heathens, have done it by unabated pains and zeal; for no other reward but that promised by their Father in Heaven." Not for a living merely, and trafficking with their holy profession, as some (clergymen) of our church do,-who refuse baptism, unless paid for it, by the slave or his master; and after such vended rites, abandon them (the slaves) to fall into their own vicious inclinations. But, under your lordship's paternal and vigilant care, and the deep interest you have extended to this remote part of your province, I scruple not to expect, that an efficient amendment will ensue. 1 lately deceased proprietor, Mr. Woollesy) who is likewise in Great Britain. In that case, the sum of fifty pounds sterling per annum each, and a servant, would amount to about three hundred and eighty pounds currency yearly; and four servants, a house, &c. clear. I would (as no doubt the other gentlemen would) provide, or add, any other requisite for his benefit. Your lordship has judiciously pointed out the radical source of depravity in our slaves; still, I perceive that your ideas are very short of the dreadful consequences arising from a promiscuous intercourse of the sexes, and The plan suggested by Dr. Bell, for "Pa- you will shudder when informed, that one rochial Schools," has one insuperable objec-fourth of the deaths of adults may be traced tion; which he could not be aware of; the to that as the proximate, or remote cause. I extent of our parishes, and the fatiguing dis- am constrained to notice further, that this tance children would have to walk. I hum- horrid devastation may be, in part, attributed bly submit, as a substitute,-that three, or to the negligence of our overseers, and the mare, proprietors, should fix and jointly sup- private hospital doctors of our estates; and it port a teacher, in some situation central to will continue irremediable, until a more ac their estates that he should be qualified tive and discerning policy advances our white to preach to, or exhort, the negroes; and population, by internal seminaries for educamoreover, that he should be of some pro-tion, to keep and attach, our natives to the fession, a farmer or mechanic (as is usual among the Moravians) to pursue on workdays, and thereby separately provide for his family, should he have one. He should be possessed of zeal and firinness, to overcome the first shocks he would have, at the sight of the habits, vices, and discipline, on his arrival and entering on his mission ;-for your lordship may rest assured, that the first experiment will determine the general progress; and when, and wherever made, should be approved and ardently sanctioned by the Proprietors. Such a situation I possess on my estate, convenient to Canaan, belonging to E. Jervis Ricketts, Esq. now in England, Retrieve, under the guardianship of two clergymen, also in England, the Rev. Mr. Sweet, and Mr. Beck. There, I should be happy to make the trial, with the co-operation of the said gentlemen; and would contribute ten to twenty acres of land for the teacher's use, and allow him one hundred currency, per annum for his extra services, if a practical or experienced farmer, or a mechanic, to superintend my ploughmen, or tradesmen. Would your lordship condescend to recommend such a character, and obtain the conjunction of the gentlemen mentioned? I think to them and myself a fourth estate (Midgham) might be added, upon application to Peter. Campbell, Esq., (executor to the Nephew to Lord St. Vincent. Mr. John Vaughan, merchant in London, is their agent, Mill or wheelwright, joiner of carpenter, mason, smith, or cooper, coach and chaise maker. soil. Our cultivation, which is altogether manual, is no less destructive; and reflects discredit on the enlightened gentlemen who are interested in it, for the neglect of the arts and implements of husbandry. Holeing, otherwise trenching, (for most of our canes are planted in trenches) our stiff and hard sunbaked lands, with hand-hoes, is most pernicions to the pregnant women; and should be inhibited by every humane and intelligent planter, where the situation and fitness of his soil will admit the prime operation of breaking it up with beasts and ploughs. The most toilsome labour would be thereby dimi nished, and transferred from man to beast. Whatever may be advanced against this practice, is unanswerably refuted by the exemplifications I have given, by breaking up and planting eighty-five acres, on each of two succeeding years. Vices, injuries, and corruptions, are con tracted and disseminated, by the ancient custom of allotting land, (called negro grounds), for which the law exacts one day out of fourteen, from the master, during the recess of crop, for the slave to cultivate, and support himself in bread-kind. This is, generally, a Saturday, which gives two days in succession to the slave, in which to travel to a distance from his house, (as most of them do, frequently) and indulge in excesses, contract bad habits and diseases, and communicate them on his return, to his fellow-servants. But another injury too often follows. Fatigued and inebriated, he is unable to appear in the fields, or to perform his usual work, and incurs consequent punishment. Unless this system is abolished, it will greatly inte fere with the observance of the sabbath, as I have shewn it doth, with other relative ingredients to the slave's happiness and duty; and to alter it, will be impracticable for an individual. Like other long-standing errors, it will need the union of several proprietors in a neighbourhood, who may resolve to take the matter under their own care, and to keep their grounds in good order, and to feed their slaves, by sufficient weekly distribution of provision on Sunday morning; and when assembled, the Master or Manager may repair with them to hear instruction from the Teacher. This regulation would effectually close a source of inconceivable vices, and pre vent great maladies of body and mind. Besides, its political provident benefits, would be of great moment, in cases of storms, hur ricanes, and droughts, as a magazine of supply under the master's inrmediate eye. It is upwards of twenty years since, amongst other meditated means of lessening the evils of slavery, I digested a scheme for easing labour, and adding comfort to the slaves; by teaching them to make a coarse cloth, for their own use, from cotton raised here; which would afford stronger and healthier clothing, than the tow and Bax Osnaburghs imported, and would aid the progress of civilization, by substituting light manufactures, for heavy labour. I lately committed this plan to some friends in England: but for the present, have been obliged to abandon it, as I find there are several old Acts of Parliament, prohibiting either the necessary machinery, or any man who can work them, from coming out to this country. I would fain hope, in accord with the prevailing charitable spirit for reform, and amelioration of the condition of slaves, that these restrictions will be removed, with every other obstacle; more especially, at this, the most calamitous conjonoture, that the devoted planter has ever experienced. To Rev. Mr. Harts, St. Joseph's Parsonage. Joe's River, June 25, 1808. Dear Sir, I have perused the Bishop's letter most attentively, and assure you it has made a due impression on my mind. It is a subject I have often reflected on. I have long regarded, as one of our principal sins of omission, the neglect which we have shewn to the spiritual welfare of our slaves, by making no effort to instil into them the practical duties of Christianity. Such having hitherto been my opinion, you may suppose, that in me you will find no lukewarm seconder of the Bishop's wishes; and that I am ready to take an early and active part in the good work he has undertaken. I fully coincide with the substance of his Lordship's opinions, and think the plan of Sunday. schools unobjectionable; but I think he will allow me to suggest, that the chief difficulty: will be, to obtain, in the first instance, proper schoolmasters. You are as well aware as I am, that we cannot look for these in the natives of this country; their habits and their own ignorance preclude the idea of their doing any good; and the attempt had better not be made at all, than be made with the probability of a failure, which will operate as a discouragement to the future prosecution: of it. To Europe, then, anust, we look for sober religious schoolmasters, who with minds already turned to the subject, and anxious: for its success, may second the plan with skill and ardour. A second difficulty has not struck - his. Lordship: this is, the wides extent of our parishes. One schoolmaster, fixed in the most central part of a parish, could hope to do little general good the younger children. could not travel five or six miles, through rugged or miry roads, for instruction, On: the exertions of individual planters, it ap pears to me, much of the hope of success rests.. Every second, or third estate, should, 1 think, have its schoolmaster, whose instructions might be directed to that neigh bourhood: else the benefit will be partial and fleeting, as the attendance from any distance will be irregular; and especially neglected. by those of tender years, on whose minds we hope to make the best impressions. I should, therefore, humbly represent to his Lordship, that (at least as a beginning) the best plan will be, to send out to each applying planters a schoolmaster, whose necessary qualifications and turu of mind, I need not hint; and who, if none other could be found, might be a youth from one of the charity-schools, ta be resident on the estate of the planter so requesting him that a certain number of hours in every week, and the whole of Son day, be dedicated to the instruction of--not only the negroes of the estate, but-of all the neighbourhood, who will or can attend; and that his intermediate spare time he dedi cated to the services of the estate, as a store keeper, book-keeper, or distiller, as may suit his inclination or ability: for these sere vices, it will be in the master's power to al low him comfortable board and lodging, and a salary (according to the size of the estate) of from £15 to £25 sterling per annum. This plan will, absolutely, reduce the expence of the undertaking to a mere nothing; while, on the other hand, it would be very great. A schoolmaster for each parish would require an income of £200 sterling, to enable him to live in a house of his own, and to board himself. In a country like this, where we have no inns, or boarding houses, thus only could he live. The expence of erecting a parochial school room would be great, and, I fear, would 1 be in most instances, not incurred; any thing like taxation, to carry the plan. into effect, would not be heard of by the people at large. You are at fall liberty to convey (with all due and chastened hamitity of opinion) to his Lordship, these sentiments. Should they be approved by him, I shall feel an honest and virtuous pride, if he will allow this praiseworthy undertaking to commence on my estate, by sending out as speedily as convenient to me, at the expence of the society of which his Lordship is the head, any person whom he may select, as fit for the purposer On this person's arrival here, I will receive him as a resident on my estate, and he shall be lodged and boarded, on the most liberal plan (even at my own table, if the Bishop so recommend) ; and in return for his services (when not employed in our chief object) either as a book or store-keeper, or distiller, I will allow him a stipend of £20 sterling per annum, and defray all the expences of instructing the negroes. I conceive his being thus fixed, seconded by my efforts, will enable him to extend the benefit of his instructions, to a circle of one mile, or perhaps two miles, around my estate, without any individual (beside myself) incurring any expence, as the buildings already on my estate are fully adequate to the purpose of a lecture or school-room. I am happy to observe, that something of the same idea strikes Dr. Bell; who recommends (pp. 4 and 46.) instead of maintaining a body of schoolmasters, the employment of book-keepers. Europeans or natives, for the purpose. The latter we know to be out of the question, at least in the commencement of the undertaking. We may, hereafter, be able to train the young apprentices on our estates, under the resident Europeans, and send them forth as instructors; and this I shall have a fair opportunity of trying, (should the Bishop fall in with my view of the subject, and enable me to pursue it) as I have five native indented youths on my estate. Allow me to suggest another important end to be obtained by the importation of such a class of men, writing the offices of teachers and book-keepers on our estates. Could the Society at home furnish such men, whose minds were properly turned to the subject, in no great lapse of time, planters, influenced by that powerful motive, private interest, as well as by motives of duty, would call to the Society most frequently for them. These would rise, very often, in two or three years, to be chief overseers of estates, and in all probability they would continue, not only to promote the undertaking, but by their greater humanity, and gentleness of treatment, would produce a permanent civilisation of the rising generation, both of slaves, and of native peasantry, who fill the situations of inferior servants, or of overseers of negroes, and whose present want of civilisation, and of Christian morality, much depresses the slave, and prevents his rising from barbarism. In such an event, we may look forward to an increase of population, and of the Christian morality of our negroes, as well as to a great general amelioration of the state of slavery; which, at present, derives its chief evils, if not all of thein, from the employment. (now a matter of necessity) of low, illiterate, uncivilized whites, on our estates, as inferior servants, and sometimes, I fear, as overseers. The bad eximples these set in morals, not only taints and renders the slaves worse, bat often corrupts the few English boys who come out indented to us: and it is in vain, by precept and his own example, that the master tries to check the evil. To the Clergy and Proprietors of Plantations in the British West India Islands. As the great and pious work of instructing the Negro Children in the first rudiments of the Christian Religion is now actual y begun. in those Islands, I beg leave to recommend to your serious attention the following considerations, which have occurred to me, on this most interesting and important subject. In the first place, I think it necessary to inform you, that whenever any Proprietor of a Plantation in the Islands wishes to have a Teacher sent to him, to instruct the Negro Children on his own Estate, or two or three neighbouring Estates conjointly; if he will write to me, and specify the salary he is disposed to allow the Teacher, besides his main tenance, a proper person, instructed by Dr. Bell, shall be sent over to him; and the expence of his passage will be paid by The Negro Society here, of which I am the President. 2dly. You will please to observe, that the Schools meant to be established in the islands are only Sunday Schools. On the other days of the week, the Teacher may be employed in the service of the Plantatiou, in the capacity of a Storehouse-keeper, Book-keeper, Clerk, or any other useful office, which will amply repay the Planter for his maintenance; and the Sunday School will absolutely cost him nothing. 3dly. As some objectious have, I understand, been made to the introduction of my plan into the Islands, I shall here briefly state those objections, and my answers to then. The principal, and indeed only plausible objections to my plan, which have come to my knowledge, are these: 1. That the Pa rishes in the West India Islands are top extensive to admit of Parochial Schools. 2. That the instruction of the Negro Children will interfere with the work allotted to them on the Plantation, and consequently lessen the profits of the Planter. 3. That the plan cannot be carried into execution without a Tea A Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. 1 Pet. ii. 18. cher sent from England, properly instructed Whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as to by Dr. Bell, which, together with their the Lord, and not unto men. Col. iii. 23. maintenance, will be a great expence to the Be obedient to your masters and please Planter, and in their present distressed state them well in all things; not answering again: will be a burthen too heavy for them to bear. not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity, 4. That the instruction of the Negro Children that you may adorn the doctrine of God our will render them proud and insolent, disobedi- | Saviour in all things. Titus ii. 9, 10. ent to their masters, and indisposed to labour. My answer to these Objections is as follows: 1. I allow that the Parishes in the West India Islands are too extensive to admit of Such are the commands given to slaves in Parochial Schools; and therefore they are not the sort of Schools I wish to recommend, whether if the Planters themselves had enthe Sacred Writings; and I beg to know but Schools appropriated to each separate deavoured to impress upon the Slaves a deep Plantation, or two or three neighbouring sense of their duty, and of the obligations Plantations uniting for that purpose. they were under to obey their masters, they School of this nature has already been esta- could possibly have found out more forcible blished in the Island of Barbadoes by Dr. and more persuasive language than this for Holder, a gentleman of large fortune and that purpose.-I beg to know also, whether most respectable charact there, for the in- the Negro Children who are brought up in struction of the Negro Children on his own the habit of reading their Bible and hearing it Estate, for which purpose I have sent him read in church (which are the two great obover a Teacher froin this country, a very exjects of a Sunday school); who are taught to cellent young man, who has been well in structed in Dr. Bell's method of teaching; and I hope it will not be long before the Negro Society, of which I am President, will be able to send one, properly instructed by Dr. Bell, to any Planter in any of the British Islands that is willing to found a School on this contracted plan for the Negro Children on his own Estate and two or three adjoining ones. 2. The Instruction of the Negro Children will not at all interfere with the work alted to them on the week days; because the Schools proposed are only Sunday Schools. The Children are to be taught on Sundays only; the rest of the week they work as usual on the Plantations. 3. The maintenance of a Sunday School will be no expence whatever to the Planter; because the Tea cher may be made a Clerk, or Book-keeper, or Storehouse-keeper, or Distiller, or any other kind of useful Agent on the Estate; by which means he will pay his Master for his maintenance, and at the same time teach the Children on Sundays. 4. The instruction of the Negro Children in the Christian Religion and in reading, cannot possibly make them proud, insolent, disobedient to their masters, and indisposed to labour, but quite the contrary; for in the Scriptures (which they will be taught to read and to understand) God himself expressly commands them to be obedient and submissive to their masters. Be obedient (says St. Paul) to your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; with good-will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shail he receive of the Lord, whether bond or free. Ephes. vi. 5-8. consider it as what it really is, the word of God himself, and that they are bound to obey its precepts, under pain of God's displeasure and of the severest punishment in another world, are not more likely, and have stronger inducements to be meek, humble, faithful, and submissive to their masters, than those who know nothing of all these things, and have never received any religious instruction? It is impossible for any unprejudiced man to hesitate one moment in confessing, fairly and honestly, what answer ought to be given to these questions. You will perceive that I hold it an essential and indispensable part of the education of the to read; no effectual instruction can be given Negro children, that they should be taught them without it. It is necessary more espeFirst, because without this qualification, their Bibles, which contain all the above excellent precepts, will be of no use to them, will be literally a dead letter to them. cially for these two reasons: 2dly. Because Dr. Bell's plan for the edu cation of children (as stated in the Appendix to my printed Letter), cannot be carried into execution without it. For one material part of his new system is to teach the children to read, by making them first write the Letters of the Alphabet upon sand. That this qualification has no tendency to make the Children proud and indolent, and unwilling to work, appears from this fact; that in Cumberland, Westmorland, and Scotland, there are Grammar Schools in almost every town and large village, and all the poor children are taught to read; yet there are no where better and more industrious and hardy labourers and workmen than in those coun tries. Fulham House, Dec. 13, 1808.... AGRICULTURAL REPORTS. fallows, and wheats. Grazing stock of all denominations I believe thrives pretty well. The potatoes proved a better crop than expected: and the after feed in the pastures this autumn has been abundant. Suffolk, Dec. 22, 1808.-The late sown wheats look remarkably healthy and well. Coleworts and turnips are thin; but appear to be in a thriving state.-The farmers are busy in getting manure on such lands as will not allow them to do it, except in frosty weather. Hay is selling at or under £4 per ton: straw is selling at or under 40 shillings per ton : potatoes at 4 shillings per sack. POLITICAL PERISCOPE. Midland, Dec. 20-The weather for the greatest part of the month, has been so very fine, that all the different operations of husbandry which are necessary at this season, have been carried on almost without any interruption. The late wheat grounds have been completely prepared, and the seed put in, in the best possible state. The early wheats now in many places almost wholly cover the surface of the land, and have a very fine, healthy, green, appearance. In particular instances they are too luxuriant and forward, but this only regards a few situations, where the circumstances are peculiarly favourable for their vigorous growth. Panorama Office, Dec. 26, 1808. -The taking up of the potatoe crops has now THE Panorama has occasion this month to been every where completed, and these were assume the tone of mingled indignation and perhaps never, upon the whole, more full triumph :-Indignation, that the measures and abundant, in all the northern districts which it took great pains to recommend to our of the kingdom, especially Lancashire, and compatriots, and forwarded with hand and the neighbouring counties. On thrashing out heart, have been, by the principals of the the oats and barley, they are in general found mercantile interest in the City of London, to yield much better than was supposed at adopted-at last,-but, the delay has deprived the time of harvesting them, affording, in thein of that utility, that strongly marked cha most cases, a fair produce.-The completing racter of manly decision and promptitude, of the fattening stock has gone on well since which would have distinguished them, had our last, and much meat been brought to they been executed at first. Yet we triumph the different markets. And the bite of grass in the consideration, that the same sentiments for the store stock has continued good unof attachment to the cause of Spanish liberty usually long, on account of the fineness of have retained their vigour to this hour; and This has probably been one in spite of circumstances calculated to abate cause of keeping up the prices in the north- their fervour, will, we doubt not, produce a ern parts of the island, though the demands striking testimony of British munificence and of the midland graziers have not been so con- good will toward an insulted and despised siderable this year as formerly.-The turnip, people. Is it possible that the petty distinc cabbage, rape, and other great crops, all tion of person or place, of who signed the promise well at present, for affording a full advertisement, or where the meeting was held, supply of that sort of food, which is so es- could have proved a real obstacle to men of sential, especially in the northern districts, truly liberal minds-That the Rooms in for the support of live stock.-The opera Argyle Street, were not the most convetions of repairing fens, and forming under-nient for the Citizens of London to assemble drains where the wetness of the land demands them, have in many cases been performed to considerable extent, from the unusual openness of the weather, especially in the northern counties.-It is said there are many sheep rotten this season. But this I believe, to be confined to farms slovenly managed by letting the water lie upon them. This, the mole-plough might obviate, and either that or the spade-sough have been generally adopted; but there are slovens in all trades, and where this has been neglected, in cold low situations, the sheep, in seasons like this, are always subject to the rot. the season. Essex, Dec. 22, 1808.-Little can be said respecting the year's growth of all kinds of grain, more than I stated in my last. The weather in general this month has been very beneficial to the lands in particular this present frost does much good to the in, may be granted: but no impediment that we know of prevented a Meeting held there, at which that fact had been stated by a Deputation of Merchants, from being adjourned to the Royal Exchange, or the City of London Tavern. Nothing of which we have received information prevented a similar meeting from being held, in another place, at that period: and had the City of London then foreseen a winter campaign for the Spanish army, though some few ideots might have sneered at the voting of great coats in July, yet those who have any knowledge of the inevitable losses-losses, we say, in many ways, of time, before what is voted in London can be delivered in Castile such persons would have thought the foresight at once sagacious and hos Compare Panorama, Vol. IV. p. 984, et seq. for an account of the meeting called by Colonel Greville and friends. |