sion for the religious instruction of the slaves in his Majesty's island of Trinidad, and for the improvement of their condition: and, whereas, on the 7th day of September, 1825, an ordinance for the religious instruction of slaves in his Majesty's united colonies of Demerara and Essequibo, was enacted by the lieutenant-governor and Court of Policy of the said colonies: and, whereas, on the 25th day of September, 1826, an ordinance for promoting the religious instruction, and bettering the state and condition of the slave-population in his Majesty's colony of Berbice, was enacted by the lieutenant-governor and the council of government of that colony: and, whereas, on the 8th of February, 1826, an ordinance was enacted by the governor of his Majesty's island of St. Lucia, with the advice of the council of government of the said island, for the better government of slaves in St. Lucia, and for improving their condition: and, whereas, on the 19th day of June, 1826, an ordinance was enacted by the lieutenant-governor of the colony of the Cape of Good Hope in council, for improving the condition of the slaves at the Cape of Good Hope: and, whereas, on the 7th day of February, 1829, an ordinance was passed and enacted by the governor of his Majesty's island of Mauritius, in council, for imcouncil, for improving the condition of slaves in that island and its dependencies: and, whereas, in the said colonies, or some of them, laws and ordinances, or proclamations, have been enacted for the explanation or amendment of the order of his

Majesty in council, and the several ordinances herein before mentioned, or some of them : and, whereas, on the 5th day of February, 1827, there were laid before his Majesty in council, four petitions from various proprietors and mortgagees of estates in the colonies of Demerara and Berbice, praying that no order in council might issue, allowing the slaves in Demerara to purchase their freedom without the concurrence of their masters; and that so much of the order so passed as aforesaid by the lieutenant-governor and council in Berbice, as allows slaves so to do in that colony, might be rescinded: and, whereas, on the said 5th day of February, 1827, his Majesty was pleased to refer the consideration of the said petitions to a committee of his privy council, and the said committee having proceeded to take the said petitions into their consideration, and having heard what was alleged on the behalf of the said petitioners, did, on the 18th day of March, 1829, report to his Majesty in council their opinion, that no sufficient cause had been shown, why his Majesty should rescind so much of the said ordinance of the said lieutenant-governor of Berbice in council, as enables the slaves within the said colony to effect the purchase of their freedom, upon an appraisement, in cases where the owners of any such slaves might not be consenting, or by reason of some legal disability, might be unable to give any valid consent to such purchase; and that it might be expedient for his Majesty in his privy council to issue an order, confirming and giving effect to the said ordinance of the

said lieutenant-governor in council, with such modifications, with a view to the more effectual execution thereof, as might appear advisable, regard being had to the laws of the said colony, which laws his Majesty had been graciously pleased to preserve and maintain and, whereas, on the 18th day of March, 1829, his Majesty, with the advice of his privy council, was graciously pleased to confirm and approve the said report: and, whereas, it is expedient that the laws for improving the condition of the slaves, within the said several colonies, should be uniform, so far as may be practicable, due regard being had to the local circumstances and peculiar laws of the said colonies respectively; and it is therefore expedient to revoke the said order of his Majesty in council, of the 10th day of March, 1824, and the several laws, ordinances, and proclamations, so passed and enacted as aforesaid in the said several colonies, and to consolidate, and bring into one law, applicable to all the said colonies, such provisions as it is necessary to make for improving the condition of the slaves therein. It is, therefore, hereby ordered by the king's most excellent Majesty, by and with the advice of his privy council, that the said order of his Majesty in council, of the 10th day of March, 1824, and the said ordinance of the lieutenant-governor and Court of Policy of Demerara, of the 7th day of September, 1825; and the said ordinance of the lieutenantgovernor and council of the colony of Berbice, of the 25th day of September, 1826; and the said ordinance of the governor in council, of St Lucia, of the 8th of

February, 1826; and the said ordinance of the lieutenant-governor of the colony of the Cape of Good Hope, of the 19th day of June, 1826; and the said ordinance of the governor in council, of Mauritius, of the 7th day of February, 1829, together with all laws, ordinances, and proclamations,

passed, enacted, or promulgated within the said several colonies, or any of them, for the explanation or amendment of the said order in council, of the 10th day of March, 1824, and of the said several ordinances, or any of them, shall be, and the same are hereby respectively revoked, repealed, and annulled; provided, nevertheless, that the said repeal shall not take effect within any of the said colonies, until this present order shall, in manner hereinafter mentioned, have been duly promulgated, and made known in such colony; provided, also, that notwithstanding the repeal of the said order in council of the 10th of March, 1824, and of the several ordinances, laws, and proclamations aforesaid, all crimes or offences committed against the same, or any of them, and all fines, penalties, and forfeitures incurred under the same, or any of them, shall continue liable to be punished, sued for, recovered and applied in such and the same manner, as if this present order had not been made; and that all rights of what nature or kind soever, which under and by virtue of the said order in council of the 10th of March, 1824, and of the said several ordinances, laws, and proclamations, or any of them, had actually accrued to, and become invested in, any slave or slaves, or other person or persons, before or at the time of such

repeal as aforesaid, shall be preserved to, and continue vested in, such slave or slaves, or other person or persons, as fully and effectually in all respects as though this present order had not been made.

"2. And it is further ordered, that within each of the said several colonies of Trinidad, Demerara, Berbice, St. Lucia, the Cape of Good Hope, and Mauritius, there shall be an officer, to be called the Protector of Slaves, who shall hold such his office at his Majesty's pleasure, and shall from time to time be appointed to the same by his Majesty; provided, nevertheless, that any person now holding the office of Protector of Slaves in any of the said colonies, under the said order in council of the 10th of March, 1824, or under the said ordinances, or any of them, shall, without any new or further appointment, be and become the Protector of Slaves in such colony, as fully to all intents and purposes, as if he had been appointed to such his office under and in pursuance of this present order.

"3. And it is further ordered, that each of the said Protectors of Slaves shall receive such a salary as his Majesty shall be pleased to appoint; and that before any such Protector shall enter upon the duties of such his office, he shall appear before the governor of the colony to which he may be so appointed, in whose presence he shall take and subscribe an oath, which such governor is hereby required to administer in the following terms: 'I, A. B., do swear that I will, to the best of my knowledge and ability, faithfully execute and perform the duties of the office of

favour, or partiality. So help me God.'

"4. And it is further ordered, that the said Protector of Slaves shall establish and keep an office in the principal town, or seat of government, in each of the said colonies respectively, and shall regularly attend at such office on such days, and during such hours of the day, as the governor of the colony, by any general or special order, to be by him for that purpose issued, may appoint, and shall at such office, and not elsewhere, keep, deposit, and preserve, the several records, books, papers, and writings, hereinafter directed to be kept by him.

"5. And it is further ordered, that no Protector of Slaves shall himself be the owner of any slave, nor have any share or interest in, or any mortgage or security upon, any slave, nor be the proprietor of, nor have any share, or interest, or mortgage, or security, upon any land cultivated by the labour of slaves; and he is, hereby, declared to be incompetent to be, or to act as the manager, overseer, agent, or attorney of, for, or upon, any plantation, or estate, within the colony to which he may be so appointed; and in case any such Protector of Slaves shall acquire, have, hold, or possess, either in his own right, or in right of his wife, or as guardian of, or in trust for, any other person or persons, any slave, or any land cultivated by the labour of slaves, or any share or interest in, or any mortgage or security upon any such land or slaves, or shall act as such manager, overseer, agent, attorney, guardian, trustee, or executor, as aforesaid,

he shall thenceforth, de facto, cease to be such Protector of Slaves, and forfeit such his salary, and some other fit and proper person shall forthwith be appointed to succeed to his said office; provided, nevertheless, that all acts which may be done by, or by the order of any such Protector of Slaves, after any such avoidance, as aforesaid, of such his office, and before the same shall, by public notice in the gazette of the colony to which he had been appointed, be declared void, shall be as valid and effect ual in the law as if no such avoidance had occurred: provided that nothing herein contained shall prevent any such Protector of Slaves from hiring and employing any number of such hired slaves, for and in the domestic service of him self, or any members of his family, if it shall be first made to appear by such Protector, to the satisfaction of the governor of the colony to which he may belong, that it is not in his power to hire free persons to perform such domestic services.

6. And it is further ordered, that every such Protector of Slaves shall, at all times, be resident within the colony to which he shall have been appointed, and shall not quit the same without a special license, to be granted for that purpose by his Majesty, through one of his principal secretaries of state. Provided, nevertheless, that if it shall be made to appear to the governor of any such colony, as aforesaid, that the absence of the Protector of Slaves of such colony is essential to his health, then, and not otherwise, such governor may grant to such Protector a leave of absence for any time not exceeding twelve months in the Cape of Good Hope and Mauritius, not exceeding six

months in the colonies of Trinidad, St. Lucia, Demerara, and Berbice.

"7. And it is further ordered, that upon the death, suspension, removal, or resignation, of any such Protector of Slaves, or in the event of the bodily or mental incapacity of any such Protector, or during his absence from the colony to which he may have been appointed, it shall be lawful for the governor of such colony to appoint some other person to act as Protector of Slaves until his Majesty's pleasure shall be known; and any such interim Protector shall receive such allowance, to be deducted from the salary of the Protector, if living, as the governor for the time being of such colony shall appoint: provided always, that no person shall be so appointed, or shall act in any of the colonies aforesaid, by virtue of such appointment, who, according to the provisions of this order, would be incompetent to act as Protector of Slaves, unless it shall appear to the governor of such colony that a proper person, duly qualified, and willing to act as such, cannot be found; and all persons so appointed shall, during their continuance in any such office, have, exercise, and enjoy, all and every the powers hereby vested in the Protectors of Slaves, and shall be subject and liable to all such rules, regulations, and penalties, as are hereby made and provided with respect to such Protectors: provided, also, that all Protectors of Slaves in the said colonies shall, at all times, perform their duty in person, and not by deputy.

"8. And it is hereby further ordered, that Assistant-Protectors of Slaves shall be appointed by the governors of the said several colonies respectively, in each of the

districts thereof, and such Assistant-Protectors shall, and are hereby required, in their several districts, to be assisting to the respective Protectors of Slaves of the said colonies in the execution of the powers hereby committed to them, and for that purpose to obey and carry into execution such lawful instructions as they may, from time to time, receive from such Protectors of Slaves respectively, in relation to the matters herei contained, or any of them.

"9. And it is hereby further ordered, that no Protector or Assistant-Protector of Slaves, within the said colonies, shall be competent to act as a magistrate or other wise, for the decision of any complaint preferred by or against a slave, or for the punishment of any offence committed by or against any slave.

"10. And it is further ordered, that in all actions, suits, and prosecutions, which may at any time hereafter be brought or commenced in any tribunal or court of justice, within any of the said colonies, wherein any slave may be charged with any offence punishable by death or transportation, or wherein any question may arise as to the right of any alleged slave to freedom, or wherein any person may be charged with the murder of any slave, or with any offence against the person of any slave, or wherein any question may arise respecting the right of any slave to any such property, as he or she is hereinafter declared competent to acquire; then, and in every such case, such notice shall be given to

the Protector, or Assistant-Protector of Slaves, for the district in which such accused slave may be resident, of every such action, suit, or prosecution, as, according to the law of such colony, would be given to the said slave, if he or she were of free condition; and such Protector, or Assistant-Protector, shall, and is hereby required to, be present at the trial, and all other the proceedings in every such action, suit, or prosecution, as the Protector of such slave, and on his or her behalf.

"11. And it is hereby further ordered, that if complaint shall be made to any such Protector, or Assistant-Protector as aforesaid, of any wrong or injury inflicted upon, or received by, any slave within the respective colonies aforesaid, or if it shall come to his knowledge that any such wrong or injury hath been so inflicted or received, it shall be the duty of such Protector or Assistant-Protector to inquire into the circumstances of the case, and if, in the result of such inquiry, it shall appear expedient to such Protector or Assistant-Protector, that a civil action be brought, or a criminal proceeding instituted, against any person or persons in respect of any such wrong or injury, it shall be his duty, and he is hereby required, to institute a civil action or a criminal proceeding, as the case may be, against any such offender or wrong-doer, and to conduct such action or proceeding to its close by himself, or any advocate or solicitor to be by him employed for that purpose."