SLAVE MANUMISSIONS, JAMAICA.

RETURN to an Address to HIS MAJESTY, dated 14 February 1831;-for,

RETURNS of all MANUMISSIONS, between the period commencing with the first Registration of SLAVES in 1817 to 28 June 1826; distinguishing gratuitous Manumissions from such as are paid for ;-and, of the Number of Persons to whom Certificates of Manumission have been granted by the Magistrates and Vestry of the several Parishes of the Island of JAMAICA, since the passing of the Act of 5 GEO. IV. c. 21.

Colonial Department, Downing-street,

26th March 1831.

(signed)

HOWICK.

THE only means which this Department at present possesses, of furnishing the above information, are derived from the following Letter, from the Agent for Jamaica, containing certain Returns, and giving an account of the sources from which they had been drawn.

LETTER from William Burge, Esquire, to The Right Hon. Viscount Goderich.

Lincoln's-Inn, February 10th, 1831.

MY LORD, I HAVE the honour to enclose to Your Lorship a Return, from Jamaica, of "all Manumissions, between the period commencing with the first Registration of "Slaves in 1817 to the 28th June 1826; distinguishing Gratuitous Manumissions "from such as are paid for," and of which I gave a copy to Your Lordship this morning. It was transmitted to me by the authority of the House of Assembly, and is the result of an examination of the numerous documents in the office of the Secretary in the Island, conferring Manumissions. From their number, it would have been very difficult to have made such a Return, if the Triennial Registry Return recorded in 1817 had not afforded the means of reference to those documents. The Triennial Return of 1829 not having been recorded till late in 1830, there has not been sufficient time to admit of a reference to the instruments granting Manumissions between 1826 and 1829; and this, as I stated to Your Lordship, accounts for the Return not embracing the latter period.

Your Lordship will perceive, that of the 4,782 Manumissions granted between 1817 and 1826.... 2,831 were gratuitous.

I also send to Your Lordship another Return transmitted to me by the Committee of Correspondence, showing the number of Manumissions granted under the authority of an Act of the Legislature "for removing Impediments to the Manu"mission of Slaves by Owners having only a limited interest," passed in the year 1824. It extends from that year to the year 1830, but it does not include three Parishes from which Returns by the Clerks of the Vestry had not been made.

I have the honour to be,
My Lord,

Your Lordship's very obedient humble Servant,

(signed) William Burge.

RETURN of all MANUMISSIONS between the period commencing with the first Registration of SLAVES in 1817 to the 28th June 1826; distinguishing gratuitous Manumissions from such as are paid for.

RETURN of the Number of Persons to whom CERTIFICATES of MANUMISSION have been granted by the Magistrates and Vestry of the several Parishes in this Island, since the passing of the Act of 5 Geo. 4, C. 21.