He spoke in the warmest terms of Lord Sligo,[A] the predecessor of Sir Lionel Smith, who was driven from the island by the machinations of the planters and the enemies of the blacks.  Lord Sligo was remarkable for his statistical accuracy.  Reports were made to him by the special magistrates every week.  No act of injustice or oppression could escape his indefatigable inquiries.  He was accessible, and lent an open ear to the lowest person in the island.  The planters left no means untried to remove him, and unhappily succeeded.

[Footnote A:  When Lord Sligo visited the United States in the summer of 1836, he spoke with great respect of Mr. Hill to Elizur Wright, Esq., Corresponding Secretary of the American Anti-Slavery Society.  Mr. Wright has furnished us with the following statement:—­“Just before his lordship left this city for England, he bore testimony to us substantially as follows:—­’When I went to Jamaica, Mr. Hill was a special magistrate.  In a certain case he refused to comply with my directions, differing from me in his interpretation of the law.  I informed him that his continued non-compliance must result in his removal from office.  He replied that his mind was made up as to the law, and he would not violate his reason to save his bread.  Being satisfied of the correctness of my own interpretation, I was obliged, of course, to remove him; but I was so forcibly struck with his manly independence, that I applied to the government for power to employ him as my secretary, which was granted.  And having had him as an intimate of my family for several months, I can most cordially bear my testimony to his trustworthiness, ability, and gentlemanly deportment.’  Lord Sligo also added, that Mr. Hill was treated in his family in all respects as if he had not been colored, and that with no gentleman in the West Indies was he, in social life, on terms of more intimate friendship.”]

The following items contain the principal information received from Mr. Hill: 

1.  The apprenticeship is a most vicious system, full of blunders and absurdities, and directly calculated to set master and slave at war.

2.  The complaints against the apprentices are decreasing every month, except, perhaps, complaints against mothers for absence from work, which he thinks are increasing.  The apprenticeship law makes no provision for the free children, and on most of the plantations and estates no allowance is given them, but they are thrown entirely for support on their parents, who are obliged to work the most and best part of their time for their masters unrewarded.  The nurseries are broken up, and frequently the mothers are obliged to work in the fields with their infants at their backs, or else to leave them at some distance under the shade of a hedge or tree.  Every year is making their condition worse and worse.  The number of children is increasing, and yet the mothers are required, after their youngest child has attained the age of a few weeks, to be at work the same number of hours as the men.  Very little time is given them to take care of their household.  When they are tardy they are brought before the magistrate.