Trinidad.
To his Exccellency Sir Ralph Jamevs Woodford, Bart., (lovernor ::nd Commander-in-Chief in and over the said island and its dependencies, Vice-Admiral of the same, &c. W'e, rour petitiouers, his Dlajesty's loyal and dutiful subjects the' free inhabitants of tbe island ef Trirnidad, respectfully approach $ntxr Excellency. m WVe have read with grief and dismay the draught of an O ,% Council, laid hb his Majesty's M inisters before both Houses of Pailia- mnem, on the iSth eay of Miarch last, and declared to be intended for the improvement of the condition of the slares in this colony. Wtle recogai7e, to the fullest extent, the power of the Crown, founded upon those principles of British justice which have secured to the meanest subject of the realm the undisturbed enioyment and use of his propertY, until he has received faU and fair compensation. WVe are sincerely itmpressed with a grateful sense of our gracious Sovereign's beneficent intentions. WVe dutifullv symrpathize with lhis roval wish to ineliorate the condition ard promote the mnoral improvetment of the negroes, by adopting measures in which due regard shall be paid to considerations of justice-which, by temr pering zeal with caution may leai to practical good-which, with_ oult hazarding the fortunes and the safety ff any classes of his dajesty's subjects, tnlay promote the welfare of the slaves and that of their employers. Wc appeal fearlessly to yoar Excellency to witncest, that every heart in Xthis island beats in unison v ith this his royal wish: thast these his roval words infused joy nd gladness into the breast of every inihabitant of the Colony. Ani3imated bv loyalty and bh gratitude, we feel it to be our first dutv to aid in promoting tbese his gracious intentions, and to op. pose ourselves to every Obstacle whieb mav tend todiesappoint his be. neticetit views. Actuated by these sestiments only, we, the free inhabitants of the colony of Trinidad, respectfully beg leave to ex press to your Exc Ilency our solemn conviction, that the executiorn of thie whole provisions and clauses of the aforesaid O-rder in Coien. Uil wiU inevitably prove ruinous to tlhe property of the mnaster; in. j1rious and demoralizing to the slave; peculiarly hazardous to the lives of the free coloured inhabitants, under part Of thte 3fiti clause of that order andc totaUy subversive of our gracious Sovereign's i-CS ni neintentions. We, your petitioners, therefore humbly nray that your Excel.. (SEB SUPPLEMifrQr.) lene'. 'eflCYiil.be:gracyous11 pleas bd, undet thc-authority ,vested in you by.the4Va.Dos .ia ~rce,t to stay the promulgation and the ex? cc~atiolSof iAh~pf ip sed~ Order int Coancil until a lrue reprc. nen aflfeWbt i &effiegS mau be mnde ao his to iaJesty's M.inislers, 20 b4:la~iL,t the f9ot,oit the-thrpe~for his !1i&jesty'a gmtcious con- sideratlon. And by so doing your Excetllt wi11 avert that catastrophe WWiCh rust otherwise involvy every clasa in this colony in one com- mon ruIn, nnd will deserve~the incerea~nd grateful thanks of a loyal and afFectionate community. TRINIDAD. PR'rTTrlON