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Un des symboles suivants apparaTtra sur la dernlAre image de cheque microfiche, selon Ie cas: Ie symbole -^ signifie "A SUiVRE ", Ie symbole V sign;fie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre film6s d des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque Ie document est trop grand pour §tre reproduit en un seul clich6, il est filmd d partir de i'angle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche d droite. et de haut en bas, en prenant ie nombre d'images nicessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 r; * ^ 6 \f- ♦■ THOUGHTS ON THU LATF PKOCEEDINGS OF GOVERNMENT. XXSPXCTINO THK TRADE OF THE WEST INDIA ISLANDS WITH THE UNITED STATES OF NORTH AMERICA. THE SECOND EDITION, .CORRECTED AND ENLARGED, To which it now firft added APOSTSCRIPT, ABDKXSSED To THE Right Honourable Lord Shefield. By BRIAN E D W A R D S, Esq. Quls furor ifte aovus ?- ' •non hoftem, inimlcaque caftra ArgiTumj Tcftrai fpes uritii. V|R«. LONDON: tltliKTBS FOR T. CADBLL, IN THE STRAND. M. DCC, LXXXIV. • »• r^i .'A ' 7 > t . . ■ - f ri i< • j'''t>ti {)■ r ; C';'/-^ i" ; .r • ,— • '. -■- j-T-.'i'W.jiB ii.fl ■.■«.■, - .* i2.»-';-5'l-»' ,•■•■' •'r '■ . , .f ... ,. . ,. ,. V =^ * . "\ ' ^ t - >r^ .'f , « ADVERTISEMENT TO T H 8 FIRST EDITION. f r'jrs H E moft material of the fafts 'M. ftated in this pimphiet, were col- lefted by the author during his refidencc ill the Weft Indies previous to the beginning of the late war. His fitua-r tion there, afforded him means of infor- mation not always attainable; and he endeavoured to avail himfelf of it for a purpofe very different from that of a hijfty and temporary publication. Some late meafures of Government, particu- larly the proclamation of the twenty fixth of December laft, renewing, among other regulations, the rcftriftive procla- mation of the fecond of July preceding, induced him, in judging of their pro- pi iety, to recur to the materials in his poireffion ; and conceiving that a clear and accurate knowledge of every part of our antient commercial fyftem with Ame- .-«»«(► •* .»• •>..«» . < I ••■ I ►.-,.,»..«H. I« ■ ., .. »^ . America, is at this time eflcntially ne- ceffary, he ventures in this manner to fubmit his thoughts on a very important branch of it, to the wifdom of our minif- ters and the judgment of an enlightened publick. Unconnedled with party, he writes with the freedom of hiftory : he trufts with impartiality : he hopes with- out offence. And although he has not the folly to fuppofe that the name of an undiftinguifhed individual like himfelf can add weight to his opinions ; yet as he finds it neceffary to animadvert on the writings of others who have avowed themfelves to the world, he has thought it his duty, as an honed man, to give his name alio to the publick. r^y '* ' v^ i , > .\ ' ; ■ 1 .11 f. B. EDWARDS. ■< ■ 1 A i. i ■ . ■ ' , ' ,' '•A' .. ■ ' ^t . ' .■■ ' , 1 **< * • . 4,i .' k i.r. J ssms ^% JMl tr-imtmkmtmi SC5SSBC sb cr N O R T H A M E R I C A Wii i>v*.ri ./icilija ^lov.itj'^ptjiii :. .ab J*:-*:^ *,; won ■ .r rW EST IN D I E S. ire , : Juob K;;;;i.;;vj3ii I J>oo^ row iiiuijntjjril iv^ffo, »^ if. J . J , . J » : ^ _. .__ _. i « I yi 4 < • 1 1 . f ■ * THERE is this cflential differepee attend- ing the cpndudl ^nd determinations of •private perfons, and of perfons in,po,wer: the miftakes of thefprmcr, however grofs and dan- ,-gcrou5,feldom fpread their confequences beyond . the individual himfelf, and the fmall circle to which he belongs; whereas thofc of the latter are often co-extenfive with the interefts of a • whole people. — A fingle error in the councils of a publick mini Iter may involve in it the fate of nationsj, and the welfare of pofterity. — Wc have all been melancholy witneflcs to-the truth . of this r.emark ; and can bear teftimony, from our own remembrance, of the fatal effects tJiar one eminent miftake in the conduct of a great and able ftatefmaa has produced : the revolt of ' vM ^ ■ B, three k [ a ] ' • thre« milltofls of our fellow fubjefls :-~Thc difmembcrment of the empire, and a combina- tion of impending dangers, from which death fccms out only refuge. ^* ' It is not wonderful, therefore, that our late ad- miniflration with fuch an example before them, Mt oiice a leflbnand a terror to the world, (hould, in a cafe fo unprecedented as the fettling a com- mercial intercourfcwith our late fellow- fubje(^ts, now a great and independent nation, have dif- played unufual timidity and caution. Tha£ their intentions were good, I have not a doubt ; but I think it may be queftioned whether the dread of doing loo tnucb, has not had too pow- ^e'ritil' an irifliicnce on their councils ; for in dan- •gerous cafes temporiling expedients are not atwkysthtfafcft line of conduct. Tome, in- deed, the govieming principle of what oughf to He th^GondufV of Great Britain, on the prcfent dccafion, appears fufficicntly obvious* The bafis 'of every permanent commercial alliance be- '^tween diftant nations is mutual advantage, founded rnmuttial confidenct. Surely then it is our inter- eft and our duty to endeavour, byfoftening ani- mofity, to reftorc that confidence which we have '*Ufihappily loft. Although we cannot retrieve *'!*LL the great benefits which we have wantoojy and fbolifhly thrown from us, let us not, in the pccviflinefs of difap pointed ambition, negle(^t the ' C J ] the recovery oTTuch as arc (lillwl(hin our n:acli. By an enlarged and liberal policy on oyr part, paiTipn and prejudice >j^ill at length happily fubfidc^ and then» and not till then, will intereft have its natural bias on the m'tad of America* Trade will no doubt, in fuch cafe, revert in a great degree to its ancient channels ; and that reparation which has rudely torn from the robe of Majedy one of its brightefl orpacpents,^ rnay not ultimately prove fo efTentially fatal as is now apprehended. Thus — allied to us, as they ftill are, by the dearell ties of confanguinitj— Jet us hope that the Americans will yer ^prove thcmfelves, as they have hitherto proved, our heft friends andcuftomers inpeaccj^ and in wa. our firmeft allies. The propriety of this doc- trine, I prefume to think, is not lefs juftiBed by the precepts of chriftianity, than by the maxims of found policy and commercial experience, j Ti*" .1 -~. But we are now told, by men of high rank and great authority, that fuch geaeroiity is not only unneceiTary but dangerous j and that, in fpite of American refentment ^nd independen- cy, this kingdom muft neceflarily poffefs as much of their commerce as wewilh to retain*. • See the debates in Pailiament, MaVch 7, 1783, See alfo * Obfervations on the Commerce of the American ^atea* by Lord Sheffield. The aim of his lordOvip's pam. |>hlet throughout, is to fupport this dodlriae. T.-.- ■^^, . fr 4 ] ,:\ If this be indeed the cafe, what a dreadful monu- ment of human infirmity docs Great Britain ex- hibit tp the world ! And what have we to con- folc ourfclves with, for the millions we have expended, and the blood we have fpilt ? we have difmembercd the nobleft empire in theuniverfe; — and for what ? "To mah ajfurance Jure l—'io poffcfs ourfclves of an objc6l already our own, and of which nothing; it fcems could have de- prived ys I 'X^^'' ' '^^ 'J VGiq vl 3"? irniitt/ 2oa V;'i.' til ti'J G7 irv r ffif^ F .b:?[>n")i' Mq^jB woa • I hsiH^fe Tndc'ed ever tfiolipVan^ fai-d; ini ev^t* (hall think- and fay, that the war with America on the part of Great Britain, was conceived in wickednefs, and continued through Infanity^ but I had hopes, after the difcrpline we h^ve un- dergone, that at length we were nearly cured of onr delirium I for we have been bliftered and blooded, pumped, purged, and chained to the earth. Neverthelefs there are, I am forry to iind, a confiderable party in the nation, who ap- pear to me to be ftill labouring linder fome urtr- htcky afcendant ; for they tell us, that the only method which now remains of improving and extending a commercial intcrcourfc with our late brethren, is to treat them in all refpetfts as a foreign people: to fhut our ports againft them, as aliens and ftrangers: to make them fenfible, that having renounced the duties^ they have rev nounced alfo the privileges Of Britilh fubjefls. u •..• • Tho- t s ] • The Americans) wf are gravely aflurcd, will be far from taking fuch condud amifs : nay, ihcy ^vill even applaud us for it, and confider it as a convincing proof of our liberality and friend- (hip towards them f, ' ' \ *• ^'' * Fortunately among the great parties that are now contending for the prefcrvation, or the at- tainment o( powei* J there are a few who argue more confiftently on the fubjeft. Mr. Burke, with his ufual comprehenfive difcernment, has exprefled a generous indignation againft all pro- hibitory fyftems; and the accompliflied minif- ter in the direction of our finances, brought in- to parliament || a provifional bill for the re- eftabliihment of a commercial intercourfe be- tween this kingdom and America, founded on very beneficial and enlarged principles ; and which, had it pafled into a law, would, I am perfuadcd, have tended in its confequcnces, not to the injury of our trade and navigation, as was apprehended, but, in a very eminent de- gree to the fupport and encouragement of both. '. * i -agiiv^yv,, ^ A change of adminiftration taking place foon .afterwards, this bill wasrejeded. Neverthelcfs, I will not prefume haQily to condemn the mea- ^^ f Lord Sheffield's obfervations, p. 2. ^■'11 March, 1783. furc t-> J 1: vt i I f } ^r^ •'fi"\*' "^ Right •t 7 ] ^ \f tiiitt t^tr "Was one pafftkttlar fyfttm tirf* commerce in the world, that called lefs fot rcftramt and limitation than any other, it ^as doubtlcft the intcfcourfc and reciprocal -cx^ ^^ui^. v,«;^^v change u ftate) (Vho fiipported the aft \nihe Houfc 6f Cotnmbns oa which tMs ^crclicniaticni h founded. 1 fey this ftom no other motSve than th« love of tl-irth} for I am wholly on- known to the Right HoiioimtM^GeirtlemaTi ; b«t Ihz^ ij-etfiienifly/fiioiB tfhe gallefy ctfthat htjfufe, "heard hiih d'rA- -phy fo rich a^uhi oifWrfeft dttlJ ffltflth^ldabli Morth'^tkik ton^h«fe fubjeds, fii he ditl partieirfafiy drt aix\app!icatioA of the fdgar refiners in Felwoary ifsi, fbf a redulSliba yf the duties pi foreign fugar,) as Convincef me thfft ion the prcfent occafion (if indeed he idVffed the proclamsticn) hfc lias fuffereH his oWn moll excellent judgmtiittd be biaiTbi Xv'that of ileffs' enlightened or itiffereftedWen'. As iU^'i^k- dbr may wilh to refer to the ph)daf6iaticii at large« k j* li^nntty added/ ' ^^y timm^':d bvs ,qi«sa to • ■ i i?iso t. , ■ ■ , . . ! ---jn?- ,t5lt£cl .jp-:;.- .tr; .;;^. " g E N" T» ^l'^>tf lul^^iK IJM^fQ^TS Uoik Excellent Majefty ia CoMAcii.^ ./WHEREAS hy an A^ of Parliament paffed this ieffion, intituled, •* An adl for preventing certain inftru- .^* ment5 from being required from (hips belonging to the '•^'United States of America, and tp give to his Majeft^-, «*. for a limited time- certain powers for the oetter carrv-u powers lor tne oetter carry- *i ing on tra^e and commirce between the iijibjeils of hh t Mr. Fox. ■ ou w ■>,\ ■ rC « 1 change of corpmpclitics, which fubfifl^d between our fubjcds sM the Weft-India Iflands, and thofe of the .now United States of North Ame- rica.^ It was not a trafH^k calculated to fupply ** Majefty*s doininions and the inhabitants of the fald *< United States," it is amongft other things enacted, that during the continaance of the faid a£t» it ihall and may be lawful for his M^jefty in Council> by order or orders to be ifiued and publiihed from time to time, to give fuch direc- tions and to make fuch regulations with refpe£t to duties, drawbacks or otherwife, for carrying on the trade and commerce between the people and territories belonging to the Crown of Great Britain, and the people and territories of the faid United States, as to his Majefty in Council ihall appear moft expedient and falutary, any law, ufage, or cuftom to the contrary notwithilanding ; his Majefty dotk therefore, by and with the advice of hie privy coun- cil, hereby order and direct, that pitch, tar, turpentine, hemp, and flax, mafls, yards, and bowfprits, ftavcs, head- ing, boards, timber, fhingles, and all other fpecies of lumber ; horfes, neat cattle, iheep, hogs, poultry, and all other fpecies of live ftock and live provifions ; peas, beans, potatoes, wheat, flour, bread, bifcuit, rice, oats, barley» and all other fpecies of grain, being the growth or produce ^ion of £ /of the United States of America, may (until further order) be imported by Britifh fubjefts in Britiih* built fliins, owned by Iiis Majelly's fubjeds, and navigated according to law, from any port of the United States of America, to any of his Majedy's Weft-India Iflands ; and that rum, fugar, molafles, cofFee, cocoa nuts, ginger, and pimento, may, until further order, be exported by Britifh iubjedlf in Britiih-b^ilt H^ips, owned by hisMajefty's fub* A- ...m. the fantaftlck calls of vanity, or to adminiftcf gratification to luxury or to vice, tts firfl ob«* ]e6t was to obtain food for the hungry : to pur-i chafe comn^on fuftenance for thoufands in thof^ iflands who muft otherwife have unavoidably fuffercd the miferies of fanriine. And the fccond great aim of the planters was, to procure mate-' rials for the fupply of two capital objeds; their buildings, and packages for conveying their ftaplcs to Great Britain, frona whence alond they are fupplied with raiment and other manu- jt&Sf and navigated according to 1»W| fronn any of hit Majefty's Weft-India Jflands, to any port or place withia the faid United States, upon payment of the fame duties on exportation, and fubjed to the like culesy regulations, fecurities and refti-iClions, as the tame articles by law are or may be fut^edt and liable tOi if Exported to any Britifh colony or plantation^ in America :-^aild the Right He* nourable the^bcdftCommifiioners ofihisMajeily's Tceafury^ and the Lords Comaii^iqners of the Admjrajity, are tp giv^ the nece^ary (^iredlions herein, as to them may refpeAivel^ appertain ^ ^ .j»:3--nH III ^ 1 l l,^ ^ » J « ■ The aft on which DhJs proclamation was founded, explr* iiflig the 2oth - , fcrvation of life. Secondly, bccaufc if they, are not permitted to purchafe t^ofe commodi* tics from us, in their own way, thty cap g?C jthcm elfewhere. The commerce of Am^ric^i therefore, is beyond all equivalent nwrc necef- fary to the Britilh Weft- India Iflands, than that \ of the iflands to her. for ihefe ifcafons Great Britain, as America well knows, myft rc<:,.,, ..^-na'J^^r»:t?{fi>' «^o ^... .,..;. H ^ Thofc who contend that the nec^fli ties of A*** rfierica will oblige her to fend her merchandize to thie bed: market^ through any chs^nn^U ^p* pear to me to judge fomewl^at haftily of humai). qature. T^^ey take for granted that iitterejt hj^, in all cafes, an irrefiftible influence on human ad ion. I doubt this is not always 4 juft con-?, cjufion. The bulk of nnankind are, X b^slicvc* as commonly governed by faffion. But though on the prefent occafion, the paffions and pre- judices of America concur, according to my idea, with her real intereft, to indqce her to reje<51: the alternative offered by Great Britain, yet it may not be urclcfs to enquire what other nations have done under a fmiilar predicament^: and in cafes too where evidently it was not the\ti intereft to retaliate. An inftance occurs in hif«4 tory too ftrikijig to be overlooked By a ft^-£ tuw of Qi^ecn Elw^e^b* the iepport^qoD wa$ prohibited of cutlery from the Nctlicrlands. This adt was no fooner promulgated, than the Pfiaceft of Parma iatontly piohibitcdin ffetttrn ihe trade fqr Bngliih woollens, amountir^g to. the anoual vrfuc of oni? million Hurling. This Princ^fs kucw as wpU as EH2;abcth, tb'^t by this prphibitLQn (h? pflcntiajly injured the tra(;le of the people voider her goverBrnpnti but fhc gratified her revenge : and in truth the annals of all ages abundantly prove, that confidera- UQnSi of intet^# are fjrequcntly pyerp^wei^fd by rpa^vcs x)f refea^meat. . , v. * f jSurely th^ prefent ftibjp6b is not prpperiy un-: derftooq in this kingdom, or the profit^bl^ exiftence of tlie mod: valuable of our remain- ing plantations ; — the welfare of thoufands and thquf^nds of yaluftblc fubjcfls j«— I may add the Tnariijfa(5tures>and induftry, in a great degree, of the pation> would not have been thus put in ha??a^^. That the fubjedt is not well under- Apody, is evident from the reafoning of many diilinguilhed men, both in and out of parlia- ment, who cannot be fuppofed to be afluatcd l?y inxercfted.or improper motives. Yet their ^rgumi^nts prove them to be mod ftrangcly jTiifin formed in a matter of the higheft impor- tance. Among other pofitions, which hav« feemidlgly had an influence on the councils of govern- h 1 I' [ H 3 vcrament in this bufinefs, it has been very con- fidently urged.' ^ ''" ' tV'i^»'>'i'^ »..'iw;r>,tj ' )t[0<^' (Jit /:::f Firft, That if the United States fhall refufe permifTion to Britilh (hips to carry on the trade between the Weft Indies and America exclu- (ivcly, the planters may obtain fufRcient fup- plics of provifioi and lumber from Canada and Nova Scotia, at leaft with fome afliftance from Great Britain. : ^ '•^'-, \ Secondly, That Great Britain being entitled to the monoply of the produce of her own Weft-India Iflands, it will be injurious to her intereft, to permit a diredi: importation into the United States of any part thereof^ in American veflels. . ^ Thirdly, That if the Americans are allowed a f^ee commercial intercourfe with this king- dom and its dependencies as formerly, they will foon fubftantially enjoy it, to the cxclufion of our own (hipping, and the entire lofs of our carrying trade, mi^^ ".^; -***"•*- 'f^' ■■'•■» ">-ii.-^^i---^ "* Fourthly, That Ireland will have juft rcafon to complain, if America is permitted to pur- chafe fugar and rum cheaper than herfelf, ^ li> ^u ;ia(io'j p[v^ .a^ . .^i^jiSiuii ii#^ U^**, V« >I (hall t «J 1 - V I fhall confider ihck pofitions fcparatclyi but in this, as in all other commercial difqui- fitions, it is the firft duty of a writer to ajcertm^. fails. Declamation may miflead and fpccula- cive reafoning perplex, but in matters of trade, the mod plaufiblc theory, unlefs it be raifcd on the folid evidence of well authenticated fads, is built on ftubble. " n^^ni m'm\ i) jrjJT t *si»!). h-^>,f i^ f AfF'jioJrr . Lord Sheffield obfcrves, and very truly, that the knowledge of the exports and imports of the American trade, will afford us faits and 4>rinciples to afcertain its value. I (liall apply this pbfervation to the trade in quedion, as it adtially fubfifted between our iflands in the -Weft Indies and the now United States of Amet^ rica previous to the year 1774, in the latter end of; M^hich year, ^he non-importation agreement took place. I omit that year for obvious reaf (oris.; If I miftakc not, the fummary which I (hall prefent to niy readers will afford a full and iMflicient anfwer to more than one of. the pre- ceding objedions.. . The reft will. give me very little trouble. - a, - . ; ^5" I begin with the imports. It is indeed abun- dantly neceffary that Great Britain fhould be acquainted with their nature and value, for their importance extends not merely to the prefervation of fortune, but to the maintenance I • of 1 I! €>f life.<^It was faid in parlianhcnt, that they ambunted to about 200,000 1. annually^ but that neither the people nor parliament of Eng- land have at prefent any juft conception of their magnitude^ may be fcen froin hence, that on an average of three years, previous to 1774, our feveral Weft-Ihdia Iflands received from Arae* rica (I mean from thofe province^ which, Aovt conftitute the United States i — the fmall and tafual importations from Canada and Nova 3cotia btiing unworthy pdrtt^ular dif(!:Hmina- tion *) an annual fupply of one hundfed Mhd twcnty-fivc thoafand barrels df ficdr, five thou*- fend tierces of bifcuit, fourteen ehouftnd ticHdes of rice, twelve thoufand five hundred batteh of pork and beef; three hundred and fixty thou- fand bufhels of Indian corn ; bsfides beans and peafe, oats, &c. but above all^ as being M ih^- . -finite importance; towards the maincenaiii jk ,u2l^ >j- -orri ra ;•.:•■; ;:rr ,0"? ■ : 'V,. : •^... "? r^ii^ •^^ The Americans purchafed likcwlfe (chiefly in Jamaica) confiderable quantities of cocoa or chocolate, and about lO^ooo mahogatjy flanks, Thcfe articles were obtained principally from the Spanilh Main, and the ifland of Cuba, in exchange for Britirti manufactures fent from Jamaica. This was a trade formerly of infinite importance to Great Britain, till the Britifh miniftry, in 1763, through a miftaken policy, becoming cuftoni-houfe officers for the King of Spain, gave it a wound which it has never thoroughly recovered. They purchafed like- Avife, but to no great amount, fkmento, glngcvy D 2 cotton- if! Ml ,:l ill I (otton-wool, fuj!:cky logwood and lignum viu. For thcfc various articles I reckon on a loofc cfti- matc, 6o,oocl. I.* From this ftatc of their imports and exports, the fum of 240,000!. Iterling appears to have been the balance in favour of America, and it wfts paid in ca(h and bills of exchange. Part of : which, as it is . fuppofed, was afterwards kid . out in the French iflands, in the purchafc of .molafles and coffee j but much Icfs I believe irhan is commonly imagined ; for the Frenrh '! planters had as great occafion as our ow for ! iAmerican lumber and neceflariesj and that ^ •chofe articles were freely admitted into t^ "ir *" ports, I have been myfelf an tye-witnefs ; that they gladly received them too, :pfl:ead of mo-* '^neyi in payment of fugar and other articles of their produce, which were afterwards conveyed *i (whether legally or not) into the ports of North ' America, there is no reafon to doubt. It is therefore more than probable, that the whole or the gr ateft part of the balance due and re- ceived from the planters in our own iflands, was remitted by the Americans to Great Britain, in redu6lion of their debts to the Britifh merchants. And fuch were once the happy effe61s of coloniel navigation and commerce ! Though fpreading through? variety of diftant channels, their profits ail returned to, and ultimately concentred in, * ' ' '■'■-'• ' "y^-^: Great '/ 'A It 21 ] ■tltl] • < , ^< Great Britain, like rivers to the ocean, whicH, as philofophers tell us, fupplies> by unobferved operations, and through a thoufand fccret rc- ccflcs, the fprings and fountains of the earth: but thefe, after giving fertility and life to the rcmotefl: corners of the globe, return back with colleflive and augmented force, and freighted with golden treafures, to the bofom of their general parent. ' ', - In the preceding enumeration of the exports from the Britifh Weft Indies to North America, I am nat clear that my ftatement conforms to official documents. The Cuftom-houfe books in the Weft-Indies, out of which thofe docu- ments are formed, afford no certainty of infor- mation ; for many of the bays, creeks, and ftiip- ping places in the iflands (particularly in Ja- maica) being remote from the ports of entry, it was formerly ufual with the mafters of Ame- rican veffels loading at fuch places, in order to prevent delay, to make out their manifefts, and takeout their clearances before they were fully 1 i:\den, receiving afterwards on board, notwith- ftanding the rifques they incurred by the prac- tice, much greater quantities cf goods than they had reported. Governor Lyttelton, in a re- prefentation to the Lords of Trade, in 1764, now before me, obfcrves that there was JlQt at that time ^le h^lf of the produce ■: vv...,.,,:. .,, ,. .r.^^., ;.. ■ ■■ entered ■■■' .*• ■:^^ I f 22 r entered for exportation in the Cuftom-hoafc books at Jamaica, which was actually (hipped. Perhaps, therefore I may have over-rated the balance in favour of America. v^ .,'i I am the more inclined to fufpeft that govern- ment is not rightly informed in thi« particular of the exports, becaufe Lord Sheffield, who ap- pears to have been refufed no information that tiflice can give^ fpeaks of them in general (the article of rum excepted) as inconfiiderablc and cf little value. — With refpedt, however to the imports, it is impofTible but that the fulleil and mod correct information has been obtained j and amongft the numerous accounts collefted by his Lordfhip, it would have been apropf of his candour if he had ftated alfo an account of the imports in queftion to the publick, and thereby have rendered this intrufion on their patience unncceflary. _ *, ,* 'in truth it is the knowieage of the magni- tude of the imports from the United States ( — feven hundred and fifty thoufand pounds rierling laid out in fuch cheap and bulky com- modities as provifions and lumber I—) that chiefly demonftrates the mockery of referring the difappointed planter to Canada and Nova Scotia. Even if nature had not, as unfortu- nately fhe has, Ihut up the navigation from the i<^. [ »3 3 the former of thefc provinces fix months in the year, and devoted the latter to everlafting (lerility ; there is this plain rcafon in the na- ture of things that forbids the plante»-to look to thofe countries for efFedhial relief. ** It Is inconfiftent with the nature of commerce, to furni(h an adequate fupply to fo vaft and fo va- rious a demand ; coming immediately and uii- cxpedtedly. The demand and the fupply rauft grow tip together, mutually fupporting, and fupported by each other." It will requfre a long ferics of years to bring them to a level*. rj U This prirtciple applies too in a greet degree, as well to England, as to our few remaining provinces in North America, I will fuppofe* however, that Great Britain can aiStually furnifti the chief of thofe articles which the planters formerly obtained from the United States j yet it muft be remembered, that the price of them in Europe, from the advance of freight only, will at lead be doubled. The freight of lum- ber, even from North America, a fhort and fafe paffAge, is a moiety of the fir ft coft of the goods. Neverthelefs (as was well obferved by a noble Earl in the Houfe of Lords) " it is the ** readinefs and cheapnefi of the navigation that ',f ■;mou. q:^^. . . . ■ . ".■:■'' • S^e Mr Walker's evide»ce before the Houfe of Cqw- mons on the Planter's petition in 1775, wherein this re- mark is ably illuftrated. . it^# i^H t :. I ■ .• ., ' UippoitS, :u- 11 f [24 3 " fupports the intcrcourfe. From the vicinity ** of the American. Continent and the Weft: " India J flandstp each other, the trade, is carried ** on by. fmall floops and fchooncis ; nay, even by. half decked boats, with two. and three men, and perhaps a boy on board of each ; ^^* the value of one cargo, inconfiderable as it f' is, being more than fufficicnt to pay the " prime coft of the whole vefTel J". ; , .^t(w% With the advance of freight on goods pur- chafed in Europe, (to fay nothing of the aug- mented coft of the goods themfelves) mutt be reckoned alfo the iofs which the planter will fuftain in the fale of his produce.^ mean in the difference he will experience between the prices he ufually obtained from the American trader (who, dealing on barter and for a home- ward freight, could afford to pay liberally) and thofe which he is likely to obtain at a glutted market, and Ajbijedt to enormous duties in Great Britain. — Part of his Ilaple commodities too, as '.vc have fhewn, if he cannot fell them . to America, muft remain a dead Iofs on his hands. It is, therefore, cruelty and infult to tell him of fupplies in Great Britain, if he has not wherewithal to purchafe them. There may be corn in Egypt, but there is no money in the l^and of Canaan. X Lord Abingdon's fpeech^ July 15, 1783. . Under i. >. t =s ] Under circumftanccs of fuch accumukted dif- trefs, it is abfolutcly impofliblc that nineteen out of twenty of the planters can fubfift. If it be afked. How it came that they fubftSfed during the waVf when all immediate inter courfe with the ajfo* ciated provinces was cut off? The anfwer is ob- vious. iThey obtained American fupplies by means of the ■ .ize-vefTds which were con- demned and fold in their ports j and, if this refource proved deficient, the advanced price of Weft-India produce at the Britilh market, en- abled the' planter to purchafe fuch articles in Great Britain, as Great Britain could fupply. The refource and its alternative no longer exift. And here it may not be improper to fhew on what terms the planter was ufually fupplied at the Britiih market with thofe commodities which he formerly obtained from North Ame- rica. — An inftance or two will fuffice. Among other necefiariesj^o/zr, ^nd packages for rum, con- ftiruted two important articles. Of thf* flour, a third, at leaft, perifhed before it reached its place of deftination ; and with regard to pun- cKeons for containing rum, it is to be obferved, that pipe-ftaves from the Baltick, though af- fording the neceflary material, are not prepared for the ufe of the Weft-Indies ; being too long for a fingle puncheon, and not long enough for two ; neither are they properly manufailufed in other rerpe6ts. The planter was compelled, E there- r li ■ '[ 26 ] therefore, to purchafe ready made puncheons in Great Britain ; the average price of which> during the war, was about twenty (hillings each,* to which add fix (hillings for freight, infurance, and charges, and the whole expence on delivery in the Weil Indies, exclufive of the iron-hoops, was 26 s. flerling. — Now the whole coft in the Weft Indies of the fanfie article, pre- pared from American ftaves, was ufually about 1 1 s. only.— Some part of this expence, how- ever, was repaid 5 and a very fm all part of the puncheons were ufed as packages for dry goods fent out, which was a faving in the freight; but it is no exaggeration to aver, that in this inftance alone, trifling as it may appear, by im- porting their rum-packages from Great Britain inftead of America, the iflands fuftained a lofs of at leaft 50,0001. fterling per annum. From hence fome judgment may be formed what little dependence, even the moft opulent of the Weft India planters, can place on the Mother Country for the fupply of necefTaries. The refource itfelf is ruinous in the extreme. ;; The preceding obfervations have, I truft, fully obviated the firft objection above ftated> and anticipated in fome meafure an anfwer to the fecond. I moft readily admit that Great Britain is of right entitled ^to the monopoly of • The price is now 1815. the >■ < r A [ ^7 ] the produceof her Weft-India poflcnions,as long as (he continues to them the monopoly of her market. This reciprocal obligation I confidcr as founded on an implied convention, on the faith of which the fugar iQands were fettled ; but I contend that a vent in America (though no longer a part of the Britifh dominion) of thofe articles of their produce, for which the demand in Great Britain feldom affords a faving price, may very reafonably be requefted. For not tending in the fmalleft degree to the prejudice of the mother country, it cannot furely be con- fidered as a breach of that convention which I have fuppofed to fubfift between her and her children. It were indeed ftrange policy in a parent ftate to deprive her colonies of any re- fource, the lofs of which, though an injury to them, is productive of no advantage to herfelfi nor can any contract warrant fo extenfive an interpretation. Sugar, indigo, cotton wool, dying- wood, &c. being raw materials, for which Great Britain affords a fufficient demand, Ihe may perhaps properly enough confine to her own market, but all or moft of the remaining Weft India produdts, ought to lie under no fuch reftridlion ; and I fhall offer fome reafons to prove, that the principal ftaple, /i(^^r, ought to be allowed a free export to iVmerica as hereto- fore, even in point t)f true policy on the part; of Great Britain, * /..-:V E 2" . ■ " ■ It JriiA' It is inconteftibly true, that if the Ameri- cans are not permitted to purchafe this article from our own iflands, they will obtain it from thofe of France. We are told indeed by Lord Sheffield, " that neither Holland nor France will fufFer the American States to carry fugar from their ports in the Weft-Indies j" but un- lefs his lordfhip alludes to feme recent regula- tion of thofe governments of which I have not beard, he will find it difficult to reconcile this allcrtion with that which immediately precedes it, in the fame page and in the fame paragraph of his book. ** The difference of price, fays his lordfhip, between Frencfij Danifh, and Dutch, ari4 Britifh Weft India fugar, was fo great, that above two thirds of the fugar im-* ported into America came fi-om the foreign iflands." This indeed, I believe ; and whether fuch fugar was imported clandeflinely from the foreign iflands, or otherwife, it is a circumftancc of which Great Britain ought certainly to avail herfelf, by-encouraging as much as poffible the Americans to deal with her own fugar iflands for this article among others, inftead of laying ojt their money with the French, the Danes and the Dutch. Itfcems not to be fufficiently underftood, that every addition to the profperi- ty of our fugar iflands is abfoluteJy and en- tirely an augmentation of tlie national wealth. pnvy perhaps may not be willing to allow this, ... ' and I.--- •-...<». > and Ignorance may not comprehend it ; but luch is the fadl. It is to Great Britain, and to Great Britain alone, that our Weft-India plan- ters confider themfelves as belonging. It is /w^ that their children are educated i their wealth centers here^ and it is here that their afFedlions are fixed. Even fuch of them as have refided in the Weft-Indies from their birth, look on the iQands as a temporary abode only, and the fond notion of being foon able to go home (as they emphatically term a vifit to England) year after ^\ year, animates their induftry and alleviates their misfortunes ; of which by the bye, no people / on earth have received a greater fhare from the hand of omnipotence than themfelves. On what principle then ofreafon or juftice, are we A called upon to deprive thefc colonics, thus at- tached to us by every tie of intereft and affec- tion, of any one advaatage in the difpofal of » their produce, which is not immediately pre- judicial to ourfelv^s ? Are we by miftakcn pro- hibitions to compel their old cuftomers, the Americans, to deal with foreigners, whether they incline fo to do or not ? Very diflFcrcnt was the policy of our former fyftem ; for why was a duty of five ftiillings per cent, levied oti (ugars of foreign growth, imported into North America, while that of our own iflands was ad- mitted duty free ? evidently that the tax on foreign fugars might operate as a bounty on pur own. This fyftem, it is true, has ceafcd with r 30 I with the allegiance of America : ncvcrthelefs, ifthcvclTcls of the United States arc freely admitted into our Weft-India ports, it is pro- bable, in the aflfortment of their homeward freight, that fugar will ^i\\ con(\:\tute fome part of their cargoes. I believe in truth 9.Jmallparf,' But >yhatever may be its amount, the value of it, if fugar itfelf is prohibited, muft be paid iri ready money, which will afterwards probably find its way to thofe plantations where a wifer policy prevails*. It follows, therefore, and the faft undoubtedly is, that as we reftrain our own fugar iflands, we fupport and encourage, in the fame degree, thofe of our rivals and enemies, the French. , *# Jr,^^ IV' yif -fl am not unapprifed of that narrow felfifh argument, that the Britifh revenue will be in-^ jured by the export of onr fugar to North America: — but judging of the future by the pad, I maintain, that the plenty of fugar at the, Engliih market, as it has always kept, fo it al- ways will keep pace with the reduced price of ncceflarics in our fugar plantations, and the eafe . with which labour there, is upheld and pro- moted. It is not the fale of an inconfiderable portion of their great flaple to the North Ame- wy .A, • See the Second Addrefs in the Appendix, from the in- habitants of Jamaica to Governor Campbell* t i ricans. H /y //^. /^ t Ji ] yicnns, that ultimately IcfTens its general export to Great Britain. On the contrary, by a re* dudlion in the planters annual cxpcncc, — an ad- vantage which he owes to an imnncdiatc, and therefore beneficial exchange of commodities, (fugar among the reft) with America, a dcfirc of improving and extending his pofTefTions, urges him to new undertakings ; — his ambition is awakened i-— his faculties expand, and culti- vation increafes with a rapidity unknown to the cautious inhabitant of the colder clime, and lefs vigorous foil of Europe. Thus it h that the iflands will gratefully repay the gene- rous indulgence of their parent. By permit- ting a dired exportation of fugar to America ihc will foon find a proportionate encreafc of the fame ftaple, at her own emporiurfi j while the confumption of her manufactures will en- large with the augmentation of her navigation and revenues. The improvements that were vifible in the ifland of Jamaica, within the ftiortfpace of fifteen years, previous to the late unfortunate war, cftablilh the truth of this rea- foning beyond all contradiction. They may be judged of from this, that in 1757 the import of fugar into the port of London, from that ifiand, was 24,494 hoglheads; in 1772, it had rifen to 45,889 hog(heads ! Let us now no longer be told, that an exportation of that ^* *.v ^ ♦ - v^ VI. rk com- iimH: 4 Sit I t it, i y [ J2 ] comrncidtty f6 North America is prejudicial to the revenues of Great Britain 1 * I come now to the loudeft of all the objcftions that have yep been urged againft the cftablilh- ment o( a liberal intcrcourfc with the Amcri^ cans; namely, the fuppofed danger of their cngrofiing the navigation and carrying- trade of thiskingdomj on which, however, it is fufficient to obferve, with refpcd to our fugar colonics, that xhe argument whereon this objection is founded, (if I rightly comprehend its meaning) takes for granted what yet remains to be proved ; (ince it implies, that the admilTion of American veffcls into our Weft India ports allows them alfo a free trade from thence to Great Britain, But afluredly this does not neceffarily follow. Whether it may be prudent in Great Britain to confent to fo liberal an extenfion of her naviga- tion laws, is a qucftion of general policy, whereon it would be prefumptuous in the Weftlndia planters to offer their opinion. Im- preffed with the dread of impending evils, they confine thcmfelves to 'heir own particular fitu- ation, requefting only that America may be permitted, as formerly, to bring them food, and fuch other nccelTaries as Great Britain her- fclf cannot furniih, and to receive in payment fuch of their ftaples as Great Britain cannot confume. They are told that * Canada and \ V Nova ** / >s t 33 1 Nova Scotia fhall fatisfy their wants." We have dcmonftrated the folly of this cxpcdarion. ** But Great Britain claims the monopoly of their produce." It has been fliewn that (he will ftill poffcfs it to every beneficial purpofc. Obftacles, hovVevcr, multiply. '* The Ameri- . cans v/ill engrofs the carrying-trade, to the ex- ' clulion of our own Ihipping." — This objection ' m truth, is expreflcd in fuch general terms, that * I really believe, many Well-meaning men, who have grown hoarlc in repeating it, have no pre- • cifc idea of its meaning to this hour. If the '[ fenfe of it be this, tbat Jmerican Jhfps zvill /apply '" foreign markets with Britijh plantation Jugar, to the prejudice of the Britijh refinery, the noble author ^ of whom I have made frequent mention, and "who has clearly given it this interpretation, has ^ Jiimfelf furniflied an anfwer ; for he repeatedly ' aflirms, thit the French iflands can fupply, not only the American confumption, but that of all ' Europe befides,on far cheaper terms than our own. Does the noble Lord fuppofe, that the Americans will buy dearer with a view to fell cheaper, than the French ? Their pad condudt has a&brdec^ ' no proofs of fuch egregious folly. 1 mud ob- ferve too, that our iflands have already per- miflion (by 12 Geo. II.) to fend fugars to the fouthward of Cape Finiftere ; yet during a refir dence of 15 years in the Welt Indies, I never •(ShrTt^i^ F heard ■ > ( i! [ 34 ] heard but of two veflfels that tiieil the experi- ment, and the owners had no encouragement to repeat it. If the objection fignifies, what I believe it was rucant to fignify by fome who •urged it in the Hou^e of Commons in thede* bate on Mr, Pitt's provifional bill j namely, 'That American Jhips having difcharged their cargoes in our Weft India iflands, will enter into ^ fompetition with Britijh vejfels loading there, for freights to Great Britain ; it is, I confefs, a mat- ter defervme conlideration J but Great Britain furely may adminifler a preventive lefs dange- rous in its efFeds than the proje6t of ftarving her fugar colonies, by interdiding all inter- courfe whatever between them and the United States. The difeafe, in this cafe, is, indeed, by Tarthe kflcr evil,..^ ., ..n.,v,^vliL.!3«fi mu I hop"? tfiat no apology to Lord Sheffield Vill be thought neceflary for t\\c freedom I have taken with his opinions. I mean no per- fonal offence; for I have heard and believe, that he is a man of great liberality and hu- manity; but drawing his conclufions, as hfc rorifefles to have done, chiefly from oral tefti- mony, I am inclined to think, that g^c^at part of the information given to his lordfhip, was not given in the fpiiit of truth ; but, iii that of fclfifhnefs and malignity. His lordlhip, having fubmitted his opinions to the publick, - - avowedly A f. in. C 35 ^ 1 m. d..^l «■■ dt» trvMCAl .^k>,^Jl\.. ft#l!^ «T*^ -f fS i»T. ] Si^^il.' *>^^ A Xi'-^.^ 4 jpteaL..'fw^ avowedly for tlie purpofe of influencing public meafures, they arc fairly an obiedt of p'-blic in- ' veHigation. ^f^' One objcdtion ftill remains to be confidered. It ; is that which rifpe£ls Ireland. It ihall •quickly be difpatched ; for it is without even a Ihadow of fouiidat'on* Ireland has already received, as matter of right, all the freedom of trade which (he claimed, or can reafonably de- fire, and (he nobly earned it. — Happy, if (he ' knows her own happinefs ! Among other pri- ' vUeges fhe pofieffcs that of a dircdl interjourfe with our Weil: India iflands. It is true, fhe has charged the confumption of Weft India •produce with duties proportionate to thofe which are laid by Great Britain ; and fhe has adopted our navigation a6l, in prohibiting the introdudlion thereof from foreign plantations in foreign bottoms. This fhe did at the rea- fonable requeft of this kingdom ; for it was ob- vious, that a fyftem of fmuggling fugar and rum from thence hither, would otherwife have been introduced that muft hj^ve proved fatal to our revcr.ues : but the duties which Ireland has thus eitablifhed, fhe retains in her own hands. Great Britain receives no part of them j and if by means of tb^e^ the people of Ireland are re- lieved o( other taxes, how are they injured, and what have they lo complain of ? When there- ~ - F i ' ' fore n u J [ 36 ] , ■ fore they are told, " That they ought to have Weft India procjuce on as good terms as the Americans, now a foreign nation,'* thp fadt jt- felf is not fairly ftated. It is neceflary to ob- ferve too, that England is no longer at the expence'of maintaining a fleet for the pro- tedion of the commerce of i^merica. Does Ire- land expc(5t that Gre^t: Britain is to fupport the whole burthen of naval defence fpr bpth king- doms, btfides the load of debt pontradted for both i and will the people of Ireland contri- bute in no r-fpeft to her relief? Men whp have aded fo bravely as the Irifli, will noc argue Iq ^ng^nerpully. nr fhWvj';<^';/ii^ ^ut perhaps it will bp urged that America will interfere ivith Ireland in her provifioi^- tradc ; and, without doubt, could Ireland fur- nifh the Weft India market altogether, on the fame term.s ftie has hitherto fupplied it in party it were not unrealbnable in the Irifti to cxpedt the preference of our cuftom. \ m\\ admit too the poffibility of her doing this with regard \q many articles; for the quantity of beef and pork annually fupplied by America never exceeded 12 or 13,000 barrels. Let America therefqre be prohibited from fending to the Weft Indies eyery fpecies of falted pro- yifions except only fifti. The planters will not quarrel about trifles, neither will the Arae- ric^ns have juft rcafpn to complain vi not V .." * / being > i. h - t 37 ],^ being permitted to import thofe commodities into our iugqr colonies, which the mother- country and Ireland can fupply to advantage, I contend not for any fuch indulgence towards them ; but I contend with regard to that great component . article of the Iriih provifion- trade Jaltedfi]h\ that, as Ireland can by no means furnilh a fufficient quantity for the Weft India ^confumption, ihe ought not to expcd the jnonopoly of fupplying it, ?')^ t^i j>T'i:rTf.s^ V-I have thus briefly, but I truft fatisfa^torily, gbviated the principal objed:ions and arguments fhat have been eloquently urged, both in par- liament and from the prefs, againft the revival of a commercial intercourfe between our Weft India iflands and the United States of Ame- rica, on terms of equal freedom and advantage. It has coft me but little trouble, for none of them were of deep and difficult cx)nfideration, ^nd the fubjed did not require me to enter more fully and at large into that great fyftem of general policy, which it will fpeedily demand the clofeft inveftigation on the part of Great Britain (aided by temperate councils, uncon- taminated by party, and unbiafled by refcnc- ment) to arrange and eftablilh on a folid and profperous footing. Of that general fyftem, how- ever, the commerce of which I treat conftitutes a yejy cf%ntial part, and by confidering it fe- ^i^/ "'v^' ' -/ . ' " parately \ I » ■; / i'i V f J8 T ; paratcly aud 'dift:m(5lly, I flatter rrtyfelf that I foavc enabled the reader to forrti a clearer no- tion of its nature, and a more acciorate eftimate of its value, than otherwife he might have done. With- a few mifcellaneous obferv^tions, therefore, that Occur to ir\c, I (hall difmifs ;hc fLibie(5l. " ^d ni^'J J-:in:ari zs ,:r:^j • n'N\ • It ha5 been remarked, that the navigation from Canada is obltrudVed fix months in the year by the ice. It fhould alfo have been obferved, that ti hurricane months in the Weft Indies occupy g : part of the time in which the river St. Lawrence is open. How Cafual, how iincertain, therefore, muft be any fopply from thence fOr the ufe of the planters in the Weft Indies, even if Canada had people fufficient to cut her lumber, and the means of preparirtg her wheat into flour fit for the Weft India mar- ket, neither of which- advantages fhe poflefTes at J refenti I doubt alfo, whether Canada (as now bounded) furniflies that fpecies of wood called while oak j the only material proper for containing rum. It is certain that Nova- Scotia does not. This is a very ftriking cir«^ cumftance ; for next to the neceflaries of life> woodi of which rum puncheons are made, is the moft important of fupplies to the Weft Indies, as I have already demon ft rated, and the want of it affords an additional rcafon for placing ■ ■ ■ -.■.'■■ '■'• '"^- ^ very ■UK' ■i ■■ n-t% - 1 |[ 39 ] , very little (jcpcndaacc qjb eUher of thofc ill- fated prgviQce*/ tn:>iu«l^, OQOcvt W& ^4^fii^ i . ^s 01 i\.t ^ r Tl^e papcrsi wh-iqli I fliall fubjoin in an Ap- pendix, li^ave aaticipatcd in part an pbfcryation wherein our humanity, as well as policy, is moi'c interefted than in any other. U arifes froni the . dreadful conflagration which a few years ago reduced the large and opulent emporium of Jamaica to aflies, and the (lill more dreadful hurricanes, in ^yjiich the angel of deflation viCred in his wrath great part of that extenfivc country,, and she whole of fome-of the iflands - to windward. Eyer fince thofc calamities, tJic fufFcring inhabitants have refided in mifirrablc hovels, by no means a fufficient defence againfl: the autumnal leafons, in confident expectation that the return of p^race would enable them to procure materials for repairing their dwelling- houfcs, and the rc-eftabliflimcnt of their mill* and manufadories ; and accordingly America, in the very firft moment of reconciliation, haftened to their relief. How grievous then is their difappointment ! yet this is but a very fmall part of the evl. It has been Ihcwn in the (late of the imports from North America, that the article of faked fiih (viz. cod, mackrcil, jSifc^ from England has fcryed to make fugar bogf- hettds» but will not anf\Ver for rum ; nor any wood that 1 am acquaiii^tdvvith bin o«i. and [ 40 ] ^ V and (had) to the incredible amount of 1^0,006 quintals, and 30,000 barrels, conftituted part of their annual confumption. It grieves me to fay, that this, and herrings from Ireland, made the only animal food of the poor negroes. By the late proclamation, the fliture import of falted fifh from the United States is not per- mitted even in Britijh vejfels. As it is impoPiblc thatlreland alone, or conjointly with thefiflicrics of St John's, and Nova Scotia, in their prefenc ftate, can fupply the deficiency', infatuation muft have crept into our councrls. Is it not % enough that ruin will overtake the unoffending planters — muft the mod wretched of all the children of affliction, his milerable flayeSj alfo fall vidims to our Vengeance I'-y ^^' ^.'' * . ■{ ; ' ■ ' ■ ■ i:-It was remarked by ivir Walker, in that ad- mirable chain of evidence delivered by him, in 1775, to ^" unattending and unfeeling Houfe of Commons, that " it is in trade, as in the hu- ** man body, nothing fuffers fingly by itfelf 5 *^ there is a confent of parts in the fyftem of *' both, and the partial evil foon grows, into uni- " verfal mifchief." At prefent I (hall confine the application of this remark to the African trade. Deprived of the means of procuring fuftenance for the flaves they al eady poffefs, it can hardly be luppofed that the planters will think of pur- chafing others. In lamenting this circumftancey v ,K i 41. ] I fpeak now, n^rely ^s a merchant or (lock)- holder^ jnedjtyifig.oq the prefent, ^tvd prpba^ bjy future, (iaj^ility pf tlic if vegufs^ Gj-eat firhfiinf to which tl^c Afncan trade is dpulDtlef^ of <;QnfiderabIe.im|)ortarM:ej As a map, anled,irt the annals of ;n}anjcind.7--lt i§.w^n,UT?d|*r tjif name of peace, againftthe fnqft y^luablc ofhef plantations, who have not qr(|y given her nq provocation, but whofe vveifar^. (lie kppws ari4 acknowledges ;tf^;^f the fupj>9Pt; pf l)qr giWji empire. Well, therefore, may .the plar^teff complain, that ,**t|)cy are fuSifri^g wirhouf blamp, and incurring j?11 thp_e^Vut^tjo^_Qn th^rl^ Whatever rnay be thought of the part or pre-* fent condu£l of America towards, this country, the peaceful and loyal inhabitants of tht: WclV •^ Petition frdm thd affembly of CarliaJoes to the King. ' -.. ,, , G India India iflands arc void of offence. Is It tneit confident with policy, religion or humanity, to dcftroy the innocent, becaufe their deftnic- ^ t'on may operate eventually as a punilhment to ic guilty J and are 500,000 perfons to be ftarvcd, and a property of 60 million to be rendered unprofitable and precarious, that Ame- rica may lofe the advantage of felling them food and neceffarics ? Policy, religion, and humanity, reprobate the idea ! -^.1 K To conclude : in private life, it is not the man who is injured ; but he that gives the in- jury, that feldom forgives. This, however, is the peculiar charaderiftic of bafe and ignoble minds; for fuch ofily arc guilty of unprovoked and premeditated mifchief. Miftakc, indeed, is the lot ofour nature, and the wifeft and greatcil of men are not exempted from it -, but convic- tion on fuch minds produces not malignity or revenge, but acknowledgment and reparation. When unretraflcd error hardens into obfti- hacy, and difappointed ambition is degraded into malice— thefe are figns of a fatal degene- racy; of a conduft not merely erroneous, but proceeding from principles depraved and cor- rupt. It. is with communities as with indi- viduals. We were once a people renowned for generofity and magnanimity. — To, the pr^- fervation of that charaiftcr, exemption from *.. .^^ */ V error t 43 3 error never was fuppofed immutahly ncceffarjr- Our public conduft has indeed beeii dreadfully fallible, and we have much to anfwer for and much to repair:— but if public virtue be not wholly gone from us, if we wilh to be fliil ve- nerable among the nations of the earth, let us, above all things, difcard, in the fulnefs of dif- dain, that low vindictive principle of womanly refentment, which incites to fccret malignity and revengp, when open and avowed hoftility has failed of its purpofe. Surely we are at this time fufficiently humbled, both in our own I, V ■» m ••'•\' ■;■»■? G 2 .*■■;', 'V,- V.;,*' A P P E N- It:. '*'■',.,./ :; 4,,,,,.. $;'tl^»it;.4,..^M^#.i.., v,..5,*i^?;y-'^^:^^^^^^ ^ . * ^, ,W.»J' ' j{ If ;i ^mm'^y-. m^ t^m^'- v%; #;i^ . < if^ci h&lJo cJ "'-*- ntmi av*»f -^^ -■■' ■.li ^ iSi'tf^ I MWE « tNI raLLO«VlII<} AVTMtltrff FAFIKI «ON^Afir THE OriNIOV* or QRAVE >MP ftllftCTAIILt BODIIt . OP. iAMK, A^ ALSO OF A CRIEF OOVlftHOR OF HIGH CHARACTER IN ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT OF OUR COLONIES, ON THE PRESENT SUBJECT, AN» iqANNOT FAIL TO HAVE THAT WEIGHT, WHICH ' MAY NOT BE ALLOWEO TO ANT OPINIONS OR AS- f * SERTIOl^l C^f'MT OWN. ',' . ' ; ; • j..rv.. Jf a Committee of the W^ Iniia Planters and Merchants^ held the nth of Aprils 1783, in pirfuance of the unanimous refolution and op* } intment of a general meeting exprefsfy called for that purpofe, ..^ ^-^ RESOLVED ui^animoufly, that the following , REPRjESENTATION be made to his , JVIaJ«STy'$ .MiNISTIILS, viz. »;^^.; ,. ..^ THAT the proprietors of eftaitcs in the fugar colonies have been put to fuch c,no«Ti9iis expedccs for their defence during the }at9 vrar, and for procuring even the infufficicnt r.. , fup- £ 46 ] ftj>|)lie» tFiey have bfcn able to obtain of lum- ber and other American produce, and have been daring tb« i6#^C(d^i(lcecl: «»ith A> ^manf^ natural calamities, that their fituation is be- coii)c5rulydin:(dsful;,^nd loiudl/falls^fcr a^l^n- tion to every pofTiblc means of fupportingjthcm, amis with them ehe manuiadlures, commercey navigaticri, a«dTev?nuc of the mother country, ender bitrthctis ^hidi endarfgcr their utter :i 1 •0 .eJr.'.OU'^i 4 'JO It i^ With ',.^c grcatelt reluctance, they mgkc any reprefentation conccr;iing the very heavy and opprefiive duties impofcd on the flapl^ articles of thrrrprodticr by Parliament, being tri>ly fenfible of the urgency of the public ne- orflStjes, an(i fihccrVly ready to make evfry exer rT4)rtfor fupporting their* ihare of *tbern -, but if fuch dtfiies arfe irtipbfed as muft greatly JefTen the cohfumptioKTi -whilft they proporcionably increafe the temptation to fm«ggling,*the prof- pett of revenue will be defeated, and the fugar <:olonics ruintd in vain. Such it is greatly^ ftrarcdwiU be the operation of ' the increafcd duties upon fugar ad>d rum* Thofe ob'rum have operated in a great meafurc as a prohi- bition, to tKe importation from the *Lecward* lHands. 1 hofe on fugar have ^ been nearly doubled in the courfvafte in rc'ftn- ing. The advance of money required for pay- ment of the duty inftantly t>n larfding aggc^i- vates its weight upon the planter j and uj)6i4 the whole, it is apprehended that no firhilar ob- ject of taxation has, under" the jircfTure of the fame public necefTities, b^eti dtalt wVch T6 hardly; whilft few, if any of them from their connection with the moll' eflcnciai inter^fts bf this commercial 'country, ftand fo ^eir en^ titled to a favourable attention. 'A relief frbtii thefe duties may r'^erefore beconrie ihdi'fpen- fably neceflaryj and fuch neccflity cah in tht opinion of the committee be tnno way prs^ vented, but by the utmofl afliftance bdng giv€n to the fupply of the fugar ct)l6nirs wrtli the articles they ftand in n^ed ofj and to the encouragement of the cultivation of other arti- cles of their growth ; together with xhk rtioft vigorous exertion of every means whereby fmug- gling may be prevented', and foreign produce kept from being introduced to confumpcion in thefe kingdoms inftead of ou.' own, * , I*'' •* *♦"• •« ^IThe dominion? of the United States of Anv?- jica, and his Majcft^y's fugar colonics, having been fettled in the exprcfs view of fupplying each V'f' each Qthw w^^ti?, ;it cannot he ^xpcAed that th<^rug»rcQl and tob^OiOi if pi'oper' encouragement wei^ givert thereto; and flich dikivatldn Would at the fame time afford thx? means Of fubfiftence to great numbers of loyal Americans and dtherS, whofe property is hot fafficieni; for the fettlc*- ment of a fugar plantation, arid Woiild gtea^ly encreafe the internal ftrcngth of the fugar colo- nies. For thefc faiutary purpofes it is fubmit- ted whether the bounty of 4d. per poUnd, which only expired laliyear, fh'OuId not be revived, upofi the importation of Indigo of the g^rpwth of hik Majettjr^'s fugar dtttoniesj and the duties on cof- fee and Cocoa be iti ;i great m'ealure taken off. Thofe on cbfFee, in particular, operale almoft as a prohibition On the legal conlumption, fee- ing that, notwithftartdinff their enormous fat^, they only produce abobt 7 'or Spool, per an- num to the revenue, wh'ilft it is cvidentf that very great quantities of coifee are confurped ia thefe kingdoms, to the eilcouragenient of the general praiflice of fmuggling, and the fupport of the French Weft I;idia iflands by the cort- fumption of their produce. By an experiment upon this article, therefore, the revenue caii hazard l-ttle, ^ndthe committee moft earneftly rccomm^ nd it, in the firm perfuafion that if the CJiCife were whollv taken ofT, and that, upon ' ' ' H pay- I [{ s^ 1 tpjiymcnt of a moderate duty -of cufloii^s upon landing, to be drawn back on exportationjt cof- fee were permitted to be conrfumed fret from .alj farther reiiraint, a very fmall duty thereon would n9t only produce more revenue (hari h ^produocdat prefent from the commodity it- felf) li^ut would materially aid the confumption ^ of ftigar, and the revenue arifing therefrom. .A fimil^r regulation of the duty on cocoa .lvould,Jt is hoped> produce the like «IFe6^s* rj ' Among the defeibs of the prefent fyftem of ^ laws a^ainft fmuggling, it is fubmitted whe- i^therforpe of the moft ftriking and confiderablc ' are not the permitting^ vefTeU feized to return ^ their (orriier employment ; the want of pu* '^Khmcn^ (uitcd to the enormity of the crimr» to be inftidled on fuch revenue officers as are ' either corruptly concerned in fmuggling or in ./collufiye feizurcs, or yvllfully and kno\yingly poniilve at them j and the permitting commo- dities feized to be fold for home confumption freeofduty. Under this practice every aiftempt iphade to fmuggle, muft of hecefTity produce all the evil to the (late, which its fuccfefs. could produce ; and the only qucflion is, whether the fmurorlcr or the cuftom-houfe officer fli all reap the L^neflt; for by the one or the other of . them the commodity is with certainty brought into confumption, free of duty, whillt the lale thercoi / "■■■ ; ^■iic?v V. thtrcofttpon the fea-coaft at the ilime time, jffb^ds the means of recovering, by permits, thsi fraudulent conveyance of vaftly greater quantities of fmuggled goods than could be fo cbVercd if -thofe fales did not afford the pre- face. ^It i^ therefore conceived, that the abo- lition of this praftice, and the fale of all feizures for exportation only, under the ufual fecurities, « become efftntlal to the fupport of our owa colonres, under the load of duties with which the.confumption pf ^hcir produce in jthefe king- aoms IS burthcned; , ^i, ' u .^,, . :, .,,(♦ (j- Every delay arifing from the forms of the cuftom-houfe, and the limitations of the fpace in which bufinefs is required to be done, in- creafes the ppportiinities, not only of defraud-r ing the revenue by fmuggling, but robbing the innporter by pilfering A\c commodity on which , the duty is payr le. In this view, as well a$ in. many others, it would be highly laiutary to abolifli holidays at the cnfVom-houfe to the degree that they fland aboliiiied at the treafury, admiralty, navy-office, and other ^reat efficient boards of bufinefs i to confoUda e the feveral perplexed and intricate branches of duties and drawbacks into on^ duty and one d^^iwback on each commodity; and to extend the public i^uays of I^ondon, and no longer require the commerce of the metropolis to be carried on Hi in ;• C 52 ] in lefs fpace than is allowed at the principal out- ports, and in To crowded a way, as wholly precludes an effedgal care of the comprioditie* imported, and encourages villany of all deno- minations among the labouring pepplc employ- ed about them. And on all thcfe topics the Committee beg leave to obferye, that jhc in-r terefts of government, and of the planter ape} fair trader, fully coincide, and no regulation cai> ferve the one withou|: protedingtlj.e other-.. ,.j 'The Committee farther beg }eavc toreprefent^ that the tares allowed at the cuftom-houfe 01^ fugars irn ported, require revifion, beipg lefs thai> jhe fpal >ycight of the packages. '■ Under all the circumftances herein before fet forth, the Weft India planters and merchants deem it their indifpenfable duty to make this reprefcntation to his Meie(ty*s minifters, and in the rnoft earnefl manner to entreat, that their true fituation may be fubmitted to his Majefty, and that on due confidcration thereof, fuch meafures may be fuggefled, and purfued, as fhall appear bed calculated to promote purpofes fq eflential to the general welfare. . . .^,,,, .. .'.1 .-/ JAMAICiV n , t We have every well-grounded hope, that a peace, which is profeflcd to be eftablifhed upoo^ the liberal principles of equity and reciprocity, will be permanent, and univerfally beneficial, /We arc induced, from the highcft authority, to cxped that a mutual and fatisfa6lory inter« cpurfc, between the empire of Great Britain and the United Stetcs of America, will be cftablifli- ^^h ed I S4 ] cJ on tlic broaJefl bafis ; and we cannot but flatter o«r(d?es that wfe fball be Tpccdily re- lieved' from t^ofe diftrefics, to wbicTi our local fitgation has more. peculiarly e^poTed i«> in ad- dition to the, burthen and cxpences of repesvted martial laws, and cncreafing taxes, during ^hc courfe of. the late war. It, is within your. Ex- cellency's, rccoliedl ion that the townof King- fton has been in a great meafure deftroyed by a tremendous conflagration; that the whole colony was injured, and the Leeward parifhes nearly dclolatcd, by two m.oft fatal hurricanes-^- From the fcarcity of lumber and other necef- faries, many valuable warehoufes and (lores of thr "mod rcfpeftable merchants ^ the wprfes aind other buildirigs of the tifcful and indd'ftrt- ©«K fugafi* plant on the parts. of the Americans, to fupply us with thofe arcicles whicbwe mod required, oa -^hich the exiftencc of our fugar work^ much (Iq^end,; at d which no quarter of the globe can afford with equal difpatch, certainty, and abun- dance* We cannot but Wpe, ftf ^ that a brant Ii nf commerce fo beneficial to the fwbJ€<^5 of ihe ?r,itiili cnapire, will not be impeded, oi* in any refpe<^ abftruclcdj in its conf^mf nccment in this ir country^ r r r is ] coufitryi where H jOughi to be more «f > Thus, fir, wc fubmit to you, that every prin^ cipte of polky #*d h«m*nity dpierate tn'fti^j5«>f t of tkU «ipplitii*k>iT 5 an^ wti^ntftfkifc buHfttle doubt that th^ twtd-cotft^'fctiJ ii6w^ depetidrn^ in lihe Bni^ parHanrterit, will svarraitt yt)ur Exceikftey itt grantfng our petition in ftsxit- moft extent. We. cannot eonetudc %viThout afiuriDg your Ex^lkncy, rhiat ^e apiply wkh the more cowfidence upon this occafion to a governor, who, (it is but juftice to atknow- lodge) has ever, in the c^nirfe of hrs adminif- tration, through a long period <»( accunwlated difficulties and diftreflfes, creaftcd a general r^- peft from a generous difi^terc-fted line of con- . ] .' du<5t; *1 ; cluft i and ImpreiTed an univerfal confcioufnel^ of a pcrf:5V difpofition to promote every mca- furc that might moft efFcftually enfurc the welfare and intereft of the colony he pfefide* ■ over, - •i^^--a'-----^"'.-- '< t -*j -».4- VIS ^j] }*:.« jf.iv I'lb * , ^v/iti. vE'^s iuiii ... HIS EXCELLENCY'S ANSWER, ii ," j^ Gentlemen.^ I'lit 'T .. ^ ^ \ '^ I I RECEIVE your addreft with much fatis- fadtioHj and fincerely congratulate you on the peace ; an event interefting to humanity, and from which I hope this ifland will reap the mod falutary advantages. AoliUi ki*jf>a>> i)fwi Convinced that a mutual ai^d happy intch courfe between the Britifli eiiqpire and the United States of America would foon be fcfta-^ bliihed on the moft liberal principles, and be produftive of beneficial confequences to the merchants and planters of Jamaica, I had anti- cipated your wilhes as early as the- loth of April, by diredling the officers of his Majefty*s cudorns at Kingfton, to give every encourage- ment to American veflcls entering the ports of this ifland ; and for the more efFcdtual fupport of thefe inftrudions, I fummoncd the Council to meet on the 3d of this month, pcrfuaded that l::.u "■ they ^v r • . I 57 1 they will unite with mc, in adopting fome temporary expedient to remove the obftru6lions that are in the way of our trade with the United States of America, until full Authority is re- ceived from England, ,\s\^'A\.X My warmeft acknowledgments are due to you for the very favourable opinion you arc pleafed to exprefs of my conduct in this go- vernment, at a very interefting period of the war ; the difficulties of which were, however, greatly leflened by the liberal fupport I experienced from the gentlemen of the . - - • ■• ' . _ * ■ ► *• ,....■'"> ' Having no wlfh feparate from the welfare of this community, I Ihall fincerely rejoice ii: every opportunity of promoting the profperity of it to the utmoft of my power. .A'.l jV . :< Ct^Q.'\- I ■■■.!; \- ■) ' , ,, r 58 ] '' ■ ;>t^.'uj-']ODfi (If /itu ri; ■•• "* 'j ^6 Ms "Exalhtcy ARCHi'/iALDCAWi^BtLL, FJquirti ' • Captain General and Governor of this his A ia-^' jefty's ]Jlandy Chancellor and Vice Admiral of the' fame, ^c, , ; - THE MEMORIAL OF THE CUSTOS, MAGISTRATES,/ .AND INHABITANTS OP THE TOWN OP, 1 thmhly fieweth, '>v5q^ "ijt :>f(i jtPw ] hIt v-. vI':;;o*m THAT finc(? the cohclliflort of Peace, (e-* veral vefTels from the Independent States of America have entered this port, with cargoes peci^liarly adapted to give relief againft the. accuniul^ted diftrefs and incohvenienciesj, in which war, ftorms, floods, fire, and other public calamities, have involved not only the inhabitants of this town, but the ifland at large. •;'>.«• ' ' That notwithflanding thefe veflels have been fuffered by the officers of the cultoms to enter and difcharge their cargoes, yet their not hav- ing received from his Majefty's minifters in- ftrudions on the bufinefs of clearing them out with fuch produce as they wifli to take in re- turn, they are detained. .* r That .» \ r r[ 59 ] jjf Tiut one vcflbl » now a;5lqMlK loaded witji .the produce gfthisiiUndr which, if not pcr- • mitccd to clear out, muft be rclanded, arxl moi>cy given in its place. Your IVJcniorialifls aver, that a longer delay will operate unfavour- ably in the rc-cftablifliing an intcrcourfe be- .tween this i (land and America; and your Me- • morialids are firmly of opinion, that the prof- perity of this ifland much depends on a free :;a(>d ppen txsLde with diat country.' ^:i u' « nofif/N- . "ii^ .•: ••-' rrr ..^ f^- - --'V .; Your MemorialiAp therefore humbly pray YQUf Hxcelly^npy ti^give fuch relief jp^heprQ- mjfej a^ the cafe requires, vr^-j ^h t.^T, .^ -.^t *« fi'/ir^rx'ny liMin ,*>l,»t>i ei,ijlo ytv/ uib ('I'll/") HIS EXCELLENCY'S ANSWER. ,■ <" * ■f' Gentlemeny • * v. ' ^ 1 HAVE gnat pleafure in receiving your addrefs. . The happy confequences that muft refult to the Britilh Empire at large, and to this ifland in particular, from the encouragement of trade with the United States of North America, upon the moft liberal and extenfive footing, were fo evident, that I had, as early as the loth of April, I 2 direded I' '•r» [ do 1 ' tlirc6bcd the officers of hisMajcfty's Cuftoms in , Kingfton, not to throw any unncccflTary obftruc- tion in the way of fuch commerce, but on the contrary, to afford it every pofllble encourage- ment. To give more effeft to thofe inftrudlions, and that our intercourfe with the American States fliould not meet with any unneceffary check in its infancy, I fummoned his Majedy's Council to meet this day, in full perfuafion that thofe gentlemen will chearfully co-operate with me in adopting proper mcafurcs to remove, " as far as may be, the difficulties which may oc- cur in the way of this trade, until we receive from England fuch regulations as may be efta- blifhcd by the Britilh Parliament. .s . «, ■i - X ' -.». T ■• • •' ' vc • -fH) HrVl ,'>; 't rjj ,^«,i s: ^\;:;.: ^f.:.: . A,,^- .v.* P.OSTSCRIPT. P O ST S G R I P T. ..Xi .J \:r.n / )::, ' ■Jon ifj-^ • \('l Oi f 4^ ADDRISSID TO TH| RIGHT HON. LORD SHEFFIELD. r, " yiii J.'iii* 1. >- liJif ij3i.:t07;, vi-jfOin''U Ojrr-> fjlfj nrs \ >»r.i SINCE the firft appearance of this little trad. Lord Sheffield has favoured the publick with a new and augmented edition of his Obfervations on the Commerce of the Ame- rican States J in the preface to which his Lord- Ihip has condefcended to mention my name in terms of politenefs ; but, at the fame time, includes me in a general profcription of the feveral writers who have prefumed to contro- vert his opinions : for he compendioufly afferts that the fafts which we have all dated are not provedy and are fallacious. To this nimble mode of reafoning I beg leave to oppofe, for his Lordfliip's confideration, fome additional argu- ments and proofs, in fupport of my former. If I have not the good fortune to convey con- vi6bio|i to the noble Lord, I fhall hope to fuc- ''.'■■ cccd i'l '- 1 '•'1 i ft C 62 3 cccd better with the public at large. The fubjcd^ is dry and not fulceptible of ornamcnr, but its importance will not be difputed, and 1 will endeavour to be concife. As to my anonymous Coadjutors they are well able to defend themiHves. T i'!*}!7 i'.^. .... ,"i.- -,v.. A.. New York, Jan. 7. " The Affembly of New Jerfey, the 24th ult. taking into con fider- ation the prohibition of the King of Great Britain of the produce of the United States of America from being fent to the Weft Indies by any other than Britifh fubjcds^ &c. and con- ceiving that it exhibited a difpofition in Great Britain to gain advantages injurious to the rights of free commerce, refolved as follows r^ " Refolved unanimoufly, that the United States in Congrefs aflembled, ought to be veft- cd with the exclufive power of regulating trade and commerce throughout the United States of America. V ^^ : v ; . a. : , . .. , . *' Refolved unanimously, that the Uni'ed States in Congrefs aflembled ought to be em- powered. I :'.& t 6+ ] . powered, and ought when fo empowered, to prohibit Britirti veflels from being the carriers of the growth or produce of the Britifh Weft India Iflands to thefe United States, or of the growth or produce of the United States to any of the faid Britifh Weft India iflands, fo long as the reftridtion in the faid Proclamation ex- prcffed fhall be continued by, or on the part ofj Great Britain V* , hn> . » .< .a ii:.:;. ith :(>nt:/'OlU}\ ^i .....3 Belieying, therefore, as I certainly believe, that the meafure of retaliation thus propofed, will be generally adopted throughout all the United States, I conceive the chief queftions for our prefent confideration are thefe i Can our iflands in the Weft Indies be fup- plied with provifions and lumber elfewhere? and, if not, what probable confequences will refult from the failure thereof to our planters, and alfo to the trade, navigation, and revenues of Great Britain ? /■P • Vide alfo the circular letter of the merchants of Philadelphia, dated the 3d. of Januairv lafl, reprinted in the Public Advertifer of the 9th of April.— In this let- ter they term the reftridlive fyftem *an attempt to deprive them of the common right of being carriers of their own property.* See likewife the Addrefs of the AiTembly of New York to Governor Clinton, 3 ift of January. ' '■ On •-^•. On the firft head I did hope that I had been fufliciently explicit already j-^but Lord Shef- field is not fatisficd. He calls for further proof — and he fhall have it. Accordingly I have obtained from the Cuftom-houfe books, an cx- afl account of the imports into the Britilh Weft India iflands from North America in 1772 *, and have added an average eftimate of their value at that time, founded on my own experience of 15 years, both as a merchant and planter. I make choice of the year 1772, as the lateft from which a fair account of the ufual annual importation can be formed ; — for the intercourfe between America and the iflands being flopped in 1774, it may be fuppofed the expe6lation of that event in America fuperin- duced a forced trade in X773. From this ftatcment the reader will judge whether my former aflertions are fallacious or not. It is as follows J . ' ' ''^ , ■ - t . . . *. . • Lord Sheffield fuppofes that! meant to blame the late miniftry for furnifliing him with official information, and 18 at the pains of exculpating them from the charge, I declare that I had no intention of imputing blame to them on that account. On fuch queftions as the prefent, I conceive, ihe publick has a right to demand the fuHcfl and moft correft information ; nor do I believe that any ad- jninilration, property applied to, would with-hold it. K An nh >1. [ 6$ ] ■^v;- ■''■'7'-t' , An account of LUMBER, PROVISIONS, 8^c. imporrcd into all the Britilh Weft Indiii' ■^ ifl«n'*ls from the colonics in North America, ^' between the ift day of January and the 31ft * of December, 1772, with an average vala- ^ ation thereof at the ports of delivery, calcq-' ' latcd in Jarnaica currency. I t. h 17,211 hogdiead packs, 7s. 6d. each 61,4^4 ^ ^ 21,160,461 ftaves lol. perm. — — 211,604 ® 9 27,138,507 feet of lumber 7I. per m. 189,969 |o ^| 20,936,188 fliingles, at 4.5s. per m. (on '' 47,to6 5.845 8 8 68,493 15 6»S45 o an average) ■ 1,169,086 hoops at 5I. per m. — - 365,300 Bufiiels of Indi^ Corn, 3s. 9d. jer hufhel ., . 26i2Se ditto— -—peafe and beans 5s. 126,300 barrels of flour of 2 cwt, each V,T rt*. j'jfi^^at 18s. percwt. 'if>fttyf 227*340 i :j;4,96o tierc?s of bread of i » cwt. at i-'^fo -:«>ff' ..20s. per cwt. 7»440 o 7,656 half tierces of rice 2^ cwt, each 155. -^ .. , M»375 ^ 5,377 tierces of ditto of 5 cwt. ditto 20,163 15 \' 12,575 barrels of pork at 3I. 5«t« . 40,868 15 . , ,1^ 2,220 horfes at 20I. on an average 441400 o I „ 1,296 oxen, izl. — ' IS'SS^ ^ .-?A ^■3>693 flieep, il. ,H'-:3»693 © ', 21,185 J^oglhds, ofScwt. offaltedfilh& ;tvii ^, 30,062 quintals of I cwt. do. il. p. ct. i^gg,^i\.z o 939 dozen of poultry, 35s. i»643 5 f :\ o o 9 o o Q O o Total 1,111,036 o o The [ 67 ] The above, reduced to ftcrling money, a- moiints to 793,597 I. 3&. nor are any of thofe important articles, bar-iron, pitch, tar, turpen- tine, lamp-oil, fpermaceti candles and fair, from Turk ifland, included, though the quan- tity confumcd of thefe articles is immcnfe, and I am pcrfuadcd that ^,oooK ftcrling is a low cftimate for their value. Inftead, there- fore, of having given a fallacious or exaggerated account in the preceding pages, I was under the mark, to the amount of ioc>,oool. ftcrling ; and if the value of private adventures not reported at the Cuftom-houfe, and loofe freights takert on board after clearance (neither of which ap- pear in official documents) be added to the ef- timate, the amotjnt of the whole annual im- portation of fupplies from North America into the Britifti Weft Indies, will not, I conceive, fall ftiort of a million fterling. And now let prejudice evade and fophiftry perplex : If any rhan of fenfe and charader, acquainted with the foil, population and refources of Canada and Nova Scotia, will publickly aver that thofe provinces can, for years to come, furnifli the Weft India iflands with one half the fupplies which have hitherto been furniftied by the United States, on any terms ftiort of ruin to the purchafers, and at the fame time take the rum ofthe iflands in payment; 1 will, as publickly, acknowledge that my arguments have been in error, and heartily K 2 agree f all along founded [ 68 ] agree with Lord Sheffield that, on every prin- ciple of honour, humanity, and juflice, the unfortunate loyaliits of Nova Scotia are en- titled to the perferencc of ourcuftom. But Lord Sheffield obferves, (p. i47\'* if the iflands are really fohelplefs as reprcfentcd, no man can fay they will be fubjedt to any other inconve* niency than that of paying an advanced price for American fupplies, at foreign Weft India ports." His Lordlhip, however, forgets that this happy alternative is an abfolute prohibition to all who cannot afford to purchafc on advanced terms. Evea the miferable Gentoos of Bengal who periihed by thoufands in the famine of 1769, might have had rice in abundance, but for the fame Jmall in^ cQnveniency -, of not being able to pay for it. <; To mend the matter, at the very time that, the iflands are to be fubjed to an additional price, at foreign ports, for American fupplies, they are to be wholly deprived of their chief market for rumj their great and almoftonly re- fource for the purchafe of any fupplies whatever^ at any price. Lord Sheffield admits, (p. 156), that •f the planters have little or no profit from fending rum to Great Britain *.'* , ^ ' .. : .. :., ., " The • Evqry man, who knows any thing of the Weft India iflands, knows that the rum of a fugar plantation, which commonly amounts to nearly a third of the value of the grofs produce, is fuppofed to be fufficient to difcharge the current expences aud annual contingencies of the eftate. There \ [ «9 ] The fyftcm thus recommended by Lord Shef- field, is, I own, too much of a piece with that which loft us the dominion of America, to meet with my cordial approbation. We all very well remember, that about the time the Stamp A6t was propofed, the then adminiftration took uncommon pains to interdict all trade be;; . ^en our colonies and thofe of Spain, from whence only the colonifts could hope to get money to enable them to pay the tax. This was a fpc- ce'i^/l r ^f I There are, however, but few planters who are able tp con- .fine their dilburfements to fo narrow a compafs, and but few, therefore, receive common interell on their capitals. Deprived altogether of a Tale for their rum, and obliged to purchsfe neceflaries at an advanced price out of their fu- gar, the confequence to thofe who are in debt mull be ineviiable ruin.— But Lord Sheffield gravely aflcrts, (p. II4,)» that •* As our Weft India iflands will be entitled to the monopoly of the rum-trade with our remain- ing colonics, they will be benefitted in this trade by the difmemberment of the American States." A con-- clufion to which I beg leave to poftpone giving my aiTent until the noble Lord will condefcend to tell me by what means the future expenditure of rum in two half- flarved provinces, can exceed the paft confumption of the fame article in thofe 'very pro'vinccs, and thirteen great and populous ftates befides ! — Even, by his Lordfliip's own account, if all the inhabitants of Nova Scotia and Canada, (men, women and children) were to get drunk every day, as a defence againft cold and hunger, it would avail the Weft India rum-trade but little ; for the noble Lord in- forms us, (p. no), that *' New England rum, bad as it is, is preferred by the Canadians and lower ranks, being ftronger and 25 per cent, cheaper than rum from the Welt JfOdies." cjes t !' [ 70 ] tics- of Egyptian tyranny, which, to the honmir of hucivaa nature^ the Aitiericans refifted j and we koQw the refulf. Similar meafures will produce fiivjlar effcdbi and I fubmit to his Lofdrtiip^s confKieration, whether the old trunk of our erntjiire (thanks to the Americar* war) is n^ fufliciently pruned already ? The Ddobk Lord fpcaks fomewhat degrad- i«igly of the Weft Irtdia iflands in more places than one y but I hope he does not ferioufly mean to recommend the projedl o{ lopping them off with our late overgrown provinces. There are I know, fome perfons among us who wifb for i, Jnug compaSl kingdom, like thofe of Pruffia and Sweden, and we are, I think, in a fair way of gratifying their wiflies. But really the fubje^l is too important to be trifled with, and I will therefore ferioufly point out to the noble Lord the only effedtual and permanent refource which the planters (at lead thofe of Barbadoes and the windward iflands) will have, for the fupply of provifions, in cafe all intercourfe with the United States is prohibited. " It is to change their fyftem. They muft abandon the culti- • vation of fugar, and apply their land and la^^ hour to the purpofes of raifing food. Thd undone remnant of the people who have not fallen vidims to the intermediate famine, may thus provide for the time to ccMTie." And fuch is the effedl which the retraining fyftem, fb vehemently recommended at this time will, N ■\ T [C?^' 3i N -s. probability, ive in our Weft India iHandsi • — for to cell the planter he xmy purchafc food and lumber in the foreign iflands, at the very moment that he is deprived of the means of payment, is to infult his urtderftanding, and iidds otitrage to cruelty, »-'f>''n3 ^rj .u;? Let us now confider the qucftion with refpeft to Great Britain. It has been faid that the in* habitants of thefe kingdoms are fonr^etimes feiz^d of a fudden, with unaccountable parox- ifmS of epidemick krror. In the reign of queen Anne, a crazy parfon took it into his head that ^be church was in danger. And ht ran about, foaming at the mouth, e^nd fcattering his pefti- iential ilaver, uniil he had infc^ed half the nation with the fame frenzy. I cannot but think the prcfent alarm, fo induftrioufly fpread throughout the kingdom, rcfpedlihg the navi- gation ad, has arifen from a fimiUr ivflucnza. Even many perfons of fober fenfe, and a very temperate pulfe, look pale, and are uneafy when the fubjed: is ftarted. It is a qucftion which they confefs they do not underftand; and tcr- |X)r, (as children fee goblins in the dark) pre- vents a calm inveftigation of it. I (hall there- fore endeavour to prove that if any propofition in the fclence of conrjmercial polity is felf- cvident, it is this i that the admifTion of Ame- jicai> yelTcls ijfito our Weft India ports is ftri^ n •*T*'' wil /-^m at^M tf« 1 The aim of the parliament of Charles II. was the encouragement of our foreign trade, and the cxtenfion of our (hipping by the cx- clulion of foreigners from a participation therein ; and, confidering the circumftances of the times when the Navigation Adl paiTed, it was well adapted to thofe purpofes : but if from the puerile and offcnfive affedation of ftiling the Americans a foreign people, and con- fidering them as our rivals in trade and manu- fadurcs, which the Dutch >rmerly were, but which the An^ericailis are never likely to be, •*ttj \ ' >f\ri i:iti'i 1. - ^'..Vi *%'^i o/itrvtL'% '«fl^ i'. / J .4/ y-»,jr.*H. • This is a neceflary diftinftion. " The radiments of the aft (fays Blackftone) were firft framed in 1650 ivith a itarrcw partial fvietu : being intended to mortify the Sugar ijlands (which were difaffeded to the parliament and held out for Charles II.) by flopping the gainful trade which thcv carried on with the Dutch." L received many material improvements afterwards, and its prohibitions were made };eneral. I hope Lord Sheffield will forgive n)e if I hazard a fufpicion that his Lordfhip has miftaken the fyftem of the Re- publican Parliament, for the more liberal and refined poHdy which prevailed in 1671.— ** The Navigation A&." fay the authors of the Univerfal Hiftory, ♦* was originally meant asM. punijhment to the planters.^* His Lordfliip feems clearly to underftaiid and highly to approve its original interim tiop. i *■■ \ ^\ mrq UKh. y^'/ -iiioojru *;i< we [ 73 ] we arc determined in all cafes, and under na- tional circumftances no way refenfibling thofc of 167 1, to treat them as fuch ; — If this be our line of condu<5l, /c may indeed apparently comply with the (tridl letter of the law, whilft wc moft grofsly violate every principle on which the aft itfclf was founded. I apply this remark to the prefent reftraining projedt; for its plain and immediate operation miifl be co diminifh, if not abfolutely deftroy, our bulky and important trade with our own Weft India iflands. If the cultivation of fugar decreafes, as I have before (hewn it will if the reftraint be continued, our (hipping, our revenues, our ma- nufaftures, mud dccreafe with it. He that docs not fee this, does not chufe to fee it. But let us hear on this fubjed the accurate and intelligent Mr, Glover. " The grofs amount of imports^ at an annual medium, from thefe now unfortu- nate iflands, exceeds four millions: i90,cx)O caiks of fugar and rum, befides many other articles, the bulky loading for fuch a multitude of vcfTels, more than authorize my aflertion. Of thefe annual four million the exchequer re- ceives its proportion, the navigator and mer- chant theirs ; the reft centres with the planter, and how diftributed by him ? In the purchafe of 1,300,0001. of our exports diredt, and the largcft part of 700,0001. more in circuition L through ?' C 74 ] through Africa: what is left is applied to home confumption, to invcftmcnts upholding the price of land, and the credit of the publick funds. At the fame time they arc furniHiing commodities to us of fuch neceffary ufe, which clfe mull be paid for to foreigners j they fup- ply a fuperfluity for foreign confumption like- wife. I avoid comparifon ; but judge from this flate how valuable a fubjeft is theplanterl All thefe benefits, thehealthy progeny of adivc trade, all, or part, muft fleep as in a grave, dur- ing a total or partial ftagnation." Is ic now neceffary to alk, which mod truly conforms to the policy of our anceflors, the reftraining {"yf- :^r^ of Lord Sheffield, or the liberal intercourfc with America, required by the Weft India planters * ? ^ , ; ., M » r- ■■■ i - • Perhaps too the reader will pay fome regard to the following authorities. , .., . ** No one is ignorant, that the Navigation of France owes all its increafe and fplendor to the commerce of its fugar iflands ; and that it cannot be kept up and enlarged other- wife than by this commerce." Fi{/e Memorials of the Deputies of Trade to tht Royal Council of France, 1737. Sir Jofiah Child, in page 191, ofhhDifcourfeofTrade, fays, " We may reckon that for provifions, clothes and hou&old goods, feamen, and all others employed for build- ing [ 75 ] In truth, Lord Sheffield, on the fuhjed of the navigation a£l, deals (o largely in general declamation, that it is difikult to difcovcr from what precife and cftabliflicd principles he deduces his conclufions. He tells us, (p. 138), that "if the Weft India ports arc opened to the United States, the French and Dutch will avail themfelves of the American flag, and that our iflands will foon be as much crowded with foreign flilpping, as the port of Oftend has lately been." But the noble Lord does not fay what bufinejs foreign Europeayjhip- png will have there ? This is a curious circum- llance, and will repay the reader's attention. It will hardly be difputed, I think, that if for- eign fhipping folicit admifllon into our Weft India ports, it muft be for one cr the other of thefe purpofes ; either to carry goods thither, or to take goods from thence. If the former is their object, will Lord Sheffield be pleafed to tell the world, what particular goods and ma- nufadures befides French wines and cam- bricks, (and thefe to no great amount ; at leaft, they arc not, his Lordfhip admits, an objed of national concern) are commonly in ufe among ing and fitting of fhi'ps, every Englifhman in Barba- AqQ& and Jamaica creates employment for four men at home," L 2 ters I 7<5 ] our Weft India planers which Great Britain can- not fupply as cheap,or cheaper, than anyother na- tion ? Tiie firft 48 pages of the noble author's book, are, ! think, appropriated to the exprefs purpafe of demonf rating, that Great Britain is the bcfl: and cheapefl rruirket in the world for manufadlures of all kinds. On this ground his Lordfhip contends that we fhall ftill have the cultom of the Americans, notwithftanding their independency j and, could we be perfuadcd to purfue a liberal and equitable line of conduct towards them, I believe indeed, this might hap- pen. Now can it be fuppofed, that the inha- bitants of our Weft Jndia iflands, whofe loyalty has never been queftioned, who have no bias on their minds arifing from pafTion or prejudice, and whc have never yet, that I have heard, been charged with univerfal infanity ; *--can it be fuppofed, that th'^y will be fo much more inattentive to their own intcreft than the Americans, as to buy the fame articles of foreign nations, which they can buy cheaper and better from Great Britain ? Is fuch a cir- cumftance in the fmalleft degree probable ?— But this argument requires further illuftra- tion. The principal manufadlures and commo- dities of Europe in demaM in our Weft India C 77 3 Indl? iflands arc thefe;— woollens (par- ticularly the coarfer kinds) manufactured IROM AND STEEL, fuch aS HOES, BILLS, &C. COARSE HATS and OSNABURGS (oT HCgrO- cloathing to a prodigious amount, wrought COPPER and pewter ; sheet lead, Manches- ter goods, upholstery, haberdashery, millenery, houshold-furniturk, sadlery, jewellery, DRUGS, painter's colours, &C. I bfifeech the reader, for the love of confiftcncy, to recur to Lord Sheffield's book, and advert to his Lordfhip*s obfervations on thefe feveral items. For inftance, woollens. " In this great and capital article, fays the noble Lord, Great Britain will have very little competition, &c. Iron and steel manufactures— If a draw- back or bounty equal to the duty on foreign iron fhould be granted when exported, thefe articles probably never will go to America to any amount, but from Great Britain.— We fur- pafs the world in the manufadure cf iron, fteel, &c. Hats,- -The Americans muft im- port the fdt and common hats i and as wool is cheaper in Great Britain than on the continent, the Britifli manufa I V ; . On C 8» ] On the whole, no folly can exceed that of conceiving that any thing Great Britain can do will prevent the Annerican ftates from having, Jometime er othery a commercial intercourfe with our Weft India iflands on their own terms. A chain of coaft of 10 degrees of latitude, with fomc of the fineft ports for the purpofe in the world, all lying fo near to the fugar colonies and the track to Europe, ready to receive ihips from thence, if friends, in all their diftrefles— a coun- try abounding in every thing the iflands have occafion for, and which can be afforded at one third the expence the fame articles would coft from any other part of the world — All thefc circumftances neceffarily and naturally point out a commercial intercourfe between our iflands and them. It is true, we may nearly ruin our fugar colonies and ourfelvcs alfo, in the at- tempt to prevent it; but it is an experiment which God and nature have marked out as impofllble to fucceed. You may burn their fbips and their timber in theirdock yards, but you cannot burn their country nor their harbours. The prefent re- draining fyftem is forbidding men to help each Other. Men, who by their climate and pro- ductions are ftanding m perpetual need of mq- tual afliftance. But our efforts are as futile as they are mali- cious: America will hoM them in derifion, and re- mincl .) \ [ 8j ] mind us of the viper and the fie. She will tell us, that a wife people would relinquifh in time, and with a good grace, pretenfions that can neither be juftified on principles of reafon, nor eftablilhed by force -y^i fero Japiunt Phryges^ a proverb that ought to be our motto, for it has been always our fate, , , I truft that I have now fully eftablilhed the following propofuions : . , Firft, that our fubjefis in the Weft India iflands have no other alternative for fupplying themfelvcs with food (if a free intercourfe with America is denied them) than that of raifing it themfelves j the certain confequence of which will be, an immediate and alarming diminution in the growth and manufadure of their prefent ftaple commodities. ■> ' • ■ 1 • r Second, That the confequence of fuch dimi- nution muft necefiarily caufe a proportionate iofs tc the revenues and commerce of Great Britain, as far as thofe revenues and that com- merce is fupport^d by thofe iflands. For inftance, we muft either pay in money to foreigners the large fum for W^ft India commodities, for which Britifti manufactures (or money fpent among ourfelves) are now given in exchange, or the revenue will lefTen in proportion to the di- M 2 mini (bed Tl 1 i [ 84 ] minlmed tonfumption of thofe commodities. The revetine from tea, without the accuftomed plenty of fugar, will fink into infignificance : The provifion- trade with Ireland will be lofl, becaufe the planter will not be able to pur- ehafcj and the African trade will follow. — But of all the various great branches of the mer- cantile fyftem, which will fufFer immediately or indire6tly, the mod important is the navigation — a navigation equal to the bulky products and fupplies of a (lock in trade of 60 mil- lion *, comprehending the trade to Africa^ and making no inconfidt^rable part of that of Eng^ land to the Eaft Indies and the reft of Europe : —the nurfery of our marine — the ftrength, the fafety, the glory of our nation. ,. . - Thus by a plain deduflion, level to the mcaneft capacity, we may fee how abfurd and ill-diredted are the prefent apprehenfions on the fubjc6t of the carrying- trade of this kingdom ;. and that thofe who are loudeft in their cla- mours refpe6ting the danger of violating the • This fum Is the eftimate of the value of the Weft India iflands, as proved at the bar of the Houfe of Commons in '775» ^y ^^' Walker of Barbadoes and Mr. Ellis of Jamaica, from whofe evidence fome of thefe argaments arp borrowed.— They were men of great abilities— con- fammate knowledge, and unqueftionable integrity. They. are fince both deccafei). • ■' ' ''* navi- t 85 ] jiivlgationadt, are themfelvcs rccorhmending mcafures which would cut ic up by the roots. ^ ■-> - -v- '» .. One obfervation more, and I have done. The Iri(h are a generous and a liberal minded peo- ple. But 4s- it'^iiot to their gencrofity and li- Jjcrality that I would appeal on the prefcnc occafion ? Let their prudence only be con- fulted. Let them well weigh and compare the advantages and difadvantages that will pro- bably refult to them from a difagreement with the Weft India iflands, before they adopt the advice mifchTevi)ufly held out to them of late to open their ports to foreign fugars, I fay mi/^ chievoujlyy becaufe it is impoflible that fuch ad- vice can be given with any other intention than to fet the remaining parts of the Brititli em- pire at variance with each other ; — a very fit and natural employment, it muft be owned, for thofe men whofe pernicious councils have already rendered the greateft and braveft na- tion in the world the fcorn and derifion of Europe ! This obfervation is not applied to Lord Sheffield, who was, for aught that I know, guiltlefs of any participation in thofe councils; but I apply it without fcruple to thofe defign- ing and peftilent fpirits on whofe fecret fuggef- tions the noble Lord has confefTcdly formed the opinions promulgated in his book. Should Ireland unfortunately concur in the project fhe is is aivifed to adopt, and lend her hand to make the ruin of the fu gar iflandst compleat, where will fhe again find fo ready and profitable a market for her provifions ? This is a point which well dcferves her moft ferious confider- ation. " Thbfc who would have friends rriuft jhew thcnmTclves' friendly.'*— This is the voice of fcripture, ' and we oWe it to the mercy of Providence?, that, in moft cafes, a contrary con- du6t recoils on itfelf. *' •• -• • - -- v i • - lilr^y r";^ff"'>-';''''t '• r- >■ t*'«'i fnsilw t: "1- ■•' v; '...: ' w< Albcmarle-ftreet, '' May 1, X78'4. * • <\ f\fi> t .'^ .»; n..k-l -^i:<:.V-:- • r , 1 •■ i^i -vj'J a- i "5-' : i ' .Z'j .', .-. t ..• ', * • • •* ■" -■ . L . ; I ; -■■:*;i ^'r)^':'-) ,' ••■», ' i »A ^ ^ . 1* v>i . ^* i« fi 4 -n.i J :^ • •• ■'« "'^•'•«» '« . J 't • ■ -1 ■j-^o:!:! I'-'t:'.: :.' n;- .t"! ,•..•/ <•. t ■ . .'J . I ,i »■' •■ . . ' > <"• , , 1 .^-; J I <• A V . . I d^ t «7 ] •x*j 't*t Thoughout the whole of this little publication, I have ftudied to obfcrve towards Lord Sheffield all the ref- pc£l whi«h is due to his j-ank and charafter : Neverthelefs I mufl remark, that his Lordfhip in many parts of his late trcatifc, fpeaks fo coritemptuoufly and unji'^ly of the British Weft India iflands and their inhabitants, as might well provoke fevcrc recrimination. But although it is not my intention to enter into a fbrmal vindication of the Weft India planters, the rea- der will, I truft, excufe me, if I detain him a moment with a few Ihort extrafls from the laft edition of the no- ble author's pcr/ormance. I believe they will fufficientW dcmonftrate that his Lordfhip is not always very correft in his inforniation, nor prccifely accurate in his conclu- iioni. •*• • ^ > I r,T Irl •.A '^ Introd. to 3d edit. P. 7, " The harbours of Nova Scotia are never frozen.** • — f'.'.j "»v^ 'J:.: ; ; ■• *;;. ff.;; 1 '• . \[ 'f f, Hi"! Lordfhip in this afTertion (which is meant too by way of correfting an afTertion of my own) is un- fortUi te. If I am rightly informed there are at this - itiomem in Great Britain, upwards of a thoufand peo- ple who have \ alked or fkaited over the harbour of Hall ifax.— Even the harbour of New York, fo much fKi-thf r to the Southward, has been frequently frozen. In the 'atter end of 1779, or the beginning of 1780, the 17th regiment of Dragoons marched acrofs the •i bay, from New York :.- Staten ifland, and 700 flcdi ^^ Ofproviiions were drawn over, aboct the f^me time. f f < l. .; P. 68— IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) V "SS /. ^ ^ fM f/- 1.0 Ifi^ IIIM I.I 11.25 iiiiiM 1.4 mil 1.6 PhotDgmphic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 V ^ <> ■f'f ^. ^\ WriS ^V Q ^.^ \ fr ^^ ^ i^ # % 1^ iV I 8* ] ,r' 7 ^noh ■ /!'fD?t fill ill f.Iii; ' -P. 68-^*' Timber ha5 already bccpjp^ /(^arce. in mqft Qf the American ftates.".,^ , : f ' K ; 'f This is Bientioned to fhew the importance of ^ Canada a^d, Nova Scotia; hut when the neccffity is _ .pointed out wbich the United State? will be usder ;...<4ealinifcw^tli Qrf a| Brit^iftj, ^e,af?,tftldi . 'sa -"'J f . . » ■»•! P. 128 and 129, *• The idea of their with- holding their lumber from our (hipping isf too ttifling to require attention. They havcj no other sufficient market. Before the war the Americans glutted the Weft Indies Tp?jth lumber." fT'be notion af Jmding ^ glut from an exbsttfte^ country is novik) Ag^iPj P. 149. " Lumber for the ufe of the cooper, which i 9 brought over as dennage in tobacco fhips, is now fo plentiful in the Lpn- (don market,' that it can fc^cp .l)c fold for Wt u. . i.y<4'l' ■^;ti:.-v/t s:i:.oM'"-f:iat 8;;;P. 129. " Jf Britain will grant ;>. bounty upon lunaber for a limited time, from 6ur remaining colonies, they will foon foppJy our Weft India iflands.** Again, in P. 253, a bQuniy is recomrtiended on the importa- tlOQ r 89 1 f ^ tlon into Great Britain of timber and plank from Canada, &c. f) . Ji: '.»',,. . *4 juj rf«i^n ''5 * p J-^ *^S . 4 'l9fK AkafT^l^t -. ^ »l4T*if rt !.4t k./^ '*♦! T* ,- M» riii '^O r>^.i3 P. 184, "Nothing can be more weak than the idea pf courting ■.;j:1,;.ij commerce?" ^,'^ ;V ,^ Querc. Whether granting bounties is not courting commerce? . ' , ' ^ , . ' T • V ;^ r^,:,:A ^■ii ■i«,.' ♦ r.i^.V ■•'. »!.'.:> <'.i':^ ^' IJ3» " Negroes are ufed better in fome parts of America than in our Weft India iflands, and the French ufe them ftill better than the Americans, . J P. 160, " The French fay that we (meaning : the Britilh Weft India planters) do not exadt r fo much labour from our flaves as they (the/ French) do (from theirsj and that we feed ours at a greater expence." "* * .: I *i, According to thefe accounts thofe who give ne- groes moll work and leail food ufe them bell. y-i I • ■• < ' \Xi hn: P. 146, " The afTertion that our iQands mu(b' i ; ftarve if they arc not opened to American r " I ^ ihipping, is a curious inftance of the flight " ground on which men will be clamorous/* * -](} I % <■ • -i As tilt truth ef tha aflertion hoMwvn 19 not de- nied, [ Aifped the noble author has bat a puny «p* petite of his own, or he would hardly coniidcr ftarv- ing as a Aight ground for clamour. The habit of eattfig is of great antiquity in the Weft Indies, a^ well^ as in Europe, and T doubt the inhabitants will not eafily be perfuaded to confider the having nothing to eat ' as a grievance of no account.— But there are perfons in this kingdom who fcem inclined to treat us poor fugar planters, as the mock dodlor, in Molierc, treats his children, who were crying for bread, ** Give 'cm the rod (fays he) : when I have eat my fill, no part of my family (hall prefame to be hungry." - '"< '. .. • 1 . 1 "-' • ' • ' • • •• ■ :l .1. '- . •i-:i!;U V.^1: i.. ,4 • 1 1/ J, f P. 158. "The rcduftion of the p'ice (of fugar) would be the true and proper means of relieving that refpcdablc body of men the Weft India planters and merchants." £1 return. In the above fentence for price read 4/uty.. I .-jv •4-. X p. 119, "Seme are of opinion that on a medium, Great Britain and Ireland could fup- ply our Weft India iflands (with flour and bread) as cheap as the continent! of Anfierica. .Certainly at this time they can.'-{t^ifir ^i t^/tr-j P. 270, *';Ab(D^ve a million aod a half ilcjrU ing, in gold coin, may have been fent abroad this year for corn." And again, " upwards of ^ one '■.^.•. [ 9« 3 one million of quarters of corn have been imported (into Great Britain} in 1783.'* As this fupply of corn was obtained chiefly from America, it would feem the noble Lord is of opi- nion we can furniih our Weft India iilands with bread, cheaper than the country from whence we are ourfelves fupplied,— notwithflanding too the expence and in- convenience of a double voyage ! And fo much for Lord Sheffield's information and accuracy on commercial fubjeds. This col* leflion of beauties from the noble author's book, might be confiderably augmented ; but it is an iavi- dious employment, and X willingly drop it. x^ / .-;, J\,i'r\^.-!.^ . F I N I $• . . . .1-