West India Proprietors.
The Times, 1824-02-11T00:00:00

~~eterclay a general meetiag of west rndia planters, rmerchiants, "'-Litants, and others interested in the British West India co- !onxes, was held at the City of London Tavern, on important busi. fleas connected with their rfluhrs. The' meeting was very numerously and respectably attendetq. At hallf-past one o'clock. the chiair was taken by C. T. ErLLeS, Esq;, .P,supported by Air. Keith Douglas, IM.P. ; Mlr. Cray Grant,N. P. Mr.lanning, NV. P. ; AVIr. Pares. Al. P. .Mr. Waton aylr, tt-P. ; Mlr. Birch, AL P. ; Mr'. John Fuiller, anda lrgebod ofthe merchants and proprietors initerested in The HA.RMA~sai, thatlbefore they proceeded to the regular busiessof he ay,it wauld be as well to dispase of a question on whih ter Cold otposssibly arise any difference of opinion-he -meant the additiono namet; called for to increase the numubers of the standing commttee. The folli3wing names were then added to that commiittee : 'tThe Earl of arlnewood ; thne Han. IV. Lascelles, M. P.; SLord St. Vincent; L-ord Saltoun; Right lion. Sir George Rose, Nl. P.; Joseph Birch, Esq., Ml. P.; , V. R. Keith Douglas, Esq., M. P. ; W. H4. Irving, Esq. ; John Irving, Esq., MI. P. ; Eneas Bar- clay, Esq. : S1amuel Hibbert, Esq. -,John Gladstone, Esq., AM. P. ; Spence ivackav, Esql. Henry Shirley, Esq.; Robert Robert- Son, Esq. ; George I ibbert, jun., Esq. Alexandler Kitson, Esq. James Lawson, Esq. ; .Josiah Mtartin, Esq. ; Phlilip John Miles, Esq. N. P; JamnesJ.ohnstnne, Esq. ; Nei ilomr M s.Z SWharpe Esq J. Simonares, ERR., Rev. Johin Broome- Ed ward Share, Eq. SmonTaylor, Esq.; James WVooller Easqt, Esq. Josel AMarrvatt,Esq. ; EdwardI Ellice, Esq., AL. P.; George Shed- den, sq. -;Edward Clar-k, Esq. John Simpson, Esq., H. Pearce, 13q JonStewart, Esq. ; J. 1. Dae,Esq. ; John Hankey, heCIsUNAra Satid,tbatinl consequence of the verv general api. zion whichea ppeared to prevail, that the present alarming and critical state of the Veat lndia Islands called for a full mreeting of those in- terested in colonial prOperty, he liad felt it his duty, in the exercise ao the discretion which thcy had vested in hiim w~hen they did him the honour of placing him the chiair of their committee, to ordler the insertion of the advertisemnents for convening this meeting in the exercisLe of the same discretion, he had called togzethier the standing conmmitee, for the purpose of making the necessary preliminarv vr- ranigemenxts to prepare the measure whichi it shouldI he deemedl ex. -pedientto submitto themeetingthis,~day. it wasthejusteomplaint of the proprietors of WVest India p;;perty, that attacks had been in. ,cessantly maLde upon thiey5 bv misrepres'enting the coadition of the Negroes, and caltmniating the character of their masters, to inflame the public mind, and by such a course of proceeding to uirge bothi P'arliament aLnd the Government to adopt measures which involved an utter violation of the sacred rights of property. (Hear, hear.) Of what nature was that propertv, of the attacks upon which thev had a right to com-plain, and aainam't which they now raisedl their solemn and public protest ? For the purpose of showing by a full and distinct exposition the various rights of terture by whichk that property was held, 'they wiere entitledI to proclaim to tlhe Governm'ent and the couintry, that they lhelrj it by vir- tue of the repeated recogniltion of the Colonial Legislatures. expressed in numerous acts which subsequently receivedI the approval of the Crown, and thereby obtained the validity oaf law. (Hecar, hear.) That property haXbesides been treated by helaw in all the various details of legislative provision and pro- tegon to which all property, 0of whatever description, badl become o, su C~ect. It was recognized'also by variotis acts of the British Par- liament, by virtue of which it became liable to afl the usages of mortgage, and exposed to all the requisite facilities for recovering and enforcing the paymnent of debts legally incurred. The lass had also treated it as subject to different kin;ds off taxation. Socht, from a review of the nature of that colonial property, it would be found, in its acquisition, possession, and transfer, as solemnly re- -cognized, and formally sanctioned, as aniy other property 'had ever been in any country in the world, protectedl by the wholesome do- mninion of law. (Hear, hiear.) It appearedI to t'ne standing com- mittee, that if it shiould be thiought by the Governmfent proper, that property thus solemnly recognizeA~ by lawv, from aniy view which they might be disposedI to take of its character, interfered with the promotioni of any great niational ob'ject, th!n the country bad a clear course to take,, analogous to the practice often exercised upon simiilar occasions, whbich was to offer to the owners of the property souAght to be affected, a fair compen- sation for the surrender of their undoubtedI ownership. IHear, hear. j If aTi alteration and reduction of that property were re- quired by the furtherance of whaLt some mighit aeem a high moral obligation, it would be no less at duty to do iustice to thle pos- sessors, for thte higher the moral obligation which required the sas- csifice of that property, the mnoTeimperative it became, anid neCessary to seek, its accomplishment only by fiair, and just, and moral means. (Applause.) Did not justice, then, require a full and fair compen- aation for ch e trainsfer of this property? It appeared to the comnmit- tee, from a variety of' considerations, that their reasons could not be embodlied or submitted in any fitter form than an address to thle Crown. The King was that authority in the state to whichi the eo- Ionies were especially boundI to look utp for protection, as holding their lands directly fromn the Throne under Crown grants-.as hold- i~ng all their riglhts and privileges under the rural proclamation ; for the colonial acts derived the validity of law th-ough the King's ap- proval. (Hear, hear.) They thought, also, that in the present dis. turbed state of the lVest India possessions, it was- peculiarly proper to appeal to the King. as the authority to which all looked up in the colonies with- united deference and re.ipect, unmixed with distrust or dissatisfaction. (Hlear.) To thelKing,-that iflhis MIajesty were gra- cieuslv pleased to exert his voice, lie might adopt the necessary steps to compose the jarrinig elements, andI restore tranquillitv to such imi- portanit intereas, s.o remove exaggeration from the miinals of the Ne- groes,to obviate the apprehensions of their masters, restore the value of property to the legitimate owners, and reinstate general confidence. (Hear.) Such was the suim and substance of the p-tition which the committee thought proper to recommend to the consideration of this rmeeting. The commnittee, after the mosit matulre andI deliberate consideration, were of opinion, that at this critical and perilous moment, two objects alone ought to occupy their fixed attention the first was, the defence of their right of property; and the second, thie assertion of thieir claim for compensation shiould that pro. Rerty be interfered withl and deteriorated by law. Thes;e paints they) ('eemned paramount to all other consideratioits at the present moment. They had ihierefore arefullv, abstained from all extraneouis matters of discussion ; not that the~ were iin willing, or unable, to meet all other points connected with the detail,! of their whole system, and whichi they would be found ready to debate on more proper occa- sions; but the two great points to which he hatl alreadyvadverted,ought at thisjuncture to supersede everyother considcration: thevwereof vi. tal imnportance' they were paraMnunt,and ought tolbe submiitted to the royal consideration unmixed with any other top)ic,so thattheroyal mind should be enabled at once to tak-e a clear and comprehensive view of whiat was deemed by thiem the main and prominent points of their case, to which all others were subservient. The petition about to be proposed embodied these sentiments and viewsojf their claimns, and woul d, lie hoped, be received with uniaitimnue approbation. (Ap- plause.) The Chairman concluded by reading the following peti- n1on : 11TO TOIE Ittx's StOST EXCELLEr.E MAJESTY. The Hurnble Petition of the Planters and Mlerchants and others interested in the British West rodia Colonies. "We. your IMajesty's most loyal subiects, planters, imerchants. zand others, interested lar y-our ftajesty's WVest India colotiles, hum- bly approach youLr Naj'esty withlthe expression of our loyalty and devotion to vyour 11hajesty'~ person and government. We ap-Pealto your Mlajesty's patremal feelings, which ensure the extension or your II ajesty's graciouis protection equially to all your subjecs, as well to tihe weak as to the powerful-..to those in the most remnote parts of your emapire, as to those nearest yvour Mvajes- ty's person. " v h1elumbly beg to lay o's rcase at your Alaiesaty's feet, in the confidence that it is only ne~iSsaTV to place it undter your Majesty's view, in order to obtain protectio'n for our just righits, and security for our property, " We beg leave humbly to state to your Majesty, that -we holdI our plantations in your Majesty's colonies-by.- grants, or purchase fi,rorthe Crown. " That those grants and purchasses were mnade in some cases uno. -ele the stipulation, in all upon the uinderstanding, that the lands so acquired were to b'e cultivated by Neg-ro slaves. "That Negro slaves were broug,ht by your TaJesty's.IBritish subjet ,from Africa to Your Majesty's W est Itid(ia colonies, and sol bthem to the planfers, under thie sanction of acts of the Brn- hepsh'Par1liament, giving to British subiecta the exclusive privilem, of caryin on that tr'ade, confining it t&-British ships, and prohiibit. iangthv. planters fromi trading with the merchants of any other is decrbe asa in bhenactle Parliament relating to that tratle, it Bd"ritai ead yu a beecal both to the commerce of Great Bianadto yu Majestty's Parliamnent ;' and it has been stated to be a trade ' so very adlvantageous that it ought to be left fr'ee and operoallourAaj-esty's subet.' PThit4 attcmptshh ha ebeen made, on more than one ocandsionitythattae ae oyur Majesty's colonies, to restrict and liniit thant tckedby thit Britich Goveornnent,. "1That the Rya asnhsben ref'used to bills paqsed with that view byth eilursn the colonies, and that it has been derlared by 31 inisir fteCon that it would not be I al lowedI so the coloniestocekordsure in any degree, a traffic so be. siefcia ani ncesaryto he othr cuntry.' "Tha vaous ctshave bee pastsed by the legislatures of the coloies, ad hve ecevedtheRoyl aoroal,regulatine in the mosta~iute etals te teatmnt f th slvesby their rmaters, affor.igpoeto oteoe o eonzn the rights of the '1 That oilier act-s have been passed by tite samne legislatures, and hzve received the Royal approval, treatingig the laves Ini thoise cola. sties as the property of their moasters, atid subjecting such slaves ssnd their issue to all the restrictions and conditions which at. it3 uo any the property: for some purpi)ses considering them aijrehol, fo othrs as personal property. We bg teve frther to state, th t vrosat fteEgih and ubsquenly f te Brtis Pari~mnc,havepased,into law, treaingtheNegoes nd hei isue i th coonis, n various othe ~eaon ,shiohav let moey,takng uchNecoesas their rectovy a d aorigfclteagisthone ftem for the recoveyof their det. VThat the s;e-ver-a-l courtsof law-in this kintgdombhave, by repeat- -ed decisions,regarded and decided upon the property in Neg,roes and their issue, according to the laws, and customs Of this kingdom andI the colonies, which relate to inheritance, devisfe, settlement, convey.. ance, and securities for mnoney,recogniziflg in the proprietors' a vested intceret in the slaves, their fulture issue and increase. " That the property in slaves has been moade an object of taxa- em.Te Ac9uisitiOn Of it by devise has been subjected, in sante caesR, to the legacy duty, thie possesssion of it to the prooerey-tax, -%nd thte transfer of it to the sttamp duties, amiongst which is that imposed upon slaves and their4sebtergsr c,psels e cently as in the year 181u9 btergityac,pseds.e .1in a word, the title of the mnaster to his slaves atia their iasue, ,]as been as completLel sash as solemnly recognized by the law as the title of any of you Ajyesey'a subjects to any -otlier Species of ptro-, perty. s"We humbly conceive that in a case in which the partiesq are, the $tate 0n. the one hand, and any class of your Majesty's subj'ects qnn the other, it cannot be necessary to prove any other title to property, than that it has been recognized by the State itself.; and we hum. hi 7- conlceive that as against the right of the State to ainnihilate or to injire in anY degree that property, such proof is-conclusive. ** It has been tuged, with a view of siliaking the title to such pro. perty~, that in its omigio it will be found to have been vitiated byacts of iqjuStice or violecs. liemighit ask, how much of the proper. t oYyouriMajescy's subjects..propeq.hl'd theTrnost sacred-.could sirdratlle n is orginfreemominjustice or violence? Wheter yur ajesy'stitl tothose very colonies, though santioed y teates nd econied by the law of nations, coidl sand heetes? Whthe itcould be shown that the oriinsoccpaionof has cuntiesbythe nations of Europe waS ui2tai28.h) acs f cuely r volectOW~ds the nAtiye injtA. lltAnti; P oz 6uw bate akt the lanaeA proptrty of OGeatritein 6? Ireland oDuld be retained by the present possessors, if such attitle were reqhuired to beshown? Thc general admissionof this principle wudsaeproperty- of all descriptions throughout your blajesty's dominion- ; and against a partial application of it to the property of your Mlaiesty's subjects in the colonies, we appeal in confidence to your Majesty, as the dispenser,of equzal justice. to. all your subjecti~ "If the State considers thattthe property of the West Indialntr in their slaves interfceres witli a great national object, it lias a clear course, as in all case% where the property of individuals interferes with a pu'blic object, by offering them a fair compenisation for the -surrenuer of' their property. "If that object is one which is required by~ a high moral duty,the sazme sense of dutycommands that it should betaccmirplished by the farPurchase of' that ptoperty rather than by a forcible violation of i.If' the right to comnpensation be admitted in case of injury, but if it be mnaintained that the object can be accom-plished without in. jury to the planters, the State has also a cle-ar course, by offring a *distih ct pledge, and makinig provision for a contingent compensa- tion. If no-lossshould be incu.rred, this will cost the State nothing- If the injury should he inflicted, it will be only the satisfaction of' a claimp previously admitted tn be just. "On thei qther hand, a reftisal to abide the issue of' the test will be considered by the planters as a practical proof' that their fears are felt to be w'ell-fouinded, however they may be asserted to be groiundless. " We beg leave f'arther humbly to represent to your MVajesty,that the tranquillity, of all your Mlajesty's colonies has been dist-arbed, and the lives and properties ef the inhabitants of those countries brouehit into immFinent danger. " That the insuxrrectioni of the Negro slaves in youir AMajesty's colony of' Demerara has not been suippressed withouit a sacr'ifice of' lives anld valuable property. " That an impression had, as it appears, been created in the minds of' the Negro slaves in that colony, that your Majesty and the Bri- tish P1arliament had granted their enfranchiisement, but thet their master withheld it ifrom themn and that they had thus been stimu- lae to assert their freedlom by violence. In other colonies, plans of' insurecion avealso been discovered, and a very distuirbed spirit has ecoe aparet among the Negro popuAlation. "The onfiencein the security of' property, in those countries has consequently ens much shaken, that the pdwer of' ttansfer has been nearly'unni ae, anti the value of the securities, on which many millions ofmoy have been lent by Your Majesty's sbject in Great Britain, ha eneulydmnse,adtecedit of the planters, who had araybe struggling uinde-r the pr-essure of long continuedI distress,hsbens much impaired, that it hai beddme almost impossible to obtain a loan upon colonial security. "1Under these circamTatances we lay ourselves at your Majesty's feet, and hurmbly pray that your Majesty will not, by the exercise of' your Majesty's royal prerogative, in any manner.sanction or author- ize any acts w~hich may impair the value of pToperty in you-r M1ajes. ty's colonies, so repeat.edly and so solemnly: recognized by your Mla- jestyr, your Royal predecessors,and the Parliame'nt of Great Britain, unless a fund'should be previously provided for fairt antl sufficient compensation. to" We further liuridbly pray your bXajesty to be graciousily pleased toadopt such measures as to your MNaiestym a pear best calcu, lated to remove the exaggerated expectations of' the egroes, grid td alay the well-fcinnded fears of the white inhabitants 16 the coloiiies, so0 as to restore a tranquil andl conitented spirit in thilse 6euntrles, and to re-establish the just value of' colonial property, and confidence in its security. " And your petitioners will ever pray, &c." Mr. C. N. PAr.%tu. rose to, secondt the petition, which he hopedI would bp unanimously' adopted. Although it would be in vain for him to expect to be able to add any thing to the arguments used in the petition, and more particularly after the able and powerful ex- position which it had previously received from their hen. chairman, (hear, hiear), yet hie could not refrain from expressing his pleasuire at perceiving the nature of the petition which they were calledl uion to'support he had received the greatest gratificatitin fr6m the clear anid close deduiction from the facts and reasoning in the petition, and which defied all contradliction. Besides, their petition was -not calculated togroduce any of those anigry f'eelings woich were calcu- lae ooitrre with the restoration of harmony and the language in which it was enforced, hie wasq proud to COntTast with the intem- Perale allusions of those who called themiselves the friends of aboli- tion, buit whom he mnust call the friendis of superficial humanity. (Hear.) Ilritlipleasure it was he saw nothing in tlhedocumnent und.er consideration whiche was calculated to interrupt that awful silence which thie present situation of the colonies sdeemed to have imposed on Parlamen andthecouintry. Thie petition also left untouched and lsouncmproise (har)all other points connected with ther clonalrigts ndintress,and there was a judicious absti. nenc fro alltopcs wich erecalculated to create an irritating diferece f' pinonin any quarter. It was must piroper to confine thei prsen obectto thle assertion, and he tnisted establishnient, of hei caimforcopensation, and to do so by ani appeal to the King fro whoe grciotus and just view of their case the)' wouldI dotesreceiv fi n roper relief. (Hear, hear.) He hoped the exampl andfobanc which thiey set would not be lost upon theCir Opponents, and while they heldc it out to themi, he trusted also they would take a lesson in return, and imitate thec union and pr sevecrance with whichi they hud always to Struggle on the side of teir eneies..not, indeed. imlitatinz them in any thing else, but rather slhowing those requisites of lbrbearance and moderation which were alassr to obtain legitimate ends by a shorter course, than per- severance in opposite qualities. (Hear, hear.) He hsad never des- ptairedI of the colonial interests : overwhielmied as they were with dis- tress, and, surroundied by perils, yet he bad foyer despaired. He now sawsa ray of relief for themn in the increasing prosperity of the couintrv. ffe saw a protection against fuiture danger in the prospect of the better acquaintance of the counitry with the true state of colo. n;al affairs. They ought never to despa'ir whiile true to themiselves nor should tley 'be diverted by any stratazemn frons persevering with energy and unanimity, in the PUTrsUit Of those measures whichi their interests and duty alike prescribed for their adoption., Mlr. WATsoN; TAY r.or expressed his entire concurrence in what bad been said as to the necessity of unanimity on the present occa- sion. He had the utmost rel;ance on the eiTect of' the recomimenda. tion t Parliament in thie speech from the throne, and he trustedI thlat thesubject of the \Vestlnilia inte-rest would be consider~d with that calrmness and caution which its importance and a sense ofjus- lice to) thlose concerned demandled. After the just and wise recoin- mnend ation of hlis M1aje's'ty he hopedl that those who took an active part in the question wotil~ temper their zeal with caution. Under altecrumstances of the case h thoughit the presentth it favou rable opportuinity for approachiTng the throne wvith their neti- tion. Thaenpetitirnl whichi the meeting had just heard was couched in such jus ati moderate ter-ms, that he felt great Pleasure in seconding the m otioni for itst adoption. Mr. CARaNsxu.-0ox said, he was so fully, impressed with the im- portance of this subject, and of the awful c5risjs to wvhichi the affairs of the colonies were broght, thlat he could not suffecr the present opportunity to escape wvithout offering a few remarks. He fully coni- currled in ihe justice of' the remark, that this quiestion, viewed in whiat way it m~iht, ouxght to be discussed w'ith moderation, It was not hi" wi%lh to depart from the general suibiect, or 1o occupy the at- tention of thie meeting for any leneth -of time- beit from the circums.tanices in which he wag placed ( Mr. 'Carrington is ag.ent to one OF the WVest India colonies), he didI not think he shouldi discharge bi, 'duty did he nor take a short view of tile circumstances which liad broughit the affitirs of the colo- nies to their present crisis. Hle wished not to inflame any party. feeling at either side, but to point ourt the difFerence of the situati'on of' the collonists from 'vhat it was somne few years bark. UJpon the assumnption that a clandestine importation of slaves bad taken place, hadl arisen those measures of interference whichi had been so unfor- tunlately applied to) our coloniies of late. Ile maintained that nlo fair gr-ounid for such an assumption had existed, and that the inter. ference resting upon its wa,s therefore without any necessity. At tile time the mea%ures of interference were pending, in the Bri- tish Parliament, its effects wvere not only dreaded by those who knew the real condition of the colonies, but were clearly predicted. Unhappily thsosepreilictions were altogetber diqregarded,iind the con. s!equence was, thlat a fourishing, beautifLil, and onceehappy colony was in one night exposed to all the horrors of insurrection, conflarirtion, and bloodlshed. This, he asserted withiout fear of contradiction, wag produced because the warnings of' those whose situgtion rendered them m-ost capable of judging of the real condition of the colonies had been alItogetherTilisregardetl. Ite was a melancholy reflection, and one would think- that it was cauised by some dreadful fatality, that the real cause, as well as the authentic hiistorv of' those transac tion% (we believe thie late disturbances in Barbadoes) should con- tinue to be unknown in this country. The caldimnles which had been poured torth against the conduct of the resident West Indlia planiters in the coursRe of the last session clearl y showed, that there were noct a few in this COuIntry, who were wvilhing to attribute the disasters tis which lie huid allzided;'to any thing rather thaft their real cause, andl who) still affbeted to disbelieve that they were the result of the late measures of interference. HP, liowever;conficlent6. lY asserted that they were producetd by those iheosuregs, and there was a gallant officer, to whlose bravery arid presence of mind on that OCCasiOn thle coiuntry wereindebted fhrtlie preservaticnl of the colony, who cnuld tell the meeting. on thle authority of the gallant Governor of the island.a man not less dis,tiniguished. for his highi mili- tarY talents tltan for his. integritY and urbanity in private life-.that the whole of these melancholy oectlitrit"e had ptoceeded from the interfierence of this country in the internal affairsoftei o buyv. Thie zallant Governor, as the result of'a most minut3,1efinqu1e,iry; inti the subject, had put it uapon record that the disturbances had proceeded from- the interference of this coluntry. Bvery circmtac whiich hiad transpired, capable of explaii teitauean argn hati assigned thi4 as the cause. The declarations at thte place of exe- cution, Of thle unhappy nersons vwho had suffered for th-eir connex- ion with the disturban~e, was a further evidenice of the facti In no one instance hiad tiey, varied in thleir statement, that they had been contentedI and happy under thelf toasters, against whom lhey made 'no complaints, until they hadl been led away by visinnary hones founded uPtin the interference of thnis counry. Hear hea' Mreo te Wet Indiani planters were chareb ith avig r~adeexageraed statements of thie ature of te diutrancewhei iswaspublicly stated that they had ot aise fro theintrfernceof this countrv it was not had thought worth who,.. s Maj esey4 . overnment ~mi t rtat tiecaiumny~ which thley might easily haye done by referring to the despatches thley hiad received on the SubJect. A few words mnight have set forth the real saeo h case. Such an act onteprSotlnser ol ave bee kind sod generous, as iOnteprof1isrs would hiave been uelince kingtezal for interference whicht hadl( balread benueunee gteza suhepanation had been given. Neiher lisa there been any at- tempt made to Support the prinCliule,that for theproperr violated the parties were entitled to corApensiatilon (Hlear.) It was, however, but too true, that wbole families had been reduced to ruin friom that occurrence,' from which they could not hope to recover. In these trnsctions, lie would repeat, it was asrkn oniec,ta o one of the unhappy sufferers, either in Barbsadoes or Demerara, had ever complained4 of the conduct of his master. (Hlear, hear.) These. fat hwdin a strong light the hardships of the c'olonists, from ithe exagzerated statements and misrepresentations which had bee ciclated resecting them. M1r. Carrington then went on.to conitend, taitwste duty~ of the meeting, if they meant to act upon the excellent advice which had been given thrns by the mnover of the petition (M1r. Palmer), to co-operate with their friends in Barbadoes and Demerara in procuring eompensation for the injury they had sustained. That compensation theybhad claimed, norrmore for their owes indivitlual interest, than as members of the general body, whose interests -were equally involved in thie decision on that claimn. After again alludiing to the suddenness with which the late distur. bances hiad come upon the colonists, and again asserting that they had been produced by the interference of this country, AiVr. Carring.. ton went on to show, that from the re'cent investigations whic-h had taken place, the falsehood of the cbarge, that before the interference nio step had beens taken by the colonists for the improvemnent of' the moral condition of the slaves, haul been folly manifested. He knew of his own knowledge, that hin the island which be had the honour to repeset, uchstes hd bentlce; aid e bd raso toelivethat thesam miht.be aid ofJamicaandothrclones:arnd thogh heifnrovntnt igh nr hve ee asrapd s oMe .this eoutitry'wenst4ircttytotetiove. What fariLsere#ett1emdre rapid march of interference might have, he would not ntow predict, except by saying, that it: was to be dreadedl by all thase who knew the real situation of the colonies and the cbar4ctet of their Inhabi- tants. Mluch was still to be'dreadedj If' some or the -steps were not reftraced, and that in a priiper -spirit of conciliation. After some .other-remarkls, in whichhe wenton to etiforce.the nemesity of union anid pereverance in their object, and in upholding the principle of compensation, he concludeaby expresing. a hope that their petition wouldl he received with every bias in their vour, and that they miglit not be kept in that susp;ense as to the result, whtich was worse than an immediate Certainty. of being defeated in their hopes. Mlr. 3. 'P. MAYEts claimed the indulgence of the meeting while hie offered a few remarks on the subject betbr themn,as a West India proprietor, to whom circumstances had given a personat kniowledge of what hadlatelv passed in one of oar colonies. Considering the great value of public mieetinigs on quiestionst of importausre, where the in- terests of many wete concerned, and where, in the various opiniong cel~ivered, thete was the, best ohance of having the whole truth eli- cited, he was surprised thai one lhad niot l~en Called earlier on this most imiportanit subject. He, howeVe?, did1ot rmesui to throw any blame on ;hjsacejtoun terxcellent chairmar gnd thoise gentle. men who supported him on this 'occssicn, for whose active ejtertiotis in behalf of the colonists, he, as a West fridia o"iletor. felt truly grateful. If he had before felt regret that thie meeting had not been called sooner, he now felt great pleasure at the very happy auspices under which the present was called together. Not long back, he hadl beeni struck almost dumdb with, dismnay, at the slarming state of the. afiairs of the colonies; but now. he felt itnspired with confldence zand hope 6f the fistui,c, and. instead, Ahereforej of sayinz any thlin whnich would inteirupt the harnionyhe sa* presi,ling, hewould. o everytign hi pwerto promote it. The ocetifeiidaces dfthe IgaRt we,the gracious recommeondationfrOMthe throne, andtshilteec-h'e5 in the House of Lords,*js given in the newspapers, w~e as far as thev related to XVest Indian affaias,rsost cheering. They held out ahop'e that at length a calm and dispassionate consideration was likely to be given t aquestion whiichi involved not only the mnost valuable interests ofte coltonists,but he might almost say thte existenc fteclne themselves. Let not, however, thisi happ PTChange in tihe prospect of their affairs prgsent them from continuing their active exertions, for the serpenit which h4d sent.forthbits veaon) aigainst themmright renew that venonii if ndti effectually resisted- The ocu nces of# the last few yeses, as connected with ddr WestluNda colonies, had no parallel in the history of this coluntyi ''lie Post uniheardI of calumnies haid been, circulated agoiisist the coloniats, enud thtese, too, in pl'e wh'ich should ndr have. lezit in e6ar ii ritaternents not proved. T he great principle of hearing all jides fairly befobre judg. ment was pronounced had been outraged in the case-o the Colonists. Though there was the best and most conclusive evidence to show the propriety of the conduct pursued by the resident planters, still, with- outiwaiting to haxle thlat produced, strong opiniona had been given againstthiem. He would not,however, dwellfarther upon this part, butrcome atoneeto the late insurrection at Barbadoes. It was his duty, as it was the duty of all concernied, not to be deterred from fairly stating what they Knew by any apprehiension of beingthouglht interested onthenmatter. Wiihen, recently, Mr. Wilberfor'ce,acting on the groundless suspicion that theire had beesra clandestine itupor- tat jon of slaves, and,iti opien Viohttidn of'that prinpiple, that taxation and t'f~ezi-etadtion should be coequal andcoektersigie, had introduced the sla~ve registry bill, many proswo eebeUttr at'fune with the negroes and tercaracter, believed that insubordina- Wtion and insurrection would follow. All the declarations to this effect were disregarded ant tise time ; but at length they turned out to he true. Before the interference, the island pre. sented a scene of perfect prosperity ; but stoen after, it be. came one of desolation anid misery. Air. Mfavers here Proceeded amidst frequent expressions of the impatience of the mieeting to detail the nat re of the distuirbances, and to show that they had been. prodcd= by the interference of this couintry. Th%is, he con- tenided, would be mrost sati6Wtfaeoly prruwed, if the despathebe from the Govemnor of the island were produced. Air. HrBaERT said, that most certainly at no time~ euld he pre- tend to hiave any thing to address to so respectable a rmeeting as that before hini, which could command attention, a-nd still less could he hope to command it when he only rose fhr the purpose of explain- ing why he should go no farther into the subject before them at Present. HeI attended in the standing committee, where it had been very wisely decitled,,that they should enter into no othier mat-. tera connectedl with the WVest India question than tho-e which had been referred to in the petition, and into fhose noa farther than the petition had gone; not that the other matters conntectedl witA thieir interests were unimnportant, buxt because their affairs wefe at such a crisis, that the more cautiously they proceeded the better. He acquiesced in this decision of the m~aiority of the committee, and, feeling its propriety henwwrl eommended it to the adoption of the mieeting.Thpeionrpsd he fully approved of, arid he hpd Itwud be sgeasonaspsil. It wvas a petition 'to teK g;and touhtdi ito at length into the mediate or immediate causso h agr whic'h threatened the co- lonies, yet it touhduo thmistc wyastate petitioners should o omttesle taysd. A agent of the island of Jamaica, he mgtg oehtfrhr and in his official capacity offer sm ut bevtos but in the last general meeting and ntepeetb a o gone further, or said any thing more ta samrhn n a males plantert niight dd. His eonstitLeents had statedl that they heara t'hat his AMajesty's ministers had expressly denied the principle of compensation. lie liad looked over his correspondence, and he saw whiat it wvas from which his constituents had drawn that inference. Indeedl, he should be extremely sorry to find that ministers had come to anjy such determination. The inferenee of his constituents hadl arisen from one of his Cotmmunications. In that he stated, that at a conference (with ministers, wre presume), at wvhich he was, not pretetnt, buit the liarticulaYs uf which had been reported to him from very respectable authority, it was stated (by ministers) that a distinction would be made between the cases where direct emancipati.on liad taken place, and those in which measures preparatory to that event liad been tak-en. He knew not whe- ther he reported this rightly; h e gave it is he got it : but if the meianing of it was, tbat " you shall have compensation if you eman- cipate, but you shl have nione if you cisly talte mneaxtires to pre- pare for that which w~ill be your own undoing".4if this determinat- tion of miinisters was fairly reportedi he would say that itwa a moat unfaLir decision, and his constituenits had good reason to be ang-ry at such i4 result. It was that impression whichi had given rise to the different meetings and to the reselittions which hiad been entered into in so many parishes in the island. Those meet-. tugs an~d resolutions hiad one goad effeCt, for they went to show what might be expected as the consequences of such a decision given as a final one. Hel wo :Id say that there should be a chiange-tbat some of the steps taken shiould be retraced ; and ifhbe had not seen that some- thing of the kind were intended, he would not have stopped here ; but in the hope that something would be speedily done for amelio- rating the state of the colonies, he would at present P!o no farther thian expressbhis entire concurrence in the petition. f(Hear, heay'.) Mlr. tiOSSr.TT LAI. P., said, that he entirely concurreA in what had falleni from his honi. friend who had just sat down. ImitatiNg his, example. lie also. would abstain from going into the detailsi of thsimportant question. Re thought the subject now rested on terespon~ibility of ministers, and he trusted it wotild be take-n bthem with tha't firmness and mo-deration which would enisure the tranquillity of the minds of all. Mlajor D'AI.DAc next addressed the meeting, but from the dis- tance at which he stood fromn where we sat, and the very frequenit in- terrutptionis he encountered from the disapprobation of his hearers, we could collect only ani occasidnal sentence, We understood him to say, that he Possessed a small ptodperty in the WVest Indiesi,' which, how'ever, small as it might be; lhe woCtld nor willingly expose to unnecessary risk. The question of the present state of the coonies was a most important one, and ougRht to be approached with daution; bvit whatever were the decisions, they oueht to be aeted uipon with firmenes: bUt eve'ry easure which might now he adoptedl ought to have in viewr the ultimate abolition of slavery, forbhefelt convinced that the irestlIndia interests would never rest upon a finrm basis, until the great object was ac-ronplislh. ed. (Disapprobation.) Re would not then enter upon the details of that important topic, for he was aware that there were maniy persona who look-ed upon the question of emancipation, however re- mote, with hnorror and dismaay. He, for onte, couiad not enter into such feelings. lie could anticipatte no such horribl'e Consequeneeg. He thought the diffusion of knowledge among the Negroes a rfecessar7 preparative for final emancipation. (Hisses, and cries of"1 Off. off.') After a short time Miajor D'Albiac proceded : he thought the ad- vantatge of a rittblic meeting was, that all shaould be heard, and that from the different opinions on both sides of a question, truth mnight be b-st elicited. (Here theinterruptions wereso frequent, that we could only distinguish the gentleman's voice without bein1g able to collect what lie saul, until some one cried out " A saint"') Maj~or D'ALrAC.-" I am no saint, I have moreof thecharacter of a sinner; buit minner as Ilam, I will not be put dowvn by clamour; I wll ontnq toassrtmy right to be heard." He then proceeded, andTed it lrt esotii(ti(as given below.) During the reading of this andi the two that followed it, the interruptions were so loud that we could hear nothing distinctly. At the foturth resolution MNIajor DYAlhiac said, Gentlemen, I shall wait U'ntil you hrVe done hhi.ing, and then I sha'Ll go on; for I am determined to readl them all. tHere he wL-as ssailed with suchhid dvoci:ferations,intermningled with Thisses, andI the Octai6itial allupion of" You come from Wilber- fore".." You are from the African Institution,"~ and similar re- marks, that he wvas quite unable to proceed, and obyliged to appeatl to the Chair for protection.1 The CnA;ltMA2z rose atnd said-ii"'Gentlemnen, I ask yout, Is voir Cause such that you. tneed be afraid to hear any opponent ? I aslk you whether it wduldi not.be niore becorming to hear this gentlemsn withoiut iultelvrdptiort, sutbiect, ot lourse -;so whatever animadversions h ffisav afterwards receive from those who may. follow him." MaJor D'ALBIAC tlhen'concluded ireading his resolutions, and ex- pressed the regret he felt at detaining the meeting while he obtruded himself upon theIrattention. fHeassuired themhe was toD conscious- of hisi own inferiority toi dispute too pertinaCiously the opinions of other rmen., who miight think they had better information on the sub j1ct.,-The fdll?wino are the resolutions ' 51. Lit is the opinioni otti ris niecftiug that rational ani defined liberty is a blessing to wliich the whole race of msnkina have an original title. I 2. That in accordance with this principle, and being fully aware that a state of slavery is inco-npatible with those moral tics4 those social feelings of gratitude which in free countries bind the servant to the master, this meeting anxiously looks forward to that desirable period when the black population of the West Indian Colonies shall be deemed by the Legislature of the mother country to be so far advanced in moral attainments as to be worthy of being admitted to the condition of free labourers, and capable of properly appreciating the blessings of rational fteedom. "3. Pearlessly as this meeting proclaims to the world the foelinks by which they are actuated in common with their fellowr-men ; anx. ious as they ever will Ue to give those feelings effect by a cordial co- operation wiSh the British Parliament, they still feel it a duty in. cumbent upon them to declare, that all unworthy or base appeals to the passions of the yet uneducated Negroes can only rotard, instead of promoting the beneficent views of the legislature and that it is necessary that the Negroes should be taught 'How Very short-lived is that liberty which comes hurried alohg'by the hurricanes of com- motion, and which enthrones itself uponi rfloral ruin.' ; 4. That it is the opinion of thigmeetine that the owners and oc- cupiers of the soll of the British WeMt Indian coIonies are as much entiled to legislative protection as the owners and occpiers of the soil of Great Britin. 6. That this meeting relies upon the justice of Psrliament, trusting that in every measure wbich may hereafter be brought' for- ward in furtherance of ultimate emanLipations, a due regard will be had to vested and acknowledged rights; and a conviction of the jus- tice and of the necessity of equitable indenunification." The (CIHArRMAsf.-TS tfis amendmnent seconded ? If it is, I shall, in the d1isr:barge of my duty, put it to the meeting; if not, the same duty foi'bi as nme to put it. 'I her el-eing no seconder, the arttesidment was not put. Mr. T. jYLOR thought the question of Negro emancipation allud- ed to by he rdover of the amendrnenS dldnOtdregutlarlv come-witlh- in the bum iiness of the day. Se thought all Ah6'.d0etAik ght to be consindere d in the Jint instinc by the reolonisl lelatttre PXr. Cm szmr j rep Ued thseiatemmpfioawbich she overoflbe muetndment had recelied - and with rezplect to his allLuion to the final extinction of coercive labour among the Negroes, he could as- sure him, that slavery had of late years become stripped of its ter- rors, and was passing gradually away towards its conclusion when, he was sorry to say, the intemperate friends of abolition, had, by their unwise and impolitic conduct, arrested its progress. He gave his cordial support to the petition, and thanked the gentlemen who had drawn it up. Mr.Josss FULL7 E (who had been very violent inhis interruption of Alajor D'Albiac, near whom he stood) said, that they lhad a pret- ty good example of what was called " free labour" in St. Domingo, where the Blacks had it famously, for there they could only grow coffee and sugar enough for their own consumption: a pretty thing that would be for the owners of British property in the West India Colonies. He hoped the King would at once ameliorate their in- tercests by issuing a proclamation, stating that it it was uot intended by the legislature to i;anumit the slaves. The question tu;ah the petition was then put, and carried with one dissentient negative. ZMtr. SANWNING entirely concurred in the object of the petition, in the awful crisis of West India affairs, and moved that the petition be presented to his Alajesty by the Chairman, accompanied by sueb members of both houses of Iarliament as wished to attend on the dcasaionm and by the agents of the West India Colonies. Sotie 6onversatio,, arose upon this mode of presenting the petition, as tending to delayil if a levee were nlo, speedily held: and it was ultimately agreed. that the mode of presentaignn should be left to the Chairman. Thanks were then roted to the Cil,<irman, and the meeting dispersed. *.' Wre are sorry to sav tbat the Teporters who attended this meeting were ns; treated with that courtesy which is uftally prac- tised on all such occasions, and which is so essential to the vefy ar- duous duty they h,ave to perform. Beforethe commencement of the proceedings, they h3d occupied a station, generally appropriated to them at public meetings, opposite to the chairman, from which, however, thiey vete exduded in a very abrupt and uncourteous man- ner, by a person~ whose name was saif to be Holden, and who was also said to till the situation of secretary to the Comrnmittee of NW'est India Planters. We are far from impatng to any of the very respect. able individuals who were present at this meetine, a participation, either directly or indirectly, in fhe conduct ef the secretary, sitfce the reporters have, on many occasions of pablic rueetings, received the rmost polite attention frm several of their. We believe, indeed, that they were altogether ignorant of ){r. Holdenls behaviour; but wve ma,v, in a friendly way, advise them to try and infiase a little mote dv'ilitv into him; or if tbey do not, it is very probable fhat, at their nejt geneeral meeting, tbey will have to add to hils other du- ties that of repueting their proceedis fior the nublic press. o WT ZgDIA PROPP1TRTEg..