Star.
London, England, 1831-10-04 00:00:00

SECOND EDIT

SIX

OFFICIAL.
An °Goat arrived last night at
Office, with despatches from the Go
BAREADOLS. The hurricane which
that island appears to have been
duration. The whole work of destruction
complished in the night of the 10th of "
the evening of the 10th, the weather
remarkable. It was towards midnight

wind grew violent, and the time of its
was from two o'cle.ck till day-break
It entirely ceased about nine o'clock

lug, aad the fine weather w hich immediately

lowed favoured the exertions of the Colonial Au-
thorities to succour those who were hurt, and re-
lieve the di.tress of the inhabitants, as fir as relief
was practicable No names are mentioned in the
despatches, except that of Mr FLAW Waft, of the
Commissariit Department, who, with three of his
children, a female relative, and two servants, bad
been entombed in the ruins of his house. No other
deaths had occurred amongst the officers of the
garrison ; but the number of sold em killed was not
less than thirty-six, and many othPrs hid been
seriously hurt.

The Members of the Legislature had met Sir
Jasass LYON, the Governor; and Commissioners
had been appointed for clearing the streets, taking
down dilapidated houses at the public expense,
preserving subordination amongst the slaves, and
preventing depredation and plunder.
The accounts which have already reached this
country appear to exhibit but ton true a repreben-
tation cf the loss of property which has taken
place; but hitherto it had been impossible to make
any precise estimate of it; nor could the loss of
life be more than surmised, though amongst the
Degrees and other inhabitants of slightly built
houses it was known to be very considerable. The
principle church or cathedral had been in a great
measure preserved, and was converted into an hos-
pital. The few ships which were in the bay were
driven high upon the strand, bet fortunately no
lives had been lost amongst the seamen.

HOUSE OF LORDS—Tees EVENING.

Petitions in favour of Reform in Parliament were pre-
sented by all Caurcanowe from Aberdeen, Kirkaldy,
Blachfeed Haddingtoo, Writers of Perth, and ethers to the
amount of 211. By Lord Morro from two
.pleoes Scot.
land. By the Duke of from Defty.
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY impunged the re.
the spedability of the petition, and presented• counter one from
same place.
The Duke of DEVONSHIRE. in answer, said, that be
believed some foul attempts were made by several Anti-
Refonners to obtain the signatures of children to his peti.
don, In older to cut discredit on it.
Petitions were presented by Lord Abingdon against Re.
form ; by Lord gover, in favour of the BLS, from New.
eastle.soder•Lyne, end a variety of tuber plum. By Lord
Yarborough, by Lord ILlog,sfrosa Surreys and ether places,
to the amount of 41. By Lord Sefton, from Liverpool,
signed by upwards of 17,000 pet-mos. Also from Teztetit
Park, near Liverpool, signed by MOO ; also from
Bolton, signed by 30,000 persons, neural otherst—
p_y Lord Dam from Hertford, St. Albans, Sudbury, Rath,
The Marg. of Salisbury presented sundry coaster peados..
HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Mr. CAMPBELL brought in • MS to abolish the law
regarding floes and recoveries Immune to the recommen-
ded= of the Law Commlasiesers) and to substitute simple
pros= instead thereoL—Read a Int dee, and ordered to
be read a second time the 11th October.

Betall

Mr. SANDFORD pri;;Or d---apetitio; from Somerset-
I shire against the Deeds General Registradon EL He con-
sidered that the paid= deserved the most anions attention
of the Hone.

Mr. BTRICKLAND espwwd the bey, that the
Honourable Member would set geese forward ibis
session his Deeds AM : It was as lassileme job.
Mr. CAMP/ALL elteened diet the preesediess or Don.
pressoliag wish the MR, must dyad on the length of the
smirk Ifs swede went Ma glees elsewhere, which God
feelid, there might be a selembly weedy senninetion of the
mi. In themes% the Dal weuM of ammo fall to the
gresed.
Led iIIORPiTH :id, that It was desired by York.
shire, that k alma be exempted hem the operation of this
Bill I Wow k bed already is Deeds Regktry.
Mr. CAMPAILL obssmsd, that if then were jobs, be
had netlgng se do with it: it bee bide misting system of
k required avowedly armadessm.
1.10.111111 R hoped that instead of de desskory eon.
mrseden, there would be a eight Aged for the discussion of
this MA

Mr. CROYER said no one could have had any thing to
do with real preperty without knowing the urgency of seek
a bill as this. It was important that title tboald be sc-
ant : sod if this nareeare were adored, the honourable
and learned gendeman would have achieved what other'
had been two hundred years vainly endeavouring to ac-
complish.
Mr. HUN r said then was a vioket snapidon that this
13111 was a job, beanie all the !musts in the How were
in favour of It.

Mr O'CONNRLL declared that this easseere would he
ems of great benefit. It would premed many a peps with
Owe who might otherwise take sodas@ el defective titles;
apt it esnalsly might alter the johldig adage whose titles
would sot hear the strictest naminadmeo—Petition to he
GO the table.
OA lIRSTMORP resented a patties ageism* the Deed,
Migheisdeem RI, gross the Corporades Si Lions/a,
• matessre sellelly smelled for ; end as a regrinds's
list would snseceesedly call for the ex pesewe .of
IMes, and family settlements. &c. It would authorise
*eminent =Amity, and he should therefore oppose the
WI in every smge.
Mr. WILKES spoke of the importame of the bill, and
true a trusted that there scald be no further progress vita
the bill this modes.
•
Petition ordered to be printed.
Mr. Olt ATTAN moved fee various reepectlnt the con-
subsist, force of Ireland, the act of clothing, and the end
raising by dread Judea an such account, &c.
Col. EV ANS wooded the wietiou.
XZWTOWIII EMMY AFFAIR.
Mr. H. OKATTAN moved that there be laid Woe the
house • copy st.the memorial of James Newlan sad ethers,
dated Aug. It to the Lord Litutinsis of !Mink rigeedifig
the conduce of Captain Graham lad the Rev. W. Morgan,
two magistrates of she seamy of Weeded, fee dean*/ se
relieve ball, and grant the esgaired isformeties os the theme
of lowslog the home of the Newtownhlrry yeomen; war.
thee with his lisadwecy's reply. Also foe cosZeitifaioyt
Amber emeeitedeirdes received by the Irish • mn
✓eiesiog theme. After what bad posesd, be did sot vie bow
the modes essM be refused.
Mr. CRAMPTON said be doesld not oppose the mo.
ties tor inksesltdis now made.
Mr. LIFROY said the same a COpeals Grolumo sad
tille imeedseed ; but so prevent an tuddi adore.. from
connected with the wades oldie .easseve verse, to
bise u•millisd the Hams, thatCagissit *shim bad sot is-
iliel warrant. • • . •
Siam ceefu,iois: :lir- `fir leek .Place ib's
evesieg in the Ovalle Wills Hoes, of lords.
Contain Asti-Reteraisrs• %War twig** wets
hawed and Media. as tbq passed aloe& toed ,the
mitre eslogilial:AviaidlosSed mopes.* # deep
diseeciogyideal ale the • _ ot lees Idea. •
Atli di .at - ' • • i ciiiiiii is:
, . y, ON, ta
idalbled in tbe Foriiiiii Office, lad iostieeed sal
daillarashia for several boars.

.„,••

is
44

104,

6
F.

MR. BUCKINGIIAM S STATEMENT RESPECT-
ING IllS RECENT CORR t:SPONDENCE.

0.. the 6th inst there Appeared in ithe Times, a
Liftt.:. signed " A NIOLD INDIAN." imputing to me
certain misrepresentations with respect to the value
of my property destroyed by the India Com-
pany's Setvants in Calcutta, subsequent to niy
banishment from Bengal, and quoting at his autho-
rity an obscure pamphlet, entitled, " A Sketch of
the History of the Indian Press during the last
Ten Years." I was at that time in Staffordshire.
On the very day of the appearance of this letter,
however, Mr. Sutherland, a gentleman recently ar-
rived front India, and one who had been in my
Office there for some years, and subsequently in
that of my agents, Messrs. Ale:gander and Co. ad-
d essed a letter to the Times, refuting, in his own
name, and tinder the authority of his actual know-
ledge of the facts of the case, the false and caluin-
nious statements inserted in the Times, on the
anonymous authority of the " OLD INDIAN," and
the Pamphlet quoted by him. To this letter the
Times refused insertion, on tie alleged ground
that it was too long,—that it would lead to endless
disputes,— turd that it would render the Paper
liable to an action for damages. The first objet
tion was. a remediable one, as the Editor might
have given the substance of the letter, if the
is bele were too long : But in the announcements
to Correspondents, even the subject of Mr. Suther-
land's letter was never once mentioned ; which
would lead to the inference, that it was
purposely suppressed or concealed ; and as
to the two other objections, they would have
applied with greater force to the anonymous
attack of " THE OLD INDIAN," than to Mr.
Sutherland's defence of me from his scandalous
imputations. A short letter from myself, written
front the Potteries, was subsequently inserted, but
that of Mr. Sutherland, as the testimony of a third
party, and an impartial witness was of more value,
and ought on that ground to have been first given.
To the letter inserted from my own pen, was ap-
pended an editorial note, stating that the con-
troversy must end here, unless the " OLD
IN DIA w" chose to write a short letter with his real
name. After which nothing more could be in-
serted but as an advertisement. The letter came
from the " OLD INDIAN," but his real name was
not made public, as the implied condition of further
notice of the subject:—and the readers of the
Times, therefore, have seen the most calumnious
accusations against me, from an anonymous source:
while the defence of my character from these ac-
cusations, made by Mr. Sutherland, render his
real name rind authority, have been withheld from
them :—and the accuser has been permitted to
have the first and the last word, while the accused
has had his most powerfyl witness silenced or
suppressed by the refusal of the Times to let its
readers see what he had to say.
Since this period the calumnies originally printed
in the obscure pamphlet already named, and then
widely circulated in the Times, havimr, been re-
iterated in the Sheffield Mercury of Saturday the
17th inst. with a view to impede the strong current of
feeling then running in favour bf my electien as a
Representative of that town in the reformed Par-
liarrent. I made a journey to Sheffield for the
express purpose of inviting the Editor, or any other
accuser, to meet me in the TOwn Hall of that place
on Monday the 19th of Sept. in the face of the
w hole public, to st de their charges, which I un-
dertook to refute on the spot to the public satisfac-
tion, or abide the censure which would otherwise
ensue. The meeting:Was attended by from 590 to
t;')0 of the most respectable inhabitants of thel
tua re Nei:her the Editor, nor any other accuser
appeared, the former denouncing it ea " absard"
fon an accuser to be made to meet the accused face
to face, arid preferring to confine the controversy
et his newspaper. I had ha.l tees Much exper;eneel
of the injustice of such a tribunal generally, where
the Editor sits in judgment in his own cause, and
will only print what he thinks proper, when it
come as a defence from his adversary's side, though
he sets no limits to the accusati. n sent front those
v hese party he espouses,—npt to know that a pub-
lic meeting in open court, face to lace, where both
sides might be fully as well as fairly heard, was
much better : and therefore I went into the defence
before this public meeting, replying to every accu-
sation seriatim. The defence occupied mere than
three hours ; and it eas &erne f so triumphant and
complete, that at its close, when the shalt titan, Mr.
Vickers,, a parteer la ono of the oldest and
most respectable mtrcantile firms in Sheffield.
summed .up the evidence, the following Reso-
lutions were pat and seconded by Dr. Idol-
laud, a physician of high character and prat:-
tice in Sheffield. Mr. Ihhotson, of the firm I
1 Ihbotson, Fro:hers, extensive manufacturers, 1
Mr. Hoole, a Solicit- r, and' Mr. Benjamin Vickers,
a merchant, all residents of the town.
lat. That Mt. Buckingham has, in the opinion
of this meeting, satisfactorily answered and refuted
the charges against h s character contained :n the
Sheffield Mercury, Sept. 17, 1831."
`• 2d. That the meeting highly disapproves of
the unsubstantiated wen pt of the editor of the
Sheffield Mercury to asperse and vilify tt.e cha-
racter oil S. Buckingham, Esq. and cannot but
regard the I,antrhlet entitled • A Sketch of tne
History of the Indian Press uring the lot Ten
Years; with feelings of indignation, and
deem it utterly unworthy of credit."
The The report of. this public procee ing occupie•
six clesely printed columns of the Sheffield Iris of
the day fullosing the nArtiug,Titeaday, Sept. 18,
and the edi or says of the result, " A more manly,
honest, and 'triumphant refutation, it is impossi-
ble to conceive;" and adds, "So far as we could
ascertain, there was riot an i;aliiidnal present,
Who'was not fully convinced of the justice of the
exoneration of Air. Buckingham from the slan-
ders which had. been heaped upon his character."
The report of the same proceedings occupies two
eutectics of the Sheffield Independent, of Friday.
Sept. 24, says, • Mr. Backinyharn imme-
diately' enlcr d upon his defence ;—and after
cornrnandiny the earnest and undivided attention
of the meeting for upwards of three hours,- a ver-
dict of acquittal was pronouoed amidst the loudest
expessions Ofsatisfactioncina delight :" and at the
close it adds, Loud and repeated cheers, were then
Omit in ,ho?:our of he gentleman watt had thus
hipiself, and qfter thanks 4ad been
voted h 01..011airttion -.(Afr.;Ficieere) the weeding
disperser , ; •
All thee! „Ow:aflame! pip kapott/ to the eon-
aur tors of the Tinto c for in-addition to die copies
or the pipes ivilaithey a 6 doubt receive 'at their
• ft::: •••• • b . • ' • • •
. : • 0. • r •

. 7-•

own office, I have myself sent them extra copies, ,
as well as n condensed narrative, to save theln
time and space ; and intrasted them, :*8 an act of
justice, to give insertion to the !laudations or the
Meeting at Sheffield at least, in order to shew the
opinion there entertained of t' e Pamphlet flirted
the " OLD 'Nowt," in the columns of the
Times, as his authority for'his caloinnies against
me. To all t• is, however, the Times has hitherto
turned a deaf ear. My communications have re-
mained unnoticed and unacknowledged; ,toad the
shortest paragra; h has been refused insertion,,
eept as an advertisement, and at a heavy charge,
vs that while the Morning Chronicle, and Morainy
Herald, the Morxiing Advertiser And Public Led-
ger, the Globe, the Courier, the Sun, the Tra-
yeller, and the Par, to say nothing of the Sunday
papers, have gratuitously noticed, at different
lengths, the triumphant refutation made, andahe
resolutions passed at Shetfieit,—the Times alone
which, as the original vehicle of the accusations,
ought to have been the first to advert to it,—has
studiously avoided the slightest alltation to the
matter up to the present moment, and will only
insert my communication, on the payment of
Tex Gutareas for its appearance.
I can vouch for the strict accoracy of all the facts
given in this statement, %Odell rest indeed on un-
impeachable proof. I shall make no comment
on it, but leave the public to judge for themselves.
I desire to add, however, a circumstance which'
transpired at the meeting ; as throwing some light
on the secret influence at work, to continue against
me in Englaiid the persecutions originated in India,
and from wi.ich I have suffered so much already.
At the meeting, Dr. Holland, the gentleman
who moved the first resolution, stated the following
fact :—A resident of the town, known to Dr.
Holland, had written from Sheffield to the East
India Company in Londen, for such information as
they might be able to furnish, as to Mr. Bucking-
hans's character, &c. (and the description of infor-
mation wished, may perhaps be fairly inferred
from the hostility of the quarter to which the ap-
plication was made.) The Company acknow-
ledged the receipt of the letter, but, in sheir offi-
cial capacity, professed perfect neu,rality in all
election matters, and declined taking any part, or
furnishing any information whatever. Notwith-
standing this official disclaimer, however, there
came down to Sheffield, a few days afterwards, a
small parcel, sent by the coach, carriage paid, and
without note, invoice, or charge, containing a pam-
phlet full of the most slanderous imputations on
my character and conduct, and addressed to the
very. individual who had solicited the East India
Company for information respecting me; they be-
ing the only party to whom he applied ; and they
alone being acquainted with the fact of his desir-
ing the information so sought ; so that neither he
nor any other person in Sheffield douhted but that
it was the East India Company, who, in their
official capacity had declined to take any part in
this matter, that had, in their secret capacity, been
eag,r to make up for that deficiency, by doing all
they could to undermine my reputation. This
pamphlet, entitled " A Skied' of the History of the
Indian Press during the last Ten Years," the same
that wasquoted as an authority by the OLD INDIAN
in the Times and by the Sheffield Mercury, was
produced at the meeting by Dr°. Holland, as the
identical copy so sent down to Sheffield : pnd its
public exhibition drew' forth hisses, groans, and
murmurs of execration from every part of the

Whether similar influence i 4 exerted, and simi-
lar means used, to enlist any portion of the Lan-
don Press in the cause of hostility to me, as an op-
donent of the East India Company's Monopoly, it
is not for me to say. But this, I think,,will be *-
felled by most persons, namely, that where any
Paper will open its columns freely to the circula-
tion of accusations against any man, under anony-
mous signatures, and will close the same columns
against the admission of a refutition of these
accusations, under a real name and address, except
upon the payment of a heavy charge for the inser-
tion, there must be something not quite right,
er in the Proptietore, Editors, or Superinten.
dents, on who,e decisions, these admissions and
suppressions depend. _ _

J. S. BUCKINGHAM.

COLONIAL ORDERS IN COUNCIL.

Extract from Mr. .lontsyn's Poop Mel o* She likgolily of

eoniinumg ForeignLawsin. Biggish Co ord.'s.
A large portion of the realm of England. in its
colonial possessions, has now fallen under the ar-
bit,ary discreti ‘n of the servants of the crown. A
system -o novel, so full of abuse and oppressi n,
is growing into a magnitude to become alarming
to esely class of his Majesty's subjects. In its
continuance, it would go far to subvert the gene-
ral liberty and the fundamental laws of the empire.
It is Illse to call the attention of parliament to an
-uncontrollable power, new to the constitution and
colonial policy of these kingdoms. An authority
successfu ly assumed, by a perseverance in admi-
nistering in British colonies, the barbarous code
of another sovereignty ; and now set up as recog-
nised law in those extensive and in-portant (fond.
nions, ceded on the peace to Great B hair. In
such an innovation, no discernible pubic object
ran be discovered, other, indeed, than an inscru-
table source of ministerial dictation. It can be
viewed in no other light than an attempt at irre-
sronsible influence, as full of syspicioa as of dan
ger—it is contrary to our laws, to our jurispru -
deface. to the inalienable birth- ight of the subject.
No prerogative has been given to the crown to ex-
clude Englishmen in any part of the kingdom
kkingdona and colonies being one and the same
; thin,) from the protection of English laws, and
I the fundamental principles of ire Brit;sh Consti-
tution.

The ceded colories are an integral part of the
empire, and are dominions within the realm of
England. The inhabitants of them are either its i
subjects, owing to its sovereign allegiance ,
dience, or they are au alien people, not protected,
by its laws, and not punishable for any acts cf
treason or rebe lion. But, after the ultimate cession
of a colony, the crown is stripped of all authority
to govern British subjects, either by foreign laws,
or by orders in council ; and its servants proceed,
m their peril, in violation of that great national
law.'
The political axiom, that the

subjects- of the
. • Nothing it ;Liver than that thes4jecrs .4
realm have right to the. Lis fhdhipmAPtWo."Sir Jo-
kph Jekyl..:o The lilibtattiis are adopter of the realm pt
*lkagland. aod-aatirrof Oa dominion, and the ltilliatatits
Ore ekiti
pain the Sipes allegiance, hart aabjeirt tb the Of
pglegktl-'%i•-Crir'Part. • - • • • . •• •

•

same sovereign shOuld be governed in every part
of his dominions by the same laws, is not peculiar
to England. The , incoatenienco apd 'deirgieri
shown .by eXperience. to pr avail., whenever. War-.
ent system ofjerisprtidence ltiaa.besti tldfni9iftm.ild
in the several Fins of the same empire, has intro-
duced the universal
_practice of abolishing, on the
ultimate session of-a ,territoty to another soveJ
reignty, the law of. the fernier, and Anbatituting
in its place that of the'lattek. The most enlightened
statesmen, the mom celebrated liwyers, the most
'timed doctors, have held that, 'when a colony
has been united to e,kingslom,. it, on the instant of
its union, acquires a
,vested right to ell the laws
and immunities of the-kingdom to which it had
been ceded. '6 Angmentum accedena per modem
unionis, twines qualitates et conditiones rei eui
unitur suscipit, et omnino jadicatur sicut
eadem re -.and, hitherto, on the mutation of
a colony to the crown of England, it has
been the uniform practice to extend to it the pro-
tection of British laws ; whether it be A union, the
fruit of treaties or of conquest. It is naw, .for the
first time, that Englishmen, under.the sovereignty
of England, are governed by Spanish, french,
and Dutch laws. It has been reserved for :Great
Britain, in this eoFghtened age of the world, to
administer to the Britieh people, within .the realm
of England,, foreign laws, repugnant to the prin-
ciples of its free constitution. This innovation on
the ancient policy of the kingdom does not present
itself in a less odious character, when it is known
that those very laws, as. being arbitrary and op-
pressive, have been repealed and abolished in the
,mother country
,of, shc ceded colony, and given
place to others of.a wilder and more enlightened
spirit. 'Much happier woeld it have been for the
British proprietors in the ceded colonies, had they
returned under their original foreign dominion, in
which the severity of obsciire and barbarous ordi-
nances have been abrogated, to introduce a re-
formed jurisprudence, adapted to the progress of
civilisation, and sto the necessities of the times,
than to have been ceded
,ta the crown of England,
with • colonial minister, retaining as exploded
foreign law, with all its unfitness to exieting
cir-
cumstances, with its uncertainty, its secret exami-
nations, and arbitrary proceedings.
The denying to British subjects the protection
of the constitution may increase the influence of
ministers in an irresponsible and .boundless. pa-
tronage, but it inflicts on the colonies remedileas
oppression. Little concern, indeed, seems to be
taken about them, or are .they considered in any
other view, than as cleating a fund to provide for
ministerial dependants and .nianagers of parlia-
mentary tactics.
Where is now the controul to be found, against
the influence created by the numerous offices of
governors, secretaries, chief justices, marshals,
fiscals, vendee masters, post masters, agents for
coloties, now nominated by ministers, sad, in
many cases, taken away from the Ho IS of As-
sembly ?

I shall not on the present occasion go into the
detail of the new offices created, the salaries and
fees annexed ; all raised in taxes, without the.au-
thority of parliament, 9r an assembly of the repre-
sentatives of the people: Most of these offices are
farmed at great rents by deputies of their principals
in England. As in the instance of Mr. Sullivan,
appointed secretary to the colony of Demerara,
and the Court of Justice. The duties of the res-
pective offices are performed by deputies; and to
secure to him an unearned sinecure, a large sum
is levied in taxes. Be it remembered, not impoied
by an assembly of the representatives of the
people. A proceeding so directly contrary to Saw
and the principles of the constitution, that the At-
torney General Lechmere, after Wards Lord Lech-
mere, told George the First; when be wished to,
impose taxes on Jamaica, after its cession to the
crown of England, without the authorily,of
,
ment or an assembly of the representatives of the
people, that whoever shoUld,advise his Majesty to
carry it into execution -would be guilty of high
treason. I will not suppose that the unbounded
authority of the Secretary for Colonies has
taught him to disregard the wise provisions
of the old law, and to contemn all its penalties;'
but if ever a privilege was held sacred in
this nation, it is that of not giving to the Crown, or
to any of its servants singly, the power of taxation;
of arbitrarily governing the Colonies by ORDERS
IN Council., but of reserving it for the King,
Lords, and Commons conjointly ; and if to be es
• cised in the Colonies, for the Governor, Council,
and an assembly of the representatives of the
people. The law is clear on that doiot, it is
settled and confirmed in a variety of legal de-
cisions.

What can be the view of his Majesty's Minis-
ters in continuing iu a palpable innovation on the
ancient policy of the nation, and is obstinately re-
fusing to Englishmen, within the Blidali domi-
nions, their inalienable right to a representative
Government. remains to be explained. But the
examples are many of the oppressive injustice
stowing out of it.
Until the present system had been established of
conquering colonies to try experiments upon them,
as avowed by Sir. Canning in the House of Com-
mons, in the estate of Trjnidad ; it bad been the
uniform practice, that, when the British arms bad
ei,nquerod a country, ii was understood
.that she
conitunn law of the !sod accompanied them ; other-
wise, to make conqUista, would be to forge feuets
for ourselves, and the *inhabitants of England it-
self, by acquiescing in this claim of power to go-
vein arbitrarily their fellow subjects and country.
men iu the colonies, by ministerial rescripts and
orders in council, may.too soon find, by the vets
blishment of such a precedent, bow .m.tch less able
they will be, if hereafter inved,d, to defend their
own liberties. I repeat, it had always been consi-
dered to be a safe and wipe policy, on the cession
of a colony by 6(114 to Great Britain, to intro-.
dune the laws.of England, as a strong ground of
.union and mutual afectinn between tbeahohitente
of the two countries. • Precedents of high authority
are not wanting t, paoc*tn such ja fQIIII of prem.
mant, either is ancient 9f .wodern times. On the
conquest of Ireland, the 'bole of the English lattr
pas introduced, the prt cm* kaps pf that kingdom
oa tenures and descent of la d, not excepted. Tice
W9O rule yai Followed its by principality .of
A"; in whlcb, for Rote then. two bundmd
yews, the English law hap been the. only. MM ad-
ritfrg ; and, in the las!,contioy, whoa Now Took
*l°4 the_4l.7 RoOorindo. woo Olgsa irtunl
jo, hto, and wawa singly the donsjaion Eog.
14,4, the Pito. fee; Wers
.totally fkoli*b;e4l, sad rni

their place the English substituted,which have ever'
since prevailed.
In further corrsboration of my argument, I beg, ,
Wiost particalsrly canal' the attention of the reader to
, t/re feliMvin, facts, that, 1n
.tha definitive twisty of
peace, concluded on the 26th day of March, 1763,
the islands of Grenada, the Grenadines, Domi-
nica, Belot Vincent, and Tobago were ceded to
Great. Britain, and.that, in the month of October
in the same .year,.lris *Majesty's proclamation was
published under the great seal, in,whieh it was de
clared to be his pleasure to erect new governments
in the territories lately ceded to the Crown— to wit,
Quebec, East Florida, • West Florida, Grenada.
&c. In this proclamation his Majesty ex-
horts all his subjects to resort to ,these new
governments and .to settle in them, and he pro-
mises, that they shall be governed in Ithe same
manner as the ether English provinces in America,
by.a governor, council, and assembly of the peo-
ple, as soon as. the situation and circumstances of
the said new governments will admit of the calling
of assemblies ; and that, in the meantime and un-
til ,uCtiipogiernblies can be called, all persons inha-
biting in and re-orting to the said colonies, may
confide in his Majesty's royal protection for the en-
joyment of the benefit of the laws t.f his realm of

England.
In pursuance of this proclamation, bianiejesty,
in the month of April 1764, appointed Robert
Melville, Esq. Governor in Chief, &c. over the
Islands of Grenada, Dondaica St. Vincent, To-
bago, by* commission ender the great seal, nearly
of the same tenor with those of the governors of
Quebec and New York, end the other governments
in America.—Governor Melville arrived in the
island of Grenada in December 1764, and in pur-
suance of the powers contained in his commission,
summoned a general assembly of the freeholders
and planters of the island, which met in the latter
end of the year 1765.
I have mentioned these facts to confirm my rea-
soning, that it was, hitherto, held to be a sacred
constitutional law, that the local government in
the colonies ceded to Great Britain, were never to
be administered by Orders in Council, but shout!
be modelled upon that of England, and protected
against the tyrannical and arbitrary gore. manta
of their former sovereignties. In the French co-
lonies, for instance. the King's will is the law, ac-
cordipg to the emphatic principle sontained in these
few words, ." Si veut le roi, si veut Is lig," that
which the King wills, the laW ordains. That is to
say, if the King chooses to banish a man, he must
bannediately obey, and has no redress. He is
linisle.to arbitrary fines and imprisonments, and to.
he tried, not by known and permanent laws, bat
by orders in Council, by ordinances and Ministerial
edicts, which the governor and council are ear
powered to make void at their will and plenum,.
and the courts of justice can give no ressedys
By the law of England, he is protected
these oppression.. An Englishman,
without legal cause, has his writ of habeas capes,
to procure his instant release.—He can bring his.
action of damages for false impi isonment, for the
injury be has sustained, against the Secretary of
State, or against any ,other, by whom he is im-
prisoned. The subversiqn of the constitution, in
the continuance of Dutch, and Spanish laws, in
the immense territories ceded to Great Britain, has
deprived His Majesty's subjects in them, of their
rights and franehient; ,which follow than, where
'never they clinese to fix Otemsebres, within .the
British dominions. Until they ,submitted to the
degradation of * Slavish Policy, pf the n:bit.iny
bar:ovation lately introduced, of being governed by
ministerial rescript, they, At whateves dist.soce
0107 Wise 411140Xed from ithe parent state, could
exult in the ,session of
.she .civil and political
privileges of the free:ennntry iliey had left.
The Habeas Corpus Act, apd the ineetiondde
trial by jury, the double protection of a 6rand Jury
and.a Petty Jury on the trial, is, in these colonies
taken from .diem. Tile practice of the despotic
and arbitrary government. ef.Hellend, France, and
Spain, of imprisonments by lettres de Cachet, or
by orders of tbe,Governor ; of proclaiming martial
law to silence all opposition; of banishment, with-
out his assigning any rasson for it; of suspending
or removing, at his will and pleasure, per-
sons holding important ofices, is submitted
to in passive: Obedience in the ceded colonies, by
British subjectsvowithOut any resistance legal stied
constitutional se it would be, or even question
rained as to thewjegality.
One of the griatest pdvandages hitherto derived
by England from her coloniee, by extending to
thein the henefite of her free constitution, nee
the excellent internal administration which re-
sulted from it. , Liberty, until the innovations
here diannoced, was the portion of the English
coloniep. Despotism to tyranny
the
fats
of
colonies modelled on the absolute governments, to
which they belonged. On the cepion of some
of them to the Crows of Great Britain, the des-
.pod's) and tyranny of their former sovereignties
bas bees continued, in ,violation of.* constitution
end the ay** policy of the ;kingdom. " But he,
Who advised and maintains such an innovation, is
liable by statute, to the heaviest penalties. "6
This analysis, indeed, is only an imperfect out-
line and nucow **anent of what so grave and
moat impnetatit subject demands. Yet, if the
several facto, which I have drawn together, link
themselves into a consistent' and necessary ,ton-
1111131i011, it will furnishno week argument, in Support
of my honestireprobation of arbitrary rescripts, of a
barbarous klign cOrs PorilOtta to tunocence,und,
except in the British doniiiions, !welshed frann All
the enlightened tribunals of Europe. But such a
system of jurisprudence, if jhrieptetlenee i. can be
celled, having been continued in the Colonies ceded
;19 Great *kaki, and unrestricted power assumed
by the Minister, at his papricions will of issuing
`orders in 0.66/16 .4 innifn. OPI 9:10444 444. ,forßink domesticiroverement, calls for immediete
abrogation and tepee!. My remonstrance 9u the
pubject to Lord Bathurst, itsCelouiii Minister, has'
been given to the public. But I was not, how-
per, to be pardoned for my attachment to the laws,
pf ,England, nor firtuitteJ to breatherhowever ti!..l
ingt.4. Afpp.i;# of tfrrePWA9. 1
' *nnw 'll4t 1i.b.P14 and cAtnte!fti iintikkics ltich
le preferment : that sycophancy and wmintinenon
109
the ordiniry piniobs of candidates for orrice..l-4
hint, that *sour and patronage was Miket:l
.. . CaPscilitdeds omdd isiuttany eyes oaths pre-,
rttr.vAT 9f littietn.r.c, Ali ikd Pftmeitiosm.i
.wa ening an interest to every mind not hardenell,
py habit into insensibiljw.: and I must consider
the silence of Al' WA. gals OW U 1410.00 11**
I • . ! 1141014.
4 '