnalishchurch. TireXisaScotch.hurch nearlycomplete, bypri- vate subscription; and a pastor expected from Scotland, who will also be upon the same esteblishmentof income. "It is much to be regretted that thireorenot any other establish- ments of the national church in a.colonyiffording so wide a field for religions instruction, vwhich it every pont of vie-w is so important. t' I am 1e4 to suppose that the proprietors wiU give effect to some such arrangement, with unimiv sal saasfection; and as liberality is reaflly a leading feature oi thei character, Ifgel convinced that they would readily assent to any reasonable indviduals parochial or co- lorila contribsssioas."1_age 163.) Donrxr&csExtractof aletter from Governor Aaxwell to Earl Bsthurst. "In reply to your drcular of the 7th of April last, I have the honuar to transmit to your Lordship the reports of the Rev. H. C C. Newman, arnd the Rev. PAbbW Piron, on the sabjecs of iL I have to observe, that as inosi of the inhab tAnt S of this colcny ra- Roman Catholics, the greater nortion of the slaves are baiaed in tiat faith. I have directed lP bb6 in future to re- PLste: alMbaptisnrs. in order to furnish a triennial return, as desirtd by ypur Lordshsp."{Page 164.) Extract from. the Report of the Rev. .. C. C. Newman. I have baptized alseg-eher 697 children slaves, and 339 adult laves, ato are become members of the Established Church; and Im ahappy iii being able to rdd,frotn the auttithrt of their owners atd r.a-gers, -dint they are much improlved in their morals ard be. barer sfncetheiriniti?ion in.to the Christi.an faith."-(Page 164.> Copy from tbe Report of LAbb& Firson. .e 3edos svos informer que 1ugliseest oUiverta toisL les joers, ur tois fideles-en JcUs Ch&rist, sans distinction de classes on con- diboas, et oe plutears edclaves y se rendent, npeciallement les Samedss ct li manchaS-les Saetodis ,Pou se confisfer et baptiser laur effans, eL e.es imatchCsOUr-assister a 1lebse, -.edif - tion dr. Saintrva n oedredca ata "kv Sainedis onbnpris g esclaves, lesvseDnapay ep&rchbaque dae tt trmp uate 'cins main jts tie Vhua d 'ils sortent de la ioche du mare de-chi'es. Quant au nombre des es4aves qisi ont 6tE baptisfs partnoii, il est imporible de le proddoe vui qtr'on nle ti'ente lesi e4tre, pour les esciaves dens les colonies, et 'eat aD riafsitrua fcOUv.6 "On?; hapise tous les Samed.s,-tant V-cn4, Iisit, di.dgseit, &e, pat i'tidre de son Excellen ole GolvtiRnenr Ainslie; O}n ne demande c,u'un billet de pemission deleuatoaitre. C's rt taut ce qua is jeeux informer dans ce hoonent en Vertil de I o,dre da mnZ Exeelleace.^-Cage 160.) Gn:rIADA.-Copy of a letter frem Govern(V Riall to Earl Ba 'thurmt. "I n obedirne to your LordshiO's rcqLert, contained in the letter cf the 7th Ap.rl lass, I -herewitrr transmit the AdiIIetent reports re- uired from the clergymen holdiusgliingswithin thii Government." -LPage I h) From these reports it apiweas, that there are twvo Protest- nt benefices or Curews Gfiadi, and one in Carriacou; and the B.ev. Francis M'Mahon, r?ctor of' St. Gwrge's, the capital of theisland, states, "the clsurhes'are openLat ahlltin1es duringdivine Erice, to sucha ofthe black population Ss aredesrous of attending ; but I reret to say' they are comparridvely fev, nas ihe'tajor part of tihr ee coo ed oinha istants and sl aves have beei bro githiup in J?r%McP--Copy of a letter from his Orace the Duke of BManches- ter to Earl Batbust.- "I have had the honour to receive-your Lordship's despatch of lha 7th of April mrked ' Circular,' and enclose for your Lordship's normation, the number and names of the livings'and incumbents, =.d the- stipends allowed to themn b, la*, in this island: and am to acquainm your Lordship, that theyal reside in their several parishes, n dar! in the dischatge of their duty, with the exception of Mr. iosclm% who bhasa obtained my permission to go to Eurrope for the rcvery of his h eal ths- "There are churclhes and parsoniages int eiery parish,except the pb. sibb of Ma3nchester, which his been very recently formed out of e other parishes; and contricts have been entered into for build- ng,a ciurch and parsonage at Manchester. The churcbes are all opn to al persons, ustunot any distinction of col0ur and class, who ay bzdisposed to attend dinine'worship. I iaavecalledupon the sevezil incunibentsto makebretuis4to,te of the number of slaves baptized witbin their pastorAl cufre * and to - rish we with -he arnountoftbefee whleh they may have demand: ard o received for baptizing slaves, and have directed tleir particular UtntioUn to sire otchr objects of' your Lordship's instructions."'. (P.-.- 170.) - n aE 7 n is given of.21 i'cumbents; doing duty Utpon 21 livings, ,i S! .';and of Jamnaica -ST; .t11fTOrnES, Nxvss, IMONsTSERRAT ' ToRTOI.A.- * 2r ot a letter fromn-lovernor Probyn to Earl Bathurst. - Y.en I had the hiosiior of receiving your -Lodship'g circular . is of theT 7th of April I mrote to the several irncitumbents z:-- my Government, enclosn3g copies thereof, =ad detiring the urr;i.l report to be made to me for your Lordshbio' information. .z oow begp leave to transmit the answers -ishi - have Teceived. ;Boe ue so fuU end explanatory, that 11shall add no more than the ?iapressienof my belief; that these rdvtcend gentlimen discharge the icra duty of their oflce with propriety and tieat."P eage 204:) A retur4.is "iven from St. C?htrssopler'e, Qf 8 churches and 5 clergymen; Ntv,is, 5 churches and 4 clergymen * lohtserrat, no return; Tortola, l church and 1 clergyman. -TORAGO.-EXtet of a letter froi Governor Robinsosi to Earl Da thurst. . .- "In replv fo your Lordship'9 letter of-the 7th of April, 1817, I Zsave ihebpRqnr to' atae, -thatt there is but one clernvnsan of the ci-urenor I-ngnn-Li" h san i saar iii M51 urn thuprventriteoexcbe~e4seuaito aboiit300L'tteril g. "Ther is chursibuldingn Scrborhgh bichie by-contract. onghso b~ hpI onflieletof-Ocobef net. Tereis-a sinaUl TIirinD4D--..xtynctof a lette fron'taovcimar Sit lilph Wwod. ford to ThrI 4athifiiTt., - "1 cranunictedto. the Protestpit'lilinbiatr -aue-part&ofyour- Isardislaip's lette as related to bins mrore paWits&I:aA-ha.- vAth ncecpof Ar. Claplsamsi' ~repiys.. 7~ head of tLad Catholl r~urchi I havyyl btea ltegnYhui lab-aurs tali stih d;!mmte nessuco a, t1faTljar J'oS6 al MfLZa, by whosoacjoint eiThs-5 n3 theT ccl'"' i- vdwaderaizoan of it kilicr-igcas of pwtrle lie~s.bfeut efkWlctd".;- A raturn ia givien of arte t'rW~,t aijt nister, anad-egbt Cathiolic In the isl=d4 ine te a ~ so of Port of Slpstm is. 1803, in ahich the Protcr?asat ChurchLwas unfo-t.sn=rly destroyedI, ;aittd de- "After all, I -may he, niitAL.n -in-may op'inons, hbut when. I See cf ihblic eruhp,-.'hcn -snor ev&k nthu- a, ~rhntshee,nctonorttsapnoh.tlporhi sped religious entUsfismis:iisfecttous; anddissatisfactionarising from-a thousand sources of temper and habits, lends its7.owerfu1-aid to apoatacy-when he forgets that toleration as to his'private opinions is generously as well as properly allowed )iird buteuightto be con, fined, to his, private- opinions-when he -.di, he -has. a right to mal-e the Hioly.Seriptures yield to his private-interpretatlbt, and to p,ersuade othersto imbibe his noioifss.all.these things.cinsid&re4; mydedded -thWiniou is, that blihoutginsuch'people mnaymak-c.nomi ial Christians. -they are more-likely to snake themrdangerous. sub- jects: and that this danger;' in these countries, is greatest amnongst the slavex"-(P..2l4.) . A mass of document.s transmitted by Governor. Bentinck from Bterhice, thoug3 classed under a different head in the printed papers, and entitled, "Interrption of .Divine Public Worship," will be properly introduced here 7 as being intinnately connected withl the toplC now under consideration. and as developingthe conriuct of one sof the Mlethodist Mlissionaries', and his confidanti31 friends in this. country. In January, 1817 a document was transmitted to Lord Bathurst, 7hich, ashis Lordship justly observed, (taking the truth.of thestate. nent for granted) " contains-a representation of-the prexent state of Berbice, mnst di,screelirable to the colony, and in many parts reflect- iug severely upo"t the administration ot' its (joverinent." The document is as tollows:-- ME uIEIAANDUNE. *" You will, of couree, expect to hear that great changes are mnakingin tbeCrown estates. Religiousinstructionhasalreadgybeen done away with, without the least ceremony or inquiry. The mix- sionary is prevented fromi going to Sandwoord, and the Negroes from coming-to town; end I hear that the chapel at Danbaarkeid is to be converted into a manager's house, and the school-room fbr a coffee. logie. Some-of the Negroes are verr much affected. lre have rea. son to believe, that a complete revolution will very soon be rhade, and not a vestige of vhat has been done be left behind, except the Plantain WValks; and that all the benefits which the Negroes will -obtain is that of having a few, years' plantains. " If these should be given Up, the missionaries niust of course return to England, as tney cannot expect to be supported beret in- deed they nieee with no encouragement to remain here, except from the Crown estates. Neither whit'e nor coloured people seem to carc any thing about the Gospel,and the poor Negroes appear to be afraid' to come, or prevented by those over them, or the necessity of work- -Ing for-themselves on Sundavs. I do not know what will hecome of the colony, -the people seem to grow in depravity and wickedness every day; the missionaries wvll be obliged to give up having wor- ship :n the evening. Tlhe guard has made the Negroes afraid to come; and the white people behave in so intamous a manner, that- we cannot vorship in peace, and make use of such indecent and blasphemous lanage, that - should be ashamed to mention it. Loait Sunday,. one of them wanted the drum to be beat to disturb us, which is often the case, but the man would nbt beat it, I msonsequence of which he danmned the parson a..nd his God. The. _SAuoay_ n-igh -befoxe, geveral came and - atteinpted to IthiDwa-piece.of.wood in, among whom Wa; .1 hear, Di. T'Ie,ai, ' and-hiii partner, but they were prevented. l Ar. Scott complained to the Governor, of the conduct of the guard, in taking up the Winckel as they went from chapel: and his Exceflency gave or ers that they were to pass unmolested tiU haltfpast 8; bat two white men who were not on guard took care shortly after to meet them, and break a stick over them, and bring them back to the guard, and declared some of them had notpasses. A night or tho after a Negro, named George, was taken up ashe was going home, notwithstanding he had a pass; also at the came time a Negro, who was beat by one of them with hisgun Tom, belonging to Government-house, whose pass was so arbitrarily takenfrom him, and vho was put in gaol all night, has not been able to get one (July 3): the civil commissary has not had time-to write onei He was about two weeks before he could get the other. A few days after this, George was taken ip again between 8 and 9 .'clock, as he was going from his work wnth as proper a pass as could be written, and the moon shining as bright as possible; the guard, with Peter Grant at their head, took him and lodged him in gaol, upbraiding him with learning to read, and telling him that the WinekeLs were aoiling a3U the Ncgroes in the colony. He wa-s mm- porisoned, and had his feet made fast in the stocks among chained lSegris, against all law, order, and justice. Mlr. Scott then applied to Dr. Beresford, one of the principal officers; but, after all, has been- obliged to release hin by paying the fine. Wrhat the Go- vernor's mnotive could be in not answerring r. Scott or not taking notice of such a flagrant abuse of all law and jusIce, 1 am niot able to say, exceptthat lie thought aU the property would be given up to the Dutch in three days, as he haa ordered, and tisem they would givehim no trouble: George is one of the most Cvil inoffiensive yo.ng men in the colony, as all know who are acquainted with hiun. fie took up poor Tom and Gabriel a short time ago, in some illegal manner, and tore their passes up."-(Page279.) - Lord Bathurst seRt a copy ofthis memorandum to Governor Ben- unck, calling upon him for an explicit explanation and report, with respect to those parts which relate to tlte ticatment of Negroes, and the interruption of religious worslhip. The Governor's answer is as follows * - " King's-House Berbice, Alar 26, 1817. Ai l Lord,-l have the honour to ac6nowledgethesreceipt of your Lordship's dlespatch of the 11th of January last, enc1osing a docu- ment, said to contain arepresentation of the present state of Berhice. " Suspecting the source of lthis representation, and viewing itsob. vious tendency, I inquired of- Mr. Wray, whether he knew any thing of the matter, and he confessed-to me, that the said memoran- duris had been framed br others, partly from letters written by him to- Messrs. illacauley and Walker-the former Secretary, and the latter agent of the Commissioness of Crown Estates here; aiid part- ly from other letters, 'as to the writer of which m r. Wray had nothing to say.' " I pursued my inquiries of this gentleman, and endeavoured to oblain as much of his knowledge as I could, in order, if possible, to detect and punish the aggressors. " Having minuted the information, I referred it to the individuals reipecdrgely-namned; and their answers having come in, I havc di- rected the Fiscal to Inquire further, and furnish me with his report and.consideratian on the subjec ,"-I enlose provisionally a copy of Try letter to his Hopour, also tlsexeply: salThopebythe next packet to be enabled to furnish your Lordship wvith thme desired report. 'I aed not dwell on the temper and colour of this document of Messrs. Yray and others, manufactured, as it will appear, in ang- land; a3 your I;ordship will, I am assured, do me the justo to be- fobly infbrmed of any irregularities, I should have-exerted mypos-er toprevent their recurrence; but if IUIr. Wray will confide aU these to his own, knowledge, wnd vent hisnimagination secretly to Messrs. -Iacauley and Walker, or, as it would appear, give imperfectaccounts to the Fiscal, wiitfearnest request to indulge theoffenderi,- f *. "The case of tie Negro George, I find on reference, to he brieflv this-At the period of the insurrection at Barbadoes, it was feared that the influence of the misguided there rnight extenditself to this coast, which being continental, would not have been so easily, if at all: subdued. "' ft was therefbre deemed prudent, in the state of our population. that is, about 300 Europeans and 26,000 Africanrs. to be vigilant, and preventany unseasonable intercourse, lest they should combine and endanger our safety. "'Accoldinky, a bur her ard mounted every niglit,made patrols throngh the town and the su urbs,- with orders to arrest every slave foutd iri the itreet after 8 o'clock at night,and place them in the cus- todybf the Uder-Sherifd(gaoler) tin the morming, when, if nothing app~eared against them, they were usually released on paymient of gaol fees. - It was therefore incumbent on Mr. W ray as a good inhabitant, not to have placed his hours in opposition, but to have-them accord with the polite of the town, more espedally at a moment when the next might easily have laid us in die dust; and if by de- taining nis hearers beyond the' regulated hour. at night, he caused thleirtransgression of the rules laid down for the conservation of the colony at that critical period, he has only himself to blame. " Thia was-the case withl George; he,goiog from MIr. Wrav's house to that of his vife, was found in the streets an hour aftei the time prescribed, with an inefficient piss, being oue which might have been improperly applied; he was arrested and confined according to custom, and the next niorning,. nothing appearing against him, he uight have beenreleased like others, on payment of the gaol fees (I believe ps. lOd.) At the time this happened, I was rot in town.t The agent, ?hlr.Seott,mote army Secretary,whodesired, as the cnn- duct of the guard was iropeached, a particular statement of all that had taken place, whiclh he promised to present to me on yny arrival in town. ;AndlMr. Winy, rather tlan pav the expense attendant on-the cqjstody of George (I cannot say with how much obstinacy and humanity), suffered the poor Negro, whose transgression he appears to have been the cause of; to remain in gaol for two or three " The whole will appear properly verified by the Fiscal's report. I have, &c. HSigned) 'H. W. BENTINCK." - (Page 280.) 'This letter has already extended to so much length, that I shaU conclude ijhere. I am. Sir. vo,ir m-st nhMi-t 'ie-- .A WE-ST INDIAN PROPRIETOR. Z--npsx, co-;Sr?rfnommsr. : L:1R IV.