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ABORIGINES PROTECTION SOCIETY.
The fourth annual meeting of this society took
place yesterday in Exeter Hall, Charles Hindley,
Esq. in the chair. On the platform were—Daniel
O'Connell, Esq., M.P.; J.S. Buckingham, Esq. ;
the, .Rev...Mr.: Bnrnott;.ofL Camberwell; B. 8.
O'Brien. M. P. ; Dr. Hodgkint Dr; Hay, of Philadel.
phis; ,IDr. Bowring, 1tobert'i Bell, P1sq.; "Major
General Pitmao,tAmeli. Opie;'Edward N. Buxton,
Esq. ;the Rev. Mr. u.'opy, of America, and several
of the. most active members of the Anti-slavery
Bokiety.
A letter was read from Mr. Clarkson, regretting
his inability to attend the meeting, but enclosing a
subscription, and expressing his opinion, not only of
the excellences, but of the absolute necessity that
existed for the establishment of such a society.
The secretary then read the report.
The Rev. John Burnett moved the adoption of the
report, and in doing so he briefly explained the
object of the society. It was established to watch
over the movements of our commercial enterprises,
lest, while they served us. they should inflict irre.
mediable evils on the natives of those countries in
which they were carried on. The attempts of our
colonists to introduce civilisation had been always
invariably characterised by great injustice and cruelty
towards the poor natives. Long, too long, had their
conduct been unchecked and unrepudiated by the
nation at large (hear, hear). Happily, public atten.
tion was directed to the subject, and crime could no
longer be perpetrated with tmpunity (cheers).
Mr. O'Brien, M.P., seconded the motion, which
was put and carried.
Mr. O'Connell then rose amidst loud cheers:
The subject before them afforded so much matter,
and was so little understood in its magnitude and
merits, that he never felt a more imperious necessity
to be brief in his remarks. If he once entered into
the subject he should not know where to:stop (hear,
hear). The correspondence of the society included,
on the one hand, details more interesting to huma
nity, and, on the other, more of oppression and
cruelty, than had ever been brought before the
public. Wherever the white man settled the natives
had first been banished, then pursued, and next
exterminated. There was no colony that had not
participated in this exterminating guilt. The hon.
and learned gentleman then took a brief review of
the French and English in Canada, and of the
Americans in Texas and Florida. He next adverted
to the consequences of British rule, or rather mis
rule, in India, where, with the exception of one
particular district, the whole of the inhabitants of
that vast country were deprived of the power of
acquiring property. The natives of India, indeed,
held the houses and cultivated the land; but the
foreign assessor taxed them every year to the utmost.
Whatever might be the sum which the assessor of the
company chose to exact, that the native was obliged
to pay. It was true, he might, if he thought him
self treated unjustly, have recourse to a court of
appeal; but who sat there as the judge I The very
assessor against whom he came to complain. By
this system no native could acquire wealth or amass
capital. They were fortunate if enough was left for
their daily subsistence. They were thus prevented
from adopting precautionary measures to guard
against the periodical famine which visited the coun.
try, as they were destitute of all resources but those
which were to supply their immediate necessities.
The consequence of this was the most frightful
misery in times of scarcity. Parents were then
glad to find purchasers for their children, and but
too often, when they found it impossible to obtain a
sufficiency of the necessaries of life, put a period to
the existence both of themselves and their children
(hear). Such things had repeatedly occured, and
at the very next scarcity would occur again. The
best way to effect a reform of this was to draw
public attention to the subject, and that was best
done through the medium of societies like the pre
sent. If the cruelties and injustice practised by the
British authorities in India were known in Eng
land, the whole nation would heartily join in any
measures for the amelioration of institutious which
led to such frightful results (hear, hear). Without
wishing to laud one party more than another, he
was bound in justice to say, to the honour of Lord
John Russell, he had frequently adopted measures
to help forward the desired improvement (cheers).
Every higher and nobler impulse called upon them
to aid the cause, and make that civilisatton which
had hitherto been a curse to the native inhabitants a
source of blessing, of comfort, and of prosperity
(cheers). The honourable gentleman concluded by
moving, " That the native inhabitants of our colo
nies, whatever the state of civilisation or barbarism
in which particular races may be found, are en
dowed with the rights of a common humanity, in
which they cannot, without the most criminal
injustice, be outraged by a system of colonisation
not adequately compensating them for their lands,
or failing to secure to them the protection and privi.
lege of British subjects.'"
J. S. Buckinglham, Esq, having seconded the re
solution, it was carried unanimously.
The Rev. Dr. Campbell moved the third resolution,
to the effect, " That the society remarks with grati.
tude the disposition of those in authoriry, especially
of the noble lord at the head of the colonial depart
ment, to render colonisation a benefit, not, as
hitherto, a curse, to the native races, and that the
society most earnestly indulge the hope that Lord
John Russell may be enabled and led to give to that
disposition a systematic and permanent effect; and,
further, that it appears to this meeting that the basis
in the outline of a system of legislature for the bene
fit of the aborigines, drawn up by Mr. Standish
Motte and a sub-committee of the Aborigines
Protection Society, should be adopted."
Dr. Costello having seconded the motion, it was
carried unanimously.
The next resolution, to the effect, "That the
society was woithy of the sympathy and support of
the public," was moved by Robert Bell, Esq. At
an interview which a deputation of the society had
recently had with Lord John Russell, his lordship
had expressed a great desire toseejustice done to the
natives of our colonies in selling their land (cheers).
The society was going on prosperously, and in
cteasing in usefulness and importance every year
(hear, hear).
The resolution was then carried. Thanks were
voted to Dr. Bowriog, who had taken the chair on
its vacation at an early part of the day by Mr.
Hindley, and the meeting broke up.
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