trader, at least on the coast of Africa, but one common flag and co-operating force, they will not have gone to the full extent of their means to effectuate their purpose, in conformity to their declarations at Vienna. Lord Castlereagh had afterwards an audience with the emperor of Russia, at which he took occasion to represent to his imperial majesty, in the strongest terms, the necessity of taking some effective measure of this nature without delay, and without waiting for the decree of final abolition on the part of Por tugal; and that his majesty promised to give directions to his ministers, that the consideration of the question should be re-opened in London under fresh instructions. His lordship states that the modification of this measure, which he had finally urged, and he trusts with considerable hope of success, is, that in addition to the limitation of the right of visit to the coast of Africa, and to a specific number of ships of each power, the duration of the convention should be for a limited number of years; at the end of which period, the several states would again have it in their power to review their decision. Thus ended the conferences and proceedings at Aix-la-Chapelle, respecting the more effectual abolition of the African slave-trade.-Whether such another opportunity may ever again occur, cannot be foreseen: but the directors express their unfeigned regret, that so very favorable a combination of circumstances has led to such unimportant results. In December, 1818, Mr. Rush transmitted his answer to lord Castlereagh, stating the anxiety of the United States for the universal extirpation of the trade, in proof of which is mentioned a recent law to prevent the importation of slaves into their dominions; and which throws upon the defendant the labor of proof as the condition of acquittal. The right of search is declined, as inconsistent with the spirit of their constitution, and inapplicable to their case. In this state was the matter left, as far as America was concerned.-Whether the conferences alluded to, at the close of the proceedings at Aix-la-Chapelle, had been resumed in London, the Institution were not informed; but they were strongly impressed with the importance and urgency of adopting forthwith, measures calculated to put some more serious check than at present exists upon the increased extent and aggravated horrors of the trade. They had received a variety of communications from the coast of Africa, representing its vast increase, and the evils arising from the delay in issuing instructions to the vessels of war upon that station, and in constituting the commissions under the conventions with Portugal, Spain, and the Netherlands. By a letter dated from Africa so recently as the latter end of December last, it appears that Sir George Collier, the naval commander in chief on the coast, had then received no instructions as to the measures to be taken in pursuance of these conventions, nor had any commission been then established. By recent accounts from the Isle of France, it appears, that the slave-trade with the Island of Madagascar is still carried on, notwithstanding the treaty concluded by governor Farquhar with the king of Ovas. Three slave-traders belonging to the Isle of France, being tried under a special commission at the Old Bailey in the month of February last, and found guilty, were sentenced to be imprisoned for three years, and kept to hard labor. It is hoped the example will prove salutary. Several of the Assemblies in the West-Indian colonies had passed register acts, in the course of the previous year; and most, if not all of the others, it is understood, have since followed their example. The secretary of state for the Colonial department, had signified his intention of bringing in a bill, to render those acts more effectual to their professed object. Of the statements made, the former year, respecting the slave-trade on the coast of Africa, and more particularly that part of it which lies in the neighborhood of the French settlements of Senegal and Goree; ample confirmation has since been received, accompanied by additional information of a similarly distressing nature. A considerable slave-trade appears also to have been carried on by French subjects at Allredra, and other places in the river Gambia. There was, however, reason to hope, from information very recently received, that more effectual measures had lately been taken by the French authorities for the repression of the traffic. That of Spain and Portugal appears also to have greatly increased, notwithstanding the great pecuniary sacrifices made by Great Britain to those nations. Several important appendices are added to the Report, confirming its statements, and enforcing its arguments. From these we cannot find space for extracts; but shall, probably, at no distant period, take up the general question, having confined ourselves, in the present remarks, solely to an abstract of the Report before us. We deeply regret to say, that it closes with a statement of the inadequacy of the funds of the Institution, the receipts for the year being only 7181. The failure of the negociation at Aix-la-Chapelle renders its proceedings, if possible, more important than ever; and we trust they will not be stinted by a deficiency of pecuniary resources. DONATIONS TO THE AMERICAN BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS, from May 1st to 20th. Alfred, Me. A female, for Ind. missions, by the Rev. N. Douglas, of the Theol. Seminary, Arundel, Me. Monthly concert, the amount of 10 collections; by the Rev. George Payson, Ashby, Ms. Mon. cone by Mr. Jona. Blood, for the mission at Elliot, Becket, Ms A young lady, by Mr. C. Byington, Berkley, Ms. Female Cent Society, by the Rev. Thomas Andros, A friend of missions, Charity box in Mr. J. Gulliver's store, for the mission at Brainerd, = Bridgeton, Me. Nancy Perley and Rebecca Fessenden, for HULDAH PERLEY, 2d payment, Fem. Mission Society, by Harriet Church, by the Rev. Mr. Payson, E. Perley, Esq. 85; Mrs. S. Perley, $5; for promoting Christianity among the American Aborigines, t A friend of missions, Brookline, Ms. A widow, for for. missions, 1 68; for Cherokee mis. $1, Canterbury, N. H. Gentlemen's Association for educating heathen chil- Charleston, S. C. Hon. Nathaniel Russell, by the Rev. Alfred Wright, $2.00 Total, 8 25 S 00--11 25 68 72 10.00 Christ Church Parish, S. C. Ladies' Mis. Society, for THOMAS SPENCER, Conway, Ms. Individuals, by Mr. C. Byington, Cummington, Ms. Heathen School Society, for the school fund, by Wil liam Packard, Treasurer, Foxborough, Ms. Female Benevolent Society, by Mr. Everett, 1.00 80 50 Deerfield, Ms. (Muddy Brook.) 2d par. a contrib. by Mr. C. Byington, Fitzwilliam, N. H. Monthly concert, by the Rev. John Sabin, Franklin, Con. Female Foreign Mission Society, by H. Hudson, Esq. Glastenbury, Con. Aux. For. Miss. Soc, by H. Hudson, Esq. Tetal. Hampden County, Ms. Aux. For. Mis. Soc. by Hon. George Bliss, Treas. 60 00 1,210 00 Hingham, Ms. Female Miss. Society, by Eliza Doane, Holden, Ms. Monthly concert, by Samuel Foster, Treasurer, Children in Sabbath schools, of which $12 is for JOSEPH AVERY, and $4 42 for heathen children, Hubbardston, Ms. A friend to missions, Kingsborough, (Johnstown,) N. Y. Mon. conc. by the Treasurer, Dea. Kingston, Ms. Charity box kept in Mr. Nathaniel Cushman's store, Ruth Washburn, S2; N. P. Denny, $2; Austin Flint, $1, Mansfield, Con. A lady, proceeds of gold beads sold, Marblehead, Ms. Mon. con. in the 1st parish by the Rev. Samuel Dana, Middlefield, Ms. A contribu. by Mr. C. Byington, for the W. Indians, Winslow's family, Ceylon, to be called LUTHER FRASER DIMMICK, North Yarmouth, Me. 2d territorial parish collected on new year's day, Plainfield, Ms. A contribution by Mr. C. Byington, for W. Indians, Portland, Me. Female Auxiliary Society (auxiliary to Maine missionary Raleigh, N. C. The following persons by the Rev. A Wright, viz. Rev. William McPheeters, Gen. Calvin Jones, $3; Mrs. T. B. W. Jones, $2, 5 00 74.00 847 75 15.00 23 11 4 49 60 54 $5.00 Mr. Thomas Devereaux, $5; William Peace, $5, 5 00 10.00 Mrs. Eliza Hey wood, 5, Joseph Peace, $4, 9.00 Hon. Henry Potter, 3; William Shaw, 53, Mrs. P. Shaw, $2; Mrs. H. Calhoun and children, 2 20, 4 20 Several individuals, Mr. Sherwood Heywood, $2; William Hill, Miss Langley, Miss J. Peace, 50 ets. each, Misses E. Potter, M. Hilliard, and S. J. Thompson, 50 cts. ea. Mr. William Peck, Eliza Yancey, $1 each, Students in the Female Academy, Sag Harbor, L. Isl. A Society of children, their first contribution, by Salem, Ms. Mrs. Winn, a thank-offering for the return of a friend 3 50 1 50 50 2.00 7.00 5 62--59 32 6 00 from a distant voyage, 1. 00 Savannah, Geo. Missionary Society, for the support of the Rev. Mr. Children in Sabbath schools, for the education of heathen children, by Mrs. Ann Clay, for educ. JOSEPH CLAY, 2d payment, 60 00 Sharon, Con, Young ladies of the Female school, for the Sand. Isl. Mis. Simsbury, Can. A legacy from Joseph Goodwin, by H. Hudson, Esq. Mr. William White, 1; Mr. William Bemis, $2, 4.00 50 00 $50 00 3.00 Rev. Joseph Pope, Walton Livermore, Lewis Bemis, $1 ea. Monthly concert, Stockholm, N. Y. Female Cent Soc. by Esther Staples, Treas. 3.00 1.00 Swatara, Pen. Dauphin Miss. Soc. by Mr. Edward Crouch, Treasurer, Thomaston, Me. Oriental Lodge, for the transistions, by the Rev. Mr. Tolland County, Con. Aux. For. Miss. Soc. by H. Hudson, Esq. Vershire, Ver. Collected in Mr. Thomas Keyes's charity box, The Female Cent Society, Foreign Mission Christian Society, Waccamaw, S. C. Hon. Benj. Huger, by Rev. A. Wright, Miss E. Huger, 3; Benj. Alston, Esq. $10, Total. Warren, Me. St. George's Lodge, for the transl. by Rev. Mr. Ingraham, A lady, by the same, Weymouth, Ms. (S. parish.) Monthly concert, from January to May, by the Rev. W. Tyler, Winthrop, Me. Monthly concert, by the Rev. D. Thurston, Wintonbury, Con. Fem. Assoc. by H. Hudson, Esq. for educating hea- Worthington, Ms. A contribution, by Mr. C. Byington, for W. Indians, Ezra Stark weather, Esq. Residence unknown. May 2. For a child to be ed. in Mr. Winslow's family, Ceylon, named RICHARD $12.00 1.00 11. Devoted to the Lord, as a thank offering for signal mercies, for the mission to Jerusalem, Amount of Donations from May 1 to 20th, $2,418 52, CEYLON MISSION. Letter from the Missionaries in Ceylon to the Corresponding Secretary of A. B. C. F. M. REV. AND DEAR SIR, Jaffna, Nov. 13, 1819. Our last joint letter to you, under date of July 29th, was sent to America by way of Calcutta, a duplicate of which, with a postscript of Sept. 3 was forwarded by way of Bombay. From that letter, and from some extracts from the journal kept at Batticotta, which was sent on the 16th of Sept. you will learn the prosperous and the adverse circumstances which have attended our mission. You will perceive, that while we were mourning the loss of a departed brother, and were loudly called in the mysterious course of divine Providence to prepare our minds to bid a final adieu to another, the hand of our God was laid more grievously upon us by visiting a third with the same sickness which had been the principal instrument of our afflictions. You will observe, that while our hopes concerning the arrival of new missionaries, and the consequent extension of our missionary plans, had been, and still are, long deferred, there appeared a strong probability that the important concerns of both of our stations would devolve upon a single brother, or pass, in some degree, into the hands of other missionaries. From these communications, you will also learn, that in the midst of our grief it pleased the Lord, in his boundless grace and mercy, to visit us with some special tokens of his loving kindness, by widely opening the door of usefulness among the natives, and by the hopeful conversion of a few souls, through the instrumentality of our exertions. To the praise of his grace be it recorded, that amid the most gloomy apprehensions, respecting what might be the result of our mission, we could truly rejoice in the belief, that the great Head of missions, to whom the heathen have been given for an inheritance, would in the best time, and by the fittest instruments, cause this people to bow to the sceptre of his grace. . Since those communications were forwarded to you, there have been some pleasing alterations in our affairs, which affect the present state and future prospects of the mission. Brother Richards, who at the date of our last letter was visited with what are usually the last symptoms of his disease, has gradually from month to month, (for the change was scarcely perceptible in a shorter period,) been gaining in health, and strength. Though we have little or no reason to indulge the hope of his being restored to health, we rejoice to say, that he is now able to sit up most of the day, can walk half a mile at one time, and is exercised with but little pain. Consequently, he is able to assist in the mission, not only by his counsel and advice as a missionary and physician, but by visiting almost daily some schools connected with this station. Though he can speak only in a whisper, by the assistance of an interpreter he is able to direct the heathen to the Savior of sinners. Brother Poor, at the date abovementioned, was about to take a short voyage to the south east part of the island for the benefit of his health. He was absent 16 days. No immediate amendment was perceived from the voyage. In the course of a few weeks, however, he became so much better as to be able to attend to the principal duties of his station, though he has been obliged to deviate in some respects from that course which he would have pursued, if his health had been good. By these favorable circumstances respecting the two brethren, together with the confident hope and belief that the Prudential Committee have already sent others to our assistance, our minds are in a good degree relieved from the unpleasant apprehensions, that our missions would suffer essential injury before new missionaries would arrive to enter into our labors. Since the date of our last letter we have received to our communion Gabriel Tissera and Nicholas Paramanundu, who have served us in the mission as interpreters. They appear to us to give decisive evidence of saving conversion, and to manifest a becoming zeal for the honor of Christ and for the salvation of the heathen. By their being thus closely united with us at this time, we feel much strengthened and encouraged in our work They are now valuable assistants to us, and we have reason to believe, that they will render important service to our mission and become lasting blessings to the heathen. At each of our stations are several persons who give pleasing evidences of faith in Christ, and will probably ere long be admitted to our church Two of the persons here referred to are members of one of our boarding schools. We notice also with much pleasure, that there is an unusual degree of seriousness upon the minds of several other boys who are under our instructions. We feel that we are at this time in a special manner called upon by the providences of God towards us to humble our selves before him, on account of our past deficiencies in his service, and to redouble our diligence in the use of the means of grace, that we may be prepared to experience what we would ever consider the greatest of all blessings, viz. a special out-pouring of the Holy Spirit. We do hope that the American churches, especially on the first Monday in the month, unite their supplications with ours for such manifestations of divine grace among this heathen people. Immediately on our coming to reside among the heathen. our minds were forcibly impressed with the desirableness and importance of Charity Boarding Schools. The two principal objects which we thought to secure by them were, first, that we should have boys for a long time under our instruction, and secondly, that they should pursue their studies free from those interruptions and restraints, which the system of idolatry imposes on all who are under its immediate influ ence. An experiment on this subject was first made at Tillipally. The brethren there conversed much with the people around them on the subject, and told them, it was their intention, at some future time when it was convenient, to support and educate some boys gratuitously on our premises. It was more than a year however, before they thought it safe directly to offer to take any one. For it was the general impression, that the church and its premises were the abodes of devils; and that it would be a great sin and disgrace for any one to eat on land belonging to Christians, or to drink water from our vessels. By much conversation and free intercourse with both parents and children, their prejudices were gradually diminished. At a favorable time, after some parents had expressed a willingness to give up their children, brother Poor gave notice, (brother Warren having at that time left the station,) that he was ready to receive a few boys, who |