the people of Canaan,* of whom none but a few made peace with the people of Israel. An animated debate ensued, in which a number of speakers of eminent talents participated, among whom G. Canning, a conspicuous member of the cabinet, was one. He moved and carried certain amendments to the resolution of Buxton, and brought forward a plan that the proposed meliorations should be suggested to the colonial legislatures, but should be enforced only in the island of Trinidad, which had no local legislature; but with the condition that any unexpected resistance to the suggestions, should be met by authority. In the course of this debate, the foolish argument, that the discussion of the subject in Parliament was dangerous to the peace of the islands, was advanced, and its absurdity fully exposed by Buxton, whose fears on that account, if he ever had any, were by this time totally removed. The result of the discussion thus opened, was different in some important particulars from what was desired by the mover. The emancipation of the children, which was a favourite part of the plan, was lost; and the meliorations proposed, instead of being enjoined by authority of Parliament, were reduced to recommendations. In accordance with the resolutions of the House, at the end of the same month, circular letters were addressed by the government to the various colonial authorities, recommending the adoption of the following reforms : 1. "To provide the means of religious instruction and Christian education for the slaves. 2. "To put an end to markets and to labour on the Sunday; and instead of Sunday, to allow the negroes equivalent time on other days, for the cultivation of their provision grounds. 3. "To protect the slaves by law in the acquisition and possession of property, and in its transmission by bequest or otherwise. 11. "To abolish the use of the driving whip in the field, either as an emblem of authority, or as a stimulus to labour. 12. "To establish savings' banks for the use of the slaves." If we could give full credit to the representations respecting West Indian slavery, which the advocates have frequently given, we should imagine that the improvements then proposed, were little more than what was already adopted in practice. But the reception which the communication of Earl Bathurst experienced from the planters, clearly showed that any interference, on the part of the mother country, with their treatment of their slaves, was viewed with the utmost suspicion and jealousy. An intimation was made in the government despatches, that in case the recommendations were disregarded by the colonial authorities, the work must be undertaken by Parliament. This suggestion was treated with the greatest contumely, particularly in Jamaica, and threats were openly made of the renunciation of the metropolitan power. The colonial legislatures, without exception, declined submission to the measures proposed. In a few of the islands, some legisla tion to improve the condition of the slaves was attempted, but nothing effectual was accomplished. It was evidently impossible to afford legal protection to the slaves, without curtailing the authority of the masters; and on that point the possessors of slaves are exceedingly tenacious. When the order in council reached Demerara, the colonial authorities endeavoured to conceal it from the black population; but some confused and exaggerated rumors being spread among them, they fancied that the King of England had made them free, and that the planters had suppressed the edict. Under this impression, the slaves on several of the estates refused to work, and resisted the compulsive measures to which their masters resorted. But this puny rebellion, which was undertaken without organization or arms, was quickly suppressed, not one soldier engaged in its reduction being killed. The contest must have been a massacre rather than a battle, for more than a hundred of the insurgents fell in the field; and of those who were prisoners, a number were executed by sentence of the 7. "To abolish the degrading corporal punish-courts. Others were subjected to the most barment of females. 4. "To legalize the marriages of slaves, and to protect them in the enjoyment of their connubial rights. 5. "To prevent the separation of families by sale or otherwise. 6. "To restrain generally the power, and to prveent the abuse of arbitrary punishment, at the will of the master. 8. "To admit the testimony of slaves in courts of justice. 9. "To prevent the seizure of slaves detached from the estate or plantation to which they belonged. 10. "To remove all existing obstructions to manumission, and to grant to the slave the power of redeeming himself, and his wife and children, at a fair price. Joshua 11: 20. barous scourging; five of whom were sentenced to one thousand lashes each. The indignation of the planters was not confined to the revolting slaves, or to the authors of the parliamentary discussions; but extended to the missionaries in the islands, who were labouring to instruct the negroes in the doctrines of the Christian religion. One of these, of the Independent persuasion, was tried, in an illegal manner, by a court martial, and condemned to be hanged. But the hardships of his imprisonment, anticipated the executioner. News of the ferment in the colonies, of the revolt in Demarara, of its suppression, and the severities inflicted on the insurgents, and their unoffending instructors, soon reached the mother country. The effect on different classes, was necessarily various. To the anti-slavery party, they were cause of severe disappointment and grief. By the lukewarm, and the opponents of the measure, these disorders were charged upon the friends of the blacks, instead of the turbulence of the planters. But the most mortifying part of the consequence was, the determination of the government to recede from the ground they had taken. The cabinet, appalled by the consequences which had followed the measures already adopted, resolved to yield to the storm instead of redeeming the pledge, that if the amendments proposed were not voluntarily adopted by the colonial legislatures, they should be enforced by parliamentary authority. In the spring of 1824, George Canning, who was regarded as the ministerial leader in the House of Commons, and who in the preceding year had apparently adopted the principal views of Buxton, and differed only in regard to the mode of attaining their object, announced the determination of the government to compel the adoption of the meliorations in Trinidad, but to apply for the present no measure more stringent than admonition, to the contumacious colonies. ness. this he declared to be his desire, the consummation to which, as long as he lived, his most strenuous efforts should be directed. The persecutions to which the missionaries were exposed, were brought into Parliament at a subsequent day, when Brougham, Mackintosh, Lushington, and Wilberforce, exerted their oratorical powers in exposing the evils and intolerant spirit of slavery. By these discussions the tide of public opinion, which had been checked by the appalling rumors of the day, was again turned in favour of the oppressed missionaries and their persecuted followers. Wilberforce soon afterwards obtained from the ministry, a promise that the order in council should be extended to St. Lucie and Demerara, as well as Trinidad. (lo be continued.) men. For Friends' Review. The following extracts from the works of William Penn, with those which were furnished a few months ago, and published in the 48th number of the Review, may justly be regarded as his living testimony against those contests about religion and religious opinions, which are the disgrace of every community professing the benign precepts and principles of the Saviour of For who can read and properly meditate and on the love which prompted Him to humon his last affecting interview with his disciples, Buxton assailed the vacillating conduct of the ble himself even to the washing of their feet, government, with his usual energy and fearless- thus giving them the most important instruction, He pronounced the resolution of the in a manner which they could never forget, former year, a pledge that the condition of the without being made sensible that all contentions slave should be ameliorated, and quoted Can- in regard to non-essentials and opinions of men, ning's own declaration in support of his position. are incompatible with the spirit of true religion. "Now," said he, "if this comprehensive! if his people did but remember this lesson— pledge, this engagement given to all the colonies, if they only sought to be washed in his blood is to be frittered down, for the present at least, and sanctified by his spirit-if each esteemed to a single island; if the advantages promised, are to be granted indeed to the thirty thousand slaves in Trinidad, but withheld from the three hundred and fifty thousand in Jamaica, and the seventy thousand in Barbadoes; if the earliest period is to be construed to mean some time, so undefined and distant, that no man can say in what century it will take place; if our pledge to do this is now to mean no more than that we will suffer it to be done, by the slow and gradual course of admonition and example, then I see no reason why ten centuries may not elapse before the negroes are freed from their present state of melancholy and deplorable thraldom. We who have engaged in the cause, will be no parties to such a desertion of duty, to such a breach of faith." After exposing a series of atrocious cruelties in the treatment of the slaves, he declared that he had no hostility to the planters, and that what he had uttered was said from a sense of public duty. He proposed to emancipate the children, and make full compensation to their masters; others better than himself, and endeavoured to be the highest in the favour of Christ, by being the lowliest in spirit, all ambition, heart-burnings and divisions would pass away like a cloud before the beams of the sun." W. "I am now come to the last, which to be sure is not the least part of my answer to the question propounded, viz.: A sincere promotion of general and practical religion, by which I mean the Ten Commandments, or moral law, and Christ's sermon on the mount, with other his heavenly sayings, excellently improved and earnestly recommended by several passages in the writings of his disciples, which forbid evil, not only in deed, but in thought, and enjoying purity and holiness, without which, no man, be his pretences what they will, shall see the Lord. In short, general, true and requisite religion, in the apostle James's definition, is to visit the widows and fatherless, and to keep ourselves, through the universal grace, unspotted of the world. This is the most easy and probable way to fetch in all men professing God and reli FOSSIL FOOTPRINTS. Dexter Marsh, a labouring mechanic of Greenfield, many years ago discovered on the flaging stones with which he was laying a side walk, what appeared to be the foot prints of some strange bird. The geologists pronounced them to be such, and to belong to a period before the creation of man. This discovery so excited the curiosity and scientific ardor of Mr. Marsh, that he has since made it his amusement to look for such impressions, and he has traversed the valley from the northern Massachusetts line to Wethersfield, Conn., sometimes spending weeks in quarrying rocks with the sole view of discovering these ancient tracks. In the last number of Silliman's Journal of Science, he gives a brief account of his labours and successes, from which we may understand that the Connecticut valley, in by-gone ages, was a favourite resort of birds that would have made no more of putting men in their crops, than turkies do of swallowing grasshoppers. gion, since every persuasion acknowledges this | nothing will sooner sweeten men's blood, and in words, be their lives never so disagreeable to mollify their natures, than employing that time their profession. And this being the unum and pains they bestow on fruitless contests, in necessarium the one thing, needful to make living up to what they know, believe, and accord men happy here and hereafter, why, alas, should in. God Almighty, if it please Him, beget noble men sacrifice their accord in this great point for resolutions in the hearts of his people to use an unity in minute and circumstantial things, that these plain and safe expedients, that charity may perhaps, is inobtainable, and if it were not, supplant cruelty, contest yield to good life, and would signify little or nothing, either to the good present distances meet in a just and kind neighof human society, or the particular comfort of bourhood.-William Penn, Vol. I., p. 705. any in the world to come. No one thing is more unaccountable and condemnable among men, than their uncharitable contests about religion-indeed about words and phrases-whilst they all verbally meet in the most, if not the only necessary parts of Christian religion. For nothing is more certain, than if men would but live up to one half of what they know in their consciences they ought to practice, their edge would be taken off, their blood would be sweetened by mercy and truth, and this unnatural sharpness qualified. They would quickly find work enough at home; each man's hands would be full, by reason of the unruliness of his own passions, and in subjecting of his own will; and instead of devouring one another's good name, liberty, or estate, compassion would rise, and mutual desires to be assistant to each other in a better sort of living. O! how decent, and how delightful would it be, to see mankind, the creation of one God that hath upheld them to this day, of one accord, at least in the weighty things of God's holy law! 'Tis for want of practice, and not of prate, that hath made way for all the incharity and ill-living that are in the world. No matter what men say, if the devil keep the house. Let the grace of God, the principle of divine life, (as a great man lately called it in his speech,) but be heartily and reverently entertained of men, that teaches to deny all ungodliness, and converse soberly, righteously and godly in this present world, and it is not to be doubted, that tranquillity, at least, a very amicable correspondence, will follow. Men are not to be reputed good by their opinions or professions of religion; neither is the "depart from me" directed to any but the workers of iniquity; and truly it is high time that men should give better testimony of their christianity, for cruelty hath no share in Christ's religion, and coercion upon conscience is utterly inconsistent with the very nature of his kingdom. He rebuked that zeal, that would have fire come down from heaven, though it came from his own disciples, and forbade them to pluck up the tares, though none had a more gentle or infallible hand to do it with.. And lastly, instead of being uncharitable, severe and cruel, for modifications, let the debates about them sleep, and general and practical religion be promoted. That which receives an amen in every man's conscience from this principle of divine life in every breast; that all agree in the most weighty doctrines; and that Mr. Marsh has in his possession more than eight hundred foot-prints of birds and quadrupeds, besides having furnished many specimens to others, in this and other countries. In some cases these specimens are so distinct as not only to show the joints of the toes, but the perfect impression of the skin. He has perfect tracks of quadrupeds so small that a half dime will cover the whole foot, and again others of birds where the foot measures half a yard from the toe to the heel, so that if the birds which made them were proportioned like those we now have, they must have stood twenty feet high! He has sometimes followed the track of a bird thirty or forty feet in the rock, the track being at first faint, as if on hard soil; then more distinct, as if imprinted on the sand at the water's edge, and finally sinking into the mud and disappearing in the water. He has one slab four or five inches thick, on which the tracks appear as mere straight lines upon the surface; but on splitting it into five layers they grow more and more distinct, till the lower slab shows where the foot rested, just as if when the stone was in a state of mud, the bird trod down to the bottom of it, and on withdrawing the foot the mud closed up. Among these tracks are many very unlike to those made by any known animals, but still so marked as to leave no doubt that animals made | examine the tendency of the influence which we them. A sort of kangaroo, for example, shows exercise, and inquire whether we can, with a clear very small fore feet and very large hind ones. conscience, assume the responsibility of the conOf this the Journal of Science gives a striking sequence ? cut.-N. American. FRIENDS' REVIEW. PHILADELPHIA, NINTH MONTH 30, 1848. If we feel in ourselves a disposition to speak ill of an acquaintance, it may be prudent to reflect upon the injury which we may inflict, and the encouragement which our example may afford to the spirit of detraction, and to enquire whether we are The story inserted in our last number, page 15, willing to take the responsibility of the conseunder the title of "The Responsibility," has sug-quences which may follow if we indulge the progested a few reflections, which may be introduced with as much propriety in this, as in immediate connection with the incident itself. There are probably very few who would willing ly assume the responsibility of transforming a virtuous and temperate young man into a degraded bacchanalian. If it could be certainly foreseen that a temperate and respectable youth would, by partaking of a particular glass, be turned into a course which would quickly lead to habits of beastly intoxication, we may fairly presume that scarcely any one would willingly assume the responsibility of offering that glass. Yet the man who makes a business of selling intoxicating drink to all who choose to purchase it, must be aware that the article which he freely dispenses, must, in the nature of things, lead many of his customers into habits of intemperance. He does not know what individual will be ruined; but would it be less criminal to throw a stone from the top of a building into a crowded street, without knowing on whose head it would fall, than to aim at a particular object? Habits of intemperance are usually acquired by almost insensible degrees, and no one can certainly tell, when he invites a friend or a customer to a social glass, whether that may not lead to the most degrading of vices; and if it may be productive of such results, can any one safely try the experiment? Many persons, with the usual quantum of resolution, have by indulging in the temperate use of intoxicating liquors, gradually lost their strength, and sunk into the slavery of ebriety. And since what has happened may occur again, it would be wise, before indulging in the temperate use of the fascinating cup, to inquire whether we are willing to incur the responsibility of beginning a practice which may very possibly terminate in the prostration of the powers both of body and mind, which were conferred for the noblest of purposes,-to be employed for the honour of the Giver and the benefit of our fellow-men. But there are serious responsibilities which may be incurred or assumed where intoxicating liquor is not concerned. Every person, of ordinary intellect, possesses an influence, for evil or good, within a definite sphere. Would it not be well, often to pensity. The person who makes a jest of religion, and of serious subjects, particularly in the presence of the young, is probably seldom aware of the dangers to which he is exposing his hearers. Satire is commonly a more potent enemy to truth than argument, and may often be applied with effect to shake a pious resolution, which no argument could disturb. It would therefore be advisable, before a propen sity to speak lighty of serious things is indulged, to reflect whether it is safe to assume the responsi bility of preparing a listener to occupy the seat of the scornful. There is a species of responsibility which every one who makes an open profession of religion, necessarily assumes. This is intimated by the Apostolic injunction, "Let every one that taketh the name of Christ, depart from iniquity." When a high religious profession is not supported by a corresponding example, the profession becomes a stumbling block to the weak, and furnishes occasion to the loose and irreligious, to denounce all appearance of sanctity as hypocritical pretence. It was mentioned in the last number, that our friends George and Susan Howland arrived in Liverpool on the 20th of last month. We may further add that they had a passage of 10 days and 8 hours from Boston-said to be the shortest outward passage heretofore made. They attended Liverpool Meeting on the same day of their arrival, and left there for Kendal, on the 26th, accompanied by Thomas Thompson; intending to visit the northern counties of Scotland, before the setting in of winter. Subscribers to the Review can have their copies bound by leaving their numbers with the Publisher, at his office. Other books, also, will be bound to order. MARRIED, At Friends' Meeting House, New Garden, Chester County, on Fourth day, the 20th inst., JOHN NEWLIN, of Delaware county, to RUTHANNA, daughter of Jacob Taylor, all of Pennsylvania. DIED,-On the 15th inst., at the residence of her sou in law, William Rhoads, in Delaware County, Pa., ESTHER LEVIS, in the 78th year of her age; an Elder of Chester Monthly Meeting. BIBLE ASSOCIATION OF FRIENDS IN John Richardson has been appointed Agent of the Bible Association of Friends in America, in place of George W. Taylor, resigned. WEST TOWN SCHOOL. The Committee to superintend the boarding school at West Town will meet there, on Sixth day, the 6th of next month, at 10 o'clock, A. M. The Committee on instruction meet at the School on the preceding evening, at 7 o'clock. The Visiting Committee to attend the semiannual examination, commencing on Third day morning, the 3d of 10th month. THOMAS KIMBER, Clerk. Philadelphia, 9th mo. 23d, 1848.-2t. FREE GROWN COTTON. (Concluded from page 11.) "Hollysprings, (Miss.) 2d mo. 7th, 1848. "In my last I mentioned some free labour gins that we expected to visit; we accordingly did so, and here with send an account of 383 bales." "We were advised to call on a Baptist minister. He has a gin and two slaves, but was bold to denounce the system before we told our business, and says he intends to liberate them as soon as he can make arrangements to do so. He had bought them from a cruel master, and thought in so doing he would be justified; but he does not feel so. When we told him what arrangements we wanted to make to procure free cotton, he understood it immediately, and is anxious to enter into it with us. His neighbourhood is a good one to operate in, having but few slaves in it. He says many of his neighbours are of the same sentiment with himself, and he thinks the cultivation of free cotton will increase there. If you engage with himhe will not allow his slaves-one of whom is a housewoman-wife of the other-to touch the cotton while it is ginning and preparing, until he secures their emancipation. He thinks he can get several hundred bales in Tishamingo and Tippah Counties, (Miss.,) if you should think proper to employ him to collect. I inquired into his character, and the people of Ripley told me he could get the best security to any amount for the correct performance of any thing he promised to do. I hope you will attend to him; he needs kind and brotherly treatment, and I trust he will be useful to the cause. His gin is now worked entirely by white labourers." worked by free labour. He, at first, laughed at On board Steamboat Saladin-from Memphis he can. Though he is a slaveholder, he sees the consistency of our testimony. 66 -, a slaveholder, has rendered me efficient aid in prosecuting my business: he has an extensive acquaintance in the south, and gave me names and introduced me to persons of congenial feeling. He has emancipated some of his slaves, and intends to clear himself, this season, of the system. a slaveholder, who lives near (Miss.,) was raised amongst Friends in Wayne County, (North Carolina,) is now a high professing Methodist. He esteems Friends and their testimonies very highly, and is not satisfied in holding slaves, but intends to come out of it. He sees the consistency of our testimony, and, having a water cotton gin, says if we will trust to him, he will gin all the free cotton in his neighbourhood himself, hire white men to bale it, and give what encouragement he a slaveholdercan to our cause. of same post office, but in another settlement— formerly a merchant of N. Alabama, has traded to Philadelphia. He became acquainted with Friends there and attended their meeting. He fully understands our course, and its consistency, and says that no southern gentlemen of good understanding will object to our undertaking.Non-Slaveholder. From Chambers's Journal. (Concluded from page 13.) Having accompanied the tube thus far on its progress, we may now pause before proceeding to relate the method of its elevation, and detail a few necessary particulars as to its construction. The tube is formed of wrought-iron plates from 4 to 8 feet long, and 2 feet wide. The thickness of those plates which enter into the formation of the sides is toward the extremities diminished to five-eighths of an inch. These plates are rivetted firmly together to T-angle iron ribs on both sides of the joints. The beautiful regularity of the rivets gives the tube somewhat the character of a regular ornament. We have been informed that this appearance is due to the "We have made an arrangement with ingenious manner in which the plates were a Methodist minister, and owner of a gin punched. The number of holes necessary to be |