342 
the evidence of slaves should continue to 
be upheld there in all its rigour, making it 
confessedly impossible to give to protecting 
laws their just effect; and it has not even 
been pretended that’ what’ may be safely 
done’ in Trinidad or' Berbice is altogether 
unsafe! in! Sty Vineeht, ° Saige or Ja- 
maica. 
The bapa for delay rink has been 
drawn from the alleged inveteracy and an- 
tiquity of the eyil to be cured, appears, to 
the committee.to have.no. force whatever 
when applied to.the care of infant or un- 
born slaves, and to prepare the existing 
slaves for the proper use of freedom is not 
more difficult, because slavery has existed 
for ages, than if it had’ first begun at their 
birth. 
The West-Indian body, ‘resident in this 
country;‘ have, in resolution, adopted at a 
meeting held’ on the L0th of February last 
asserted),a, right of, property in. negroes, 
their fellow-men and fellow-subjects, as ab- , 
solute and unqualified as that which is pos- 
sessed in any inanimate chattel. 
Herein consists that ineffaceable distinc- 
tion between the two parties, which dis- 
courages the hope ,of compromise or co- 
operation. ’ The committee. cannot yield 
one atom of their principle, that nothing can 
justify the making one. man a slave, or even 
the retention of one man in slavery, longer 
than the real benefit, of the slave, viewed in all 
his circumstances and relations, may require ; 
and that to grant amelioration without any 
reference to, eventual liberty to the slaves, 
or for their children, is, in the opinion. of 
the committee, no less absurd than eri- 
minal. 
Parliament will eventually be driven to 
_ consider what means it possesses, inde- 
pendantly of the colonists, for carrying into 
effect its wishes respecting colonial bondage, 
there isa method to which all will allow 
that the authority of parliament is perfectly 
competent, by the abolition of those coun- 
tries and protecting duties, by means of 
which alone the system of slavery is upheld, 
and without which tt would of itself cease. 
But has it been sufficiently considered by 
the people of England in what degree every 
individual amongst them is instrumental in 
upholding this condemned system? They 
are made to pay at least a million and a-half 
more for sugar than they would pay for 
it if they were at liberty to procure it from 
other: parts ‘even of our own dominions ; 
and as the subject of the sugar duties is to 
undergo revision in the ensuing session of 
parliament, there will then be an oppor- 
tunity of making known the public ‘feeling 
respecting it. 
There have beéniformed in different parts 
of the kingdom:no Jess: than-220: associa~ 
tions in- aid: ofthe! objects: of thisi-society, 
and more are still forming. The cause: they 
have undertaken cannot be cfficiently cen- 
ducted without considerable expense, and 
therefore liberal contributions are essential 
to its success. 
Proceedings of Public Societies, 
[Nov. 1, 
First Annivensary Mertine of the 
Anti-Siavery Society, held at. the 
Freemasons’ Hall, London; on the 25th 
day of June 1824, his Royal’ Highness 
the Duke of “Gloucester in the chair. 
Tue Report ofthe Committee having 
been read, the'*chair’ was addressed 
by the Honourable Agar Ellis, who 
moyed a_ resolution “of thanks to 
the officers, and committee, which. was 
unanimously adopted on being seconded 
by Mr. Stephen, who, ina luminous and 
succinct review of the whole subject, 
observed that, 
All the measures recommended by. Go- 
vernment, but one, had been concurred i in 
by the West-Indiait Proprietors in ‘this 
country, and that single exception was, the 
admission of the evidence of slaves against 
free persons; and yet, Sir, (added Mr. 
Stephen, in allusion to the case of Mr. 
Smith, the missionary), the evidence of 
slaves is sufficient, it seems, to Convict a 
preacher of the gospel! It is) sufficient to 
condemn him to death, although thé slaves 
who give the evidence are swearing for 
their own lives! 
Certain resolutions corroborative: of 
the chief points specified in the Report, 
were then successively moved and 5 
conded by various members, who ade 
dressed the chair for that purpose, and 
were thereupon pat and carried _und~ 
nimously. 
Dr. Lushington then, in adverting to 
the object of the meeting, avowed his 
firm conviction, that, 
The power has not been given by God to 
man of framing a codé of slavery. ‘believe’ 
it to be impossible to frame a system’ of” 
slave laws in which injustice, oppressioti’ 
and abuse, would not of necessity’ exist: 
(Loud cheers /) to ba 
Mr. Wilberforce haying moved a rex: 
solution, net104) 
That the most cordial aibaioaiclicas cine K 
of the meeting be respectfully presented to, 
the President of the Society, , his, ‘Royah 
Highness the Duke of Gloucester, eae 
Mr. William Allen seconded, the Mor, 
tion. 
Upon the motion of thanks, to. ‘the 
Royal President being put, it. was. car 
ried unanimously with loud and conti- 
nued cheering. , 
His Royal Highness. the Duke. of) 
‘Gloucester, when the applinse) had « 
subsided, addressed the meeting. oijuor 
Ladies" and Gentlemen, you ‘have: cbdéehns 
pleased to express your approbation ofomy 
conduct ; ‘and following the: principles *ofic 
justice. on which: this society: is founded: 
could I be one of the House’ of ‘Brunswiekye* 
which was called to 'this’country for tle: 
protection of your liberties, did I ndtenters” 
tain those principles? Nay, could [bean 
Englishman 
