shall take leave of the question, caring little whether my contest with Sir Robert Farquhar ends with credit to me, or without it."

To Mrs. Buxton.

"February 5. 1830.

"I have had another interview with Sir George Murray this morning; and I am heartily grieved and heartily angry, that he is not prepared to act as I wish about the Mauritius. It is not however settled; he is to give me a final answer in a few days. Is not this horrible? I am however well, and in good spirits, believing that though there be the arm of flesh on one side, there is a stronger arm on the other."

Mr. Buxton was, however, spared any lengthened exertions on this subject. The unexpected death of Sir Robert Farquhar put an end to that part of the Mauritian controversy that related to him, and in the spring of 1830, the Government, convinced by the report of the commission, declared their willingness to take up the main question with vigour.

To Edward Byam, Esq.

"My dear Byam, "London, April 30. 1830. "After repeated disappointments, Lushington, Spring Rice and I, saw Sir George Murray to-day. He admitted, in the most unequivocal terms, that slave trading to a vast extent had prevailed at the Mauritius, and that all our statements had been well founded.

"I urged a committee for the purpose of putting our evidence on record. He maintained that it was unnecessary, as the Government admitted, and no one denied, all I wished to prove.

"He is to take measures to liberate all slaves illegally imported, and Lushington approves the plan by which this is to be done.

"When he had made all these admissions, I then said that the time was come in which those who had been injured and

1830.

ITS COMPLETE EXTINCTION.

229

ruined for no other crime than that they had not connived at the Slave Trade, ought to be indemnified. I gave him your letter, and bore the same testimony or even stronger to your character than I did in my letter to you. He promised to read your letter. I then turned the conversation to General Hall, and expressed the opinion I have always entertained of his noble conduct, and intimated that some public notice should be taken of it, or at the very least, that it should be admitted that he was right in all he did. I do not despair of seeing this done by Murray."

The labour bestowed by Mr. Buxton and his friends on this subject, was thus crowned with complete success. Long unnoticed and unchecked by the Government at home, the evil had grown up and flourished; but it withered in a day. Those who had readily joined in it, while veiled from sight, now shrunk from the light which fell upon their doings. At the same time new vigour was thrown into every department of the executive ; and thus the remnants of the trade in slaves were soon extinguished. It only remained to make reparation to those who had been its victims. Sir George Murray had agreed to the proposition, that every slave in the Mauritius should be set free, whose master could not prove a title to his possession; but Lord Goderich, who at this time succeeded Sir G. Murray in office, insisted on laying the onus probandi, not upon the master, but on the slave, a difference and a hardship of no small magnitude.

Mr. Byam had been deprived of his situation as CommissaryGeneral of Police, in consequence of his activity in suppressing the Slave Trade. General Hall, who when governor had distinguished himself by his exertions for the same end, had also suffered severely from the misrepresentations of the colonists.

Notwithstanding, a considerable number of slaves were able to prove that they had been illegally imported, and accordingly obtained their freedom. The business was wound up in 1830; but when those that had undertaken it came to settle their affairs, a circumstance occurred to which Mr. Buxton often referred with strong expressions of admiration. Mr. George Stephen had taken a deep interest in the case when it was first mooted. He was afterwards retained as the professional assistant of its parliamentary advocates; and in this capacity had incurred a very heavy expense of money, labour, and time. Of the remuneration justly due to him, amounting to 20007., he refused to receive any part.

We cannot conclude this brief outline of the "Mauritius Case," without some allusion to another of the gentlemen who acted a prominent part in the drama. Mr. Jeremie, who had held a public office in St. Lucia, had there ruined his prospects by the boldness with which he struggled against the ill treatment of the slaves. Ardent in his abhorrence of wrong and cruelty, singularly wanting in selfish prudence, he never cared what might befall him, while pushing forward what he felt to be right; but in planning, he was too hasty, in action, too impetuous, for complete success.

This gentleman returned from St. Lucia, at the very time when the Government had determined to appoint Protectors of Slaves in the four Crown Colonies. It struck Mr. Buxton, that he had just the resolute boldness and principle which a Protector of slaves in the Mauritius would most especially need. Upon his making the suggestion, however, Mr. Jeremie replied, that he had already suffered enough.

1830.

66

"Nothing," said he, "shall induce me to go to a slave colony again." Why," said Mr. Buxton; "it signifies very little whether you are killed or not; but it signifies very much whether the right man goes to the Mauritius or not, at this juncture." Mr. Jeremie smiled and went away; but he came back the next day, and said: "I have been carefully thinking over what you said yesterday; and I have fully made up my mind that it is better I should be sacrificed than not have the thing done as it ought to be. Therefore, I am ready to go;" and he accordingly applied for and obtained the appointment.

The undertaking was no light one. So hateful to the planters was the character in which he came, that he could not even land without encountering resistance; and during the short time he remained ashore, he was harassed and withstood at every turn; abuse and insult were lavished upon him; his life was repeatedly threatened, and even attempted. He was at last obliged to take refuge on board a man-of-war in the harbour; but he still continued to perform the functions of his office, till at length the governor, Sir Lowry Cole, considered himself under the necessity of appeasing the people by commanding him to leave the island. No sooner, however, did he reach England, than, to his great delight, he received orders to return at once, with an increased military force, and to resume his office. He returned, and recommenced his plans for the defence of the Negro. Again, however, the popular clamour arose, and

threatened the peace, if not the safety, of the island; and he was finally recalled, and reached England at

CHAPTER XV.

1829, 1830.

LETTERS. MITIGATION OF THE PENAL CODE. ILLNESS AND DEATH OF HIS SECOND SON.

MR. BUXTON'S Own health was much restored during the winter of 1829; but illness in his family caused him severe anxiety. On leaving home, when this was in a great measure relieved, he writes:

"Spitalfields, Nine o'clock at Night, November 25. 1829.

"I was very sorry that I was only able to write that short, shabby letter, which I sent this morning. I never before felt my heart so entirely rivetted to home; everything else seems flat, except that centre of my affections.

"But now for a history of my travels. Nurse and I were very good friends, and had some instructive conversation upon the pleasing subjects of wounds, operations, &c.; and I presume I won her heart, as she began and concluded every sentence with, My dear Sir.' I lapsed however, at last, into my books. It was a wretched night; but I was none the worse for that, as my great coat and snow shoes kept me from cold. I soon set myself to a review of late events, and that led me to go over my list of the mercies which have been granted to me, and a grand list it appears. When I go over it item by item, the account seems surprisingly large. Mercies of all sorts. * Children to my heart's content; brothers and sisters the same; friends the same; station in life and circumstances the same; the public objects to which I have been directed, the same; and there are fifty other dittos of the same order. Then my own life, so often preserved, and my children, given to me, as it were, a second time. I