42 TRINIDAD. 



As regards the law of marriage, I candidly confess my partiality to 

 the principles of the French law on the subject, as being much better 

 suited to our circumstances. Concubinage was the normal state 

 of the mass of the population during the time of slavery, and, as 

 a consequence, many children born during that period are ille- 

 gitimate, and, of course, have no claim on the heritage of their 

 fathers, who may die intestate ; and many must die intestate, from 

 mere ignorance of the law : these children being thereby deprived 

 of all inheritance, and made to bear the consequences of acts for 

 which they, in justice, cannot be held responsible. Either, then, 

 allow the parents to legitimise their issue by after- marriage, or 

 allow a certain proportion of the father's property to the offspring 

 of illegitimate unions. 



I have already stated that adultery is more frequent here 

 among the lower orders than in any other class in other countries ; 

 but by the law of testament, a father or mother can bequeath the 

 whole of his or her property to any individual, without assigning 

 any reason. What may be the consequence in many instances ? 

 That the innocent issue of a lawful union will be made a victim 

 to the sin of his parents the adulterine offspring, or culpable 

 parent, quietly inheriting the property which surely ought to belong 

 to the legitimate child. I cannot but regard a law which indi- 

 rectly sanctions such transactions as highly immoral ; for, is not 

 adultery condemned by the religious, as well as the civil code, of 

 nearly all countries ? And are not the damages granted by the 

 English law for criminal conversation to be considered as the retri- 

 butive penalty of adultery ? The injured party, it is true, recovers 

 damages for the blemished honour of his house and name ; but 

 neither do the legitimate children nor society receive protection or 

 compensation from the award. I am aware very feasible reasons on 

 this point are given in favour of the English law, and they are cer- 

 tainly very creditable to the British nation ; but they are not appli- 

 cable to our population, nor will they be so for an indefinite period. 



A liberal system of public education, based on sound 

 principles, is, I believe, the most powerful instrument for good 

 which any government can use ; I therefore would insist that 

 primary education should be afforded to all. I have heard many 

 persons object to this plan, on the ground that education tends to 

 create, in the lower classes, a desire to withdraw from agricul- 

 tural labours, and an aspiration to occupations above their con- 

 dition. This objection, I confess, is plausible enough, but it will 

 retain its plausibility so long only as the larger mass of the people 

 remain in their present state of ignorance. The knowledge of 

 reading, writing, and arithmetic, confers a privilege only in those 

 countries where there exists an unqualified mental darkness. On 

 the other hand, it cannot be denied that even the lowest primary 

 instruction is the first step to religious and industrial teaching, 



