A meeting of West India proprietors was held on Friday,
to con- sider the propositions of Government for the emancipation of the Negroes. The impression of the meeting was, that if the plan is executed, the _Colonies. must cease-to be cultivated ; that it is one of .'" spoliation of property," and calculated to make Foreign Slave Cok- .nies flourish at the expense of our own. We subjoin the heads of the • plan, which has excited so much alarm and displeasure among the West India interest.
" 1. The slave may claim to be registered as an apprenticed labourer on the -following terms. For food, clothing, and allowances, as now made by law, he is to give his master three fourths of his time, leaving it to be settled by contract whether this is to be three fourths of the week or three fourths of the day.
" 2. But be may, if he pleases, claim a weekly payment in lieu of food and Clothing. The amount to be fixed by the magistrate with reference to the actual cost of the legal provision.
" He is to have a right to claim employment from his master for the remain- ing one fourth of his time, acco, ding to a fixed scale of wages. " But he is to be at liberty to employ himself elsewhere.
"3. The master to fix a price on the labourer at the time of his apprentice-
• ship.
" The wages to be paid by the master to the slave for his spare time, are to bear such a proportion to his value that the Negro is to receive as wages for the one fourth part of his time, one twelfth of his price annually, and in proportion for such lesser time.
" 4. He may claim to buy his freedom at the price named by the master.
"5. 'f he Negro is to pay half yearly a portion of his wages to an officer to be uppointed by his Majesty.
"6. In default of payment by Negro the master is to be liable. For a return, the master may exact an equivalent amount of labour in the ensuing half year, without payment. " 7. These half-yearly payments to be in liquidation of so much of the debt contracted by the planter to the public.
"8. Every apprenticed Negro, on payment of the price fixed by his master, or such portion of it as from time to time remains due, to be absolutely free: 'He may borrow the sum from any one, and bind himself apprentice to the lender by contract before a magistrate.
"9. A loan of fifteen millions sterling to be granted to proprietors of West India estates, upon such security as shall be approved by the Lords of the -Treasury: "10. The loan to be distributed amongst the colonists in a ratio compounded of the number of slaves and the amount of exports.
." 11. All children who, at the time of the passing of this act, shall be under six ,years of age, to be free, and to be maintained by their parents. " 12. In failure of such-maintenance to be apprenticed to the master,—males until twenty-four years of age; females until twenty years old ; at which period they and their children to be free. 13. This act not to prevent his Majesty from assenting to acts of the Co- '. "mini Legislature for the promotion of industry and the prevention of vagrancy applicable to'all classes of the community. 14. That upon the recommendation of the local legislatures, his Majesty will be prepared to recommend to Parliament to grant out of the revenues of this country such aid as may be deemed necessary for the due support of the ad- ministration of justice, of an efficient police establishment, and of a general system of religion and moral education."
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