It gives us some satisfac...
It gives us some satisfaction to see, that instead of the ubbiles and irmpostures lately presented to the public in the guise of schemes for making money, the genius of specu- lation begins at length to aspire after objects which. can- not be fairly disapproved; aRd to call into its service the weight and authority of names which are uniiversally re- spected. We have long wished that our West India colo. nies sbould be looked at as affording somewhat more than a theme for controversy and a source of irritation between parties who are each, we verily believe, disposed to serve that general interest, with regard to which they have ne. vc-theless cmbraced such opposite and inconsistent theories. It is long since we predicted, that if means could be disco- vered for ameliorating the condition of the West India Planters themselves, such a change would be necessarily followed by an accession of comfort, intelligence, rnorality, and eventual freedom to the Negroes. Distressed masters seldom fail to visit, in some shape or other, their.own Mis- fortunes on their slaves. Starving and over-working are the sure symptoms of au embarrassed property: . flogging is resorted to as the natural expedient for stimulatitg the la-. bous of te veak, and for stifiing the murirurs of the #retched. Thus m k&iprocaea1setween the oppressor tud the oppressed; and in such a state of calamity, it is itleasta doubtful undertaking to attempt the cure, without striving to mitigate the predisposing causes. A Joint Stock Company is in the act of forming itself for the investment Df a capital of no less than feur millions sterling, in what we may briefly describe as a plan for infusing new vigour and activity into the whole West India interest. Some persons of unquestioned reputation for affluence, honour, and saga- city, appear to have engaged in this great enterprise. Twenty-four Directors, of whom 12 are to be West India merchants, and 12 general merchants, ivill manage its affairs. No monopoly is looked for-no interference with private rights or establishments. Money, when vanted, is to be lent on the security of West India estates or consign- ments, ar4an immoderate profit is not desired. There are to be 40,0*shares, each of 1001.; and the institution has already, it is said, received the sanction of Government. Mr. MANNING, the Bank Director, is at the head of the under- taking. Onie consideration connected with this plan affords us nosmallpleasure-wemean the inference tobeclearly drawn in favour of the transient and remediable nature of the existing distress of the lVest Indies; for if that distress were likely to be permanent-if it were in its constitution hopeless, can we imagine that a body. of capitalists (thc most enlightened,;perhaps, in the British empire) would think of deriving a definite profit from the application of their funds to its removal ? Let us trust, therefore, that the execution of this mneasure may be worthy of its con- ception and design-that it may be effectual to the purpose which it professes to accomplish, of at once relieving the master and the slave.