148 The British West India Colonies, [FEB. 



us to involve principles that require to be very narrowly attended to ; 

 and we would rather be blamed for over-zeal, than for negligence in a 

 matter of so much importance. 



^ The tinies certainly require that the most complete co-operation of 

 views should exist between the West India Colonies and the mother 

 country. Other nations of Europe, and America, are using every pos- 

 sible means to rival us in tropical productions/and these exertions on the 

 part of foreigners call for corresponding energy on our part. We have, 

 therefore, regretted very sincerely, the lengthened and serious differences 

 which have existed with the legislature of Jamaica, and those of some 

 other Colonies on the subject of double duties. The extremities to which 

 these discussions have been carried, has necessarily added to the gloom 

 that is thrown over West India interests. We trust, however, that as 

 time has allowed heated feelings to subside, a period is near at hand 

 when such explanations may have been exchanged as may lead to a 

 speedy settlement of all differences of this kind. 



The violent abolitionists or anti-colonial party still continue, most sedu- 

 lously, to propagate the opinion that no improvements are in progress to 

 ameliorate the state of civilization among the negro population. They 

 continue to deride all opinions expressed to the contrary by persons of 

 all classes, civil and military ; persons in the church, in the army, in the 

 navy, and in the law, who are now, or have been formerly resident in, 

 and are well acquainted with the Colonies. They equally deride all 

 Colonial legislative enactments, and designate them as nugatory. We, 

 therefore, consider it a perfectly hopeless task to address any explanation 

 to persons whose minds are so constituted. But we can take upon our- 

 selves to affirm that great and gradual improvement in the state of the 

 negro population is in progress. The extension of the establishments of 

 the church in these countries, with the safe means of instruction thereby 

 gradually extended to their population, is affecting a steady improvement 

 in the whole state of society. 



No person can doubt of the rapid progress that religious instruction 

 is making in the West Indies, who reads the different reports from 

 societies for propagating Christianity that are before the public ; and we 

 think that a fair general estimate may be formed of the amelioration that 

 has of late years taken place among the negro population of our Colonies, 

 by making the following extract from Mr. Barclay's description of their 

 situation in Jamaica, in his lately published work on that island :- 



<f Twenty years ago, there was scarcely a negro baptized in Jamaica : now 

 they are nearly all baptized. 



" Twenty years ago, the churches were scarcely at all attended by the 

 slaves ; since then, the number of churches, or places of worship of one kind 

 or other, has been more than doubled in fact, nearly trebled ; and yet, in the 

 districts where I have had an opportunity of seeing them, they are all fully 

 attended, and principally by slaves. 



" Twenty years ago, negroes were buried at midnight, and the funeral rites, 

 in the forms of African superstition, were the occasion of continual excesses 

 among those who attended. Negroes are now buried during the day, and in 

 the same manner as the white people. 



" Ten years ago, the marriage rite was altogether uuknown among the 

 slaves. The number now married is not inconsiderable, and is fast increasing. 



" While the importation of Africans was continued, the practice of Obeah 

 was common and destructive : it is now seldom heard of. 



" The working of sugar-mills encroached on Sunday during crop ; it is now 

 prohibited by law, and Sunday is strictly a day of rest. 



