form a right judgment by facts, than by abstract reasoning; I shall here relate a circumstance which took place in November, 1823, in the parish of Portland, Jamaica, and to which I happened to be an eye-witness. The whole of the efficient negroes, (except, I believe, the tradesmen) amounting in number to between two and three hundred, left the Bog plantation, to which they belonged, and after being a week absent, nobody knew where, came in a body to the magistrates to make known their grievances, and obtain redress. A number of the justices, I think five, immediately convened in the court-house, to attend to them: although not interested, nor in authority, I also attended the investigation; and I can truly say, never did people receive a more patient hearing. Every individual who wished to speak was fully heard, and his or her evidence taken down in writing. The clamour was great, but upon their own shewing, when all they had to say was heard, their complaints were found to be without the shadow of foundation.

They thought it hard that they did not still receive some little extra gratuities and indulgencies which their master, when himself in the country, had occasionally given to them. It was very properly answered to this, that, although their master might himself give them what he thought proper, his agent possessed no such discretionary power, and could only give them what were the customary allowances. One very loquacious in

dividual complained, that he had, ‘during his own time,' (dinner hours and negro days,) with great labour brought home posts and made considerable progress in erecting a house for himself, which the overseer had very wantonly pulled down. This charge made a strong impression, which was, however, fully effaced when the truth came out, drawn from the complainant himself by cross-examination. It appeared that on the site he had chosen, there had been formerly a negrohouse, which had been burned down; and, from its proximity to the mansion-house, had so seriously endangered it, that the negroes were forbidden to build there again. This the complainant admitted he had known, but still insisted that he was greatly aggrieved. Some of the other complaints were, that they did not always get the quantity of nails they wanted out of their master's store, for building or repairing houses, hogsties, &c.; that, ten months ago, some of the Christmas codfish, which they considered as exclusively for them, had been used by the Buckras; that when sick, they did not get so much rice, flour, &c. as they ought. To this last charge a respectable medical gentleman present made answer, that he attended the property, and was bound to say, that in a very extensive practice he did not know another hospital so amply, liberally, and generously supplied with every comfort for the sick. But the principal grievance which appeared to have influenced their present conduct was, that they had not the

previous week received their accustomed allowance of herrings (an article valued merely as a seasoning for their vegetable food), although it had been explained to them that there were none on the property; but that a ship (the Alfred) was daily expected from Glasgow with a supply; and that in the meantime, if a few barrels could be procured for them at Port Antonio, it would be done. This fact was proved by a gentleman present, who said the attorney of the estate applied to him for ten barrels of fish; and requested, if he had none himself, that he would make enquiry if they could be procured from any other person in the quarter: but there was none to be got. The magistrates enquired if they had any complaint to make of severity of punishment to justify their highly improper conduct; but of the two ⚫ most ordinary modes of oppression,' flagellation and hunger, there was not among all these complainants even a pretence; and if there had, their appearance would certainly have belied the charge; for I much doubt, if any little village in England, of the same population, could have turned out such a proportion of fine looking healthy people.

Now, will Mr. Stephen say, or will any man in England say, that there should be no restraint by law upon such conduct as this?-that negroes should be permitted to leave their homes for any or no cause, under pretence of complaining to magistrates? If so, it would surely be their own fault if they did not avail themselves of the privi

lege as often as they felt inclined for a day's or a few days' idleness.

It should be considered too, that by such conduct on the part of the slaves as is above related, the public peace is greatly endangered; that in England, if labourers neglect their work they injure themselves; but here, where they are provided for in health and in sickness, in labour and in idleness, their masters have no hold of them by selfinterest, consequently there is the greater necessity that the law should restrain and punish neglect of duty upon such groundless pretences.

In the case I have stated, the labour of nearly three hundred people was lost for several days to the person who supports them; and, moreover, his sugar manufactory being at work at the time they left their duty, he lost a quantity of canes, which were out in the field, and had soured and became useless before they returned. Yet, when the whole of their complaints had been heard, and proved so entirely groundless, they were, ordered back to their duty with merely an admonition to conduct themselves better in time to come. That the magistrates did wrong in acting with such lenity, I do not say, I contend only for the necessity of the law arming the magistrates with power to check such outrages, and punish those who desert their duty on such groundless pretences.

C RULE XII. The state of slavery is hereditary and perpetual. Slavery herep. 122.

We have, in our author's comments upon this rule, a specimen of that metaphysical subtlety in the science of pleading,' in which he feels a professional pride, and by which, coupled with the presumption in favour of freedom, he tells us, a 'villein in England, who asserted his freedom at law, had multiplied chances of success, independently of the merits of the case.' p. 387.

He seems, in the outset, to forget that he is delineating the state of slavery in the British West Indies as it exists in point of law;' for after laying down the canon above quoted, that the state of slavery is hereditary and perpetual, he says in the next page, 'I shall have credit, I trust, for the assertion founded on my certain knowledge as 'to many of the islands, and my full belief as to all, that no positive law has any where expressly 'imposed slavery in the issue of negroes born ' under the king's allegiance, though their mothers, 'or even both the parents, should be slaves.' Of course, the conclusion from this is (contrary to the canon), that this slavery is not hereditary. He does not rest here, however; but proceeds to establish, agreeably to the canon, that it is hereditary according to the custom and usages of all ages and countries. The perpetuity and hereditary nature of this sad state of man,' says he, may be considered by our colonists perhaps,' and

ditary.