, 1868-03-03

First and Foremost to convey to the Gov.
efnmentof His Majesty the King, the convic-
ton OF this population of the necessity for the
cession of this Island to the United States in
case the Sister-lslaDds be ceded, as also their
ilFely wish and hope, that the cession may
take place, if possible, contemporaneonsly
with that of the two other Islands.
In the event of the cession being DELAYED
the Council will request of Your Excellencv,
taaC lou Will by all means in Your power en-
deaF0f TO obtain, that until the cession be effect
ed, the produce of this Island on being imported
INTO Denmark shall there enjoy a protection by
duty, against similar products from FOREIGN nlaceS.
of not less than 2 Skillings r. NJ. pr. Pound
Sugar, and 10 Rigsdollars r. NJ. pr. 80 Viertles
Rum, and that this protection Shall rule for all
the lmportations from here, for the whole of this
present year.
Colonial Council st Croix.
No one demanding the word the draft was mt
to the vote and adopted unanimously with 14yotes.
The LIST member for Christiansted's country
district Christmas asked for the Councils
consent to address a question to His Excellen-
cy the Governor. In the last meeting His Ex-
cellency had, OF his own accord, stated, that.
in case the Council adopted the committees.
rep 0rt, he would not be unwilling to suspend
the criminal suit instituted against the editor Of
the St. CroiX Avis, provided some security
could be obtained against any new attemnt be.
ing made to call forth an application to a for
elgn government. Ihe Speaker would now beo
leave to ask, if the Government would not con-
Slder this sufficient security, that it at all times
may institute an action for any renewed attempt
in the direction in question. Although he him
self was not among those who advocated the
editor; on the contrary, totally disapproves the
style Of writing used in the said paper, he new
ertheleSs considered it desirable, that the suit
instituted be dropped, public opinion being
strongly opposed to it,
His EXcellency stated, that he in the last
meeting had called upon the Council, previous
to its voting on the ommittce-rrport to con-
slider well the terms and wording 0fthe report with
regard to the impression they may have in re-
ference to the action which The Government
had reluctantly instituted against the editor,
lie had pointed out, that an attempt to apply
to q foreign Power to interfere in / matter Of
the State affairs Of Denmark, according to the
principles Of our laws, is punishable, and that
the Government would therefore have NEGLECT
ed It's duty, had it not instituted the action in
question. 1t must however be acknowledged.
that the circumstances under which the call in
the press to that effect was brought forward
was very excuSable, and there was reason TO
DelleYe, that the editor at that time, was not
conscious OF Its being punishable. The present
application ON The part Of the Council regard
ing the desirability of The cessinn of this Island.
would no doubt contribute to place the action
in question in yet greater opposition to the
general opinion, than previously. In conse-
quence of the question addressed to him, His
Excellency declared, that he conceded with tho
propounder in his views. that there would be suf-
ficient security against a renewed attempt at an
application to a foreign Power or to i~nstigate
such an application, iE this, that in case any
one should be guilty of it, the matter would be
made the subject of an action in which the
party concerned would not have the excuse as
IN the present instance. The final repeal of
the suit instituted would however depend on
Ills Majesty'S resolution, for which purpose he
intended to represent the matter to the Minis
try, and meanwhile suspend the suit here.