29 June 1816

William Wilberforce, [London?], to John Ryland, Jr., Bristol, 29 June 1816.

My dear Sir

Since I wrote my last Letter I have receivd yr obliging present & return you my best thanks for it.  I shall read the account with a lively Interest & I hope with profit – 

An Idea has struck me – that considering the prejudices of the W. Indians &c &c – it might be an adviseable measure, if it could be effected, to prevail on them to come into an agreement that a Committee of Missions should be constituted of some of ye most respectable Proprietors – and also a committee consisting of 2 or 3 of the most respectable Ministers of each Denomination that sends Missionaries, & that the Selection of Missionaries for ye West Indies should be left to these Bodies – None being admitted but such as were certified by the Committee of ye Denomination to which they should belong to be competent & safe Instructors, & who, being thus recommended & certified for, should then have their Certificate countersigned by the W. I. Committee – 

I am ye more desirous of some such arrangement because the number of the Blacks is so great in proportion to that of the Whites, & the danger thence resulting is so considerable that I fear Parlt will be disposed to be more influential than it ought by the fears of ye Planters & to consent to shut ye door against you altogether, unless a plan could be devisd which should secure the Planters on ye one hand from incompetent fanatics & on ye other should secure the Religious Denominations at Home from being discredited by the real or allegd Misconduct of Missionaries, towd whose going over they had had no Concern – I have been forc’d to scribble in a extreme haste, but I think I have said enough to put you in possession of my meaning – I am always thankful for Intelligence

Text: Wilberforce-Ryland Letters, shelfmark MS. G97a, Bristol Baptist College Library, f. 22.