or the creed which may be preferred. After twenty-six years of revolution and thirteen years possession of hard-earned independence, we are not (says the gazette) the same people. Formerly, as brutes, we bowed under the lash of a cruel and ignorant master-as men we were dead-our faculties all crushed; but we burst our chains, and, again erect, we look upward toward heaven -as men-as social beings! A new career is now before us-thanks to thee, O God of heaven! Haytians! (says the Chief) be it ours to shew, by our lives, that blacks, equally with whites, are the work of Omnipotence, and the objects of the kind regard of the Father of all!"

Mr. Allen (of the Society of Friends, and Treasurer) felt under strong depression from the loss of his late coadjutor, Mr. Fox. Beside the original debt, there was last year a balance of £336 against the Institution. Mr. Allen urged forcibly the cause he advocated. Even in London, education was more needed than any, who would not inquire closely, could be persuaded to believe. The object of the Institution was to interest the poor themselves not to receive the high blessing of education as an alms, but, by doing something themselves, to let it have more the semblance of a purchase. They wanted to raise the moral character of the poor. Parents became benefited through the children; and instances are on record where the parents have been admitted to the schools at their own request, when they have seen their good effects on the children,

Mr. Adams, Minister at the British Court from the American States, said, that he appreciated the compliment paid to the country he had the honour to represent, and which felt the neces sity, and knew the advantages, of education. Education is knowledge, and it leads to virtue.

Mr. Williams (banker) gloried in the prospect that, through this Institution, there was a chance of making some adequate return to the people of colour. The sons of Africa were much indebted to a most honourable man then in his eye (Mr. Wilberforce, who had just entered) for the cessation of slavery. That horrid traffic had by him been shown in its detestable colours; but it appeared now in

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darker shades, since we learn from Hayti such proofs of intellectual capa city in those whom our avarice and cruelty had held as inferior to our speeies.

The Earl of Darnley noticed, that the Institution was one for universal benevolence. He would remind the assembly that their venerable Sovereign was its prompt, and first at d zealous patron. They would remen ber the good Monarch's wish,- The t he might live to see, every poor child in the kingdom able to read his Bible.' But had Providence permitted his continued presence among us, this wish could not have its accomplishment, but from schools not built on the principle of religious exclusion. His R. H. the Prince Regent was a liberal contributor to this Institution; and so were their R. Hs. the Dukes of Sussex and Kent. His Lordship moved the thanks to the Royal Personages, which was seconded by the Rev. Row land Hill, who thought that education, being an universal blessing, should be as universally as possible bestowed.

Sir J. Swinburne assured the meeting that his Grace of Bedford would have been present, but that indispensable business had taken him out into a distant county.

Rev. Dr. Lindsay said, It was to be regretted that an unity of faith, which could never be found, was sought after, to the neglect of the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, which could be obtained.

Rev. Dr. Collyer then read the Ladies' Report, which announced progress in various places; and in one (if we heard right) there were 1800 female children. Knitting was introduced into the school, but the ladies lamented that the parents, in many instances, were insensible to the blessings of education.

The Russian Envoy to Portugal (through the medium of Dr. Schwabe) declared, that his Sovereign was eensible of the value of the object of the British and Foreign School Society, and was ready to give it the most warm co-operation.

Rev. J. Townsend was happy to advocate so great and good a cause. He rejoiced to hear that a king of Hayti could read such an admirable lesson, and give such excellent admonitions-even to Christian princes!

THE explosion has taken place which has been so long dreaded. Every one connected with the West Indies had prognosticated that the efforts used by Mr. Wilberforce and his friends to get a bill passed by the parliament of the empire to enforce certain regulations respecting the blacks, must produce some fatal effects in the colonies. The language used by the favourers of the measure was of a most unhappy tendency. It raised expectations in the slaves that there was an authority here highly paramount above that of their masters, and that Mr. Wilberforce was so great a man, and so much their friend, that their servitude was soon to be broken, and a general emancipation was to take place. Highly culpable indeed was the language of some of the writers upon this question. They took a delight in representing the planter in the most odions colours, in exaggerating every instance of ill-treatment that might have occurred, concealing all the kindness that is continually displayed, and has for many years been increasing in the islands; and in fact doing every thing to excite a spirit of discontent in the minds of the slaves, and depreciating the character of the masters.

That man in every part of the world, whatever may be his colour, should attain to the dignity of his nature, should be free in the highest sense of the word, is the great object of Christianity, and the desire of every reader of this Miscellany. But till his mind is improved and he is capable of understanding and appreciating the bless ings of this freedom, it is in vain that he is released from certain yokes laid upon him by the rules of civil society. Many a king upon his throne is as much an object of our pity as the slave under the lash of his driver; and who would wish to enjoy the liberty of the savage in the wilds of America? It is an old and a good adage, Natura nihil facit per saltum. A greater evil could not possibly befall the blacks, than that they should be instantly declared free, for the only result of this freedom would be the tearing of each other to pieces and the destruction of the masters. In what manner they are best to be brought forward to a higher degree in the scale of nature, is a problem worthy of the consideration of the true politician; but of this we may be sure, that Mr. Wilberforce and his friends are taking the worst methods possible for the attainment of this end. If

the slave is to look up to the authority of this island, and to conceive that he has a party in the House of Commons in his favour, if Mr. Wilberforce is to be his patron and the local legislature to be set at nought, it will be in vain to expect any thing but what has already taken placethe burning of plantations and the destruction of life.

The error of Mr. Wilberforce consists in not attending to the state of society which exists in that country over which he attempts to regulate. He does not recollect that slavery existed at the first propagation of Christianity, and that it took several ages before the maxims of our holy religion could prevail over the principles of the world. In this state, however, no violent efforts were used by the apostles and first teachers of Christianity. They did not attempt to excite an outcry against the holders of slaves, nor to use any irritating language respecting slavery. They saw clearly that the emancipation would be produced in a better manner by teaching slaves to obey their masters, not from eye-service, but from a regard to duty, and in like manner by inculcating on the masters the duty of being kind to their slaves. Thus gradually both parties were brought nearer to each other, and at last slavish services were exchanged for a better tenure-the compact between master and servant.

The abolition of the slave trade and the emancipation of the blacks are two distinet questions, and they ought to be kept entirely distinct in our minds. On the first question the parliament of the kingdom had an undoubted right to interfere, for it might assuredly dictate that an Englishman should not carry on a trade in the persons of blacks, as well as it prohibited his trading in other articles. To this law the West Indians submitted equally with all other subjects; and the advocates for the abolition of the slave trade having gained this point, were interested only in seeing that the law was not broken. But the emancipation of the blacks involves a variety of questions on which the residents of England are not competent judges. There are three conditions in the West Indies, that of the white, who must be the ruler-the freed manand the slave. The white enjoys all the privileges of Englishmen, the other two parties are necessarily deprived of some of them; but all are under certain laws liable to be changed at the discretion of the go

vernor of the two houses of assembly in the island. Here as in England is a proper place for improvement: and it is unjust to say that great improvements have not been gradually taking place under the local legislatures. All has not been done that the sanguine emancipator may expect; but it would be time for Mr. Wilberforce and his friends to call on a superior authority when, having proposed to the colonial legislatures a regulation, it had been rejected by them without cause. The rude attempt to legislate for all the islands is such an attack upon the local legislations as cannot but excite dismay and distrust; and if a similar thing had been attempted in England, interfering with all our corporate bodies, the table of the House of Commons would have been overwhelmed with petitions from every part of England.

The spirit of insurrection first appeared in the island of Barbadoes, and it displayed itself in the burning of plantations to a very great extent. From the energy of the whites the misled blacks were brought into subjection, but not without consider able slaughter of the latter in the field, and the execution of others by the hand of justice. The island, however, is in that state that the whites are compelled to keep a strict watch over their dependents. The proclamations issued by the governors of other islands indicate that a similar watchfulness is necessary in them; but it is hoped that as the whites are now every where on the alert the intended mischief may be prevented.

In this state of things Mr. Wilberforce's motion was coming forward, but it was delayed till government had received its dispatches; and after they had arrived, Mr. Wilberforce made a long speech tending rather to inflame than to appease the existing troubles. He was replied to by a gentleman connected with the West Indies, who contented himself with a plain representation of facts, which pointed out the inevitable loss of the colonies unless speedy measures were taken to make it clear to the blacks that no such measure was in agitation as their emancipation. He proposed that an address should be presented to the Prince Regent to request that the governors of the islands might be directed to issue proclamations testifying his bigh displeasure at the late outrages and the insidious attempts of those who were exciting hopes of emancipation, since no such measure was in contemplation, though every effort should be encouraged which had in view their moral and religious improvement. All sides of the House saw the necessity and propriety of this measure, which was unanimously voted, and we trust that it will have the desired effect, though it must not be concealed that, at this mo

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ment, the holders of property in the Wes Indies are in fear for its security, as well as for the lives of their friends and relatives in those regions. The mischief that has already been done will make the legislature pause before it gives its countenance to a set of persons so little acquainted with our West India islands and deriving their information from very suspicious quarters.

The spirit of discontent has appeared in our own country. Great outrages have been committed in the isle of Ely; the alleged cause--the distresses of the poor from want of work and want of proper pay. By a due degree of spirit these infatuated people were brought under, and a number of rioters were committed to prison. A special commission was appointed of two judges to sit with the judge of the isle of Ely upon this occasion, and after the trial and condemnation of a few of the ringleaders, the crown very humanely stopped farther prosecutions, letting the rest go out upon recognizances for future appearance and bail for their good behaviour.

An occurrence has taken place of a singular nature, which might give room for many comments. A meeting of the county of Kent took place at Maidstone for the purpose of congratulation on the late royal marriage. An address was moved and seconded, but on taking the show of hands scarcely any hands were held up in its favour and the meeting was dissolved. The principal gentlemen retired to an inn and requested the High Sheriff to take the chair, which he with great propriety declined, and the company resolved that copies of the address should be sent to the principal towns for signatures. Addresses so signed want the legitimate stamp and can convey ouly the sentiments of individuals; and the expression of popular feeling at the meeting cannot be construed into any intended affront to the young couple, in whose happiness all must be interested, though it is indicatory of a discontent which it will be the duty of government to examine, and if there are just causes for it to endeavour to remove the grounds of it.

In France all is quiet, if we are to believe government reports. The principal instigators to the insurrection in Dauphiny have been executed. The court has been occupied with two grand events-the marriage of the Duke of Berri and the celebration of their grand feast called by them the Feast of God. On the day for this feast processions are made in every parish of the Catholic world. The wafer god is paraded about the streets-altars are erected at various places-and the deluded multitude falls prostrate as it passes before this miserable emblem and other abomi