27<3 Our Colonies. [Sett- 



his satisfaction with the general disposition of the council and assembly 

 to adopt the recommendations which have been addressed to them on 

 this important subject." The law passed by the legislature of Grenada 

 for the same purposes, provides for the evidence of slaves in all cases, 

 for the abolition of Sunday markets, and permits all free-born coloured 

 people to sit on juries. The new slave law of Dominica has been con- 

 firmed, and his majesty has been pleased to commend the disposition 

 which the legislature of that colony has manifested " in many of the 

 provisions of those acts to improve the condition of the slave popula- 

 tion," and to acknowledge " that they are framed, in general, in such 

 a manner as to promote the well-being of that class of society." The 

 bills passed at St. Christopher's have been approved of, and that cir- 

 cumstance notified to the governor in terms of warm encomium. At 

 Nevis eight bills of a similar import have been passed, on which the 

 determination of the privy council has not yet transpired ; although, 

 from their resemblance to tliose of St. Christopher's, no reasonable 

 doubt can be entertained of the matter. A bill was drawn up by the 

 Assembly at Tortola, providing for the same objects in the Virgin Islands ; 

 but its progress has been suspended, owing to the death of the late Attor- 

 ney-General at St. Christopher's, to whom it had been sent for revi- 

 sion. The law passed in the Bahamas has been approved of by the 

 government of this country, and the disposition which has been there 

 manifested " to acquiesce in so large a proportion of the suggestions 

 which were made by His Majesty's command for the improvement of the 

 condition of tlie slave population of that colony" has been strongly 

 recommended. At Tobago an act has also been confirmed, which 

 Lord Bathurst characterizes as comprising many humane and judicious 

 enactments very materially contributing to the improvement of the 

 slave laws. And, in Antigua, the opinion expressed by Sir Patrick Ross, 

 the governor, in a speech to the Houses of Legislature (June, 1827), 

 proves most satisfactorily the point to which the work of amelioration has 

 there been carried. " It gives me pleasure," he said, " to assure you, 

 that my experience, during the last twelve months, has enabled me to 

 form the most favourable judgment and conviction of the reciprocity 

 of attachment which I have observed invariably to exist between the 

 higher orders and proprietors throughout this colony on the one part, and 

 the slave population on the other. An attachment which could have 

 originated alone, and been gradually cemented by, those benevolent 

 and humane feelings, which you with justice attribute to yourselves, 

 and winch are confirmed by the various enactments which ai-e already 

 contained in your code of laws." 



In recapitulating what has been done by other colonies, we have left 

 out the case of Jamaica, as well because it occupies an important and 

 distinct feature in the subject, as because it has been singularly exposed to 

 the successful misrepresentations of the malignant enemies of the colonies. 

 We now, however, proceed to it. In Jamaica, where the orders in 

 council had no more force than the blank paper they were written on, 

 the legislature prepared and passed an act for consolidating the slave 

 laws then in existence, and for adding such other provisions as had be- 

 come necessary. The preamble of that act states its express object to be 

 " to promote the moral and religious instruction of the slaves, by means 

 whereof their general comfort and happiness may be increased as far as 

 is consistent with due order and subordination, and the well-being of 



