JAMAICA.
249
which it is difficult to conceive any thing more objec tionable. The Custos, who was present during the subsequent part of the proceedings, felt called upon, though himself a planter, to reprove the Special Ma gistrate for omitting to enquire of the prisoners what they had to say in defence, and for inveigling them by his questions into self-crimination. We had the pleasure during our stay at Savanna la Mar, of seeing nearly all the Baptist missionaries in the island, who were assembled at the meeting of their annual association. It was truly a pleasure to us toi meet again some of these estimable men, and to make | the acquaintance of others, whom we had not previously known. We availed ourselves of the opportunity to obtain from them some statistical information relative to the state of education in connection with their con gregations.* They also addressed to us the following \ letter on the subject of the apprenticeship :— |
"Savanna
la Mar, March lOth, 1837.
I
is with feelings of sincere plea- ; sure that we welcome you to the shores of Jamaica, more especially on account of the generous and bene volent object of your mission. Several of us have | labored in this island for many years, and have wit- j nessed the horrors of slavery, and the oppressions and sufferings of the slaves. We lent our feeble efforts with the thousands of British Christians in England to j accomplish the destruction of the cruel system, and j sincerely rejoiced in the passing of that Act which pro- \ fessed to abolish slavery in every part of the British West Indies ; though we deeply regretted the inter" GENTLEMEN,—It
*See Appendix F, Sec. viii.