in the United States of America, | standing this reduction in their and in the European colonies of labours, yet during crop-time, the West Indies, which have been which lasts about four months in peopled by imported Africans." the year, the slaves are obliged to This work is earnestly recom- labour six days and three nights mended to all the readers of this in the week. And as, with the small essay; any facts which are exception of a few herrings and here adduced, except further re- other trifling things, they are reference be made, will be founded quired to cultivate a small plat of on the statement of this pam- ground for their own subsistence, phlet. it necessarily follows, during crop time, that the Sabbath is the only day on which this culture can be carried on; that the Sabbath is the only day on which they can go to market to sell their produce, and buy what things are necessary for them; that the Sabbath, therefore, instead of being a day in which the body rests from the severe toils of the week, and the consolations of religion, must be spent in labouring in the field, in trafficking in the market, (which is often at a distance of several miles from their habitations,) and consequently in violating the express mandate of heaven. How distressing to the humane and pious mind must this view be, of the bodily sufferings, and inattention to religious culture, of so many hundreds of thousands of our fellow-subjects, all under the control of Britain! And if this be a correct description of a fa It is well known that labour in the West Indies, in the open field, especially during the hottest part of the year, is exceedingly severe; but when this labour is driven to extremity, without any of those horrible punishments which are so dreadful, the sufferings of the slave population must be trying to contemplate. It appears that one of the most worthy and in-mind obtains the instructions and telligent men connected with the West Indies sent over thither a clergyman, to superintend the religious instruction of his negroes, and to ameliorate, as far as possible, their condition. Four hundred hogsheads of sugar were accustomed to be raised from his estate. It does not appear that this was more than an average quantity required in similar circumstances; but supposing that this was more than could be produced without extreme labour, he remitted one-fourth part, and ordered that only three hun-voured establishment, and under dred annually should be demand- a considerate proprietor, what ed from his estates. This is a must be the situation of those pleasing fact, and says much on who have to toil beneath oppresbehalf of this gentleman, that sive masters, and endure still must be pleasing to a benevolent heavier bondage! What the mind. But while this is the case, state of morals must be in such the condition of the slaves under circumstances, both among white this reduced standard of labour, men and men of colour, may be shows how much severer must be easily supposed; but we cannot the situation of those negroes do better to illustrate this part of who are not favoured with so our address, than to quote the humane a proprietor. According words of the clergyman to whom to the testimony of the clergy- we have referred above. "The man it appears, that notwith-state of morals and religion is as the overseer be present, thirtynine lashes may be given, which number cannot be legally exceeded. Now when it is recollected that in our colonies, no black person can in any instauce give evidence against a white man, it is evident, that in cases where the slave-driver, or the overseer, has been incensed, it is only for them to inflict a punishment where no white person is present, and then an indefinite number of lashes may be laid upon the body of the helpless victim, and the brutal despot will escape with impunity. bad as can well be conceived, both among Whites and Blacks. With scarcely any exceptions, all of the former description, residing on plantations, live in a state of open and avowed concubinage with black or coloured womeır. The general profligacy in this respect is perfectly notorious and undisguised; and one effect of it is, that the young women on estates, instead of becoming mothers of children, are at an early age made the mere instruments of licentious gratification. It is well known that the morals of nineteen out of twenty white men are ruined before they have been a month in the island. They get into habits of debauchery, and every idea of religion vanishes. He does not recollect a single white man there, who showed any serious concern about religion, excepting some Missionaries. There is no regular marriage instituted among the slaves: he never heard of any attempt by agreement between masters, to bring together on the same plantation, a man and wife who lived on different plantations. Nor could it in general be of any very great use to do so, while there is no such thing among them as a marriage-tie." What must we think of the state of morals, when we are informed, that when a visiter goes to the house of a decent planter, and stays all night, **tressing, and even disgusting, let it be recollected that it is by such faithful narrations, the public must be excited to activity, in shaking off the miseries which otherwise we sanction. * Can any thing more strongly paint the state of our unhappy slaves, and its miserable effects upon the morals of our white brethren ? To the punishments inflicted on the Negroes, your attention is next directed. By a colonial law, no slave-driver is permitted to inflict above thirteen lashes at once on any slave, except in the presence of an overseer. But if When in addition to this you take into the account the nature of those floggings; that the whip is probably of equal power in inflicting suffering with the whalebone which carters use in England; that this whip, when dexterously applied, is said to make an impression upon a deal board; that this instrument of punishment is applied to the naked body, and this in the most indecent manner; who can think of what hundreds and thousands, over whom the legislature of our country exercises a control, are daily suffering, without being filled with indignation and horror? But we cannot better illustrate this than by a few extracts from the pamphlet to which we have alluded. If the details are dis "Whether the offender be male or female, precisely the same course is pursued. The p*st****rs are made bare, and the offender is extended prone on the ground, the hands and feet being firmly held and extended by other slaves; to possess a sound and superior mind, and was reckoned the best watchman on the estate, was placed to watch the provision grounds for the use of the overseer's house. These were robbed, and the robbery being imputed to his neglect, he received a very severe flogging. The old man declared (Mr. does not vouch for the truth of the excuse) that he could not help what had hap tensive for him to guard them effectually, so that while he was on one side of them, the Negroes could easily steal on the other. The flogging made a great alteration in the old man, and he never seemed well after it. In two or three weeks another robbery occurring, he received a still more severe flogging than before. One morning while Mr. and Mrs. when the driver with his long and heavy whip, inflicts, under the eye of the overseer, the number oflashes he may order; each lash when the skin is tender, and not rendered callous by repeated punishments, making an incision on the p*st****rs, and thirty or forty such lashes leaving them in a dreadfully lacerated and bleeding state. Even those that have become the most callous, cannot long resist the force of this terri-pened, the grounds being too exble instrument, when applied by a skilful hand, but become also raw and bloody: indeed no strength of skin can withstand its reiterated application." "It is common also for Négroes who have been guilty of what is deemed a serious offence, to be worked all day in the field, and during the intervals of labour, as well as during the whole night, to be confined with their feet fast in the stocks. In the case of one Negro who was so confined for some weeks, Mrs. begged Lord to obtain a remission of his punishment, but did not succeed. Another Negro belonging to the estate was a notorious runaway. Being taken, he was flogged in the usual man-bleeding dreadfully. He seemed ner, as severely as he well could bear, and then made to work in the field. During the interval of dinner-timé he was regularly placed in the stocks, and in them also he was confined the whole night. When the lacerations produced by the flogging he had received were sufficiently healed, he was flogged a second time. We shall take the liberty of While the sores were still un-quoting a few miscellaneous exhealed, one of the book-keepers tracts on the condition of the told Mr. that maggots had slaves. "A large proportion of bred in the lacerated flesh. Mr. the estates are mortgaged; and estates are frequently sold to pay off the debts upon them. The slaves themselves too, or a part of them, are often seized, for the payment of the master's debts; mentioned the circumstance to the attorney, who did not manifest any surprise in hearing it. An old African negro, well known to Mr. who appeared - were at breakfast, they heard a groaning, and going to the window, saw this poor man in such a state as made Mrs. shrink back with horror. Mr. went out to him, and found his p*st****rs, which were completely exposed, much lacerated, and much exhausted. He attempted to explain the cause, but was incapable from fatigue and suffering. A negro boy standing by, the old man pointed to him, and said, Massa, him tell you.' The poor old man from this time was never well or cheerful, and he soon afterwards died." of this time being their own, that by skill, labour, frugality, and economy, a slave is able to purchase of his master an additional day-afterwards another dayand another, till having redeemed each day as his own, he becomes a freed man by the dint of his own exertions. Under such circumstances hope springs up in his mind, and mitigates the bitterness of his condition. And many of these manumitted slaves have in this way become useful members of the community. But in the colonies belonging to England, difficulties are placed in the way of a slave's redeeming himself, so that he has scarcely and this is done without any re-lish negro with that of the slave in ference, in a multitude of cases, the Spanish colonies. England has to family connexions. It is felt been long famed for her liberty, by them as a grievous hardship her humanity, her benevolence, to be separated from their con- and her philanthropic institutions, nexions; it sometimes produces But, alas! her slave population á species of rebellion, and has has not been benefited by these been known to occasion the fair attributes of the British chadeath of many, through the dis-racter. In the Spanish Island of tress of mind which it produces. Cuba, we are informed that faciJust before Mr. quitted the lities for the emancipation of island, as he was walking in the slaves are held out; and that, streets of Lucca, the port-town besides the Sabbath, one day in of Hanover, in company with the each week is allotted for the necaptain of the vessel in which he groes' own use. It not uufrehad taken his passage, they sawquently happens, in consequence an old man who appeared to have been recently flogged. He was standing in the public street with his p*st****rs exposed and bleeding; and yet he seemed to excite no attention whatever from any one but Mr. and his captain." One thing more it may be requisite to state.--A slave in the British West-India colonies has, on the present system, but little hope of obtaining his emancipation from slavery. Whether born in Africa or in our own islands, he can scarcely expect to gain the boon of liberty by any labours he may undertake, or any suffering which he endures. Task work is very uncommon in Jamaica. It is held to be dange-any thing before him except hoperous to allow the slave much less despair. Why is it that Brispare time; difficulties are thrown tain does not extend the influin the way of manumission; so ence of her constitution to her that the poor injured African has colonies? Is she to be surpassed nothing to look forward to, but in humanity, even by despotic to die under this galling yoke. nations, for the sake of accursed How this must embitter the cup gain? of slavery, will be apparent to every reflecting mind. Is it any wonder that suicide is common; that the poor desponding captive puts an end to his miserable existence, either by direct or indirect methods? It is humiliating to contrast, in this view of the case, the condition of the Eng-to freedom? The reply is, Much. But it may be said by many, after reading the above, We admit the statements to be correct, and feel deeply on account of the degradation and misery endured by the injured slaves; but what can we do towards ameliorating their situation, and restoring them POOR BLIND JANE. "Seasons return; but not to me returns Or flocks, or herds, or human face divine; Milton. POOR Blind Jane has frequently spent a day in my habitation. Like her Lord, till lately, she has had none of her own. She possesses deeply imbued with undissembled much good sense, has a mind most piety, and is evidently habituated to frequent meditation. One evening I made some inquiry into the principal events of her life. I wrote a part of her little history, though she was unconscious of the circumstance, from her own lips. It was nearly as follows: If all persons had reasoned as you now do, when efforts were made to abolish the Slave Trade, it probably would have been in full operation at this hour. Let every one who reads this paper try whether something cannot be effected towards this desirable end. You may all bring the case in prayer, before that God who has the hearts of all men in his hands, aud can turn them, like rivers of waters, whithersoever he pleases. He who rescued Israel from the hand of the oppressor, in reply to the supplications of the afflicted, can listen to your requests on behalf of the most oppressed of mankind. You can circulate information upon this subject around you, and thus induce others to co-operate with "I was the youngest of eleven you in this great work. You children. My father was the mamay, each of you in your differ-nager of some lime-works; he was ent neighbourhoods, endeavour a man of very sober and industrious to obtain petitions to be present-of him, as I had the misfortune to habits. I knew, however, but little ed to both Houses of Parliament, lose him when very young, and I requesting them to take the affair was left, with seven other little ones, into their serious consideration, to the care of my poor bereaved and adopt such measures for the mother. gradual abolition of slavery as in their wisdom they shall deem expedient and just. Were this method universally resorted to, it would force the subject on the attention of our legislators; and though for a time these petitions may prove unsuccessful, yet if annually persevered in, the voice of the people in such a cause could not continually be lifted up in vain. There must be a sufficiency of humanity and vir- "I have also heard my mother say, tue in the senate of the nation, if that she bad some neighbours who the case were properly laid before were so unfeeling, and so wicked, them, to induce them to rescue as to reproach her on account of the such a multitude of their fellow-that it was a judgment on her for blindness of her child; intimating, subjects from the misery and degradation which now envelope them. "To my poor mother I was always the source of much anxiety and sorrow, as I was blind from my birth. other children. I have heard her She felt more for me, than for all her say, that as my eyes were apparently bright and good, she did not discover my want of sight till I began to walk, and that she then immediately took me to many of the principal medical gentlemen; but all vain; they left me, as they found their kind efforts were utterly in me, surrounded with total darkness. Our her sins. She used to tell me, that |