before martial law is proclaimed, Lord Belmore no longer hesitates to reveal the secret, and to suffer the Royal Proclamation, for the first time, to be read to the slaves! Truly, there are individuals who have much to answer for.

5. The circular giving publicity to the Royal Proclamation, bears date the 22d of December. The proclamation placing the island under martial law, was issued on the 30th. Whether the order to give publicity to the Royal Proclamation was generally complied with in the interim, does not appear. There would not seem to have been found any opportunity for it. A letter from the custos of Trelawny, Mr. J. Macdonald, dated the 26th, acknowledges the receipt of the proclamation'; and contains the following passage:

'I have this instant read a despatch from Sir W. Cotton to Major Pennefather it is certainly an extraordinary document. He says, the troops are not to act until the riot act is read, and unless His Majesty's troops are insulted. The negroes are already strongly impressed with the idea, that the King's troops have instructions not to act against them; and certainly, if this despatch were published, it would confirm their opinion. I hope, most sincerely hope, this order will be countermanded if not, His Majesty's troops, who are so well paid by the country, will be of little service to us.'

Sir Willoughby's despatch to Major Pennefather, does not appear among the documents; but it was no doubt in strict coincidence with his proclamation to the rebellious slaves', issued from head-quarters, Jan. 2d, which does him high honour, and to which well-timed step, Commodore Farquhar ascribes the immediate change of affairs for the better t. It is as follows:

To the Rebellious Slaves.

Negroes. You have taken up arms against your masters, and have burned and plundered their houses and buildings. Some wicked persons have told you that the King has made you free, and that your masters withhold your freedom from you. In the name of the King, I come amongst you to tell you that you are misled. I bring with me numerous forces to punish the guilty; and all who are found with the rebels, will be put to death without mercy. You cannot resist the King's troops. Surrender yourselves, and beg that your crime may be pardoned. All who yield themselves up at any military post immediately, provided they are not principals and chiefs in the burnings that have been committed, will receive His Majesty's gracious pardon. All who hold out, will meet with certain death.

(Signed)

WILLOUGHBY COTTON, 'Major-General Commanding. 'God save the King.'

Our readers will observe that, so far as appears, this proclamation was the first attempt made to disabuse the insurgents of the

Despatches, No. 3.

+ No. 33.

false impression under which they were known to labour. Mr. J. Macdonald says, indeed, in his letter of Jan. 4*, that all the negroes were acquainted with his Majesty's proclamation, as, immediately on his receipt of it, (acknowledged Dec. 26,) he had 200 copies thrown off and distributed all over the country. Willoughby does not appear to have relied upon this alleged distribution, which, if it took place, must have been had recourse to after the insurrection had broken out; and no proof is offered, that the insurgents were made acquainted with it in the only effectual way, by having it read to them. Sir Willoughby Cotton ordered such prisoners as could not be convicted, to be dismissed, after having his Majesty's Proclamation read to them. But Mr. J. Macdonald, with whom Sir Willoughby is no favourite, objects to this most proper measure as unnecessary, because he had distributed 200 copies of the proclamation! This is another circumstance adapted to excite astonishment,-if any conduct on the part of the whites of Jamaica can astonish. We should exceedingly like to see one of those 200 copies distributed by Mr. J. Macdonald. Of course, it would prove to be a verbatim copy of the Royal Proclamation. Still, why the negroes should not have it read to them officially, even if they had heard it once read before, and even if they had been so fortunate as to catch one of the 200 copies,-we cannot understand.

After all, the 200 copies which are represented as having been distributed all over the country', may have been, through some mistake, distributed only in Mr. Macdonald's own neighbourhood. I am happy to inform you,' he writes to Mr. Bullock, (Jan. 4,) 'that every estate under my charge have continued faithfully at their work, and completely protected their master's property, which is very gratifying to me. I do not wish to make any in'sidious (invidious ?) remarks; but if other gentlemen had acted 'with the same kindness, and taken the same pains to explain 'the real nature of things as I have done, I do not think that 'this unfortunate insurrection would have been so general; as, in St. James's in particular, their vengeance seems to be pointed ' against certain individuals.' This, it is remarked in the Times Newspaper of Feb. 23, is no unimportant admission for a Jamaica planter, who had committed a preacher to prison." And it is the more remarkable, taken in connexion with the alleged distribution of the Royal Proclamation, tardy as it was, among the slaves on the estates under Mr. J. Macdonald's own charge; by which means they were made acquainted with the real nature of things. Nothing can be more admirably patriotic and disinterested than the zeal which Mr. J. Macdonald evinces, having taken due pains to prevent insurrection on his own estates, to

Despatches, No. 28.

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lead on the brave militia to attack the estates of his neighbours; nothing more amiable than his anxiety that martial law might be proclaimed without a moment's delay, to authorize his vigorous proceedings against the less fortunate slaves of lesskind' and considerate proprietors. So eager is he to display his vigour and martial prowess, that, as we have seen, he cannot refrain from expressing his high dissatisfaction at the most extraordinary' conduct of the Commander-in-chief, in directing that the riot act should be read, before the troops fired upon the poor negroes *. 'I would recommend to his Lordship', says this gentleman, in a letter dated Dec. 28†, to proclaim martial law without a mo'ment's delay, and in the mean time, to send down written orders to act with the utmost energy. If I, or the colonel of the regiment, had authority to act, the plan I would propose, is, to assemble the whole of the militia, and at once attack the largest estate, and then proceed to the others as circumstances might direct. His Lordship may depend, I do not in the least exaggerate the situation of things: they cannot well be worse, 'but fortunately, no blood has been yet shed that I know of." Our militia', he moreover says, 'is very weak, and we have 'little to expect from the regulars, unless positive orders are 'sent to them to act. This distrust of the regular troops,-the sneer at their being so well paid by the country, the petulant animadversions on Sir Willoughby's conduct, and the dissatisfaction expressed at not being authorized to commence the work of slaughter at the head of the militia,—are all in entire consistency, and will serve to illustrate some further extracts from the correspondence of Mr. Custos Macdonald.

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Had Colonel Tyler acted in the first instance with the promptitude that I wished him to have done, I do not think that things would have got to such a head in this parish (Falmouth); but the three magistrates formerly alluded to, persuaded him that I had not sufficient grounds to order a company of militia to York Estate; but I knew the people we had to deal with better than they did; and I am convinced that a vigorous act at first, would have intimidated them before they had committed themselves so far as to endanger their lives. My advice to Colonel Cadien was, to take as few prisoners as possible. Advice, in fact, was the only mode in which I could act, until martial law was proclaimed. . . . . . I hope his Excellency will be pleased to pass over what I consider the improper conduct of the magistrates. The facts are these. The moment I took the deposition on oath of the book-keeper, I issued a warrant against five of the negroes whom he considered as the ringleaders, with orders to send up the constables with a company of militia to have it executed. The great error of these magistrates was, the preventing the militia accompanying the constables, who I was certain could not execute the

warrant without any assistance, and which I told them the moment I came down to Falmouth, and that they had taken great responsibility upon themselves in disobeying my orders: my fears proved correct, and the delinquents escaped. I am sorry the letter they wrote is at Fontabelle; but I consider it my duty to mention their names, viz.—Mr. Lamont, Mr. Dyer, and Mr. George Miller. As I wish minutely to acquaint his Excellency with every circumstance that comes to my knowledge, I must beg leave to state, that I highly disapprove of the conduct of Mr. Moulton Barret: it has been stated to me, that he was seen riding out of town with a Mr. Box, who I had ordered to be taken into custody as one of the incendiary preachers; under some pretence, he was permitted to quit the Court-house, and by that means made his escape, supposed to Kingston, where I hope he will be taken into custody.' (No. 28.)

Upon the strength of this letter, Mr. Box was arrested. Mr. Bullock writes in reply:

'Sir,-In consequence of the information contained in your letter of the 4th instant, I have to inform you, that Mr. Box has been arrested; and although your letter does not state the charge preferred against him, his Excellency considers it quite sufficient to cause him to be detained, until he may hear further from you: you will therefore lose no time in transmitting to me such information as you have obtained; when, if the charges appear sufficient, he will be conveyed to Falmouth to abide his trial.

The lamentable crisis which has now arrived, renders example necessary, however abhorrent it must be to resort to it; and if it should appear that Englishmen, men of sense and education, have been wicked enough to excite the slaves to rebellion, it cannot be supposed that they shall escape because they are also ministers of religion. But his Excellency directs me to impress strongly upon your mind, the great discretion which in such a case should be adopted, to endeavour, by every means in your power, to divest tribunals from all feeling of prejudice, and above all, of prejudice on grounds of religion; for, in civil commotion, the evil is never so great as when it assumes the appearance of religious war. I have, &c.

'Hon. James McDonald.'

(Signed)

'WILLIAM BULLOCK.'

(No. 29.)

Of Mr. Box we know nothing, but suppose that he is one of the Wesleyan Missionaries, since his name is not to be found among those connected with the Baptist Missionary Society. Of his respectability we can entertain no doubt, since Mr. Moulton Barret would hardly have been seen riding out of town with

* Lord Belmore describes him, according to the information he had received, as a Missionary from the Baptist Society.' This, at all events, he is not.

him, had he not sustained a reputable character. From the high disapprobation expressed against Mr. Moulton Basset's conduct by Mr. J. M'Donald, we infer, that he actually interposed his protection, and favoured the escape of the incendiary preacher;' knowing that Mr. J. M'Donald had ordered him to be taken into custody, and appreciating his motives for doing so. At present,

no specific charge is preferred against Mr. Box; but the abusive phrase, incendiary preacher,' illustrates another striking feature of these transactions.

6. The whole of the men who were executed, stated, that they had been told by white people for a long time past, that they were to be free at Christmas; and by these same white people, the plan of insurrection had been arranged. Who these white people were, who have, as Lord Belmore remarks, so much to answer for, we are left to surmise. There is an evident reserve upon this point hints are thrown out, but nothing more specific can be gathered from the documents, than that some ministers of religion are supposed to have been wicked enough to excite the slaves to rebellion. Mr. Box, however, was selected by Mr. J. M'Donald as one of the incendiary preachers,' of whom he wished to make an example; and but for his escape,' he would probably have experienced the effects of martial law. Lord Belmore's language warrants this suspicion.

I am as yet unacquainted with the charge on which orders were issued for his apprehension at Falmouth; but the information received from the custos, renders it at all events necessary that he should be for the present detained. Motives, however, of prudence and humanity caused me to interpose a delay in hurrying him to trial at a moment when so great excitement must necessarily prevail.

The only other Missionary whose name is mentioned in these documents, is Mr. Burchell, a Baptist Missionary, who, having visited this country for the benefit of his health, had arrived in Montego Bay on the 21st or 22d of December, after an absence of many months, but had not landed, or had any intercourse with the negroes, finding the country in a state of insurrection. William Annand, overseer of Ginger-hill plantation, deposes *, that he was told by a slave named Susannah Crawford, that she 'heard from Anne Laye, a free person of colour, and a member ' of the Baptist persuasion, that a Mr. Burchell had arrived' in the bay, and that he did not intend landing until this affair was 'settled; but had written to his deputiest, that his dearly beloved ' children must not regret his absence, for that he would be to them a pillar of iron, and would always be their support ;-that

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*Despatches, No. 18.

VOL. VII.-N.S.

+ His deacons must be here meant.

EE