| OCR Text |
Show 112 JAMAICA. wholly l1 .IV CS t C d of party politics, and aiming simply at the extm· c·t " n of slavery, all the world over. Span. 10 . • . ish tow.n I·S t 1J e se'a t of Govcrnment-,t p!.tce. of se.v en I . 1 . bitants. It is hot and dusty, hkc Kmg. thousanc 111 1•1 ' • . ston; Im t 1· t ·IS c onsidered to be a very nnprovmg .p.la.rr . Many 0 I. t h c, I1 0 uses both in the town and the VICinity ha'v e l wen re• b u ilt or repaired., si.n ce the date of free. r • • dom. 'fl1 e ro,a d leadinoo- to 1t, from K.m gs.t on, IS flat and unm· tet. e s· t1'n g.• but one ob:j ect on Its side cann. ot fa1.! to attrac t the attention of the traveller. I. t IS. a splemh.c I speci. men of the silk·cotton .t ree,. eq.u alm Size to that 1.1 1 St · 1' homas ' but excell111g . It m. beau. ty. It was pro f use l Y covered ' when we saw It, with l.m g.h t green f.o 1.m ge, an d spre·'a d its shade to an astomshmg extent. 1· In the evening, nearly two thousand people, w ute, brown, and black. assembled in the Baptist chapel; and Judge Bernard, a magistrate and planter _of the highest respectability, took the chair. One prmcipal b·ect of the meet1.1 1" wasth e ..1 ppo·m t 1n ent of deputies o ~ o . . . f I· to theW orld's Convention, for the abolition o s ,wery, about to be held in London . It was addresse~l ~~~a lively and pertinent manner, by many of the miSSIOn aries of various denorn·m at·w ns, f' rom d I· f ferent parts of the island. Towards the close of it, it fell_ to my lot to communicate some important informatiOn re· specting the working of freedom in the islands to tbe windward, and to impress upon all parties pre~ntf the duty of equal justice on the one hand, an °d charity and moderati.O n on t l1 e o tlI CI.. I endcavo.r e , to persuade the land owners o f• t h e u tte 1. iruprop.n et) and impolicy of mixing up the two qucs t"1o ns of rent JAMAICA. 113 and wages-a practice which has so greatly interfered, in Jamaica, with the unfettered operation of freedom; and I explained to our black brethren, who flocked from the country to the meeting, how greatly they wonld promote the cause of emancipation, in other parts of the world, by setting an example of patient industry as cnltivators of the soil, and by ·increasing tlte staple exports of t!te Island. I ventured to remark that the eyes of North America, in particular, were fixed upon Jamaica, watching the pecuniary, as well as moral result, of the great experiment. I am sure thou wilt acknowledge that this was sober and practical doctrine; and certainly, on their part, it was received with a degree of intelligence and hearty good will, which I have never seen exceeded on any similar occasion. The interest which these people feel in the freedom of their race is extreme ; and many of them are liberal subscribers to the Society. The Legislature was not then sitting; and the Governor, Sir Charles Metcalf, was absent on a visit to some other parts of the island. We had no opportunity, therefore, during this visit to Spanishtown, of communicating with many of the official men; but were well pleased to be introduced to Richard Hill, the Secretary of the Department of Stipendary Magistrates. He is colored; and, in times of conflict and prejudice, the more violent advocates of slavery on the island used to call him the "black viper;" but his unquestionable integrity, talents, and knowledge of public business, have secured him the respect and confidence of the public. The government of St. Lucie, as we were informed, was offered to him, but |
