plication of this, that is, coercion, is the effect on labour. The Negro character has been much underrated, even, I think, by the Negro's friends. When justice is done to him, even in his present degraded circumstances, he shows a sagacity and shrewdness, and a disposition to a regular social life, which emphatically prove that he only requires freedom secured to him by law to make him a useful, and, in his situation, an honourable member of the human family." Mr. Taylor added that he firmly believed all that he had stated in this paper to be true. It had been privately written, and he never expected to see it again, but he perfectly agreed now in every sentiment it contained.

Such is the evidence of Mr. William Taylor, and certainly more important evidence has never been laid before the public on this subject. It will commend itself to every reader by its calmness, consistency, and truth, by its cautious and discriminating character, and by the straightforwardness with which he states, without regard to the impression they may produce. It bears all the marks of a thoroughly honest evidence.

II. The next witness is the Rev. JOHN BARRY, a Wesleyan Missionary. When he first went to the island, and for some time after, he found the work of education in a backward and inefficient state. The children attended only on Sundays at the chapel. They were all regularly at work during the week in St. Thomas in the Vale, where he then was, and no fit teachers were procurable. Now, however, great numbers of children, and latterly of adults, have learnt to read. The Wesleyans have no schools on any plantations, nor on any day but Sunday, and at their chapels, except in Kingston. The Negroes in St. Thomas in the Vale derived their subsistence from the provision grounds allotted by the master, and cultivated by themselves. Besides provisions, some of them reared pigs and poultry. The yearly allowance of clothing was two suits of Osnaburg, a common hat or cap, and a coarse rug coat, for bad weather; but many were clad in better clothes, procured by the sale of their surplus provisions. The whole of the 26 week days allowed by law, and any spare time they had and the Sundays, were given to the culture of provisions, or to marketing. They generally laboured in their grounds on Sundays, except when they went to market, and which market, whether Spanish Town or Kingston, was 20 miles distant from the plantations near which he lived. This use of most Sundays was invariably and decidedly necessary, though they were very industrious in employing what time they had in raising food and articles for sale. He had paid attention to their industrious habits, and had not the least doubt they would labour willingly for hire if free. They did not become less industrious by having acquired some little property. He had a servant of his own who had been a slave, but had obtained his freedom; and, though he received a liberal weekly pay for his services, he requested to be allowed to devote his hours after 8 or 9 o'clock to his own purposes, and has been known almost constantly to work till midnight, or even two in the morning, in manufacturing baskets to

sell, and increase his property and comforts. The Negroes employ themselves much, besides cultivating their grounds, in manufacturing ornamental baskets, making coarse straw hats and earthen utensils, and a variety of little articles, and sometimes in cutting grass, all which they sell. This is done to a great extent near towns. The slaves sell their provisions and other things in the public markets, as is done in England. They are very shrewd indeed in their bargains-as shrewd as any white man. They well understand the value of money. They often go as far as 25 and 26 miles to market, and sometimes as far as 35. Their plan is to prepare their loads on that Saturday which is their own, and to travel with it all Saturday night to be in time for the Sunday market; so that the violation of the Sabbath is unavoidable, for it necessarily requires the whole of the day when they go to market, to vend their goods and return home (p. 64-68).

The Negroes, Mr. Barry thinks, are remarkable for the social and domestic affections. He never knew more dutiful and obedient children. They are exceedingly attached to their parents, and will do all in their power to promote their comfort. The greatest offence that can be given to a Negro is to speak disrespectfully of his parents. At the same time, in St. Thomas in the Vale, they are generally in a state of sad demoralization. Great improvement, however, has followed religious instruction. On Mount Concord, near the missionary station, there were 130 Negroes. The adults were about 70. The overseer of that plantation called upon Mr. Barry one day and said, “ Mr. Barry, the Negroes on this property perfectly astonish me. They are the most industrious, and the most intelligent, and the best Negroes I have ever seen in this island. I have just left the Port Royal mountains, and such was the state of the Negroes there that I was afraid to eat my food, lest I should be poisoned, and I always considered my life in danger." Mr. Barry replied, "I am glad to hear you bear that testimony, Mr. Jordan; for almost all of these people are members of our society." It is true that, owing to some peculiarities in the state of the Negroes, they had not sufficiently correct notions as to petty thefts and the obligations of truth and purity; but, when brought under the influence of religion, those evils were almost invariably corrected. Had the slave population, generally, been as well instructed as the 10,000 or 12,000 Negroes belonging to the Wesleyan establishments, they might be considered as on a par, in point of morality, with ordinary persons. In the late insurrection not a single member of the society was found implicated: and there were only two cases even of suspicion. The Governor himself stated as much to Mr. Barry; and Major-General Yates said that, after the most minute investigation, it did not appear that a single Wesleyan had taken part in it. Since Mr. Barry had quitted the island, a few months since, he had heard rumours that three or four had been detected, but on no good authority (p. 68).

Mr. Barry was decidedly of opinion that, if emancipation took place under prudent precautions, there would be an infinitely greater opportunity of communicating religious instruction, and a more rapid advancement in morality and civilization. He called once, in travelling

through St. Mary's, on a Mr. Clarke, the possessor of about forty slaves who had been receiving instruction for two or three years. The change, he said, was remarkable; he no longer employed a driver, and seldom visited his slaves while at work. Previously to their becoming religious, he had employed two drivers, and constantly visited the slaves himself. Now he got infinitely more work from those very slaves than he could get by his own care, and that of his drivers; and this he attributed to the influence of religion. Religious slaves, however, are not exempted in general, under the present system, from the infliction of punishment. If they work under drivers, as is the common case, they will share in it, however attentive they may be to their duties. If emancipated, he believes, they would do more work than now (p. 69).

Many plantations have no religious instruction at all. St. Mary's had a population of 25,000 slaves: when first he visited it, in 1825, the only places of worship were the parish church at Port Maria and another small church that only held 200 people, both very distant from the dwellings of the great majority of the slaves. This is a fair picture of the provision of places of worship generally throughout the island. In some parishes the advantages are greater, but in no due proportion to the number of slaves. The aggregate number of slaves even partially under religious instruction, by all the religious bodies, did not exceed 50,000, being only a seventh of the whole. The proportion of the free black and coloured inhabitants who attend religious instruction is much larger. A great degree of immorality, however, prevails among both slave and free, the constitution of society in Jamaica tending much to general demoralization, and more generally among the whites than the other classes. It prevails to a very great extent indeed; and among the whites of all grades it is nearly universal. This general profligacy pervading all ranks, whether slave or free, has had its origin in slavery, and especially in the master's unlimited power over the body of his female slave. It is true he has not the same power over the free women; but the example and influence of the whites are so corrupting that the mothers of free females generally prefer seeing their daughters the concubines of white men than the wives of men of their own colour. Emancipation would tend greatly to improve this state of things. Religious and moral improvement would then necessarily advance; and, under the influence of religion, the present loose habits would be abandoned. In the Wesleyan Societies in Jamaica there are hundreds of fine young women who will labour incessantly rather than submit to such a state of degradation. In some instances women have had the strongest inducements held out to return to their former keepers, which they have almost uniformly refused. The discredit which still attaches to white men who marry women of colour is great, notwithstanding the new rights and privileges conferred on that class. Such marriages cause an almost entire exclusion from white society. The emancipation of the slaves would tend to obviate this evil (p. 70 and 71).

The free coloured and blacks maintain themselves by their own industry in a great variety of ways; they work as carpenters, smiths,

masons, coopers, wood cutters, cabinet makers, watch makers, and at all other trades carried on by whites. Many of them who have themselves been slaves are employed in the very first works in the island. Numbers of them are domestic servants, and a great many cultivate lands of their own, and sell the produce. They never work in the field of plantations: indeed their services are never asked for there, and they have constant work otherwise; and at all events in cultivating land of their own, which they purchase. The present system of labour excludes them from plantation work in the field. A planter would not willingly admit free persons to work with his slaves, and the free persons would feel it a deep degradation to work with a gang of slaves in the field: extreme necessity alone could drive them to it. Land may be had, but not always in convenient situations. Mr. Barry himself paid 77. currency, or 51. sterling, for an acre of very good grass land, which he wanted for his own use. There are immense tracts of uncultivated land both in the plains and on the mountains, partly belonging to the crown, and partly to individuals (p. 72).

Mr. Barry professes to be well acquainted with the habits of the free blacks and people of colour. They have certainly greatly improved in information, intelligence, and wealth, during his residence in the island. Some of the best educated men he has known in Jamaica are people of colour, and they promote education among the young. Being allied by blood and marriage with the slaves, they communicate with them to a great extent, and thus the slaves acquire much general knowledge.There is scarcely a transaction which takes place even in England with which they are not acquainted. They take a deep interest in what relates to emancipation. When in the last session Mr. Beaumont brought in his bill for compulsory manumission, the greatest possible excitement existed among the slaves, and their expressions of joy were almost unbounded; and the great mass not only of the slaves, but of the free black and coloured classes, were eager for the measure. He knew slaves that were head men and tradesmen on estates, who were able to purchase their freedom, and desirous of obtaining it, but could not obtain it. He had known instances of aged and infirm slaves who did not desire to be free; but he never knew an instance of a vigorous Negro who did not desire it. It is very common for emancipated slaves to pay large sums for the redemption of their wives and children the desire to do so is universally very strong, and very exorbitant prices are often paid for them (p. 73).

When Mr. Barry first went to Jamaica, from what he had heard, he was led to think that emancipation could not be effected without danger.

But now he was of a contrary opinion. He was now convinced, by a more close observation of the Negro character, that, with proper regulations, it might be effected without any danger; and that such is their willingness to labour at their own hours, whether field slaves or mechanics, that no apprehension need be entertained of the result.-The cause of religion and morality would be most essentially promoted by it. Under the present system the slaves are generally precluded, for weeks together, from attending places of religious worship and in

struction. Any system of police, however severe, would be preferable to the evils of slavery. And not only would the free people, generally, be perfectly competent to discharge police duties, but thousands of the slaves themselves, if emancipated, might safely be put into a corps of that description. They would keep order themselves, and aid in keeping others in order. The present magistracy, however, would be inadequate, and there ought to be stipendiary magistrates to superintend the whole. The feeling of freedom has got so firm a hold of the slaves now that they will never be satisfied till they attain it, and even its delay will be attended with considerable danger. During the late insurrection, those who were judicially executed, with very few exceptions, died glorying in their death, and stating that, had they twenty lives, they would sacrifice them all rather than return to slavery. No mere amelioration of their condition will ever reconcile the Negroes again to slavery. Religious instruction tends indeed to restrain turbulence and outrage, but it never can repress the desire of freedom (p. 74, 75).

The Negroes are generally a shrewd and intelligent people. Many possess strong intellectual powers. They are strongly attached to their homes. They are grateful to those who treat them kindly. Taking all their circumstances into account, they are much the same as other men. Plantation field slaves have little opportunity of working for hire. Plantation mechanics will work assiduously after hours, as long as they can see, and often by candle-light. It cannot be doubted, however, that in case of emancipation all would work, for fair wages, at plantation or any other work. They dislike sugar planting more than any other work; but, for a proper remuneration, they will work even on sugar properties. They know the value of money, and they will labour for it (p. 76).

Mr. Barry did not think that the present means of education and divine worship were at all sufficient for the slave population. Difficulties, too, àre thrown in the way by masters. One Sunday, in St. Thomas in the Vale, a woman came into the chapel with a wooden tray on her head, filled with dirty clothes. Mr. Barry felt inclined to reprove her for the indecorum, but the steward told him she was not to blame, as what she had done was to elude the opposition of her owner. His opposition to religion was so strong that his Negroes were obliged to leave the estate with their best clothes put into the tray, and their working dress on, that he might be led to suppose they were going to their grounds or to market; but when they came near chapel they put on their best clothes, and put their dirty ones into the tray, and all this was done to elude the opposition to their attending religious worship. But the grand hindrance is the necessary attention that must be paid to their provision grounds, and the impossibility of going to market if they attend chapel. They cannot attend any school but a Sunday school-their master's interest stands in the way: and from Sunday schools they are frequently altogether debarred. Even the children, from the age of five to ten, are constantly employed in gangs under a driveress, to perform various works on the estate. Mr. Wild