The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1840-02-11 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

THOUSAND AND EIGHTY-FIVE POUNDS STERLING were subscribed in the course of one day. A vessel was to leave Georgetown for Baltimore on the following day, and the first supply of immigrants was expected to arrive in the course of -two months. So far so good : but why should British Guiana be dependent for supplies of labourers on the United States ? Are there not, in countries dependent upon Great Britain itself, hundreds of thousands, nay millions, who would gladly avail themselves of an opportunity of removing to that magnificent Colony, if • the means were afforded them ? Look at the famishing millions of India to whom such a change would be a boon of the highest value. Why should they be deprived of the opportunity of taking their labour into the best market ? From a conversation which took place in the House  - - of Commons, on Thursday night, it would appear that Lord- John RUsAell -etal—persists- in his- refusal to grant to British Guiana the advantages enjoyed by the Mauritius. This refusal we consider both unreasonable in itself, and inconsistent with the principles of justice. It appears to us a monstrous piece of injustice that one Colony should be so much more highly favoured than another. It would he equally just to deny to one part of Great Britain itself advantages enjoyed by another part. It is clearly impossible that . the West India planters can compete with those of the Mauritius as long as such a difference is made. The Colonial Secretary has admitted that the immigration of the Hill Coolies into the Mauritius •has been. attended with success. There is no earthly reason why the experiment should not be equally successful in reference to British Guiana. In point of climate there is very little difference between the two Colonies. The constitution of the Hill Cooly is just as well adapted to the West Indies as it is to the Mauritius. Experience has fully proved this. Both at Demerara and Eerbice the Coolies have answered remarkably well. Lord John Russell has ample documentary evidence in support of this assertion. The despatches which he has received from British Guiana are sufficient to  prove that the experiment has fully succeeded. As to the question of distance, about which so much has been said, we would merely remark, that we feel assured, that the \Vest India planters would readily enter into an engagement to convey such of the immigrants as might desire it back to their native country, after the expiration of a certain period of servitude. It would he. the obvious interest, as we are convinced it is the desire, of the planters to treat the immigrants well. No extended scheme of immigration could possibly succeed unless the labourers were kindly treated. The planters are quite willing to abide by the most stringent regulations which the British Parliament may impose upon them, if they only succeed in obtaining the boon for which they are now seeking—a plentiful supply of free labourers.  But it is of no use to seek for any improvement in the prospects of the West Indies as long as Messrs. Sturge, Scoble, and Company are allowed to prejudice the public mind by their calumnious statements respecting the planters. These men seem determined that the West Indies shall not prosper. No scheme for the improvement of that vast Colonial empire will please them, as long as such scheme has the sanctionn of the planters. The plans now in operation for procuring increased supplies of labourers for British Guiana, Trinidad, and Jamaica, have been denounced by them as fraudulent and dishonest. That is to say, it is, according to these pretended friends of the Negro, an act of dishonesty to procure free labour for our own Colonies, in order to compete with the slave labour of Foreign Colonies. Here is consistency with a vengeance ! How is it that these worthies never think of inquiring what has become of the immense number of Negroes who have been captured by British cruisers since the Slave Trade was suppressed by this country ? Do they know that these captured slaves, instead of being set at liberty, are now pining in hopeless bondage in Cuba, in the Brazils, and in other Foreign Colonies ? Do they not know that the Slave Trade, notwithstanding the immense sums of money which the Government of this country has expended in the fruitless endeavour to suppress it, is still flourishing with greater activity than ever? If they want any information on this subject, let them consult the recently published work of Mr. Fowell Buxton, in which the frightful details connected with the increase of the Slave Trade are furnished at length by one of their own party. We do not yield to the most zealous abolitionist in our wish to see Slavery extinguished both in name and in practice : but we contend that Sturge and his party are going the wrong way to work to secure the end which they profess to have in view. If they wish to abolish Slavery and the' Slave Trade let them do all in heir power to people the luxuriant soil of the 'West ndies with free labourers from every part of the world. This would strike the very death-blow to Slavery. Let hese infatuated' agitators remember that the West Inies are capable of supplying the whole world with the Maple products of those countries in which Slavery, with all its concomitant horrors, still exists. This is 'he way Slavery is to be put down.  We confess our astonishment that the efforts of  such men as Sturge should meet with any countenance from the manufacturers of Birmingham. It is incomprehensible to us that they should lend their assistance in ruining the 'West India interest. Such conduct is neither more nor less than an act of commercial suicide. As we have stated on previous occasions, the full development of the resources of British Guiana alone would furnish the manufacturers of Great Britain with a market of greater extent than the whole of the European states put together. Is it not worth while to foster and encourage such a market ? Is it not positively mischievous to cramp the energies and to frustrate the efforts of those who are labouring to open up such interminable sources of prosperity to British trade and commerce ?  • We have dwelt thus long upon this subject because we see a Colony capable of sustaining a population of