The packet-ship Solent, with the West India mails, arrived at
South- ampton yesterday. The principal intelligence is the long-expected meet- ing of the prorogued Legislature of Jamaica. Sir Henry Barkly met both Houses on the 18th October, and delivered an opening speech which seems to have produced an excellent effect.. Taking no part whatever in the quarrel between the two Houses, Sir Henry simply and succinctly ex- plained the plan, already detailed by Ministers in Parliament, for reliev- ing the colony,—namely, a loan of 50,0004 to facilitate the arrangement of the salaries question ; and a guarantee tee of the island debt, conditional upon the rearrangement of the ces, and the establishment of govern- ment by responsible Ministers enjoying the confidence of the Legislature. The reply of the Assembly was presented on the 21st. It is a mode- rate and interesting document, framed in a conciliatory spirit, and textu- ally repeating much of the Governor's address. It pledges them, how- ever, to nothing beyond a respectful consideration of the questions sub- mitted to them. They doubt the policy of increasing the debt ; they are not averse to constitutional reform; both questions shall have that con- sideration they demand. Meanwhile, in reply to the Governor's demand for supplies, the House bad instructed a Committee to bring in various
bills, among them the "Import-duty Bill with appropriations." We must wait for the next mail before anything can be learned of the pre- cise intentions of the Assembly.
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