1829. ] Our Colonies. ; 499 
facilitated. The slave has been exempted from the effect of legal pro- 
cess on Saturday, that he may dispose of the produce of his labour on 
that day, and devote his Sunday to religious worship. Curates, 
throughout the several parishes of this island, have been appointed, for 
the special purpose of instructing the slave population in the tenets of 
the Christian faith. Fees on baptism and marriage have been abolished. 
The slave has also been made capable of receiving bequests of personal 
property toany amount. These enactments emanated spontaneously from 
the humane and benevolent disposition which has prompted us from time 
to time to revise our slave code ; and, in strict conformity with that spirit, 
we have, during the present session, steadily pursued the same course, and 
have expunged all those enactments which the policy of a remote period 
rendered imperative, but which, in the present day, are no longer called 
for, and appear harsh and unnecessary, and have afforded still greater 
protection to the slave, by imposing further restrictions on the mode of 
punishment, and by extending to him, in common with every British 
subject, the benefit of a grand jury, and thereby securing a twofold in- 
vestigation before guilt can be affixed to him. An advantage has also 
been conferred, which no British subject in the United Kingdom enjoys, 
of having counsel assigned, with liberty to address the jury, on behalf of 
the slave who may be put on his trial for any capital offence. The 
Sunday market has been abolished after the hour of eleven; marriage, 
among our slaves, has received legislative encouragement; and the sepa- 
ration of families, under judicial or other process, has been abolished. 
_ The maintenance of infirm slaves has been enforced ; the acquisition of 
personal property, which had been permitted under the usage of the 
_ country, has been sanctioned and secured by law. Lastly, to obviate 
every possible objection that the enemies of our colonial system can urge, 
that ample protection is not afforded by law to our slaves, we have de- 
clared them competent to give evidence in criminal cases.’’* 
When the act thus framed was submitted, by the Assembly, to the 
Governor of the island, that officer expressed his entire approbation of 
the beneficial alteration which it produced in the condition of the slaves 
in many particulars—more especially in those which regard the mode 
of trial, and the admission of their evidence in courts of justice. 
« Adding, his belief that the measure would be highly satisfactory to 
his Majesty’s government.” 
Their convictions of the utility and propriety of the law thus con- 
firmed by the unequivocal sanction of a high and able state officer, 
whose residence in the colony for many years had made him fully 
acquainted with the character, and habits, and wants of the slaves, and 
whose inclination, as well as his duty, must have been in favour of the 
views contemplated by this country’s government, the Assembly of 
_ Jamaica had good reason for believing not only that their bill would have 
‘been adopted without hesitation, but that they should have received the 
commendation to which their evident and disinterested desire to amelio- 
the condition of the slaves, had fairly entitled them. A more mis- 
taken calculation never was made. At the end of the following year, 
a anangr arrived from the Colonial Office, which informed the Assem- 
bly that their bill was disallowed, and gave, at some length, the reasons 
on which the privy council had advised his Majesty to reject it. ‘To 
a 
* Address of the Assembly, 22d December, 1826. 
38 2 
