, 1868-03-03

remaining attached to Denmark after the ceS-
sion of the two other Islands, must, even with
all the care that Denmark may bestow on us,
lead to a gloomy future for this Island. With
its present high, direct and indirect, taxation
and enormous charges on its produce when i'm
ported into Denmark-besides a not inconsid-
cradle duty on their export from here-it is
impossible for the planters to exist. This con-
viction is doubtless shared by the Government
here, and whereas they as we'll as the central
administration of the colonies in Denmark are
perfectly we'll acquainted with all the relations
in question in their detail, there is no need of
the Council giving a minute statement thereof;
an undertaking that, with the cesslon OF the
Island as our principal aim, would be supeltu-
Gus. The Council acceedS in toto to the ex-
presSions used by its Chairman on the introduce
ton of the memorial, which we find so pertinent
and convincing, that nothing stronger to the
occasion could be brought forward and we
think, that if this proves Intellectual, we can
have no hopes of seeing the tulilment of the
petition through any representation of the
Council.
The Committee will, therefore, submit to the
Council, that it, on adopting the memorial as
its own, should add a request to His Excellen-
cy the Governor, that His Excellency will lay
before the Government of His Majesty the
King, first, and foremost, the conviction of this
population of the unavoidable necessity for the
ceSSion of this Island to the United States of
America in case the Sister-Islands be ceded
and further, their warm wish and hope, that the
cesSion may take place contemporaneously with
that of the two other Islands.
In the event of the ceSSion of this Island be-
ing delayed, the Council would request His
Excellency the Governor, that he will by all
means endeavor to obtain from the Home-Gov-
eminent
that until the cession be effected, the pro-
duce of this Island shall be, on being import
ed into Denmark, there enjoy a protection by
duty against similar products from foreign
places of not less than 2 Skillings r. M. pr.
pound Sugar, and 10 Rixdollars r. NJ. pr. 80
VertleS Rum
that this protection shall rule for all the i'm
portations from The beginning of this year.
st. Croix, February 14th 1868.
Signed J.. Christmas. R c. Radcliffe. A. Dam"
The 2nd member for Christiansted's country
district (Ratcliffe), Speaker of the committee,
referred to the contents of the report, consider
ing further explanation unnecessary. He trust
ed, that the Council would adopt the report,
and that His Excellency would support the
matter; he proposed that the report be pub.
liShed.
His Excellency stated, that although the
committee had introduced another matter in
its report besides the original subject, one too
of such Importance, he must nevertheless &C
knowledge, that the existing circumstances and
the whole position in the present moment af-
forded ample cause and demand for so doing
but he felt himself in duty bound to call upon
the Council to consider we'll the matter and
the wording of the application to himself, be-
fore the Council finally adopted it as a matter
of course he neither would nor could propose
any amendment to the report. Presuming
however, that the Council would adopt the
committees report in it's essential points, His
Excellency declared, that he would forward it
to the Ministry with his support and recommen-
dation.
His Excellency then made a communication
within closed doors.