and during the trial it was handed about amongst the members in open court every day. I have mentioned the name of the Rev. Mr. Austin, and it would be base ingratitude in me not to state to the Directors, that this worthy minister has, in spite of all opposition, from nearly the commencement of this persecution, stood up as a warm friend for Mr. Smith. He is a minister of the English Church in George Town, and chaplain to the garrison. At an early period, perhaps the first week after the revolt, Mr. Austin was appointed a member of a Committee of Inquiry, a great part of whose business it was to investigate Mr. Smith's conduct. He became thoroughly convinced of Mr. Smith's innocence, and undauntedly avowed his belief. Smith never saw him, to his knowledge, until he appeared as a witness for him on the Court Martial. He now visits Mr. Smith in the prison. Mr. I cannot omit to mention also with feelings of gratitude, how devoted the Rev. Mr. Elliot has been to the interest of Mr. Smith. Every thing that brotherly sympathy could suggest, or expense or labour could accomplish, he has cheerfully done, and I believe will do. I trust you will, ere long, see him in England. I would tell you, Sir, of the circumstances of the most material witnesses brought against Mr. Smith, of the manifest partiality of the Court Martial, of the difficulties thrown in the way of Mr. Smith's counsel, and of the opposition made by the Court to Mr. Smith in conducting his defence; but I feel that I am incompetent to go into the detail. I must, therefore, close this letter, earnestly entreating that the Directors will use every exertion in behalf of Mr. Smith, whose greatest crime was his devotedness to the object of his mission. I am, Sir, yours most respectfully, (Signed) JANE SMITH. my own personal sufferings, I shall say nothing farther, than that the close and solitary nature of my imprisonment, with the disease under which I labour, and have laboured for more than twelve months, have pressed very heavily upon me. I have, however, much consolation from the consideration of my innocence of the crimes with which I have been charged, and of which I now stand convicted. I am bold to affirm, that I never gave utterance to any thing that could make the slaves dissatisfied with their condition in life. Indeed, I could have had no motive for so doing. I refer you to the evidence for the prosecution, by which it is attempted to be proved that I endeavoured for a long time, to drive them to revolt,— with this observation, that the witnesses brought forward to prove the charge, were prisoners, on account of the revolt, under the power and authority of the Fiscal, who was the Judge Advocate on my trial, and who can order Negroes to be flogged without any previous trial. What they have stated that bears on the charge, is either wholly false or grossly misrepresented. I would earnestly recommend you to endeavour to get a sight, if possible, of the Judge Advocate's concluding remarks on the evidence, as that document will give you a greater insight into the principles of my persecutors, and of the motives by which they were actuated, than any thing I can say. Perhaps Earl Bathurst will, on proper application being made to him, favour the Society, or rather the Directors, or their There it Solicitor, with a sight of it.* is laid down, apparently as a fundamental principle, that no one has any right to propagate doctrines that are opposed to the established usages and customs of the country where he resides; and that I had done this by reprobating as sinful the conduct of such of the Christian Negroes as spent their Sabbaths in voluntary labour, and going to market. Their Letter of Rev. John Smith, addressed to going to market, it is to be observed, oc the Secretary. Colony Jail, Demerara, Decem- Rev. and dear Sir,-You will have heard, ere this comes to hand, of the trouble that has befallen me, and of the desolated state of the Demerara Mission, both which are occasioned by the revolt of the Negroes on the East Coast. Of cupies the whole day. I was determined to exonerate the Society from all blame, whatever might be the result of the trial in regard to me. I therefore laid over my instructions from the Directors, to form part of the proceedings of the Court Martial. Many of the Colonists have even roundly asserted, that the Society and its Missionaries were in alliance with the African Insti • On application, his Lordship kindly granted the Treasurer a copy of this document.-ED. tution, and that our chief object was, under the mask of religion, the emancipation of the Slaves. But having examined all my letters and papers, and found nothing to support their suspicions, it is to be hoped they will henceforth be silent on that subject. For the last twelve or eighteen months previous to the revolt, the negroes attended the chapel in such numbers as alarmed, it seems, some of the planters, or rather, I suppose, aroused their enmity against God, at seeing religion prosper. Some of them gave orders that none of their slaves should leave their respective plantations on a Sunday without a written pass; it was, of course, a matter of option with the planters whether he would give them passes. Those who insisted on this regulation would not give passes, or at most would give them to a very few. The negroes, it appears, came to chapel without them; they were punished (flogged and put in the stocks till their wounds were healed); they complained, they were punished again. Then came out the Governor's Circular, recommending the planters not to allow the slaves to attend chapel without passes. A copy of this circular is forwarded to the Directors. The negroes said, and I believe truly said, that an attempt was made to put down their religion. (See Rev. Mr. Austin's evidence for the Defence.) A few weeks after this, the negroes got information that the Governor had received some instructions from England beneficial to them. About six weeks had elapsed when the slaves, impatient for the benefit of those instructions, broke out into revolt. These I imagine to be the principal causes of the revolt, namely, the persecutions they suffered on account of their religion, and the withholding from them all information concerning the instructions from Government. There were other causes, arising from their being over-worked, and ill-treated in general. Redress, according to their account, they could not obtain. This they stated to Lieut.-Colonel Leahey, as one cause of their dissatisfaction. "When," says the Lieut.-Colonel, in his evidence, stating what the slaves told him in a body, "When they complained" (of being made to work on a Sunday, and punished for going to chapel) " to Dr. M'Turk, they were told it was the Government's order; when they complained to Mr. Spenser, they were told it was the Fiscal's order." None of these causes suited the Colonists, I was therefore dragged in as the main cause; and notwithstanding the negroes say, if they had kept to what they were taught by me, they never would have acted as they did; yet, because two or three of them who were deeply concerned in the revolt, chose to pervert and misrepresent what I had said to them about working on Sundays, it is therefore settled, in the judgment of the people here, that the revolt is to be attributed to me. It is worthy of remark, that none of the negroes who gave testimony against me, were punished. This, of course, I learn from others. I should have added, that Dr. M'Turk and Mr. Spenser are the Burgher officers of the East Coast, and are both avowed enemies to the instruction of the Slaves. I trust the Directors will seriously consider the hardship of my case, and make every effort on my behalf. I must not omit to mention the kindness of the Rev. W. S. Austin. I am under the greatest obligations to him; and I doubt not when the Directors are informed of the conduct of this excellent Clergyman, they will feel that they owe him at least a respectful acknowledgment of his kindness to me, and of his zeal in my cause. I have been two days writing this, and now feel so ill that I must come to a close. I am satisfied that I am in the Lord's hand; and there I wish to be. O, my dear Sir, pray for me. I remain, your obedient Servant, (Signed) JOHN SMITH. EXTENSION OF MORAL AND RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN THE HIGHLANDS. Fort-William, 17th Feb. 1824.-A meeting of the inhabitants of Fort-William, and its neighbourhood, was held in the church here, on Friday the 30th ult. for the purpose of considering the moral and religious condition of this interesting district, and the practicability of rendering the means of religious knowledge more generally available to its scattered population. The Rev. Charles J. Bayne was called upon to preside. After prayer by the Preses, and an address on the nature and importance of the object in view, the meeting unanimously resolved to form themselves into a Society for disseminating Christian knowledge by means of Sabbath Schools, Circulating Libraries, and the dispersion of Tracts. Sir Ewen Cameron of Fassifern, Bart. has kindly agreed to become patron of the institution; and a Committee are to commence operations immediately with san gume hopes of success. £8, 13s. 6d. was collected at the meeting, and a considerable addition has since been received. Not to detract from the high estimation in which our national establishment of schools is every where deservedly held, it is undeniable, that in many country parishes, not a third part of the population is so near the parochial school as to be able to derive any benefit from it.. This inconvenience has in a great measure been remedied by the benevolent exertions of various societies, particularly the Society in Scotland for promoting Christian Knowledge, and the Edinburgh Gaelic School Society. Nor is there any description of schools where the religious instruction of the young is on the whole better attended to than in theirs. While they by no means supersede the exertions of an institution having the communication of religious knowledge for its exclusive object, they have admirably opened the way for its immediate and efficient operation. The leading features of our plan may be learned from a brief abstract of a set of rules, drawn up for the direction of a Committee of Management, which will be interesting to some of your readers. of such as are best suited to the people of this country, which they are to take every opportunity of giving away where they are likely to be useful, which are also intended as occasional rewards in the Sabbath evening schools, and with which the members of the society may be supplied for distribution, on paying their original cost. There are a number of distinct regulations respecting the internal arrangement of the Sabbath schools, and the course of instruction to be followed in them as far as circumstances will permit, which would occupy too much room for insertion. There are also particular rules regarding the character and description of books to be admitted into our libraries, by which all books or tracts bearing in any way on political questions are expressly excluded, unless they may be such as have an obvious tendency to render the people contented with their condition, and to put them in mind "to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work." Tit. iii. 1. Donations in money, books, or tracts, will be thankfully received. The Committee are instructed to pay THE EAST LOTHIAN ITINERATING particular attention to the encouragement and improvement of such Sabbath schools as are already established in this place and the neighbouring country, to endeavour to establish more, where they are needed, and suitable persons can be found to conduct them, and to furnish proper Catechisms and other books to the children in these schools at a cheap rate, or even gratis, in cases of great poverty or dereliction of duty in the parents. Regarding the Circulating Libraries, the Committee are directed to procure books, both in Gaelic and in EngJish, to the extent of their funds, and a due regard to the other objects of the Society will admit, to obtain as many subscribers as possible among the poorer classes; on whose account, the subscription necessary to constitute a member, and to give a right to the use of the books, is as low as Sixpence per quarter, with One Shilling on entry. The whole of the books are to be considered as belonging to a Central Library at Fort-William; but, for the convenience of country subscribers, Branch Libraries are to be formed in any part of the country where a few subscribers, and a respectable person to take charge of the books can be got, which are to be interchanged as occasion may require. As to the dispersion of Tracts, the Committee are to endeavour to have always in the hands of their librarian a small stock JUVENILE AND VILLAGE LI WE have great pleasure in laying before our readers some extracts from the Third Report of this excellent and useful institution. In 1822 a New Division was sent from the Parent Library to the village of Ormiston, under the patronage of the Rev. Mr. Ramsay; and this year, (1823,) another Division has been sent to Gifford, under the patronage of the Rev. Mr. Wilkie; and within the same period 100 volumes have been added to the Haddington Library, to supply the place of those which have been removed to the new stations. As there have been few issues of Books from the Division stationed for the last two years at Penston, Twenty Volumes have been sent from the Haddington Library for the use of the few readers in that place; and as these will be more frequently exchanged from the Parent Library in Haddington, this alteration will be for the advantage of the readers at Penston, and has allowed the Manager to send a Division of 50 Volumes to New-town, in the parish of Pencaitland, under the patronage of the Rev. Mr. Makellar, where the books were immediately brought into very active circulation, chiefly amongst the colliers belonging to Pencaitland coal-works. Annexed is a statement of the issues at the different stations during the last two years, compared with the issues at Six stations where divisions were stationed in former years; from which it will appear, that, whilst the regular decrease of issues during the second year points out the propriety of removing the divisions, the slight difference there is in the total issues for two years, in the stations where they were formerly, proves the influence which the change of divisions has had in keeping alive the disposition to read places. 33002 in these West Fenton, one ditto 50 vols. two years. 146 ditto 50 vols. 043 no return. ditto 50 vols. 275 322 in these places ditto 50 vols. 187 442 only two years. been stationed VOL. XXIII. NO. III. A continued supply of books from the Haddington library has been furnished to the prison in Haddington, and two Sabbath schools in the country. In the last Report, it was noticed that the manager of the North Berwick Evangelical Library had acceded to an offer made to him of uniting the Library under his charge, tonsisting of about 160 volumes, with the East Lothian Itinerating Libraries, on condition that four divisions, consisting of 200 volumes, should be stationed in North Berwick and its neighbourhood. The advantage of thus changing a stationary library into itinerating divisions will appear in a strong light, when it is observed that the issues from the North Berwick Stationary Library of late years did not exceed forty or fifty volumes a-year, whereas, from the two divisions stationed there, 1298 issues have been made in two years. The shipping belonging to that port have also been regularly supplied with small divisions, which are exchanged as frequently as the sailors wish it on their returning from a voyage. The manager of this institution will be happy to enter into a similar arrangement with the conductors of any other libraries in the county, and also to return the books to the original managers when required, on receiving timeous notice to that purpose. The offer made in the last Report, of furnishing Reading Societies with books to double the amount of their subscriptions, on condition that, after keeping them for one or two years for the sole use of the subscribers, they should be united to the itinerating libraries for gratuitous circulation, has been accepted of by a respectable number of persons in Haddington, North Berwick, and Dunbar. This measure has considerably added to the expenditure of the two last years; but as, besides adding two complete divisions to the institution, the more expensive books of five divisions, not yet brought into gratuitous circulation, have been purchased, this plan will ultimately promote the more rapid supply of divisions to above forty stations in the county yet unoccupied, and at the same time the subscribers have had access to a much greater number of new publications than their subscriptions would have purchased. As at present the enemies of divine revelation are more active than usual in circulating infidel publications, a number of volumes on the Evidences of Christianity have been recently purchased and placed in the libraries at Haddington, North Berwick, and Dunbar; and in most of the other divisions in the country, there are one or two volumes which are calculated to af2 F ford satisfaction on this most important sub. ject to every sincere inquirer. As religion is a subject in which the whole population are most deeply interested, the greater proportion of the books have been on that subject. At the same time, the diffusion of general knowledge amongst the readers has not been neglected -a proportion of the books bas consisted of history, on mechanics, chemistry, agri. culture, management of stock and agricultural implements; and donations of books, on these or collateral subjects, or subscriptions for the purchase of such works, are earnestly requested, and will be applied to the specific objects for which they are destined. As this institution affords the friends of the working classes an opportunity of diffusing amongst them knowledge of great importance to them, and which will ultimately turn to the benefit of their employers, from the superior manner in which a well-instructed workman will perform his work, and the possibility of fostering the genius of another Meikle amongst us, perhaps the public spirited proprietors and tenantry of East Lothian will not consider this institution as unworthy of their patronage. The attention of those authors who are anxious that their works should be useful, is most respectfully called to this institution, as affording them an opportunity of an extensive circulation of their works through this county, by a donation of a few copies of their publications. Donations of the Reports of Benevolent Societies, and of such religious magazines as avoid discussions that are calculated to promote the peculiar sentiments of any denomination of Christians amongst us, either in volumes or in numbers, will be very acceptable, and also the Farmer's Magazine, and the London or Glasgow Mechanics' Magazine. LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE. Mr. Mackintosh, an eminent muslin manufacturer, has been exhibiting in London, specimens of water-proof muslin, and water-proof fabrics of various descriptions. He lays two breadths together, and interposes a thin lamina of caoutchouc, dissolved in oil of turpentine. The muslins thus prepared are light, and not distinguishable from others; they wash well; and they can be afforded at an inconsiderable advance of price. Silks, woollens, linens, &c. are treated in like manner, and even leather. Of course, such a discovery is of very extensive application, and of great importance to commerce, manufactures, and the arts. Mr. Maberly, M. P. is understood to have engaged in its introduction south of the Tweed. A late Calcutta journal contains the following corrected heights of the Himalaya mountains : Feet, Bhyrat Fort 15,554 15,095 18,448 Pass between Soongnum and Manes 18,743 Bed of the Sutlej under Bekhur.... 10,792 Limestone at least 22,488 21,103 7,502 7,592 20,000 The university of Moscow has proposed the following question for a prize competition: The Florentine copy of Justinian's Pandects is considered as the most correct Inventor of the Threshing-Mill. |