Bounce, as treason.

the statement of Mr. B. before an assembly most of whom had heard him only a few days before distinctly charge Mr. Knibb with misprision of treason when in the island, and pour out a volley of abuse upon that gentleman. But, when in the presence of the friend and defender of Mr. Knibb, he very conveniently forgot all this. The whirlwind had sunk into a zephyr, and the braggadocio into the gentleness of the lamb.

"Mr. Borthwick having thus himself narrowed his charges against Mr. Knibb simply and solely to the question of whether he had or had not, since his return from Jamaica, delivered speeches in this country of a treasonable tendency; it is quite unnecessary for us to go into the particular refutations by Mr. K. on Saturday, of the averments previously made by Mr. Borthwick implicating his (Mr. K.'s) character while in Jamaica. With regard to the speeches alleged to have been made by Mr. Knibb at Reading, at Stroud, and particularly at Edinburgh, and which (Mr. B. had said) were, if truly reported, treasonous, Mr. Knibb now declared, that they were either inaccurately stated, as at Stroud and Reading, or his remarks were simply hypothetical, as at Edinburgh. What he had said at the Scottish metropolis was this: that he knew the man who had planned the insurrection; and had he been a Grecian hero or a Polish nobleman, he had no doubt an English audience would consider that he deserved to have an imperishable monument erected to his memory.' 22 Mr. K. then proceeded to the charge which his opponent had made upon the black Baptist leaders, of having, alone, originated the reand which he utterly denied, averring that there was not a single Baptist leader engaged in the plot: and in proof that the Wesleyan Missionaries were equally the objects of hatred with the planters, as were the Baptists, he actually exhibited to the meeting the neckerchief which was worn by Mr. Bleby, the Wesleyan Missionary, at the time when they tarred and feathered him, and attempted to set him on fire; [it bore upon it the relics of the tar; and the exhibition caused an extraordinary sensation in the room.] Mr. Knibbs then detailed the great exertions which he made to arrest the progress of the rebellion; adduced a variety of testimonials from persons of the highest credibility in Jamaica in proof of the excellence of his own character and conduct; and adverted to the now well-known infamous means which had been taken to criminate Mr. Burchell and himself. He then went on to say, "Out of 893 members

bellion;

tried for being concerned in the rebellion; and notwithstanding all the hue and cry that had been raised against the Baptists; and notwithstanding all the zeal to obtain witnesses, they could not produce sufficient proof to hang one of them, though many were hanged on very slight evidence." The Rev. Missionary then proceeded to show, that immediate emancipation was both practicable and safe; dilated upon the cruel and horrible punishments inflicted upon the negroes, including the flogging even of pregnant women and of men for praying, and other enormities; upon the miserable quality and insufficient quantity of the slaves' food (consisting, as it frequently does, of herrings in a putrid state); their excessive labour; and, after exposing various other features of the horrid and revolting system of slavery, called upon the meeting never to cease from their efforts till the negro was raised to his proper place in the family of man.

"Before he sat down, Mr. Knibb produced and exhibited to the meeting, a most extraordinary instrument-an iron collar, which had been taken off a slave's neck, in the island of St. Lucia, by Mr. Jeremie, and given by him to Dr. Lushington, who presented it to Mr. Knibb. The history of the collar was this:When Mr. Jeremie was in St. Lucia, he determined to try the experiment of abolishing the use of the whip. Mr. Jeremie says, that scarcely was this new law promulgated, when a slave came before him, with a collar rivetted round his neck, from which projected three prongs ten inches in length, attached to a chain reaching to fetters round his legs; his back and limbs were whealed from neck to foot, and he said that he had been kept in that state for several months: and, on inquiry, Mr. Jeremie found that the man had' not been convicted of any crime, nor even charged with any crime, but was fettered thus solely to prevent his running away! And on this estate, three other slaves were found, whealed, fettered, and chained, in the same manner; and an old woman in a dungeon, covered with scars, and bowed down with manacles, in which state she had been kept for two years! This is Mr. Jeremie's own account. The exhibition of this instrument of torture produced a sensation of horror in the meeting.

"Mr. Knibb sat down amidst tremendous applause.

"Mr. Borthwick followed his opponent through as much of his speech as the frequent interruptions he met with from an assembly, the greater part of which was indignant at his statements, would allow of. Mr. B. maintained that Mr. K.'s object in

his speech at Reading, was, to enlist the feelings of the people of England against the planters; and argued, that there was a manifest inconsistency, not in terms only, but in meaning, between Mr. Knibb's assertions at Reading and London, and in his evidence before the Committee of the House of Lords. At the meetings in Reading and London, said Mr. B, he alleged that he had seen many instances of cruelty in the West Indies : while, before the Lords' Committee, he confessed that he had not seen many.' [This had been explained by Mr. Knibb, by observing that, when before the Lords' Committee, he had been asked both as to what he had seen and heard ; and that his reply, that he had not seen many instances of hanging during the insurrection, and of the flogging of women at other times, was perfectly reconcilable with the fact of his having heard of many such instances: but having no taste for such exhibitions, he had not actually seen many.'] Mr. B.'s great point, however, was the production of two affidavits from Edinburgh, wherein the deponents allege that, at the public meeting at Edinburgh alluded to in the Evening Post newspaper of that city, he spoke the words respecting the man who planned the insurrection in Jamaica deserving a monument to his memory, without any hypothetical qualification; and Mr. B. maintained, that, as such, they were simply and plainly rebellious. Mr. Borthwick also referred to the evidence of slaves who were convicted of participating in the late rebellion, for the purpose of fixing the origination of it upon the Baptist leaders; and went into much other matter, which, as in the case of his reverend opponent, we are obliged to omit.

"Towards the close of his address, the company became either very impatient or very indignant with Mr. Borthwick, and frequently interrupted him; in consequence, a quarter of an hour of additional time was allowed him for speaking, in the course of which, several other interruptions occurred.

"At the expiration of that time (a quarter after 4), the West India party loudly protested that neither Mr. Knibb nor Mr. Price should he heard in rejoinder, because, as they alleged, Mr. Borthwick had not been allowed a fair and quiet hearing. To this Mr. K. said he had come more than 300 miles for the purpose of vindicating his character; that he could not help the interruptions which had taken place; and that he claimed, as a matter of justice, to be heard. The appeal, was, however, not listened to; and, on Mr. K. endeavouring to commence his rejoinder, a scene of the most horrid discord ensued between the opposing parties, which perfectly beggars description. In vain did

the Chairman interpose - Mr. Borthwick's party were determined, by noise and clamour, to prevent Mr. Knibb's being any more heard; and as it was absolutely impossible, from the hubbub, that the Chairman could take the sense of the Meeting upon the merits of the discussion, he was necessitated to declare the Meeting dissolved. By far the greater part of the West Indians soon afterwards left the room and the platform. Mr. William Hunt was then called to the chair; and succeeded in obtaining silence. He contended that the assembly had possessed the right of expressing their disapprobation with either of the disputants, in whatever way they chose to adopt, without that expression of disapproval at all compromising Mr. Knibb's right to rejoin, if he thought proper.

"Mr. Knibb then again addressed the Meeting. With reference to the affidavits from Edinburgh, which Mr. Borthwick had read to them, all he could say was, to repeat his former declaration, that he had used his words in question hypothetically; and that he had no doubt he could procure counter allegations, if time were allowed him. He maintained that his opponent had not disproved one of his principal statements respecting negro slavery; such as the flogging of women, the liability of separation of the dearest connections, the fitness of the slave for immediate freedom, &c. &c Mr. Borthwick had never been in the West Indies; while he (Mr. K.) had seen all to which he had testified. His opponent had said, that, had it not been for the discrepancy of slave evidence, he (Mr. K.) would have been hanged: now he (Mr. K.) had never been tried at all! In this case, a nolle prosequi had been entered.

"The Rev. T. Spencer (Rector of Hinton), then shortly addressed the assembly. He said this was not a sectarian question; it was one which involved the interests of Christianity itself. The hatred of the Colonists against the Baptists was caused simply by their faithfully discharging their duty as ministers of the gospel: if clergymen of the Church of England were to go out to the colonies, and be equally faithful in preaching the pure gospel, they would be as violently persecuted as the Baptists; indeed, it was notorious that the colonists had as decidedly objected to the labours of 'evangelical' Ministers of the Establishment, as they had to those of the Baptists.

"The Rev. Mr. Price, Baptist Minister, of London, congratulated the Meeting on the present aspect of the Anti-Slavery cause. His Majesty's enlightened administration were with them, and only needed, he believed, the support of the British public to do justice to the slave; and he trusted that, so soon as

was nowW

Had

the subject should be announced in Parliament, the people would immediately cover the table of the House with petitions. In a word, he hoped that the people of England would never more remit their exertions until they should hear the funeral dirge of slavery --that accursed system which waging war with Christianity itself. time allowed, he could, from official documents, have answered every one of Mr. Borthwick's statements which remained unnoticed. Mr. He would only allude to one. B. had said to-day, that the only thing the planters required was, not a compensation in money, but in the safety of the slave. Now he held in his hand the petition of the Committee of the crown colonies, of the present year, in which they distinctly ask for a full pecuniary compensation for the slave! "Mr. Blair also urged the Meeting never to lose sight of immediate emancipation, as an act of pure justice. Depend on it,' said Mr. B., 'gradual emancipation means perpetual bondage."

"The Chairman now put it to the Meeting, in the most distinct terms, whether they considered that Mr. Knibb had met and disproved all the charges that had been brought against him by Mr. Borthwick. The question was met by the unanimous response of the whole assembly, the wavingof handkerchiefs, and other marks of cordial approval.

The Chairman congratulated the Meeting upon the unanimous decision to which they had come, on the momentous question, as to whether a Christian Missionary had been guilty of fomenting rebellion.

"The Meeting was then closed with three cheers for Mr. Knibb, three for Mr. Price, and as many groans for Mr. Borthwick and Colonial Slavery.*

DAY FOR UNITED AND SPECIAL PRAYER.

In consequence of the persecution of the Missionaries and Churches in Jamaica, the boards of Baptist and Congregational ministers in London, have agreed to unite with their brethren of the Countess of Huntingdon and Tabernacle connexions, in earnestly recommending to their brethren, through the kingdom, the observance of Wednesday, the 16th of January, as a day of public and special prayer to Almighty God, for the deliverance of his servants, the enlargement of his kingdom, and the merciful forgiveness of their adversaries. Signed in behalf of the whole, J. B. SHENSTON, A. TIDMAN, J. CAMPBELL.

We understand that a pamphlet containing a full report of this meeting is preparing for publication.

ASSOCIATION, &c.

BERKS AND WEST LONDON ASSOCIATION.

West Drayton, Tuesday afternoon, September 11th.

At a preliminary meeting brother Tyso was chosen moderator.

Three o'clock. Public worship com-
Brother Hawson prayed.

menced. Letters from the churches were read. Brother Hinton addressed the meeting on the state of the churches, and concluded in prayer. Ministers and messengers remained for business.

Brother

Resolved 1st. That the next Association be held at Datchet, on Tuesday and Wednesday the 10th and 11th of September, 1833. to expound. Brother Uppadine to preach. Brother Broad to prepare the circular letter; subject, "Prayer Meetings."

Resolved 2ndly. That this Association contemplates with deep regret the pernicious influence of intemperate habits on the state of society, and earnestly commends to the attention of the churches the principles of Temperance Societies.

Resolved 3dly. That this Association tenderly sympathises with the thousands of their Christian brethren and sisters in Jamaica, suffering persecution for the name of the Lord Jesus, and strongly asserts the immediate and indispensable obligation of the abolition of slavery, under shelter of which such attrocious cruelties are perpetrated.

Evening, half-past six. Brother Broad prayed: brother Coles preached from Psalm xviii. 30. Brother Bailey concluded in prayer.

Wednesday morning, six. Met for prayer. Brethren Thomas, Ross, Wilmhurst, (Messengers), Belcher and Hinton, (Ministers), were engaged.

Nine o'clock. The circular letter drawn up by brother Bailey was read and ordered to be printed.

brother Belcher prayed, brother Tyso preached Eleven o'clock. Met for public worship,

from 1 Pet. i. 13. Brother Hawson from Acts ix. 31.

By particular request brother Broad preached at Harmondsworth in the afternoon. Evening, six o'clock. Brother Hinton preached on the green, from 1 John iv. 10.

Collections were made in aid of the Home Missionary Fund amounting to about 51.

F 2