Colonial Intelligence.
The Times, 1824-01-01T00:00:00

At a General Meeting ot Proprietors and otbers interested in the quarter of Taearigua, held by special summons at the house of The- mas Le Gentlre, Esq., the Commandant, on Saturday, the 20th day of September laat, toe following resolutions were ananimously ap- proved and passed Resolved, That to deprive the master of the plower of inflictidg cornoral punishment on anv slave, whetiher male or female, would ir. toe opmion of this meetinig, subvert the discpline of every estate in tlCe colony, without answering one single beneficial end. So loing as slaves continue property, judicial punishment can hardlv ever take place; and. it is noterious that "f logging" here is the general punishiinent resorted to for the prevention of crimnes, which. in Eng- fand, would inevitably subject the offender to death. If this pu- nishment is removed, no check will remain to immoralitv. theft, disorder, and bloodshed; to which vices the women are generally prone as the mea; but, with respect to the exposure of the persons of women, in the mode of punishment,it is resolved,that where sucb exposure may not have been abolished, it shali be henceforth dis- -onitinue(t. Resolved, Tiat the present meeting considera the abolition of Sunday markets as tending in no way to the promotion of religion; a large proportion of the thinly scattered population of this island muse ever be distant fronm a place of dieine worship, and the market. wvhich ought never to continue after 9 o'clock, is ati additional in- ducement to lead the lower classes to the neighbourhood of t!,c chustch. linocent occupations, embracing practical utility, h;sve ever been recognized by the British Legislature as no violation of the sanctity of the Sabbath, and on this principle, milk, porter, and mackerel, are in England openly permitted to be sold on Sunday. the latter even during the hours of divine service. A large propor. tion of this mneeting, consisting of individuals professing the Catho- lic faith, rorsider the institution of' the Sunday market toe nei- ther at variance with the strictest form of their religion, nor the beriples of the tenderest conscience. Finally, ab an invasion of an established usage, it would assore,ilv excite in the niinds of the .Nefroes great discontent-a sufficient reason.in these perilous times, witi men who regard the welfare of the couitry, to defer the adop- tion of measures even *'f unquestionable utility. Resolved, That as the evidence of slaves is already admissible in criminal cases, under the order of the King in Council, of the 16th day of September, 1822, and may avail gwhen su pported by two free witnesses, in the maGner required br that law; the present meeting is hu mbly of opinion that the facility called for is already obtained, Resolved, That an order for the encouragement of ma.rriage.', among slaves, marriages which mnay prove binding as a religious tie, and not a mere form productiveofexpense, w'l,iftheycan be carried into eftect, prove equallv advantageous to the master as to the slas es. Resolved, That the present meeting can see no aavantage to tte ,lave in any order o lor preventing, the remiioval fieom the land to wvhich they art attached of slaves sold with estates," which in mmny instances would eonfine them to an ungrateful soil, where they could not be properly supported by their master, and will prove an inisu- perable obstacle to the disposal of ttie property of 'deceased persons according to the laws of this island. Resolved, That an ortder for " preventimg the infliction of punishi- rment until the day succeeding that on whic, the crime may be corn- mitted," could only be framed on a groundless assumption that pu- nishments are universally inflicted under the imupulse of ungovern- able passion. Such cases, when they do occur, merit the severity of those laws which in this colony effectually protect the slaves against the itijiustice of the master: bot the present rneeting protest against an enactment which would affix the stigma of disgrace upoti the whole cofimnunity ; its operation wouid be to add the punishment of incarceration to that of uop oral punishment; to protract the mental distress of the oflender, and consequently aflbrd just matter ot dis- content to the whole slave population. To the master it would add the privation of the labour of the cullprit, and of those appoiDted to attend under him. Resolved, That the present meeting sces no objectionl to an order providing for the record of all punishment beyond three lashes. Resolved, That an order requiring the attendance of a tree witness at every punishment, would in some parts of the widely-extended coasts of this colony bc scarcelv possible to be complied with. Bnit tie meeting contemplates with dismay an enactment to compel every proprietor, whatever may be his rank or station, to witness a scene which a sense of duty alone may have compelled him to order ; and shoLuld that proprietor be a female, they hope that something will be toutid due to those feelings, '" arising from a sense of shame, at once tite pride and ornamnent oftheir sex," which mv Lord Bathurst is so anxious to implant in tire minds of black femiles. Resolved, 'lhat there can be no objection to the est :blishment of Savings Banks; but that for the protec:ion of the property of the umaster front plunder, for the purpose of being so deposited, it would be necessary to frame regulatioIis which would require a satisfactory accounit from the slave, in tie presence of the master, of the mode in which he aequired the suan intended to be placed in the bank. Resolved, That as the present meeting apprehends that the reve- lties of the colony are not adequate to tite expeiise of providing a sufficiein nuitber of clergymen and teachers for the religious in- struction of the Negroes, they t:lel grateful to his MaJesty's Govern- meit lor the promise of applying to Parliament for such pecuniary grants as may be accessory, which disposition will be properly met by the iilabifants of this quarter. Resolved, That the present meeting is anxious to com ply with the recomimsetdation of his Excellency the Governor to alopt task- work on their estates, or any other measures likely to promote the happiness and comfort of the Negroes; anid they earnestly entreat those planters to whom his Excellency alludes, as having tried it with success, to favotur the public with a detail of their plan. Resolved, That it is the unanimous desire of the inliabitants of the quarter cordiallyto assist igivingeffect to the wishes of his lajesty's (ovetnitsent, hot that they feel themselves justified in interpreting those wishes from the declaration of his Alajesty's Mi- nisters in Parliament and the unanimous tesolutions oft he flouse of Coii,i-s, rattier than from ttie .:em muncattns iransniu.I-t 1 Excellency the Governor by the Secretary of State; and they con- scientiously declare, that their opposition to a part of those commu- itications arises solely from a solemn and deliberate conviction, that their operation would riot be " compatible with the well-heing of tle slaves themselves, with the safetv ofthe colonies, and with a fair and equ table consideration of the interests of private property." Resolved, That the unanimous thanks of the nieeEing be given to the Commandant, tbr his independent conduct, and for the great in- terest which he takes in the welfare of the quarter under his charge. Resolved, That the foregoing resolutions be published; which I Certilv to lie a trie conv. THOMAS LE GENDRE, Commandant. JAMAIACA. The following particulars will show the progressive improvement rDf the cultivation. population, and commerce of Jamaica tor the last rentury and a half:- in 1673 there were in the island 7,768 whites, and 9,C04 slaves. Ihc ckief products were cocoa, indigo, and hides. Sugar had just :hen been begins to be cultivated. In 1722 the island had produced 11,000 hogsheadq of sugar. In 1734 there were 7,644 whites, 86,,46 slaves, and 76,011 head of Attle in thc island. In 1744, there were 9,640 whites, 112,428 slaves, and 88,938 hea(l *f cattle; and the island produced 35,000 liogsheads of sugar, and 10.000 puncheons of rum. In 1768, there were 17,000 whites, 166,914 slaves, and 135,773 head ,f cattle; and .5;,761 hogsheads of sugar, and 15,551 puncheons of rum, were produced. In 1774, the island produced only 654,7001b. of coftee ; and in 1790, 1,783,7401b. At present there are in Jamaica about 350.000 slaves, 300,000 head of stock ; and the annual average produce mav be about .i30,000hogsheads ofsugar, 60,000 puncheons of rum, andI 13,000,000 pounds of coffee, &c. In return for its commodities, Jamaica receives from Great Bri- tain an annual supply of nlinost all her manufactures. The exclu- sive right which she claims of supplying this and the otber islands with her products is one important source ef her commercial and ma- 1ufecturing prosperitv. The annual amouist of BritLbh manufactures imported into the island alone is upwards of two millions. The im- ports ftom other parts (of lumbar, provisions, cattle, &c.) amount to nearly a million. The annual exports to Great Britair. and Ireland may amount, ane year with another, to about five niillions ; and those to other parts to about 400,0001. COLONIAL INATELLIGEJNTCE. TRmn'nAn