West India Commission.
The Times, 1824-10-07T00:00:00

l ou will nave observe l, Dly our island (azzette ot thle 7th instant, that His Maje-ty's Commissioners of Legal Iniquiry had taken their departure for St. Lucia, where it is to be hopec, for the sake of all who nmay have an interest in that island, that their labours will not be olc-tenth of what they had to contenid withl lere. MIr. Maddock arrived, in comipany with iMr. Dwarris, in January last, and they proceeded immedliately to busi- ness; the latter gentlem-an was, however, obligQd to return to Europe for the recovery of his health ; but Mr. Henry, the senior member of the comimission, anrived. previous to. thie departure of MIr. Dwarris. rhc investigationi continDued without intermission, so that nearly six months were taken Up inl hearing complaii;ts ; and it is a well-known fact, tilat numsllbers who feltthemselves nost seriously aggrieved, were deterred from exposing their sufferings, under the impres- sion that the authority of the Coummission extended only to the inquiry as to the existence of abuses, without any power to grant re(lress; consequenitly, the dtread of giving offence, wlhilst being obliged to remaisn at the mercy of the party against wlhom they itntendel to comnplain, natu- rally kept manv silent, whlo would, und&er mnore iavourable eircumnstances, have greedlily solicited a hearing. " ''lhc visit of thiose gentlemen to this unfortunate co- lony has given risse to hopes which every upt*iglit man con- necEed with us must wish to see realized ; and these hopes have beeni strengthened by the knowledge of our fate * A,ing in the hiands of mncu of honour! Mr. Henry possesses su- perier qualifications for colonial investigation, having for some years pcesided over the law courts of Demerara; lie was also employed in Italy as one of the Commissioners ofi the late (Queeni of England, aned afterwards as a Judge il I the Greek Islainds. This practical knowledge of foreigni laws, combined withl his experience in En land in the prosecution of colonial appeal causes, rendere(l him in all probability, the most competent person that could be found in Great Britain to fill the situation of senior tnember ofI the Commission for Legal Iniquiry in the colonies. Mr. Msaddock is also knowni to possess very powerful legal acquiremenits, and being remarkable for shis attentioi. to business, and patience in investigation, combined with the best feelings of a liberal English -eiitlemani, made him also a mnost desirable person to visit tlis coloniy on an cin- bassy of silch importance. It was hiiglhly satisfactory to witness the cordiality whicli existed between those genstlemien ; and on the sub- ject of the great question wlichl involves the fate of all XVest Inidia property, their opinions are suchl as mnust alv. avs be looked for from hipartLl 8,3d upright judges. It is believed that those gentlemeni proceed from St. Lucia to Diemerara, and from thenice to Jamaica; and the otily apprehetision that remains with the inhabitants of this colony, is with regard to the time that must elapse before X their distressing case can be laid bef-ore Hls Iajestyss Mi- |nisters, andi consequenitly betbre the friends of the colony canl have the benefit of an exainiiationi of thiose gentlemen before Parliamniot." WEST INDIA COMIISSIOAN. EXTUACT Or A LETTER FROM TRINIDAD, DATED JULY 12.