SD772. Samuel Moulton-Barrett (uncle) to C.J. Doyle
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 3, 328 (in part).
Retreat.
June 3d 1834
Sir,
On the receipt of your letter I forwarded the printed copies of his “Greetings’ letter of advice to the Negro Population” to such of the Magistrates as I judged would carry into execution the instructions which you sent me, & I wrote a circular at the same time directing that they should use their utmost diligence in having them read to the Negroes attached to the several properties within their district, & afterwards affixed to some conspicuous building upon each Estate: I have in the enclosed paper marked out (agreeable to your desire) the Magistrates to whom I sent the circular & printed papers, & the names of the properties upon which they have been read—with a view to give a wider circulation to the letter of advice, I sent several copies to gentlemen, not of the Magistra[t]es, but who possess great property in the Parish, & who will cheerfully aid me in giving a wide publicity to his Excellency’s address. It will afford satisfaction to his Excellency to learn that from every white person I have heard but one opinion, that of the most unqualified approbation both as to its matter & its language– Differing as I do from the great majority of the inhabitants of this Island both as to the management of my Negroes, as well as on various other points I cannot at this moment of great interest abstain from expressing an opinion that the Managers of Negroes stand equally in need of advice, & that could they be prevailed upon to follow the example of other Colonists who have anticipated the regulations of the law which is to come into operation on the 1st of August, by the abolition of corporal punishment by the whip & the cap, & a little more indulgence in point of time; More would not [illegible word] the slightest cause of alarm either of the Negro breaking out into open acts of rebellion, & even discontinuing the quantity of work prescribed them– I depend much upon the wisdom of his Excellency & I feel the most perfect confidence that his strict impartiality will influence him in proceeding against the efforts of an <im>prudent adherence to the strict letter of a Law (& which is soon to have an end) on the part of overseers & others in charge of Negroes–
Yrs
SMB–
Col. Doyle
Publication: None traced.
Source: File copy at Eton College Library.
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