West India Commissioners.
The Times, 1824-10-13T00:00:00

When XM6 published, the other day, a letter from Trini- dad, whicW spokre in terms of praise of the Commissioners now employed in inquiring into the legal condition of the IVest India Calonies, we did not mean to eulogize Messrs. Henry and iMladocit at the expense of Mr. Dwarris, whom ill healtlh had compelled to return to England: on the con- trary, we knew, andl to prevent all misunderstanding we take this opportunity of expressing, that it was impossible: for Government to select a *nan irore fitted for that irnP-! portant investigation than Mlr. Dwarris, whosc talents, zeal, ! firmness of mind, anid integrity of principle, we can tnder- take to speak of froi4 our own personal knowledge. It did, in(lced, naturally give tis great pleasure to see, that the law Commissioners, whosc duties vsere not of the most palatable kind to the persons in power in the colonies, were prosecuting tne inquiry in a manner that gave satisfaction in the islands ; but it inust not be inferred irom the honourable mention of the gentlemen who conti- nue there, that the Commissioner who is returned was less zealous, able, or activo ; or that his services were less valued in the islands which he visited. The contrary is the fact, as appears from letters by persons of the first conse- quencie in those islands, who speak of Mr. Dwarris's loss as a calamity; and hope for his return, if he should recover his health, as of the utmost importance to the colonies. EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM T}IF SPEARER OF THE lOUSE OF ASSEMLBLY AT ST. VIXCENT'S. s 1 trust you will not take it as an unwarrantable free- dom,when I tell you that your public condtuct here has made you a host of friends, for I believe all parties think ou have acted with the candour and just sense of what be- longed to your situation, which are equally creditable to you as a man and an English lawyer. I mention this factI from no other motive but merely to let you know, what, in i a longer residlence your owvn discernment wouild have i sufficiently enabled you to perceive." I EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM THE CIHIEF JUSTICE OF' Do i.iX ICA. " I have seen and lamented the scurrilous paragraphs in our colonial papers. But *r your withers are unwrung." You must know* towhom thev allude, and ought to dismiss them from your thoughts. Mly letters speak from all the other islands of your strictly impartial, opex, and un- blemisheti conduct in the performance of your verv un- pleasant and (to some concerned in the admiiistrationi of justice) very unpalatable inquiry." &c. EXTRACT OF A l,ETTER FRON THIE TREASURER OF GRE- NADA, COVERING TWO INTRODUCTIONs TO GENTLEMSN: IN JAMAICA. I " Mly dear Sir,-I beg leave to enclose you the two I letters for Jamaica which I requested you to allow me to give you. I trust I need hardlv ald, that there is not one word of flattery in them, as I have written what I felt and i what I know others feel too," a&vc. No. 1.-ENCLoSURE (EXTRACT.) " I take the liberty of introducingfl Mir. Dwarris, Com- missioner, who revisits Europe, by way of your island. I have some reason, as a public officer in this island, to be I grateful to him for the impartiality he on all occasions evinced, and for the firmness with which he opposed and exposed many attempts to establish a different system. Wheresoever he goes he will carrv with him the respect and good wishes of the inhabitants of these islands; and I have only to regret that I have seen so little of him, and that we part so soon, &c. J. L., lsq." No. 2.-ER?CLOSURE (EXTRACT.) I beg leave to make known to you MIr. F. Dwarris, a i gentleman for whom I have a very high esteem. He has officiated as one of the Commissioners of Inquiry, &c., and I, for one, have reason to admire and respect his stricL impartiality, his firmness, and his prudenec. On every ground, tberefore, I hope lie may resume his public func- tions, as I look upon his doing so as an event in which the welfare of the colonies may be deeply involved and in- terested, &c. Sir Al. B. C." EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM Dn. PARR. "Your humanity, your constitutional k-nowledge, your habitual activity, and above all, the moral proDerties of your mind, render you peculiarly, eminently, pre-emi- nently fit for the inquiry in which you are engaged." Again-" I am not using the frivolous Rudi hollow language of complinient when I tell you how very highlv I am accustomed to honour you for your taste, your litterary acquirements, vour correctness of judgment, and quick- ness of perception upon subjects of common life, and above all, your manly spirit and honourable princip'es." Referting (inler nlin j to a charge published first in The Timets, as a private letter from St. Vincent's, that one of the CommiRsioners lad sent his servant into the slave-market, to instigate the Negroes to make complaints. _ _ WPEST INDIA COMMIssioNERS.