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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1831.
A SENSIBLE letter appears in another
column, on that important but perplex-
ing subject, the civilization of the Blacks.
The writer, whose opinions are the fruit
of many years' experience, and are therefore
entitled to the respect of all who
are to take an active part in the intended
Mission, presents a formidable catalogue
of the difficulties to be encountered,
which he sums up under these six
heads 21st. Their inherent love of
freedom; 2d. Their contempt for the
habits of civilized life; 3d. Their extreme
idleness; 4th. Their want of reflection
and attachment; 5th. Their
thirst for spirituous liquors and 6th.
Their destitution of every idea of a
Supreme Being, or even of any false
god. But notwithstanding these obstacles,
enough to "give pause" to the
most ardent friends of the undertaking,
our intelligent correspondent does not
concede the grand point, that "it is yet
an incumbent duty of the Christian
world to do all that can be done to promote
their improvement." No believer
in revelation can doubt this.
Difficulty never abated the obliga-
tions of duty and if it be true that
"GOD hath made of one blood all nations
of men that in regard to the applicability
of the Gospel dispensation,
"there is neither barbarian nor Scythian"
that it is our Saviour's standing command
to his church, "Go ye into all nations,
and teach the Gospel to every
creature" and that, ultimately, He is
to have "the heathen for his inheritance,
and the uttermost parts of the earth for
his possession" of these things be true
(and their truth must stand or fall with
that of Christianity), the question of duty
is settled; it requires no discussion; it
is fixed by a fiat from which there is no
appeal, and to which there can be no
guiltless demur and the only question
open to the review of reason, is the question
of means.
We are not altogether destitute of experience
in the concerns of the Blacks.
It has fallen within our professional duties
to consider the ways and means of
advancing their moral and civil condition;
and it is now some years ago since we
arrived at the same conclusion as our
correspondent, - "that if any thing can
be done, it must be in the interior of the
country, remote from the example of the
Europeans, and where ardent spirits can-
not be obtained." If you would fairly
grapple with the degradation of the
Native, you must take him in his own
proper character, and not in that artificial
state which has been superin-
duced by European intercourse and
if you would give fair play to the
progress of his improvement, you must
where it will not be exposed to those in-
terruptions which that intercourse would
be constantly interposing.
We have another communication on
this subject, and hope we shall receive
still more. This is just the time for
entering into its discussion in good
earnest.
MAURITIUS SUGAR. It will be seen
by the subjoined extract of a letter to an
eminent mercantile house in Sydney,
dated Port Louis, Mauritius, 27th November,
1836 that the sugars of that
island are likely to be brought to a very
high state of perfection. This fact, and
the favourable reception our salted beef
has met with at the Mauritius, combine
to enforce the recommendation of one of
our correspondents some months ago
namely, that our sugar trade should be
confined to that market, with the view of
encouraging a reciprocal preference in
favour of our salt provisions.
" We think proper to acquaint you that a
subscription has just been opened in favour
of a chemist lately arrived from France,
who has engaged (for certain considera-
tions to enable our planters to improve
wonderfully the quality of their sugars.
We have seen samples of the sugar made
by him upon estates which up to this day
had produced the most inferior description,
and we must say that what he has attained
is equal to the best played sugar. It is said
that the syrup sugars can also, by means of
this new process, be easily he answer ed into
white sugar; should this prove to be the
case, there is no doubt that the process will
be adopted by all our planters, and the consequence
will be, that no more, or at least
very little, inferior sugar will be produced
on the island."
THE dinner alluded to in our last,
given by the merchants and others to
Mr. WILLIAM WALKER, on his retirement
from the Colony, is fully reported
in our present number. Such displays
of social feeling are delightful to contemplate,
and are highly honourable to
our mercantile body, of which Mr.
WALKER has for many years been a distinguished
member. The zeal and unanimity
which characterised this civic
feast reflect honour at once upon Mr.
WALKER, of whose high character as a
merchant they will form a lasting memorial,
and upon the gentlemen
themselves, who have thus shewn that
they know how to appreciate commercial
virtue, and are ingenuous enough to acknowledge
and to praise it. While the
colony will lose by Mr. WALKER'S departure,
a wealthy, intelligent, and respectable
inhabitant, we entertain a sanguine
hope that it will gain a zealous and
efficient friend in the mother-country.
The extensive information he has acquired
on every subject relating to our
commerce, agriculture, institutions, and
concerns in general, will enable him to
correct the errors and falsehoods that
have got abroad, and to diffuse an accurate
knowledge of this interesting part of the
world ; while his established reputation,
and the respectability of his connexions
in London, will stamp his communications
with a degree of authenticity in which
the British public will fully confide.
Thus qualified to serve us, where we so
much need to be served, Mr. WALKER
cannot but possess the inclination also to
exert himself in our behalf. He still re-
tains a large stake in our soil and commerce,
leaving behind him considerable
landed property, and a mercantile house
of which he is the principal member. He
will therefore have a strong inducement
to employ his talents, his knowledge, and
his influence, for the advancement of
Australia and we doubt not be will
prove not less her hearty than her qualified
supporter.
We have more than once thrown out a
hint, that it would be well for the colony
to have in London a sort of Representa-
tive Agent, for the purpose of OAerlook
ing its interests in Parliament, impart-
ing information to enquirers, and leading
every possible assistance to emigrants.
Whether such an appointment would ac-
cord with the course of life Mr. WALKER
intends to pursue, we know not but
there can be only one opinion as to his
competency to fill it to his own credit,
and to the advantage of the Colony and
we think it would not be departing from
their proper province, if our commercial
and agricultural institutions were to request
him to act as their British Representative.
WE refer to a Memorial about to be
presented to the GOVERNOR and Legislative
Council, by the owners and occupiers
of land in the counties of Camden,
Argyle, St. Vincent, &c. As we shall,
in our next, publish a letter from Mr.
JAMES ATKINSON on one of the most
important subjects embraced in the memorial,
we shall defer till then the remarks
we have to offer.
WE yesterday saw a sample of Argyle
wheat, from the estate of Mr. MACLAREN
It fully equals the best ever imported
from Van Diemen's Land. Large
quantities have been sent to Sydney from
that remote district during the last few
days, the overflowing abundance of the
crops having compelled the growers to
bring it to market in spite of the distance.
We trust the boon of a protecting duty, so
singularly sought by all classes in the
Petition about to be presented to the
Legislative Council, will he cheerfully
accorded, and render this bountiful
harvest a real blessing to the country.
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