■fl- 
 
 • ■ 
 
 
 - 
 
 
 .9 
 
 
FACTS 
 
 AND 
 
 DOCUMENTS 
 
 CONNECTED WITH THE 
 
 LATE INSURRECTION IN JAMAICA, 
 
 AND THE 
 
 VIOLATIONS OF CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY 
 
 ARISING OUT OF IT. 
 
 liJntlisIjeU bg fspccial Ucnuest. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 KOLDSUOKTH AND WALL, ST. PAUL’S CHURCH YARD; AND WIGHTMAN, 
 
 PATERNOSTER ROW. 
 
 1832. 
 
ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 The following Publication owes its appearance to the 
 suggestions of many esteemed friends, who are desirous 
 that the British Public at large should be more fully 
 acquainted with the nature and origin of the recent 
 disturbances in Jamaica, especially in their aspect on the 
 religious instruction of the negroes. The various docu¬ 
 ments are printed, as much as possible, in their original 
 form, and without the least attempt to weave them into 
 a continuous narrative. It would have been easy greatly 
 to increase their number, especially under Sections 11. 
 and III.; but these, it is presumed, will be sufficient, taken 
 in connexion with Mr. Abbott’s letter to the Secretary of 
 the Baptist Missionary Society, already published, to 
 demonstrate how formidable are the obstacles which 
 impede the progress of the Gospel in Jamaica, and to 
 combine all the friends of humanity, freedom, and reli¬ 
 gion, in a vigorous effort to remove them. 
 
 Fen Court, ‘drd July, 1832. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2018 with funding from 
 Columbia University Libraries 
 
 https://archive.org/details/factsdocumentscoOOknib 
 
SECTION I. 
 
 Memorial and Statement of the Baptist Missionaries 
 in Jamaica, dated \9th April, 1832; 
 
 TO 
 
 HIS EXCELLENCY EARL BELMORE, 
 
 The Governor of Jamaica. 
 
 The Humble Memorial of the undersigned Baptist Missionaries, 
 Sheweth, 
 
 That on the 13th February last, a Memorial, signed by 
 certain of your present Memorialists, was presented to your 
 Excellency, stating, among other things, that their Property 
 had been plundered, “ several of their Chapels totally demo¬ 
 lished, their persons threatened with violence, under the coun¬ 
 tenance and with the aid of Magistrates and Officers of Militia,’' 
 and praying, in the apprehension of the continuance of similar 
 acts of wanton outrage against their property and lives, for 
 the interposition of your Excellency’s authority and power 
 to protect them. 
 
 That, in answer to that Memorial, your then Memorialists 
 received a Letter from your Excellency’s Secretary, apprizing 
 them that its prayer had been anticipated in the issuing and 
 promulgation throughout the Island, of a Proclamation on the 
 subject, of which a Copy was enclosed. 
 
 That your Memorialists felt grateful to your Excellency for 
 the strong terms of condemnation in which that Proclamation 
 spoke of the wanton and illegal “ destruction of their Chapels 
 and Places of Worship,—proceedings, as your Excellency not 
 more strongly than justly characterized them, disgraceful to the 
 
0 
 
 Colony, subversive of order, and of dangerous example.” And 
 your Memorialists did fain hope that the protection which they 
 Avere seeking at your Excellency’s hands, would be actually 
 afforded them in the obedience which would be paid by the 
 “ Custodes of Parishes and all Magistrates” to the injunctions 
 laid upon them in that Proclamation “ to seek out and discover 
 the authors of these outrages, that they might be punished 
 according to law;” and “ to employ the whole force which the 
 Constitution has entrusted to them in protecting Property of 
 every description, whether belonging to private persons or 
 religious societies; in quelling all disorderly meetings, and in 
 bringing to exemplary punishment every disturber of the 
 public peace.” But whatever confidence your Memorialists 
 may have had in a ready attention, on the part of those 
 persons, to your Excellency’s orders, and to the due execution 
 of their duties as the legally constituted and sworn preservers 
 of the public peace : the result has proved it to have been in 
 most cases totally unfounded. 
 
 That, from many of the circumstances detailed in the accom¬ 
 panying Statement of various outrages and indignities to which 
 they have been subjected—of reiterated attacks upon their 
 lives and property (which your Memorialists conceive must be 
 known to your Excellency, since they are of public notoriety,) 
 it is evident that the Civil and Local Military Authorities in 
 many parishes of the Island, with but few exceptions, have 
 treated and do still treat your Excellency’s Proclamation and 
 Authority with contempt. It is equally evident that, so far 
 from the first of these affording your Memorialists the protection 
 they required, and as British Subjects are entitled to, the 
 impunity with which it has been disregarded, indeed trampled 
 on, by the very persons to whom it was addressed, is a strong 
 encouragement to them and others to proceed to further acts 
 of wanton aggression and threatened violence. Your Memo¬ 
 rialists therefore are again obliged to approach your Excellency 
 with the expression of their fears, (which surely cannot now 
 be deemed ill-founded) that, unless a more effectual exertion 
 of your Authority is interposed, as heretofore, so in future their 
 
7 
 
 property and persons will lie entirely, as far at least as the 
 laws which should protect them are concerned, at the mercy 
 of a deeply prejudiced, an unprincipled and lawless party 
 which is intent upon their destruction. And your Memorialists 
 submit to your Excellency that it is a case calling for your 
 serious attention, and for the exercise of your High Powers, 
 when, in a British Colony, and under a British Governor 
 and British Laws, British Subjects against whom not a single 
 charge can be substantiated, dare not return to their homes 
 and their functions, but with the certain expectation of suffering 
 personal violence under the wilful connivance, if not immediate 
 sanction of the very persons to whom as Magistrates the 
 preservation of the public peace is committed. Though they 
 trust there are some honorable exceptions, your Memorialists 
 speak advisedly in bringing this charge against the Magistracy 
 generally, of the parishes in which the outrages detailed in the 
 accompanying Statement have occurred, and for their full justifi¬ 
 cation in bringing it they humbly beg to refer your Excellency 
 to the particulars of those outrages, and to the fact that not a 
 single attempt of anyone Gustos or Magistrate to seek out and 
 discover their authors, that they might be punished according to 
 law, in compliance with the proclamation, has yet come to their 
 knowledge. 
 
 That your Memorialists now approach your Excellency, 
 humbly but earnestly to seek that effectual protection to which, 
 in common with their fellow subjects, they feel themselves 
 entitled, and which under the circumstances, none but your 
 Excellency can afford. They detail specific grounds of com- 
 ])laint. They look to your Excellency for the redress of 
 their grievances, by the exercise of the power with which 
 their gracious Sovereign has invested you for the protection 
 of all his faithful subjects in this Colony, and for the punish¬ 
 ment of every contemner of the laws. They desire to do so 
 respectfully; but they must at the same time solemnly tell 
 your Excellency, that having now adopted every means in their 
 power to place themselves under the protection of the laws 
 by which they are governed, they are about to resume their 
 
8 
 
 duties at some of the stations which injustice and cruelty 
 compelled them to leave, in the exercise of an indefeasible 
 right belonging to every Briton, and in the consciousness that 
 whatever consequences may ensue to themselves or others in 
 the execution of any of the threats of violence so publicly 
 held out, the blame and the guilt cannot lie upon them. 
 
 That your Memorialists in furnishing the accompanying 
 Statement are actuated by the hope that your Excellency will 
 see the necessity for now adopting such measures as will 
 elFectually redress the past injuries inflicted on the religious 
 body of which they are members, in the destruction of their 
 chapels and other property, and as will ensure them against 
 future acts of oppression and outrage. 
 
 Your Memorialists therefore humbly pray your Excellency 
 to extend to them such relief as to your Excellency shall seem 
 meet. 
 
 And your Memorialists shall ever pray, &c, 
 
 JOSHUA TINSON, 
 WILLIAM KMBB, 
 EDWARD BAYLIS, 
 JOSEPH BURTOxY, 
 HENRY C. TAYLOR, 
 SAMUEL NICHOLLS, 
 JOHN CLARKE, 
 
 FRANCIS GARDNER 
 WM. WHITEHORNE, 
 THOS. F. ABBOTT, 
 JOSIAH BARLOW, 
 AVALTER DENDY, 
 JOHN KINGDON. 
 
9 
 
 Statement referred to in the Memorial. 
 
 During Martial Law, the following Property, in which the 
 Baptist Missionaries were interested, was destroyed by the 
 Militia. 
 
 A New Chapel called Salter s Hill, in St. James’s, just com¬ 
 pleted, was set fire to by a party of the St. James’s Militia, 
 under the command of F. B. Gibbs, Esq. and Captain George 
 Gordon. 
 
 A Private House in St. James’s, called Putney, rented as a 
 place of worship; and a residence called Hillington, in Hanover; 
 the property of Mr. Burchell, were severally burnt by the Militia; 
 and a house in Hanover, called Shepherd's Hall, hired as a 
 place of worship, was entered by the Militia, and the Pews, 
 Furniture, and Pulpit therein, belonging to Mr. Burchell, were 
 taken out and burnt. 
 
 On the 8th February last, the Baptist Chapel at Montego Bay, 
 was pulled down at mid-day, by a large mob, among whom were 
 the following Magistrates, and Officers of Militia, most of whom 
 were very actively engaged.— 
 
 Lieut.-Col. Wm. Charles Morris, 
 
 John Coates, 1 
 
 George Gordon, I 
 
 Wm. Mitchell Kerr, yMayistrates. 
 
 John Cleghorn, I 
 
 John Bowen, 1 
 
 Benjamin Haughton Tharpe, / 
 
 Wm. Nettleton Balme. 
 
 John Tharpe, A Magistrate. 
 
 Edward Evans, Coroner. 
 
 James Gordon, A Magistrate. 
 
 Joseph Fray. 
 
 William Plummer. 
 
 Thomas Watson. 
 
 Charles Wallace Ogle. 
 
 John Henry Morris. 
 
 George M'Farquhar Lawson, jun. (Adjutant.) 
 
 Major 
 
 Captain 
 
 
 Lieut. 
 
 yy 
 
 V 
 
 yy 
 
 yy 
 
 >? 
 
 yy 
 
10 
 
 Lieut. 
 
 Henry Hunter. 
 
 Ensign 
 
 William Fowle Holt. 
 
 
 James Coates. 
 
 
 William Gordon. 
 
 
 Joseph Gill Jump. 
 
 Alexander Campbell, Esq. (Copse) ^ 
 
 Charles O’Conner, Esq. YMagistrates. 
 
 William Heath, Esq. J 
 
 William B. Popkin, the Head Constable. 
 
 This outrage occurred within two hours after the Custos, and 
 Dr. G. hi. Lawson, Colonel of the St. James’s Regiment, and a 
 Magistrate also, had been informed that it was about to take 
 place, yet the parties met with no interruption in their pro¬ 
 ceedings. 
 
 The perpetrators of this act are well known at Montego Bay, 
 and no difficulties whatever exist in the way of “ discovering the 
 authors of the outrage.” 
 
 The Proclamation of the 13th February was posted about the 
 Town of Montego Bay, but within an hour after it was torn 
 down. 
 
 On the l4th March, the lodgings of Mr. Burchell, a Baptist 
 Missionary, (the indictment against whom had been that day 
 ignored) was approached by a mob, composed chiefly of white 
 persons, for the purpose, as they said, of doing him some bodily 
 injury, and but for the voluntary opposition offered by private 
 persons, all their purposes would have been eflTected before a 
 Magistrate came to the spot, and during the time occupied by 
 some of the authorities in procuring affidavits of Mr. Burchell’s 
 danger, which they required though they saw him surrounded by 
 the mob, before they would call in a military guard. Mr. Bur¬ 
 chell was obliged to quit the Island, for the preservation of his life. 
 
 On the night of the 12th February, the Baptist Chapel at Rio 
 Bueno was attacked and partially destroyed by the Grenadier 
 Company of the Trelawney Regiment, (dressed in their regi¬ 
 mentals,) which was stationed at Bryan Castle Estate, near that 
 place, and on the evening of the 18th it was burnt down. 
 
 On the — February the Chapel at Stewart Town, in Trelawney, 
 
was partially pulled down by some persons also connected with 
 the militia. 
 
 The Baptist Chapel at Falmouth had been occupied during 
 Martial Law as Barracks by the St. Ann’s Regiment. On the 
 7th February, when that Corps was about to quit the Town, Mr. 
 John W. Gayner, a Magistrate, and Ensign; and Adjutant 
 Samuel Tucker, commanded the men to break down the Chapel, 
 and themselves set the example, saying, “ these were the 
 orders they had received.”—It was completely demolished. 
 
 While the work of destruction was proceeding, information w'as 
 given to Lieut. Thomas Tennison, of the Trelawney Regiment, the 
 officer on guard in the Town. His reply was, that “it was no 
 matter whether they broke it or not, he supposed they would set 
 it on fire too !” 
 
 Mr. Knibb, one of the Missionaries, paid a visit to Falmouth, 
 early in March. For three successive nights his lodging was 
 stoned, and he was cautioned by two respectable gentlemen, 
 against venturing out in the evening, as a party had clubbed 
 together to tar and feather him. 
 
 After Martial Law was discontinued, the horses of Mr. Knibb 
 were taken from Falmouth, by Major General Hilton, who has, 
 until very recently, retained possession of them. 
 
 At Lucea, on the 6th January, Lieut.-Colonel John Edward 
 Payne, and Major Richard Chambers (Magistrates,) and Mr. 
 Heath,(the Rector) went to Mr. Abbott, (the Baptist Missionary’s 
 Residence) and stated that he had run away. Mr. Payne asked 
 if he had any letters from Burchell, and said, “The Baptists had 
 tried to ruin them, but instead of that the Baptists would be 
 ruined themselves.” 
 
 Mr. Chambers opened Mrs. Abbott’s desk with a false key, 
 though he was told it was hers, and searched her letters. They 
 locked, nailed, and sealed up the doors, and windows of the 
 house, and used a great deal of abusive language to Miss Dick¬ 
 son, who had charge of his house. Mr. Heath took away Mr. 
 Abbott's church books, which have never been returned. 
 
 On Thursday, February 9th, in the morning, the Baptist Chapel 
 at Lucea, was destroyed; the following parties were among the 
 perpetrators of the outrage;— 
 
12 
 
 Mr. B. Heath (the Rector.) 
 
 Doctor Binns, 
 
 Charles Younger, (Constable.) 
 
 Mr. Alexander Campbell, of Lucea, (a Magistrate) was pre¬ 
 sent, and did not attempt to prevent it. 
 
 Mr. Heath, (Rector) asked a gentleman to go with him, and 
 assist him in destroying “the d-d Baptist Chapel.” 
 
 Mr. Richard Chambers, on the evening of the same day, refused 
 to exercise his authority as a Magistrate, when Mr. Abbott’s 
 dwelling-house was violently entered by Dr. Binns and others, 
 armed with hatchets, &c. for the purpose of destroying his fur¬ 
 niture. On this occasion a respectable female, attempting to 
 protect Mr. Abbott’s property, was struck with a horsewhip, by 
 Dr. Binns, who threatened to push her down the steps if she did 
 not go. 
 
 Several dozens of wine were destroyed, and some of Mr. 
 Abbott’s books and clothes stolen. 
 
 On Friday night, February 10th, at about 10 o’clock, a num¬ 
 ber of men rushed into the Chapel at St. Anns Bay, and violently 
 destroyed the windows, with part of the pews and benches, 
 causing great alarm to the Missionary and his wife, who were 
 residing under the same roof. The next day that Missionary 
 brought this outrage before two of the Magistrates:—Messrs. 
 Thomas Raffington, and William S. Harker, who examined 
 several witnesses, but afforded no adequate protection. In 
 consequence of being left without protection by those who had 
 the Military force under their command, the Missionary, with 
 his wife and infant child, were compelled to flee from their home 
 for safety, and on the following Tuesday, in the forenoon, the 
 whole building, comprising the chapel and residence, was pulled 
 down, and the materials stolen. Among the parties engaged in 
 this act were Dr. George R. Stennett, and Lieut. Henry Co.x, jun. 
 (Magistrates) and Capt. Samuel Drake, (Head Constable.) 
 
 We are informed that on the last-mentioned day, some 
 Magistrates sent for the boxes of the Missionary to the Court 
 House, searched them, and took out sundry papers, and other 
 of their contents. 
 
 On the 24th February, Ebony Chapel, at Hayes Savanna, in 
 
13 
 
 Vere, was wilfully destroyed by fire. A day or two before, Mr. 
 Hector McLean Wood, a Magistrate, with another person, 
 went and broke some of the windows of the Chapel, and took 
 away the key. 
 
 On Friday, 6th April, about 10 o’clock at night, a mob of 
 white men armed with swords, pistols, muskets, and bayonets, 
 went to Mount Charles Chapel in St. Andrews. In the way 
 from the gate of the premises to the house, they met with a 
 poor old man (a free negro) unarmed, and fell upon him with 
 their swords, cutting him severely in several places on his head 
 and body, and one of them with a bayonet stabbed him in 
 his side. 
 
 When they got to the house they broke open the door, and 
 fired in at it; some of them broke the windows of the bed room, 
 forcing in the glass, frames, and shutters, with such violence, 
 that the bed in which Mrs. Baylis (the Missionary’s wife) and 
 her infant were lying, was nearly covered with pieces of glass. 
 They then fired in at each of the windows, and one of the ruffians 
 applied a candle to one side of the room for the purpose of 
 setting it on fire; but the candle was put out. They proceeded 
 to break the hall window, swearing the house should be down 
 that night. Seeing the candle was out, one of them broke open 
 the door of an Out-House, saying he wanted fire, and that he 
 would burn down the house; but the alarm being given, they 
 made off. 
 
 The chapels and places of worship at the following stations 
 have also been destroyed, viz:— 
 
 Savanna-la-Mar, * i 
 
 Ridgeland, or Fullers Field, J Westmoieland, 
 
 Green Island, (a hired house) 
 
 Browns Town, 
 
 Ocho Rios, (a hired house). 
 
 On the 10th January, nine dozens of Madeira Wine, which 
 were being sent from Mr. Burchell’s residence in Montego Bay, 
 to him on board the ship Garland Grove, were taken possession 
 of by Lieut. John Henry Morris, and have never since been 
 restored. On the 12th, the same person returned, accompanied 
 by Mr. James Gordon, (a Magistrate) who said, that by order 
 
 c 
 
J4 
 
 of Sir Willoughby Cotton, he came to see what quantity of wine 
 was remaining.” They went into the store, counted the wine, 
 locked up the store, and took the key away. The key was not 
 returned so late as the 3th of April. 
 
 Besides the particular instances mentioned, much more of 
 the private property of the Missionaries has been destroyed or 
 injured, during and since Martial Law. 
 
 The loss of property sustained by the Mission, amounts to 
 upwards of £20,000 currency. 
 
 The Jamaica Courant (understood to be the newspaper most 
 extensively circulated in this island,) has endeavored, and still 
 endeavors, with impunity, to excite the inhabitants to the com¬ 
 mission of every species of outrage on the Missionaries, recom¬ 
 mending destruction of property, and even threatening life if 
 they remain on the island. This paper is generally (and from the 
 almost universal support it receives, is properly) considered as 
 the organ of the Colony. Coinciding in opinion with the 
 Jamaica Courant and other newspapers, many of the inhabitants 
 of this island have connected themselves in an Association, under 
 the designation of “ The Colonial Church Union the pre¬ 
 dominant object whereof is to procure the expulsion of all the 
 Missionaries from the island—an endeavor, in fact, to deprive 
 “ Englishmen of the right to abide in their own country so long 
 as they please, and not to be driven from it unless by the 
 sentence of the law and they submit, that an Association for 
 such a purpose, is illegal, and at variance with the whole spirit 
 of the British Constitution. 
 
 The first place at which this “ Union” was set on foot, was St. 
 Ann's Bay, where, on the 15th of February, after the demolition 
 of several chapels, and the promulgation of the Proclamation, 
 the following, among other resolutions, was passed.— 
 
 “ Sixth. That it is expected from every Member of the Union, 
 that he will lend his influence and support on all occasions, to 
 those patriots who, in behalf of the paramount laws of Society, 
 have hazarded their personal responsibility for our preservation, 
 from the murderous machinations of our enemies.” 
 
 The Presidents of this meeting publicly announced, are the 
 flon. Henry Cox, Gustos of St Ann's, Major General in the 
 
15 
 
 Militia, and Member of the House of Assembly ; and James 
 Lawrence Hilton, Esq., a Magistrate of that parish, and also 
 a Major General, two of the Authorities who are required by the 
 Proclamation to prosecute the offenders, and prevent further 
 outrages in that parish. 
 
 In Spanish Town, the “ Colonial Church Union” for the 
 County of Middlesex, was held on the 21st March—and the 
 resolutions of all the Parochial Meetings seem to have been there 
 recognized and amalgamated. 
 
 The Hon. John Lunan, a Judge of the Supreme Court of the 
 island. Gustos of the Precinct of St. Catherine, and Member of 
 Assembly, was appointed President of this Meeting. 
 
 It would be an endless undertaking to mention all the Law- 
 preservers and Justices of the Peace, who are members of this 
 illegal and peace-disturbing Society; but the Missionaries 
 cannot omit to notice, that the Custodes of the several parishes 
 of Trelawney, Manchester, and Vere, have accepted the office 
 of President in their respective parishes. In the parish of 
 Trelawney, one Magistrate, Mr. William Dyer, publishes a 
 newspaper, called “ the Cornwall Courier,’’ in which he has 
 repeatedly urged that the Missionaries should be tarred and 
 feathered. An attempt was made on the 7th April, to practise 
 this on the Wesleyan Missionary at Falmouth—and in the next 
 number of that paper, this act was spoken of with approbation. 
 Our eyes cannot be shut to the fact, that William Dyer, Editor, 
 and William Dyer, Magistrate, are one and the same person; 
 and it seems a little too much to expect from human nature, 
 that what the Editor recommends and applauds, the Magistrate 
 will very rigidly judge, or severely punish. 
 
 Another Magistrate, Joseph Hodgson, who resided within a 
 few doors of the place where this disturbance occurred, was 
 applied to for assistance. His reply to the applicant was, that 
 “ she had better go home, they would not hurt the Minister.” 
 These instances of the degree of sanction which some Magistrates 
 give to the acts of violence committed on the Missionaries, 
 were adverted to in a letter addressed to His Excellency’s Se¬ 
 cretary on the 14th instant. 
 
l(> 
 
 The followincj Estimate has been fonuardcd to the Committee 
 of the Baptist Missionary Society, as the Amount required 
 in order to rebuild, at the loivest possible rate, the Places of 
 Worship destroyed. The Sums are in Jamaica currency. 
 
 £. s. d. 
 
 Salter's Hill .—Burnt by order of the Captain of Militia, 
 
 stationed at Latium. • • • • value 4000 0 0 
 
 Falmouth ,—Pulled down by the Saint Ann’s Militia, 
 
 while occupied as Barracks .value 3000 0 0 
 
 Alontego Bay .—Pulled down at Mid-day by the Inhabi¬ 
 tants, headed by several of the Magistrates .. .value COOO 0 0 
 Savunnak-la-Mar .—Pulled down by the Parishioners, 
 
 value 700 0 0 
 
 Ridgeland, alias Ftiller's-f eld. —Burnt by two Over¬ 
 seers. A valuable House***-***..value 1000 0 0 
 
 Rio Bueno. —Burnt *■•*•*.. value 1000 0 0 
 
 Stewart's Town. —Injured to the amount of-*. 250 0 0 
 
 Brown's Town. —Pulled down by the Inhabitants* * value 800 0 0 
 St. Ann's Bay. —Pulled down by the Inhabitants of the 
 
 Parish .-..* * • * • value 3500 0 0 
 
 Ebony Chapel. —Burnt****-*--*-.* value 500 0 0 
 
 Total Amount of Chapels destroyed • • * • 20/50 0 0 
 Loss in the destruction of Mission Property, in Houses 
 rented: 
 
 Gurney's Mount. —Pulpit, benches, &c. . ***** 300 0 0 
 
 Putney .—Benches burnt .. 50 0 0 
 
 Lucca .—Benches and lamps.-. 50 0 0 
 
 Ocho Rios. —Pulpit, pews, and benches. 100 0 0 
 
 21250 0 0 
 
 The Chapel at Liicea, belonging to the General Baptists, 
 but occupied by our Society, pulled down. Olfered 
 
 for Sale by the General Baptist Society for. 900 0 0 
 
 Losses in horses, furniture, clothes, books, &c. See. partly 
 belonging to individual Missionaries, and partly 
 
 to the Society.about 500 0 0 
 
 Extra Expenses incurred by travelling, expresses, and 
 
 Mr. Knibb’s passage home..at least 600 0 0 
 
 .€23,250 0 0 
 
 In the above Statement wc have not enumerated the Expense of the 
 Trials, not being certain what the Amount will be. 
 
17 
 
 SECTION II. 
 
 Causes of the Insurrection. 
 
 In the months of August and September, 1831, Public Meetings 
 were held in many, if not all the parishes throughout the island, 
 the avowed object of which may be learnt from the following 
 Resolutions, unanimously adopted at two of them. At these 
 meetings, slaves as well as others were present, and the proceed¬ 
 ings, being inserted in the newspapers, were matters of general 
 notoriety: 
 
 “ At a very numerous and respectable meeting of the inhabitants of the 
 parish of St. Ann, convened by his honor the Gustos, this 6th day of August, 
 1831, and held at the Court House, St. Ann’s Bay, his honor the Gustos 
 having been called to the chair, the following resolutions were unanimously 
 agreed to:— 
 
 “ Resolved—That we, the inhabitants of the parish of St. Ann, have 
 repeatedly expressed our warmest indignation at, and abhorrence of the 
 oppressive measures pursued by the British Government towards the West 
 India Colonies. 
 
 “ Resolved—That while there was a hope of conciliating our implacable 
 foes, we acquiesced cheerfully in the conduct of our legislature; but it is 
 now evident that the concessions yielded by that body, have been successively 
 obtained under pledges and promises on the part of Ministers, ‘ to abstain 
 from all future interference in our local concerns;’ which pledges have been 
 violated in every instance; giving us thereby convincing proof that perfidy 
 and determined oppression, as far as regards the colonies, are the ruling 
 principles of the British Cabinet. 
 
 “ Resolved—That hitherto, under the most marked infractions of our 
 rights and privileges, we have been loyal; the attachment to the mother 
 
18 
 
 country has indeed long, very long, outlived her justice; and it would now 
 be with grief that we should divest ourselves of a feeling, ‘ which has grown 
 with our growth, and has strengthened with our strengthbut when we see 
 ourselves scorned, betrayed, devoted to ruin and slaughter, delivered over 
 to the enemies of our country, we consider that we are bound by every 
 principle, human and divine, to resist.’ 
 
 7’he following are some of the Resolutions of Trelawney:— 
 
 “ Resolved, that the means devised by a faction in the House of Com¬ 
 mons to deprive us of our property, if carried into effect, cannot fail to create 
 a servile war of too horrible a nature to contemplate, and that any person who 
 attempts to produce or promote such war is an enemy to his country.” 
 
 “Resolved, that the conduct of the British Government in taxing us 
 higher than other subjects; in fostering our enemies and listening to their 
 falsehoods against us; in rejecting statements from impartial persons in our 
 favor; in allowing designing men, under the saintly cloak of religion, not 
 only to pilfer our peasantry of their savings, but also to sow discontent and 
 rebellion amongst them ; in threatening to withdraw troops, for whose pro¬ 
 tection we have doubly paid, and which we might claim as our right, at a 
 time a servile war may be apprehended; is most heartless, and in violation 
 of justice, humanity, and sound policy.” 
 
 The resolutions proceed to state, that “ thrown”' as they are about to be, 
 
 “ as a prey before misguided savages, we have no other alternative than to 
 resistand to pray the King “ that we may be absolved from our alle¬ 
 giance, and allowed to seek that protection from another nation which is so 
 unjustly and cruelly withheld from us by our own.” 
 
 Subsequently to the honourable acquittal of INIr. Knibb, he was 
 requested by the Hon. the Chief Justice, and \V. Miller, Esq. late 
 Gustos of Trelawney, to use his exertions to discover the mode in 
 which the insurrection was planned. To facilitate the enquiry, 
 a promise was made to two of the principal prisoners, styled 
 Colonel Gardner and Captain Dove, that their lives should be 
 spared if they made a full confession. 
 
 The following is the confession of these men, as taken down in 
 the gaol by Mr. Knibb ;— 
 
 Tliey both stated, that they first heard about freedom from the negroes 
 about Belvidere and Retrieve, but that they did not put any belief in it, 
 and Gardner said, that he used his efforts to make the people think that it 
 was not so. 
 
19 
 
 Tliougli they had iieavd mucli talk about it, they both solemnly denied 
 having any connexion with the plot until Christmas-day. When, after 
 morning prayers at the Baptist Chapel at Montego Bay, they went down the 
 street, and met Guthrie, Sharp, George Taylor, and others, members of the 
 Church, who were talking about the freedom of the slaves? George Taylor 
 w'as strongly advising Sharp not to refuse to go to work after Christmas, as 
 it would bring a disgrace upon the gospel. Sharp said, what is then to 
 become of the oath we have taken in the country ? We then went to the 
 Chapel, and saw Tliomas Whlliams, a Deacon in the Church. Gardner 
 says, he strongly advised us to go to our work after Christmas, saying, if 
 freedom is come, we shall get it quietly, but if they did what was wrong it 
 would bring a disgrace upon Religion. Sharp said, I know we are free, I 
 have read it in the English papers—I have taken an oath not to work after 
 Cliristmas, without some satisfaction, and I will not. He then left us. 
 
 Gardner stated, that he then went in the street to buy grass for his horse, 
 and on his way he met Guthrie, who asked him to take second breakfast 
 with him after Chapel, which he promised to do. Went to Chapel, and 
 heard Mr. Gardner preach,— his preaching make him stagger, and think 
 freedom not come. So he make up his mind to go to work whatever others 
 did. After Chapel went up to Cunningham’s Hill, and on the way up met 
 Dove. Guthrie said, Well, Dove, I hope you will not be hurt at my not 
 asking you to the Hill, I intended to do it, but will you come ? Dove said, 
 yes, I am not offended, I will go with you. 
 
 At this meeting James Gardner, Thomas Gooden, William James, 
 Charles Campbell, ourselves, and Guthrie, were present. When we entered 
 the house, Guthrie said. Well, gentlemen, I am glad to see you, I have 
 spirits and wine, what will you take to drink? We all chose wine. 
 Guthrie poured it out, and taking his glass, said. Well, friends, I hope the 
 •time will soon come when we shall have our privilege, and when we shall 
 drink our wine free. I hope we shall soon have Little Breeches under our 
 feet. They all drank. Gardner says, I asked what this Little Breeches 
 heard—Gutlirie say he is my master. Mr. Grignon and I hear him say, 
 that the king is going to give us free, but he hoped all his friends will be of 
 his mind, and spill their blood first. But I’ll be the first to do the job, 
 though I am his slave. I’ll give him a pill, snapping his fingers, as I 
 follow him. Before we left, Guthrie introduced a young woman to us, and 
 said, This is to be Mrs. Guthrie, after all is over. 
 
 We both left together, and went home. When I, Gardner, got to 
 Greenwich, the people asked me what they were to do after the holidays. 
 I said, I shall go to work, for I do not believe that the free paper has come. 
 They said. No, we will not go to work, we believe the king has made us free. 
 I then said, Well, if you will not believe me, I cannot tell. Get your 
 
20 
 
 breakfast, and go and sit down in tlie king's road; hurt no one, and ask 
 Buckra wlietlier free come or not, when he passes. While I was sitting in 
 my house, on Tuesday night, some one knocked at the door. When I 
 open the door, I saw Campbell from Retrieve, who said. Won’t you come 
 with us ? I said for what? He said, to fight fior fireedom. I said, No, it 
 is a bad thing. On looking out I saw a number of men, armed with guns 
 and swords. They appointed to meet at Haslymph next evening, and I 
 went with Dove; a great many were there, but cannot tell how many, as it 
 was very dark. After much talk, they could not agree what to do, when 
 one set fire to Haslymph’s trash-house; when it burn, they all fire their 
 guns, and blow their conks, I went home, as I did not like to see the places 
 fired.—Both of us were present at the attack made upon Mr. Grignon, and 
 the soldiers at the Montpelliers. Dove had a pistol, it was loaded, but he 
 did not fire it; he was frightened at the bullets, and went under the wall. 
 Charles Campbell was commander, and told those who had not any guns 
 to keep back, Campbell led his company along the king’s road, and 
 Johnstone led his company by the negro houses as ambush. Johnstone was 
 killed on the spot, and so near the white people that they could not carry 
 him away. Campbell was shot through the body. They took him to 
 Gardner’s house, at Greenwich, and sent for Gardner, who had gone into a 
 grass piece. We both went to see him, but he could not speak. He died in 
 the morning—we made a rough coffin, and buried him. Gardner read the 
 burial service over him. Dove declares that he never left the property to 
 fight after this battle. 
 
 In answer to my questions, as to what made them believe tliat the free 
 paper had come, they stated that they all put much confidence in Sharp, who 
 told them he had seen it in the papers, and who sent Edward Ramsey round 
 to all the properties to tell the people it was so. 
 
 Gardner stated, that John Morris, from Duckett’s came to Greenwich, 
 and said, that he had one pistol, and that he had given three guns to his 
 people; that he had taken three more guns, and four pistols from Mr. G- 
 Hale’s mountain, and when I told him that I did not think it true that the 
 king had made us free, he said, that he was sure that it was true, for when 
 the women with pickaniny at Duckett’s, go to master Grignon at Christ¬ 
 mas for allowance, master say, that they must now look to their friends in 
 England for allowance, for he had no more to give them. John Morris 
 argued long on this, and say. If we not free, wffiat make master Grignon say 
 so ? This make all the people get stout upon it, and they throw down their 
 hoe, and say, they are J’ree. 
 
 Parties of the rebels with guns often came to me at Greenwich, but not 
 liking the burnings I hid from them. One night John Morris, ami I’homas 
 
21 
 
 Horton, from Shuttlewood Cave, met more than 100 men armed. I went to 
 the top of a hill, that they might not know where I was. Thinking that they 
 were gone, I came down in the morning, when I found them drawn up like 
 soldiers, and they make me go with them to Argyle. We went through 
 Chester Castle. When we came there Ricketts from Chester Castle began 
 to chop Agnus M‘Can with his sword, over the shoulder. I would not 
 allow him, and prevented him from killing him. This man is yet alive, and 
 can prove what I say. I then stopped them from beating M‘Can’s mother. 
 Do not know who it was that burnt the property. John Morris and 
 Thomas Horton were in command. Went home and felt vexed that the 
 people burn the properties; never thought that they would do so, but that all 
 would sit still and see whether the free paper come or not. 
 
 Dove stated that James Heulier, from Belvidera, w'as a chief man among 
 the rebels—he had been a runaway for five years. 
 
 Edward Ramsey told us and the people, that he had often heard his 
 master say, that negro was to be free after Christmas. This was at Cow 
 Park. He was captain of a company. 
 
 Bailey, a yellow skin negro belonging to Miss Williams, read the paper 
 about freedom to the people in the country, and told them that it came from 
 England. He was a captain,—saw him and heard him tell the people to fight. 
 
 John Thorp Lawrence, alias Daddy Tharp, he is not praying at all—was 
 a great horseman, pulled down Little Bridge, he attacked the white people at 
 Long Hill, told me (Gardner) that white man at Lethe gave him his gun and 
 pistol, and told him how to make cartridges, and that he did right to fight 
 for freedom. After they had answered a number of other questions, which 
 I do not think it necessary to record, I asked them the following questions : 
 Whether they had ever heard any minister tell them that they were free, or 
 whether the negroes said, that Mr. Burchell had gone home to fetch free 
 paper for them? They both said. Minister, we feel for you and Mr. Bur¬ 
 chell, and the other ministers ; you left your mother to teach we, and now 
 when negro do wrong, they put it on you. We have often been asked the 
 question, but if we are to die for it, you never did tell us. Black men ruin 
 us. Gardner said, I know you, minister. I have been a member of the 
 Church for eight years, and never been reproved for a fault either by minister 
 or overseer. Mr. Burchell baptize me the first, in the river, but my 
 character is now gone, I am a ruined man, and I would tell of any, even if 
 it my mother, if they had deceived me ; but if I die for it I will not tell a lie 
 upon Mr. Burchell. Poor man, I feel for him, had I followed his advice I 
 should not have been in this trouble. Wicked men and a wicked heart led me 
 into it. I urged them to say if they had ever heard a minister say a word 
 about freedom. They said No, they never did. They both said that they 
 
 D 
 
had never heard the leaders in the rebellion say, it was Mr. B. or that he had 
 gone home to fetch free paper. It was the unguarded expressions of the 
 overseers, and the (news) papers. 
 
 Edward Hilton, another prisoner, stated that he was at Retrieve 
 Estate, about tw'o months before Christmas, where he met Samuel 
 Sharp and others :— 
 
 Hilton asked. Let me know what we came for. Sharp said that he under¬ 
 stood by the newspapers that the king had made them free, and that the 
 white people, and Grignon especially, make assembly at Mr. Watt and the 
 Court House, making a studyation to destroy all the black men, and leave 
 all the women. That they vvould put them before the muzzles of their guns 
 and shoot them like pigeons. He, Hilton, said, that if they came to take 
 life for nothing he would run for it, but negro is not to be trusted. If one 
 negro swear false he might hang a thousand, and get himself free for it. But 
 if he Sharp swear it, then he would believe him. Sharp said, in the 15th 
 chapter of Matthew, it says, “ Swear not at all, neither by heaven, for 'tis 
 God’s throne, nor by the earth, for ’tis God’s footstool, nor by Jerusalem, for 
 ’tis the city of the Great King, nor by your head, because you cannot make 
 one hair white or black,” so must take word of mouth, or else you make him 
 a liar. The king is going to send 5000 black soldiers to guard the country. 
 After more discourse had a prayer, then went home. Next Sunday not 
 preaching day at Montego Bay, 'so went to Lamb’s house and saw Thomas 
 Reid, and asked him if he knew about this meeting kept by Sharp at Retrieve. 
 He said yes, but he had never been there. Said that Sharp had sent for him 
 to hear it. But Reid must not have any thing to do with it. Tell him not 
 to trust a negro, for one could get a thousand hanged. Thomas Reid is yet 
 alive, and can prove the discourse. 
 
 Four weeks before Christmas went to Duckett’s Spring, and stopped at 
 John Morris’s house. IMorris was asleep; William \Vhite came in and 
 shook him, so that he might get awake. M'hen he awoke he told him that 
 he wanted him to go to the meeting. They went out, and he (Hilton) went 
 with them. Saw John Sharp, of Catadupa, Alexander from Richmond Hill, 
 and Sam Sharp’s father-in-law, present. John Sharp asked Morris if he 
 knew what he was come about. IMorris said no; I want to see every body 
 on the property. Morris said it is too late, they have taken prayers and 
 gone home. John Sharp then said that he had come to put every person to 
 his oath that they were not to go to work after Christmas. They took a 
 Bible, and swore to that effect. After that they eat supper, and went away. 
 Has heard that the meetings at Retrieve were held very often, but did not 
 go back because he was afraid to meet the negroes. 
 
23 
 
 Heard no more about it till Christmas morning, when he came down to 
 the Chapel at Montego Bay. After 7 o’clock, morning prayer, Sam 
 Sharp came to me and said, Minister is going to take all the members 
 together, and if he ask you any thing about freedom, or whether you intend 
 to work after Christmas, tell him No,—that you know very well that you are 
 free, and that you won’t work again for any body unless you get paid for it. 
 Minister did not call us, but Samuel Vaughan speak to a few of us, and 
 told us to behave ourselves during the Christmas; that we must not get 
 drunk lest we fall into temptation, and that prayer was the way to heaven. 
 After meeting had closed, went to Richard Bailey, at the Long Stores; saw 
 James Gardner and William James from Duckett’s Spring there. We 
 took second breakfast. When we had sat down, Bailey looked for an old 
 newspaper, and said, This is not the right one; this is four months old, and 
 this tells us that eight years back, women were not to get any flogging. I 
 then left the house about some business, and soon came back again; when 
 Richard Bailey said he had found the other paper under his bed ; recollects 
 that he said that the paper said, that the English people will not sub¬ 
 mit under the British custom any longer. A paper was produced, which 
 Hilton said was the same, he knew it by the ship on the top.* Thomas Reid 
 told me that Edward Ramsey came to Lamb’s River to put oath to all the 
 people, but that he objected to it. 
 
 Went to Mountain after the Tuesday; was down at the Bay; saw the fire 
 on Tuesday night, and heard the shells blow at Haslymph. Saw Gardner 
 at Cow Park, in the road. He had no crew; did not see him give any 
 orders. Edward Barrett was there with a gun, and they called him captain; 
 has always heard from Cuffee, who is in jail, that Sharp swear all the people 
 at Haslymph. Asked Thomas Williams, a leader on the Bay, whether it be 
 true what was saying about freedom. He told me No; that foolish people 
 put it in their heads. He is sure he never heard Mr. Burchell say a word 
 about it; never heard negro say that Mr. Burchell had gone to bring their 
 freedom. But they make it all up at Retrieve. 
 
 John Sharp, (the individual who planned the whole)— 
 
 After much trouble, and an evident desire not to say more than he could 
 help, he stated that several weeks before Christmas, they met at a house at 
 Retrieve, and confirmed what Hilton had said. It was at this place that 
 they first planned that they would not work after Christmas. It was thus 
 done. A Bible was brought and put on the table. He then got up and 
 said, If ever I witness any thing against my brother and sister, concerning 
 
 • A number of the Falmouth Packet. 
 
this mutter, may hell be my portion! IVobocly was present from Montego 
 Bay: Dove and Gardner were not there. 
 
 Met two weeks before Christmas, it was not a religious meeting. 
 But the drivers on different properties met to consult what to do. Some 
 said, in answer to the question, What is to be done when we go to take 
 order after Christmas ? We will go and take it, and fire the whip, but none 
 are to come out to work—this w'e will explain to the people. When all 
 had done, Johnstone of Retrieve get up and say, This will not do, for the 
 women are chicken hearted, and if they see the driver in the field, some will 
 get frightened and go, and spoil all. I say, when the Busha send for me I 
 will give the order, but I will not go out. When Busha hear this, and send 
 for me, I will say, the people know well that they are free, and will not work 
 any more without some satisfaction. Now by the time I say this, Busha will 
 be ordering his horse to go to the Bay, to say that we rebel. Then we 
 won’t let him go, but will take away his horse and his gun, and will say to 
 him, Busha, we don’t rebel, but we won’t work without some satisfaction. 
 We work long enough for nothing. 
 
 Never heard of any agreement to burn any properties; all we swear was, 
 that as we know that we are free, we will not work for Buckra unless he 
 pay us for it. 
 
 In trying to discover what made them think that they were free, they 
 said the papers, and Busha common-talk. Sharp said that Edward 
 Ramsey told him, that his master told him that freedom was come from 
 
 England, but that he would shoot every d-d black rascal before they 
 
 should get it. 
 
 Such is the earnest desire of the negroes to know what is going 
 on in England, that it is a common practice for the pedlars, who 
 go about from one estate to another with trinkets, &c. for sale, to 
 take newspapers with them, by reading which they soon collect a 
 number of customers around them. 
 
25 
 
 SECTION III. 
 
 Conduct and Sentiments of the Colonists toivards the 
 British Government and the Sectarians. 
 
 It seems requisite, under this head, to shew, by a few examples, 
 the character of the public Press in Jamaica. 
 
 The Jamaica Courant, Feb. 10, contains the following;— 
 
 Extract of a Letter from an Officer of the St. Ann’s Western 
 Regiment, to the Editor, dated 7th Feb, 1832. 
 
 “ Our primary ardour has been unabated. We have never allowed these 
 deluded wretches time to rest; night and day have we been at them, and 
 have made terrible slaughter among them. And now, at the end of a six 
 weeks’ campaign, we are neglected—not thought of, because the Governor 
 must have a little fun with Tom Hill and his yacht. The few wretches who 
 are now out, are hiding in the cane-pieces, and we occasionally get a bullet 
 or two at them. On Sunday morning, five were shot, who were fallen in 
 with and attempted to escape. I shall not consider that we are safe, although 
 all this havoc has been made among the rebels; although they may have 
 now found the inutility of opposing the strong force which can be opposed 
 to them, until we can fall upon some plan of getting rid of the infernal race 
 of Baptists, which we have so long fostered in our bosoms, and of de.molishing 
 their bloody pandemoniums.” 
 
 Extract of a letter, dated Falmouth, Feb. 7, 9 o’clock, p. m. 
 
 “ I cannot allow the post to start, without saying that 1 have remained long 
 enough at Falmouth to see the Baptist and Methodist Chapels pulled down. 
 This good work was accomplished this day, by the troops after their return- 
 conquerors from the seat of war. Lois of groans as you may imagine, from 
 
20 
 
 the Saints and their followers. It is impossible for me to give you a 
 description of the appearance of our brave Militia men on their arrival in 
 this town. The poor fellows cut a miserable appearance; you could not 
 actually tell whether they were black, white, yellow, or any other color." 
 
 Extract of another letter of the same date:— 
 
 “ Let Bruce know that the great and glorious work has commenced. It is 
 now 10 o’clock, and all hands at work, demolishing the Baptist and Wesleyan 
 Chapels. The Methodist Chapel is down, and the men are hard at work at the 
 Baptists’. The roof of the latter is not yet off, but so much injured, as to make 
 it as well off as on. It is standing, true, but supported by a few posts only. 
 The men have gone for fire hooks to complete the v/ork they have undertaken. 
 There is the devil to pay here to-day (as you may suppose) among the 
 Saints and their followers.—Weeping and wailing, and gnashing of teeth— 
 wringing of hands, and groans, interrupted at' times, with curses and im¬ 
 precations on the soldiers.’’ 
 
 Half-past 11, Tuesday night, Feb. 7. 
 
 “ I write in the hopes of this reaching you through the way-bag, as the 
 Post Office has long since been shut. Some true-hearted Jamaicans have 
 truly ennobled themselves this night, by razing to the earth that pestilential 
 hole, Knibbs’s Preaching Shop. Verily, friend, they have not spared Box’s 
 also. He no more will be able to beat the roll-call to prayers, nor the 
 tatoo upon the consciences of the subscribers of macs—our poor deluded 
 slaves. In plain English, not one stone has been left standing—nay, not 
 even the corner one; and I hope that this goodly example will be followed 
 from Negril to Morant.’’ 
 
 Extract of a letter to the Editor, dated Falmouth, 10 o’clock, 
 p. m. 7 Feb. 1832 :— 
 
 “ I trust there will be no occasion for apology in a stranger addressing 
 you, as no doubt you will feel the same pleasure in perusing this as I did 
 in witnessing the act which forms the subject of my communication. 
 
 “ There is no longer a hive for the drones; the bees have beat them away, 
 and destroyed their hives; no longer have they a shelter to collect maccaronies 
 in, and away they must go.—With what pleasure did I witness the conduct 
 of the brave and intrepid men of the St. Ann’s Regiment, while performing 
 that which ought to have been done by the Trelawney Regiment—demolishing 
 the Baptist and Methodist Chapels. ITiis work commenced at eight o’clock, 
 and is still going on; by morning there will not be a stone left standing. 
 
•27 
 
 I trust the example thus set in Trelawney, will be followed throughout the 
 island; with this difference, that the inhabitants of every parish will do their 
 own duty, and not require others to perform it. It was highly amusing to 
 see the “ Cobblers,’’ flocks in the streets, groaning and wondering where 
 preachers would now get money to build other Chapels.” 
 
 Again, Feb. 18, the Editor states that he had been present at 
 the Methodist Chapel on the Parade, Kingston, and heard one of 
 the ministers, whom he styles “ a stout consecrated cobbler,” 
 lecture thirteen men because they had not performed their duty 
 fearlessly, during the late rebellion. On this he proceeds to 
 remark as follows: — 
 
 “ Is it come to this, that when the danger is supposed to be over, that 
 the preachers of all denominations, who found \i prudent to quit the country, 
 should assemble in Kingston, and pretend to be instructors of each other, 
 and point out how they are in future to conduct themselves ? Their treason 
 to the country has been discovered, and by a show of about thirty vagabond 
 pireachers, who dare not show their noses out of Kingston, they are 
 endeavoring to excite a sympathy for their sufferings ! The time has passed, 
 and their conduct is now understood, and none but those who encourage 
 rebellion would, for one moment, countenance the conduct they are pursuing. 
 If they are really the servants of the Lord Jesus, what have they to be afraid 
 of? Their master performed many miracles, but alas! he w'as crucified— 
 a consummation which we devoutly pray his pretended servants may ex¬ 
 perience ; and as we intend shortly to publish an almanack, we shall be 
 very happy to canonize these gentry, by placing their names as Saints, in 
 black Idler. Now for the oration. The Kev. bawler addressed his thirteen 
 culprits, and asked them if their mission was not one of peace? The poor d—Is, 
 of course, nodded assent. He then remarked, with a degree of energy which we 
 are sorry was not exerted in a good cause— Are you not ambassadors from God? 
 Another nod 1 Then said the preacher, persevere —here he made a pause of 
 a few seconds, aud then told the criminals again to persevere in maintaining 
 peace and good order!!!! These men are very kind, and no doubtp’cacA 
 peace on earth, and good will towards all men! The dear babes, how we 
 love them! Merely because we know they love us!! We are however 
 not bigots, either in politics or religion, and if they could point out the 
 same number of good men among them which would have saved Sodom 
 and Gomorrah, we would like Lot “ beg for them,” but as we know that 
 such a number could not be found, we hope they may be ordered to “ march” 
 at a moment’s warning, without sustaining a loss equal to that which poor 
 Lot experienced.” 
 
Cornwall Courier, Feb. 15.— 
 
 “ Since our last we have received accounts of the destruction of every one 
 of those pandemoniums of insurrection and rebellion, the Baptist preaching 
 shops, from Savanna-la-Mar to Brown’s Town, in St. Ann’s. They have 
 been destroyed partly by the Militia and partly by some of their own 
 followers, who have had their eyes opened by recent events, which have 
 taught them that the Baptist Parsons were not the Sovereigns of Jamaica. 
 Several of the Wesleyan Chapels have also been either totally or partially 
 destroyed ; a fit but trifling retribution for the loss these men have caused 
 to the proprietors of those estates that have been burnt by the incendiaries, 
 who were instigated to commit the crimes, for which so many of them 
 have suffered, by these preachers.—W'e can only say in the words of the 
 Reformer, John Knox—“ To get rid of the Rooks effectually, you must 
 destroy their nests.”—As to the rooks—the preachers—we would recommend 
 the advice of our staunch friend, James McQueen, to be observed towards 
 them :—“ Tar and feather them wherever you meet them,” and drive them 
 off the island, excepting always those who may merit a greater elevation— 
 a more exalted distinction. 
 
 Cormoall Courier, Feb. 22.— 
 
 “ The war may now be considered at an end; the deluded victims of 
 Sectarian treachery have tried their strength, and are satisfied of their utter 
 incapacity for warlike operations. The ease and celerity with which they 
 have been subdued, and appalling examples, have struck a terror wdiich 
 will not be got the better of; and we might anticipate a long series of peace, 
 were it not for the portentous events with which the political horizon of the 
 parent state is overcharged. There, we are to expect nothing but what the 
 most rancorous animosity, backed by power, may inflict; but we are happy to 
 observe that a feeling and spirit is aroused throughout the island, which 
 will enable the injured and insulted inhabitants to withstand and repel the 
 assaults of their enemies.—This has been manifested in the destruction of 
 those dens of sedition and hypocrisy—the Sectarian Chapels. It is a 
 measure of just retribution for that devastation which was inflicted on 
 unoffending individuals, by the base and cowardly arts of those authorised* 
 traitors; the indignation of the community had been sufficiently inflamed 
 by the dissension which their doctrines had sown between the master and 
 the slave. It wanted but this to fill up the measure of their iniquity, for 
 bringing upon them deserved vengeance. It has fallen—and fallen, justly 
 on those who are ‘ the head and front of the offending.’—If any man doubts 
 this, let him look at the confessions of those victims who Iiave expiated their 
 
 • Authorised by Government. 
 
29 
 
 crimes on the scaffold; let him look to the examinations on th*e pending trials 
 of Burchell, Knibb, and Gardner. These would be sufficient to convict 
 the Sectarians, even before their own corrupt tribunals: but we are too well 
 aware of the weakness of our courts of law, to suppose that they will meet 
 the fate they so justly merit, nor have we any thing to expect from an 
 application to the Legislature ; for although the popular part might willingly 
 pass an act to root them out from the soil, yet we know, but too well, that it is 
 an injunction imperatively laid by Ministers on the Governor, to encourage 
 and support these incendiaries by every means in his power. 
 
 Some there are who aver that it might have been better to await sueh an 
 application to the House of Assembly; we beg leave to answer—that with 
 this conviction before us, no benefit whatever could have followed.—We 
 say, that no redress awaits ouf'deeply seated injuries from Law, Legislation, 
 or Government. Retribution has been inflicted in the most speedy manner, 
 and it has been inflicted by those who had a full right to do so. Society 
 has its rights—as well as Legislature. Tlie prerogative of Society is un¬ 
 deniable ; it is at all times greater than that of legislature, which is dependent 
 on it.—Here is one of those instances where the representatives were 
 powerless, and the people have taken it in their own hands. When we say 
 the people, we do not mean a mob—a gang of thieves and pickpockets, 
 such as the happy politics of England now acknowledge as their liege Lords 
 —but we mean the Magistrates, Vestrymen, and Freeholders of the island, 
 who have been in arms to preserve their property, and who have, in open 
 day, done this thing in selj'-defence! 
 
 The Colonial Church Union, established in St. Ann’s, works well, 
 and gives an assurance that the leading men of the country are zealously 
 performing their duty; and, as an advanced guard, are diligently protecting 
 our interests,—counteracting and exposing the machinations of our enemies. 
 We trust that every man in the island will enrol his name in this Society; 
 there is an absolute necessity for a combination of this kind, throughout 
 every parish. We refer, for this purpose, to the repeated admonitions of 
 those able journalists who have advocated our cause in the Mother-Country; 
 they tell us, that nothing but a firm, decided, and general Union, can 
 shield us from the frantic schemes of our enemies, or the tyrannical measures 
 of their obsequious slaves —the Ministers of the Crown! 
 
 The result of the rebellion has been, to open the eyes of the community 
 to the utter incapacity of our laboring class as combatants, and has com¬ 
 pletely dispelled that idle panic which pervaded the island, on account of 
 their vast apparent numerical strength. This bubble has burst, but we must 
 prepare for other contests.—The very defence of our lives and properties 
 will be construed by the Anti-Colonists, into a crime of the deepest dye. 
 They will rave for the unexpected failure of their insurrectionary plans, and 
 
 E 
 
.30 
 
 a crusade will be preached up against us, and permitted by Government. 
 The revolutionary Parliament of England, will emulate the revolutionary 
 Parliament of Robespierre; and we call on every man throughout the island 
 to say,—whether he would not rather die with arms in his hand, than submit 
 to such an unjust, unprincipled, act of tyranny ? 
 
 This is what Jamaica has to expect.—This is what your Agent, Mr. Burge, 
 has warned you will come to pass. The present Administration has told 
 you, you have nothing to hope from them.—The reformed Administration 
 will complete your ruin, unless the Colonists preserve that tone and spirit 
 of resistance, which can alone bear them through the portending storm. 
 
 Jamaica Courant, Feb, 29.—Extract of a Letter by “ Con¬ 
 servator,” to the House of Assembly :— 
 
 The orders in council lately proclaimed in the unfortunate Crown colo¬ 
 nies, will no doubt be laid before you. Gentlemen, you cannot have already 
 forgotten the threat of that presumptuous impotent half-fledged stripling. 
 Lord Howick, made in Parliament, that he would compel you to adopt them 
 without the alteration of a word, or even a letter!! 
 
 If for one moment you entertain that document, coupled w’ith such a 
 threat—in the next, resign the trust which your constituents have reposed in 
 you. 
 
 No, hang or burn, if you will, the puppet’s effigy with the orders crammed 
 in the throat, under the gallows, if there is such a thing in the good town of 
 Saint Jago de la Vega; but pray do not let them disgrace your mace, by 
 laying on the same table with it. 
 
 Jamaica Courant, March 1.— 
 
 On an attentive re-perusal of the Governor’s opening speech to the Legis¬ 
 lature, we are soriy to remark that his Excellency persists, in his allusions 
 to “ the machinations which have been employed to seduce the slaves into 
 rebellion,” to talk of their ^‘allegiance!! and the duty they owe to their 
 masters. The Earl of Belmore has been long enough in Jamaica to know 
 that the slaves owe no allegiance, and that the contract between their owners 
 and the Government of the Mother Country provides only for their obedience 
 to their masters; and we deprecate tlie idea of inculcating upon the negro 
 mind the bare supposition that the King has any control whatever over him: 
 and we have no doubt that to the frequency with which such doctrines have 
 been held out by the Sectarians, is mainly to be attributed the cause of the 
 late rebellion. 
 
 We had intended to add several Extracts illustrative of the 
 
.31 
 
 formation and objects of the “ Colonial Church Union,” formed 
 for the avowed purpose of expelling Sectarianism from the island, 
 but must confine ourselves to the following, taken from the Cou- 
 rant of March 3, which clearly shews what is meant by “ Sec¬ 
 tarianism,” since it complains that it has flourished even among 
 the members of our own (the Established) Church ! 
 
 The Coloniae Church Union. 
 
 Tills auspicious measure flourishes—eleven parishes are already organized 
 within its combining influence—and an active principle of life and energy 
 is already infused into our hitherto lifeless body, which will soon circulate 
 through every vein of the Colony, and give an impulse to its struggles, which 
 nothing can withstand—nothing, at least, which can be brought against it in 
 the present dislocated state of affairs in the parent isle—for in such a cruel 
 situation are we placed, that all we have to guard against is the unnatural 
 conduct of our own misguided parent! In less than four months have we 
 to dread the infuriated exertions of our enemies,—the whole battery of the 
 Colonial Office will then be opened against us, aided by the small arms, the 
 rifles, of those assassin brigands, the Sectarians, who are so expert in picking 
 off our best men, the victims of treachery and revenge. For this we must be 
 prepared by our Unions, as well as against the harassing prosecutions 
 which will be instituted, but which need not be feared, so long as the Jury 
 Box be within its range. The plan is understood to be this, and it is time it 
 should be widely promulgated :—The Parochial Unions are to become sub¬ 
 committees to one Grand Island Union, which will be directed by an 
 acting committee of two or more members of each of the parochial com¬ 
 mittees, headed by a President, to be elected by the general voice of the 
 members, with Secretaries and an Island Treasurer, to meet where, and as 
 often as occasion may require. The first general meeting will shortly be 
 convened, when such provisions, and rules, and orders, will be promulgated, 
 as will anticipate the dreaded blow, and organize the Country against the 
 future interference of those who have rendered such strong measures neces¬ 
 sary. Above all things, care must be taken to exclude, and narrowly to 
 watch the conduct of suspected persons, of which many are amongst us, whom 
 it is now necessary to hold up to public shame and reproach. The existence 
 of the Union, as an effective body, requires their exposure, and its members 
 will bear harmless the man who dares to bring such forward. They will 
 also protect all those who, for the general good, are active in expelling from 
 our veins the poison of Sectarianism, and preventing its further infusion; 
 and one of their first and strongest efforts should be to destroy those organs 
 of sedition and blasphemy, which have assisted in disseminating that 
 
32 
 
 poison:—to support, or countenance, in short, no press or person that shall 
 advocate the hateful cause of the Dissenters! and to petition the Assembly 
 to place our own Clergy under the control of our own people, and their 
 representatives in Vestry, even to the expulsion of those missionaries and 
 curates, ■who are still here, paid by, and under the influence of our enemies; 
 and who have already been detected in their vile vocation. The old Church 
 government and discipline was better than the present— let then the old laws 
 revive. The Episcopal Government has here been an experiment, which 
 has failed; for under it, sectarianism has increased ten-fold, and flourished 
 even amongst the ministers of our own church. In fact, sectarianism came 
 in with that system;— let them expire together. We have lately seen the 
 danger of trusting our people to the instruction of those who are not under 
 our own control; let us, therefore, henceforward hold the purse and power 
 in our own hands, and let every member of the Colonial Church Union 
 think, that, as in battle, the field may be won by his own arm, so in the 
 present. 
 
 The means taken to procure evidence condemning the Mission¬ 
 aries have already been partially made known to the public. 
 
 The following confession of Samuel Stennett, the witness against 
 Mr. Burchell, was made before John Manderson and T. Raeburn, 
 Esqrs. of Montego Bay:— 
 
 Jamaica—Personally appeared before me Samuel Stennett, of the Parish 
 of St. James, county of Cornwall, and island aforesaid being duly sworn, 
 maketh oath and saith. That the affidavit made by him against the Baptist 
 Missionaries, T. Burchell, and, F. Gardner, which led to their confinement 
 in gaol, was false and unjust; that he never heard from them such facts as 
 he, the deponent, hath sworn against them. That he was instigated to do 
 so by Messrs. George Delisser, George McFarquhar Lawson, jun., Joseph 
 Bowen, and W. C. Morris, the former of whom assured him that he would 
 be well looked upon by the gentlemen of this place, that the country would 
 give him £10 per annum, and that he, George Delisser, would make it 
 £50. This deponent further saith, that he is induced to make this declara¬ 
 tion to relieve his conscience, as he knew nothing against the said Mission¬ 
 aries, and that he never joined the Baptist Society as a member until after 
 Mr. Burchell had left the country. So help me God. 
 
 Lewis Williams, a free black man of Falmouth, 
 
 Saw an old man from Windsor Lodge hanged—when tliey tie him and 
 bring him down, he said, “ Well, 1 ;un going to be hanged. Mr. Buchanan, 
 you force Derapshirc to tell a lie upon me. Never mind. Sir, God bless you, 1 
 
33 
 
 hope you may live long. I never told the people any thing about free 
 paper, or to bum the property.” Several of the members told me that the 
 old man never told them any thing about freedom. Really believe him a 
 very good old man, have known him four years. Heard Captain Stainby 
 ask a man from Windsor Lodge, when he was going to be hung. Whether 
 the Baptist Parson did not tell you go to free? No. Join no Church—Never 
 go to any. Have seen nine hung, do not know names ; but all were asked 
 whether the Baptist Parson did not tell them they were free; all said. No, 
 the Parson never tell me any thing of the kind. 
 
 Richard Brown, of the same town, who by his industry had 
 been enabled to purchase his own freedom and that of his wife, 
 states that he— 
 
 Was present when Robert Hall was led out to be shot at Falmouth; was 
 sentinel. Saw Mr. Jobson and Mr. Russell present. Heard Robert Hall 
 say, that he did not belong to any Church, was christened in the Church of 
 England. Heard Mr. Russell ask him what parson told him he was going 
 to be free ? Heard Robert Hall say he never heard parson say so. Heard 
 Mr. Russell say. What, no parson? Answered No, Heard Mr. Russell 
 say,—Say Parson Knibb, you Sir. Heard prisoner say, Master, I cannot 
 go tell a lie, I never hear it. Saw the prisoner tied to be shot. Heard Mr. 
 Russell say. Move away that man, (meaning me.) Heard the prisoner say. 
 Me never hear it from minister myself; but the people da go pray, say we 
 going to be free. Does not know what question was put to the prisoner as 
 he was removed. 
 
 Was present as sentinel when-Bell, from Dromilly, was led out to 
 
 be shot. Mr. Russell and Mr. Jobson were with him. Heard Mr. Jobson 
 ask him, the prisoner, what he had to say. Prisoner said he had nothing to 
 say, only that he tried to save his master’s property, and that the negoes tell 
 a lie upon him. Heard Mr. Russell say to the prisoner. What Church do 
 you go to ? Prisoner said. Sometimes go to Chapel. Heard Russell ask 
 prisoner what minister told him he was to be free ? Heard prisoner say, 
 No minister tell me so; it was lie his master’s negroes tell upon him. Heard 
 Russell and Jobson say. This man won’t tell the truth, being he saw me 
 there, I being one of the brothers in the Church. Saw them take the man 
 away to be shot. Does not know what he or they said, but when Mr. Smith 
 came back, he .shook his sword in my face. 
 
 Notes of an interview with Venture and Paris, two of the 
 
 evidences for the crown against Mr. Knibb, made at their earnest 
 request— 
 
34 
 
 Venture, the Baptist leader came to me one day, when I went to the jail, 
 and with tears in his eyes, begged me to speak with him as he had something 
 to tell me; II told him that I could not, that he was a witness against me, 
 and that I wished him to say all against me that he knew. After the trial I 
 saw him and Paris, when he stated as follows: That J oseph Erskine, the 
 chief witness against me was never at Crooked Spring Chapel but once in 
 his life; that he was in no manner connected with the Church, and that he 
 did not even know me ; that he was among the rebels, and was taken in the 
 woods by the Maroons, when he said, that if they would spare his life, he 
 would tell them all about the parson. 
 
 lie then told Busha that I and Paris were the leaders on Lima, and we 
 were then taken and put in confine in the stocks at Latimer. Mr. Gunn 
 came and wished to take me out and shoot me, but Busha would not let 
 him. They then said that I kill the sheep at Dumfries, which was not true. 
 
 When I was brought down to the Bay, I was taken into a private room in 
 the Court House, by young Dr. Lawson. He ask me. What was the oath 
 Mr. Knibb gave the people ? When it was that Mr. Knibb told them to 
 burn their masters’ properties ? What time Mr. Knibb tell them Parson 
 Burchell would be back from England? Whether Mr. Knibb did not tell 
 them that Parson Burchell had gone home to fetch the free paper? Paris 
 said, that the same questions were put to him. They both said No; he 
 never tell us any thing of the kind ; he tell us to be obedient to our masters, 
 and to be sure to go to work after Christmas. Venture said, he (Mr. K.) 
 took me aside at Salter’s Hill, and speak to him privately to be sure to tell 
 the people to go to their work after Christmas, and not to believe any thing 
 about freedom. We were both then tied and sent to jail. 
 
 Had oath given us at the Court House the other day, and were sent to the 
 Grand Jury. They asked me (Venture) about Mr. Knibb, and I told tliem 
 the same as I said to young Dr. Lawson. They then feel my head and say, 
 Knibb has sworn you not to speak the truth. I say No. I never take oath 
 before to-day, and is now on my oath on the Bible, and is speaking the truth. 
 I cannot tell a lie, minister never did tell me any thing about freedom. 
 They then tell me I is a damn Baptist liar, and will not speak the truth. 
 No other witness present. 
 
 Paris said the same, and informed me that Adam would not tell a lie 
 upon me. 
 
35 
 
 SECTION IV. 
 
 Conduct of the Missionaries and Religious Slaves 
 during the Insurrection. 
 
 Under this head we insert a Letter from Samuel M. Barrett, 
 Esq. to Mr. Knibb, dated Cornwall, Feb. 23, and a condensed 
 Statement of Facts, as furnished by Mr. Knibb himself. 
 
 Mr. Barrett’s Letter is as follows: 
 
 Dear Sir—I avail myself of the return of your Messenger to Montego Bay, 
 to express to you the sincere pleasure I feel in hearing of your release from 
 the restraint which had been imposed upon you and your brethren. I can 
 assure you, that I never from the beginning, nor do I at this time, attribute 
 to yourself or to Mr. Burchell, any blame as directly producing or pro¬ 
 moting the late melancholy disturbance. Having this feeling, I deeply 
 regret that the feelings of the country should so strongly mark yourself and 
 the other Baptist Ministers out as objects of persecution. My opinion, an 
 opinion resulting from my own frequent and confidential intercourse, not 
 only with my own negroes, but with the negroes of various other estates, is, 
 that religion had nothing to do with the late disturbances; but, on the 
 contrary, its absence was a chief cause of them. No people could have 
 conducted themselves better than all the negroes upon Cambridge and 
 Oxford Estates, and in like manner, the people upon Retreat Pen. Even 
 at the period when the prejudice ran strongest against you, and when it was 
 scarcely politic for a negro to say any thing in your favor, I have, upon 
 every occasion, when I have enquired from any of the members of your 
 congregation upon any of my properties, whether you had ever taught 
 them to expect freedom, the answer has invariably been such as to convince 
 me the charges against you were ill-founded. In the absence of all proof 
 
3(j 
 
 to criminate any one in particular, or any class of persons, professional or 
 otherwise, I would not in charity suspect any one, or venture to assign any 
 cause for so great an evil as it has pleased Providence to afflict us with. 
 I should have deeply deplored, for the sake of religion, had any of its 
 Ministers so far perverted the truths of the Gospel, as to create this shedding 
 of blood, I do, therefore, most sincerely rejoice that you stand innocent 
 of all guilt as connected with the late disturbances, so far as any proof has, 
 as yet, been adduced. 
 
 I remain, dear Sir, 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 Sam^. M. Barrett, 
 
 Mr. Knibb's Account is : — 
 
 Robert Gentle, a leader in Mr. Cantlow’s Church, took up Dehany and 
 two other of the rebels. 
 
 Huie Barnett, an enquirer, belonging to Falmouth Church, took up 
 Robert Whitter, one of the chief rebels on Pantrepant Estate, 
 
 Green Park negroes were celebrated in the papers of the Colony for their 
 good conduct. On that property 1 had thirty-seven members; the enquirers 
 are double the number. Some of my members on that property took up two 
 rebels who came to set fire to the estate. They came to me to ask me if they 
 had done right, and I assured them they had. A sum of money has been 
 voted to them by the House of Assembly. 
 
 They thus conclude a letter written to their mistress, and sent open for my 
 perusal. 
 
 “ We have been faithful servants of yours, these several years, and hope 
 to continue so, by being enlightened by the gospel. During the rebellion 
 the attorney left the property, the overseer and book-keepers were on guard 
 in the town and country, and we remained steadily, and protected the pro¬ 
 perty to the last, knowing the estate was in danger of being consumed with 
 fire. We therefore trust, mistress, that you will, as a pious soul, unite with 
 us, your slaves, to let our minister remain with us, and aid and assist in 
 defending the gospel of Christ in Jamaica. 
 
 Joseph Henry. X 
 Lewis WTnwrigiit. X 
 Lewis Atherton. X 
 James Cameron. X” 
 
 Charles Campbell, belonging to Weston Favel Estate, a deacon at 
 Falmouth, saved the property,and has received his freedom in consequence. 
 
 Edward Barrett, belonging to Oxford, guarded, with the people, the 
 property fora month. We have eighty-six members on this property. He 
 is a deacon of the church at Falmouth. 
 
37 
 
 George Prince of Wales, a member of the church at Falmouth, had the ^ 
 whole charge of the property, the keys of the store, &c. &c. put into his 
 hands, for a month. We have thirty-six members on this estate. 
 
 The members of the church at Carlton Estate saved the property, as the 
 following note, from Mrs. Waddell, the wife of a Presbyterian Missionary, 
 will testify. “ I am happy to say that some of your people, in this quarter, 
 have adorned the gospel by their becoming conduct, particularly Reeves, 
 Hall, and Gordon.” Mr. Cron (the attorney) says “ they have saved Carlton, 
 and have completely exonerated Mr. Knibh from having ever said any thing 
 to excite the rebellion.'’ 
 
 On several estates in Trelawney, to the number of forty, or more, the, 
 members of my church mounted guard, and saved the property. Only 
 three of the members were tried by Court Martial, and they, I verily believe, 
 were innocent. 
 
 Not a single estate or pen was burnt where we had a member connected 
 with Falmouth church, though the whole number was eighty-six. 
 
 On almost every estate that was saved from the rebejs^here were Baptists, 
 and they were the cause of its being spared. 
 
 Several of the members have been rewarded by the House of Assembly 
 for their good conduct. 
 
 Mr. Cantlow’s church was in the heart of the rebellion; fifteen out of 
 eighteen of his leaders were faithful to their owners. Of the other three 
 we have no sufficient proof of guilt. A gentleman from America, who saw 
 one of them tried and hung, said to me, I hope to meet him in heaven, he 
 died for being a Baptist. 
 
 Many were actively engaged in saving property. Escrow Freeze, on 
 Leyden Estate, has received his freedom for his good behaviour. His wife 
 was shot, in her own house, by the troops. He was ordered to kill a negro, 
 without trial, and refused, when the white man immediately chopped the 
 negro to death. 
 
 William Ricketer, one of Mr. Burchell’s deacons, saved the property 
 from the rebels, when the troops ran away. I believe he has obtained his 
 freedom. 
 
 After evei 7 exertion for the purpose, 1 could not find that one of Mr. Bur¬ 
 chell’s leaders or deacons was convicted of rebellion. 
 
 Not a single estate on which Mr. Abbott had members stopped work at all. 
 
 I could mention several other instances, but these will for the present 
 suffice. 
 
 Two of the slaves mentioned above, as so honorably distin¬ 
 guished for their good behaviour, sent home, by Mr. Knibb, a 
 
 JF 
 
38 
 
 letter to their owner in England. A perusal of this document, 
 which we give verbatim and literatim, will shew of what such 
 men, under religious training, are capable, notwithstanding the 
 disadvantages under which they labor:— 
 
 Oxford Estate 17th April 1832. 
 
 Dear Master, 
 
 We address you with these lines; with much feelings, stating the 
 distructive ruins of our Baptist Church in Falmouth: perpetrated by wicked 
 mens; on the 18th of February 1832—our chapel was wantonly, malici¬ 
 ously, and spitefully torn down, by the children of the devil.—our minister 
 Mr. Knibb and other Minesters of the Gospel, were distainfully Treated,— 
 calumny and reproach were heaped upon them and by the Basist means, 
 by bribing instruction and Subornation to perjury, endeavoured to destroy 
 not only their reputation but also their lives, but which, through divine 
 Providence were overruled, and their innocence made appear, clear as the 
 unclouded noon-day sun; by juries before which their slandered character 
 had been fairly tried. We will reason here with Master, (or rather enquire 
 how did we become such faithful Servants of yours for these several years? 
 was it by the Cnaelty of the overseers; that lived on your properties whoes 
 hearts is entirely set against god ! No.) It is the word of God, and through 
 the Instrumentality of our Ministers Mr. Mann and Mr. Knibb—he has 
 taught us publickly as well as in private conversation, to obey our Master and 
 discharge that duty which devolve upon us witli faithfulness,—and should we 
 dissobey our Masters, we would also dissobey our God.—Sinse the Sanc¬ 
 tuaries of the Lord is demolished, there are several of the people on the 
 properties are turning from the paths of duty, and will walk with Jesus no 
 more. 
 
 The Gospel has done a great deal of good for us—the word of God has 
 taught us to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this evil world. (There¬ 
 fore we hope Master will feel with us, and have such compassion as will 
 lead him to pitty our present state, and try to assist us in doing something 
 toward the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is all our consolation and it is our 
 wish that our Minister should remain with us in Jamaica, and preach the 
 glad tiding of Salvation, our Minister Mr. Knibb has given us very 
 wholesome advices always, he has told us to count our Master’s Case our 
 own, and should we offend him by being dissobedient, we will offend the 
 most high God,—our prayers shall be for you, that God may bless and pre¬ 
 serve you and Family—we will look to Master for assistance by next 
 Packet, that the works of the Lord may go on with us, for had we not 
 
39 
 
 tasted the sweets of religion we would have remained in our dark and 
 ignorant state of mind, and be void of the things that belongs to our spiritual 
 and eternal peace;—hoping when this reaches you may find Master and 
 family well. 
 
 We remain dear Master 
 
 Your obedient Servants, 
 
 Edward Barrett, and 
 George Prince Wales. 
 
 To Edward M. Barrett Esq. 
 
40 
 
 SECTION V. 
 
 Apprehended Illegality of the summary Proceedings 
 against the Slaves during Martial Law. 
 
 The 80th Clause of the Consolidated Slave Law, passed 19th 
 Feb. 1831, provides— 
 
 Tliat if any slave or slaves shall, after the commencement of this act, 
 enter into, or be concerned in, any rebellion or rebellious conspiracy, or 
 commit any murder, felony, burglary, robbery, or set fire to any houses, 
 out-houses, negro-houses, cane-pieces, grass or corn-pieces, or break into 
 such houses, out-houses, or negro-houses, in the day time, no person being 
 therein, and stealing thereout, or commit any other crime which would 
 subject free persons to be indicted for felony, such slave or slaves shall, for 
 every such offence o>' offences, upon trial and conviction thereof in manner 
 hereinafter mentioned, suffer death, transportation, or such other punishment 
 as the court shall think proper to direct, according to the nature and extent 
 of the offence. 
 
 The 95th Clause enacts that— 
 
 Slaves are to be tried, &c.for crimes before courts of quarter sessions, or 
 special slave courts, and by indictment before grand and petit juries. Sen¬ 
 tence of death not to be carried into effect, but under governor’s warrant, 
 except in cases of rebellion. 
 
 Clause 108, provides— 
 
 That in all cases, vs here the punishment of death is inflicted, the execution 
 shall be performed in a public part of the parish, and with due solemnity, 
 or at such place in the parish as the Governor, or person executing the 
 functions of governor, shall direct or appoint, and it shall be the duty of the 
 
41 
 
 rector or curate to prepare the criminal while under sentence, and to attend 
 the place of execution; and care shall be taken by the gaoler or deputy- 
 marshal that the criminal is free from intoxication at the time of his trial, 
 and from thence to and at the time of his execution, under the penalty of 
 twenty pounds; and the mode of such execution shall be hanging by the 
 neck, and no other, and the body shall be afterwards disposed of as the 
 court shall direct. 
 
 And Clause 136, enacts— 
 
 That the operation of this act, or any pai't thereof, shall not be suspended 
 by Martial Laxo, any laiv, usage, or custom, to the contrary thereof in 
 anywise notwithstanding. 
 
 It is a matter of notoriety that great numbers of negroes were 
 executed by sentence of Court Martial, that many more were 
 cruelly flogged, and that others were condemned to confinement 
 in workhouses, and to be worked in chains for life, by the same 
 tribunal. 
 
 Can we wonder that certain members of the House of Assembly 
 were so eager to introduce a bill of indemnity for the militia? 
 
 It may be enquired, further, by whose authority the savage 
 Maroons were commissioned to shoot whom they pleased, bringing 
 in the ears of their victims as an evidence of their prowess ? 
 
 We close this article by an extract of a letter relating to this 
 subject from Mr. Whitehorne, dated 29 th March, 1832.—^ 
 
 It may not be amiss to call your attention to the subject of the punishment 
 of slaves during Martial Law. Perhaps you will see fit to direct the atten¬ 
 tion of the authorities to it. In the new Slave Law there are particular 
 regulations for the trial by Jury of slaves for rebellioji, arson; and there is 
 also a clause to Ae effect, that the slave law shall not be suspended during 
 IMartial Law. Notwithstanding this, during the late business they were tried 
 by Military Courts, shot, hanged, flogged, in the most summary manner. 
 On the declaration of Martial Law, certain rules and articles of war came 
 into operation—these are expressly for the government of the Militia, super¬ 
 seding during Martial Law the ordinary laws by which that body is regulated. 
 Because, of the general word whoever” in the 3rd and 4th Articles relating 
 to rebellion, the Military thought proper to apply those clauses to all classes, 
 though the preamble of the Act limits its contents to the Military only, and 
 though the same expression “whoever” is used in other Articles (8.15.42.6.) 
 
42 
 
 which relate to mere Military offences, and in others (2. and latter part of the 
 4th.) which apply to offences when committed by soldiers only, by the very 
 terms used. The opinion of an intelligent legal friend coincides with mine, 
 that none but the Military could be legally tried under these articles. Yet 
 were the Missionaries laid hold of under them, and one (a Moravian) was 
 actually tried —and slaves were executed hy hundreds. Supposing, however, 
 our opinions to be erroneous so far, they can scarcely be so on the following 
 point. One of the Articles of War (38th) states, that “ No corporal punish¬ 
 ment shall be awarded under this act, or any other act, respecting the Militia, 
 but imprisonment, or death.” Yet, while professing to try people, both 
 slaves and free, under this act, they did not hesitate to flog them to the ex¬ 
 tent of 300, many had 500 lashes, which is in breach of this clause. The 
 general idea was, that all law was suspended, the Military took upon them¬ 
 selves the trial of whatever they considered offences, and punished them 
 according to their arbitrary notions of their offensiveness. It made no dif¬ 
 ference that the Act charged was committed before Martial Law. A free 
 man at Rio Bueno, (Mr. W’illiam Thompson) was taken up, his arms 
 pinioned behind him. He was tried and threatened with the gibbet, for 
 having been seen about a year before in the negro houses on an adjoining estate 
 under circumstances that induced the suspicion that he had been •preaching! 
 Houses were pulled down in every direction, because (before Martial Law) 
 they were used to pray in. Missionaries were threatened with imprisonment 
 if they attempted to preach, and they were seized and treated as military 
 offenders, on the charge that (before Martial Law) they had preached sedition, 
 'ihe hardship of trial by Court Martial is indescribable—the defence is so 
 hindered that it is almost useless to make the attempt—the assistance of 
 Counsel is denied, and altogether it is well described as an “ apology for a 
 trial.” The friends of peace, order, and justice, ought to interfere to prevent 
 a repetition of the gross outrages that have taken place, in case it should 
 seem fit to Divine Wisdom to permit a recurrence of the late calamitous 
 rebellion. It is a cry on every side that hundreds of innocent negroes were 
 murdered, in the thirst for vengeance which pervaded the hearts of the 
 whites. I think, for the protection of missionaries too, some stir should be 
 made to prevent the abuses to which they have been subjected. The right 
 to make us turn out, as soldiers, is very galling. Our horses, houses, and 
 property were selected for the use of the soldiery, grossly injured, and remu¬ 
 neration in the ordinary way denied us, and our papers of the most delicate 
 nature exposed to the inspection of every person who chose to order them 
 to be seized. 
 
 feapp and Son, Printeis, Tower-hill. 
 

 
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