"Even if the circumstances of Trinidad were in all respects much more nearly the same with those of the other West India colonies than they unquestionably are, the determination of government would probably be to negative such a proposition; but it so happens, that the circumstances of the island of Trinidad are in many respects so materially diffe rent from those of all the other West India colonies, that supposing the system of government established in those islands to be the best which could be afforded to them in their situation, it would not follow that the same system could be rendered applicable, either in justice or in policy, to the island of Trinidad.

"In all the other West India islands (with the exception of Dominica, an exception which arises out of recent circumstances) the white inhabitants form the great majority of the free people of the colony, and the political rights and privileges of all descriptions have been enjoyed exclusively by them.

"The class of free people of colour in these colonies, as far even as their numbers extend, has grown up gradually. They have thereby in some degree been reconciled to the middle situation which they occupy between the white inhabitants and the slaves. But, in the island of Trinidad, the people of colour at this time form a very great majority of the free inhabitants of the island; and the question would arise, according to the proposed system, whether in establishing, for the first time, a popular government in that colony, we shall exclude that class of people from all political rights and privileges? Such an exclusion, we know, would be regarded by them as a grievance; and it may be doubted, how far it would be consistent with the spirit of the capitulation, by which their privileges were to be secured, and their situa tion certainly not deteriorated from that which they enjoyed under the Spanish government.

"In the second place, in most of the other West India islands, the great body of the proprietors and white inhabitants are British, or descendants from British families. To them the British constitution and laws have become familiar. They have been educated, or suppose themselves to be educated, in the knowledge of them; and though the resemblance is certainly not great between the constitution, as it is supposed to exist in our West India islands, and as it is enjoyed in Great Britain, the circumstances above referred to would, in some degree, account for the attachment of the inhabitants of

the old West India islands to a system of government, in which a popular assembly forms a material part. But in the island of Trinidad, the white population consists of a mixture of people of all nations. The greater part of them must be wholly ignorant of the British constitution, and unaccustomed to any frame of government which bears any analogy to it. In the case of Trinidad, therefore, amongst the most numerous class of white inhabitants, there can be no material prejudice, either of education or habit in favour of such a system; and the partial and exclusive principle on which it is proposed by the white inhabitants to be founded, whereby the largest proportion of the free people of the island would be excluded from all participation in its privileges, appears to defeat the object of it, and to constitute, in point of justice, and upon the very principles of the system itself, a decided and insuperable objection against it.

"The question has hitherto been considered, as far as it may affect the internal state of the colony itself; but, in addition to these considerations, it is material to add, that the abolition of the Slave Trade by parliament, imposes upon the government the necessity of keeping within itself every power which may be material for rendering this measure effectual.

"It is essential for this purpose, that in a new colony the Crown should not divest itself of its power of legislation, and that neither the Crown nor parliament should be subject to the embarrassments which, on such an occasion, might perhaps arise from the conflicting views of the imperial parliament, and of a subordinate legislature.

"Under these considerations you may consider it as a point determined that it is not adviseable to establish, within the island of Trinidad, any independent internal legislature.

"In reserving to himself the power of legislation, His Majesty will, in some degree, delegate that power, as far as local considerations may render it necessary or expedient, to the Governor, as His representative, whose acts will be always subject to be revised, altered or revoked, by His Majesty himself.

"In exercising this power for local purposes, His Majesty feels the advantage which may arise from a council selected by the Governor from the most respectable of the inhabitants of the island; but such a council must be considered as a council of advice, and not of controul.

"The determination of the Governor, even if it should be contrary to the opinion of such a council, must be considered

as obligatory till such time as His Majesty's pleasure shall be known, though the members of the council may in such cases be allowed to transmit their opinions, together with their reasons, for His Majesty's consideration.

"The advantages of a government of this description in colonies and remote settlements, have been experienced in other instances, and furnish the strongest possible inducement for acting upon this principle upon the present occasion.

"Upon the second point, the introduction of British laws into the island of Trinidad, I am not as yet enabled to give you a decided opinion. The subject is necessarily extensive and complicated. It is at this time under the serious consideration of His Majesty's government, and I hope to be soon able to communicate to you at large their sentiments upon it. But I thought it of importance that no time should be lost in conveying to you the determination of His Majesty's government, for the information of the inhabitants of the colony, upon the important subject of an internal legislature.'

Governor Hislop, &c. &c. &c.

I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed)

LIVERPOOL.*

The question whether Trinidad should have British instead. of Spanish laws has also been decided in the negative. The decision, as we have recently seen, has been formed and sanctioned by parliament. The planters are not to have trial by jury. We are at present considering only the case of the slaves. We compare the two sets of laws in no other respect. With regard to the slaves, then, the determination of the British legislature is in the highest degree beneficent and wise. Under a judicature composed of their masters, in the character of jurymen, the slaves have, as against those masters, little chance for justice. Under a judge appointed by the Crown, and responsible to the government and people of England, their chance for justice is infinitely greater. Such is the advantage, secured to the slaves of Trinidad upon the Spanish plan of the courts of justice. In the laws themselves, they enjoy likewise an important comparative protection. The laws of the Spaniards regarding the slaves were better perhaps than those of any other European state. They are worthy of being known, and of being contrasted with the laws and practices of other nations. A translation of them was printed by the order of the House of Commons, 31st May, 1811, and is as follows:

* Ibid. p. 1.

Translation of the Royal Ordinance or Cedula, for the Government and Protection of SLAVES, in the Spanish Colonies.

PROCLAMATION.

IN the code and other collection of Laws published in this kingdom; in the abridgment of the Statutes concerning the Indies; in the general and particular orders communicated to My dominions in America since the discovery of it; and in the ordinances, which, being examined by My council of the Indies, have merited My Royal approbation, the system of making slaves useful has been established, observed and constantly followed, and every thing necessary decreed, with respect to the education, treatment and occupation which their masters are obliged to give them, agreeable to the principles and rules that religion, humanity and the good of the state dictate, consistent with slavery and the public tranquillity; NEVERTHELESS, As it is not an easy matter for all my subjects in America, who keep slaves, to be sufficiently instructed in all the laws of the said collection, and much less in the general and particular orders and ordinances approved of for different provinces; and considering that, on this account, notwithstanding what has been decreed by My august predecessors with respect to the education, treatment and occupation of slaves, some abuses have been introduced by their masters and the stewards, which are not at all conformable, but on the contrary opposed to the system of the legislation, and to the general and particular orders decreed on the subject. THEREFORE, in order to remedy such abuses, and having in consideration, that, in consequence of the liberty granted to my subjects by My Royal order of the 28th of last February, for carrying on the Slave Trade, the number of slaves will be considerably augmented in America; and, having a due attention to this class of individuals in the meantime that the general code of laws which is forming for the dominions of America, is established, and that they are published; I HAVE RESOLVED, That for the present, the following INSTRUCTION shall be punctually observed by all the masters and possessors of slaves in My said dominions.

Chapter 1.-Education.

EVERY one who has slaves, of whatever class and condition he may be, is obliged to instruct them in the principles of the Roman Catholic Religion, and in the necessary truths, in order that they may be baptized within the year of their residence in my dominions; taking care to explain to them the christian doctrine every holyday, on which they shall not be obliged nor permitted to work, neither for themselves nor for their masters, excepting at the time of the crop, when it is customary to grant them liberty to work on holydays. On those and other days, when they are obliged to hear mass, the owners of the estate shall be at the expense of maintaining a priest to say mass to them, and to explain to them the christian doctrine, as likewise to administer the Holy Sacraments, not only on such days when he is obliged to do it, but likewise whenever he is wanted; taking care that every day, as soon as their work is finished, they say the rosary in the presence of the master or of the steward, with the greatest composure and devotion,

Chapter 2.-Food and Clothes.

Ir being manifest that the masters of slaves are under the obligation of feeding and clothing them, as likewise their wives and children, whether these be of the same condition or free, until they can earn their own bread, which it is presumed they are able to do when the females arrive at the age of twelve, and the

males at that of fourteen: and not being able to give any fixed rule, with respect to the quantity and quality of the food and clothes which are to be given them, on account of the difference of climates, constitution, and other particular causes; it is ordered, that with respect to those matters, the justices of the districts in which the estates are situated, with the approbation of the magistrates, and syndic or recorder, as protector of the slaves, shall fix upon and determine the quantity and quality of the food and clothes which are daily to be given them, according to their ages and sexes, and conformable to the custom of the country, and like those which are commonly given to day labourers; and linen, the same as the work people who are free have. Which determination, after having been approved of by the audience of the district, shall be fixed upon the door of the town-house, and of the churches of every place, and of the oratories or hermitages of the estates, that every one may know it, and that no one may plead ignorance,

Chapter 3.-Occupation of Slaves.

THE first and principal occupation of slaves must be agriculture, and not those labours that require a sedentary life; and thus, in order that their masters and the state may be benefited by their work, and that they may perform it as they ought to do, the justices of towns and villages, in the same form as has been mentioned in the before-going chapter, shall regulate the work to be done in the course of the day, and they shall have two hours to themselves, to be employed in manufactures or other occupations, for their own advantage; neither the masters nor their stewards can oblige those slaves to work who are sixty years old, or younger than seventeen; nor employ the women slaves in any business which is not conformable to their sex, or in which they must be with the males; and the said masters shall contribute two dollars every year for their domestic service, as it is ordered in the 8th chapter of the Royal Order, published on the 28th of last February.

Chapter 4.-Diversions.

ON holydays, when masters cannot oblige nor permit their slaves to work, after they have heard mass and the christian doctrine explained to them, the said masters or their stewards shall allow the slaves to divert themselves innocently in their presence, but they shall not allow them to be amongst those of the other estates, nor even with the females, hindering them from excess in drinking, and taking care that their diversions are ended before prayer time.

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Chapter 5.-Habitations and Infirmary.

ALL masters of slaves must give them habitations, distant those of the men from those of the women, if they are not married; and they must be commodious and sufficient to defend them from the inclemencies of the weather, with beds, blankets, and every thing necessary. Each man shall have his own bed, and there shall be no more than two in a room; another habitation separated from the rest, which must be warm and commodious, shall be destined for the sick, who must be assisted with every thing necessary by their masters; and in case that the latter, on account of not having room enough, or being near some town, do wish to send them to the hospital, they shall contribute a daily sum, which shall be determined by the justices, for their assistance, in the manner and form mentioned in the 2d chapter; and if any of them should die, it is the masters obligation to pay the charges of the funeral,

Chapter 6.-Old Men, and those who are constantly ill.

SLAVES Who, on account of old age or illness, are not able to work, as likewise children of either of the two sexes, must be maintained by their masters; and these latter cannot give them their liberty in order to get rid of them, except by giving them a sufficient stock, which must be approved of by the justices and syn dic, to maintain them without any other assistance.