the press and the trial by jury, to the liberty of the subject in Britain, and to be justified on equally legitimate grounds. The comfort, welfare, and happiness of our labouring classes cannot subsist without it. The fact may have been denied by others, but never by us." "We beg you to observe, that not one of the unconquered colonies, (those that are not crown colonies, but have a legislature of their own, though subject to Great Britain) have had the civility to comply with Lord Bathurst's[1] wishes, notwithstanding he informed them, in the most earnest and feeling manner, of the serious extent of the disappointment which his majesty's government would experience if they rejected the application. We sympathize most sincerely with his lordship on this unexpected event."
The petitions of the society, or rather from the inhabitants of the metropolis, for the abolition of slavery in the British colonies, were presented to the house of commons by Mr. Buxton, March 1st, 1826, and to the house of lords by the Duke of Gloucester. In the speech of the former gentleman on that occasion, he justly complained of the very unsatisfactory manner in which the recommendations of government had been received by the colonists, and the small degree of improvement experienced by the slave population. The inefficiency of the measures already tried, he considered as calling upon his majesty's ministers to fulfil their pledge of countenancing a legislative
- ↑ Lord Bathurst was at that time Secretary for the Colonial Department, and of course transmitted the order in council for the improvement of the condition of the slaves.
