Letters on the West India Question. [[DEC. 



the Colonies and compare the negro's state with that of the lower classes here, 

 and then determine which calls most loudly for their benevolent efforts in their 

 favour ! I may be told, the slave in our colonies works from compulsion, the 

 labourer here from choice. Granted ; and I beg to ask, what is that choice ? Is 

 it not either to submit to labour, for a bare subsistence, or to leave it and starve, or 

 become degraded in his own mind by the acceptance of the scanty pittance 

 which parish relief affords? I ask, can this be a desirable state of things, and 

 how much does it fall short of positive wretchedness ? Then, surely, here is 

 an ample field at home for the exertions and the sympathies of the benevolent 

 and well disposed, who interest themselves so much in the well-being of 

 others." 



Even on the subject of Sunday markets, Mr. Gladstone shews clearly 

 that there is abundant room for exertion at home. " Let me invite them," 

 says he, " to visit Covent Garden," and we may add every street inha- 

 bited by the lower orders in London, " and other similar markets, on a 

 Sabbath morning, where they will find all the people busily employed, 

 as on any other day of the week selling their fruits foreign and 

 domestic, their roots, and their vegetables; and if they find I am correct 

 in this statement, let them take shame to themselves for being occupied 

 with attempts at reforming in distant parts of which they have no per- 

 sonal knowledge, and neglecting the scenes that are passing under their 

 eyes and in the very front of the church !" 



Mr. Gladstone concludes, by recommending to the government, for the 

 purpose of satisfying the public mind, that commissioners should be sent 

 out to the colonies with full authority to examine and report upon the 

 state of society there; a measure in which we are quite sure every 

 sensible West Indian would most cheerfully acquiesce. 



We had intended to make some observations on certain very erroneous 

 opinions contained in a letter of Mr. Gait, on the West Indian question, 

 which has appeared in a contemporary periodical ; but we must defer 

 this till a future opportunity. 



NOTES OF THE MONTH ON AFFAIRS IN GENERAL. 



WE have no inclination to take any of the onus off Judge Parke or 

 Judge Garrow, in their next trial of St. John Long. But as they seem 

 to be no great lawyers on such points, we shall give them the law of the 

 case : 



By 3 Geo. IV., ch. 38, persons convicted of manslaughter are to be 

 transported for life, or for any term of years at the discretion of the court, 

 or to be imprisoned in the Common Gaol, House of Correction, or Peni- 

 tentiary, f 3r not more than three years ; or they may be fined at the 

 discretion of the court. But this discretion of the court is now taken 

 away; for, by 7 an d 8 Geo. IV. ch. 28, sec. 11, upon a subsequent 

 conviction they are to be transported for life, or not less than seven years, 

 or be imprisoned for a period not exceeding four years ; and, if a male, 

 to be once, twice, or thrice publicly or privately whipped, in addition 

 to such imprisonment but it must be alleged in the indictment to be 

 a second offence. 



Such, we humbly submit to those learned judges, is the law ; and we 

 equally submit to the counsel for the prosecution that they should look 

 carefully to the indictment, and see that it marks the present to be the 

 second offence ! We have no doubt that the fashionable personages who 

 attended Mr. St. John Long will be very much grieved at seeing him 

 sent to jail, or hearing that he is transported ; but we fear they must 



