1829.] Our Colones. 501 
which they relate ;—that in many respects the law has been mistaken— 
and in all, an ungracious, unbecoming tone is adopted, which is ill con- 
cealed by the faint praise extorted from the writer as to such parts of the 
law as he does not venture to condemn. The preparation of the reply 
was committed to Mr. Barrett, a gentleman whose talents and acquire- 
ments are of the highest character, and whose earnest desire to improve 
the condition of the slaves and coloured population, is so universally 
known and appreciated, that even the most rabid of the colony’s enemies, 
in a work called “ The Yellow Book,” of which we may at some future 
time have a word or two to say, congratulated his partisans on that gen- 
tleman’s being returned as a member of the House of Assembly. The 
manner in which Mr. Barret executed his task, at once justified the 
expectations of his friends, and dismayed his enemies. ‘The reply is in 
every point of view a masterly performance ; the mistakes of Mr. Hus- 
kisson’s despatch, are powerfully exposed—its ignorance justly rebuked— 
the true motives and policy of the Assembly vindicated—and their rights 
asserted ; and all this with a moderation and temper which forms an 
admirable contrast to the peevish conceit and insincerity of the “ rea- 
sons.” In the mean time, the advocates for the amelioration of the con- 
dition of the slaves, because they do not approve of some part of the 
measures which the Assembly proposed, have rejected the whole ; and 
have left the objects of their benevolence and charity, with no other pro- 
tection than that which the law of 1816—confessedly inadequate— 
afforded to them. 
The question between this government and the colonists, now, there- 
fore is, whether the Assembly of Jamaica have, or have not, the right to 
frame laws for the internal regulation of their country, without inserting 
in them a clause suspending the operation of those laws until the plea- 
sure of the king shall have been known? Of this question the Assembly 
asserts the affirmative. They do not claim a power of giving effect to 
any regulation which this country may disapprove of; they willingly 
acknowledge, and are ready cheerfully to obey, the orders of the king in 
council, for the suspension or disallowance of any law which they may 
have passed ; but they insist that until their proposition shall have been 
examined, and its expediency determined upon, it ought there to have 
the full effect of a legislative provision. They justify this claim by the 
exercise of the right for the whole period during which the government . 
of Jamaica has existed. - Jf they relied upon a mere prescription, during 
a period of nearly two hundred years, that would surely be enough, un- 
der the circumstances, to establish their right; but when their history 
shows, as it does in the most indisputable manner, that attempts have at 
various times been made to infringe that right ; that those attempts have 
been invariably resisted, and always with success ; that at personal risk, 
at the hazard of life and property, the people of Jamaica have vindicated 
their claim to the exercise of this important privilege, and the power, as 
an early commission expresses it, of “ making, with the consent of the 
vernor and council, laws for the public peace, welfare, and good go- 
vernment of the island and the people and inhabitants thereof,” they may 
as safely defy the technical subtlety of their enemies, as they may reckon 
upon the sympathy and support of every one who can appreciate the 
value of a free constitution, and the virtuous resolution of men who 
| ee enmined not to surrender the privileges which are their birth- 
right. 
