| [? 1707] or [? 1708]. |
1256. Proprietors of Plantations in Barbados to the Queen.
The strength, trade and credit of the said Island are of late so
exceedingly diminished, which petitioners verily believe has been
occasioned by ye want of a due administration of justice, and by
the animosities of contending partyes, who, as they have prevailed
in the Counsel, Assembly and in other civil and millitary imployments, have favoured or opposed each other in the course of
justice there, and also in misrepresentations of one another
to your Majesty and your Ministers, and many in power have
sheltered themselves against their just debts, which are many,
and to that end have suffered and countenanced great abuses
in the execution of the ancient laws, and have contrived new
laws, which increases the difficulties that are put upon creditors,
and multiply offices, complaints and law suits, by which evils
some do reap particular advantages, and the present Governor,
by oposing these heats and promoting the speedy and impartial
administration of justice has displeased and disappointed many,
and therefore they oppose and misrepresent his administration.
The inhabitants are under constant fears and at great charge
in being perpetually allarm'd by notices of the designs of ye
enemy and the memory of the late misfortunes at Nevis and
St. Christophers, and being still without regular forces for their
defense, notwithstanding the applications that have been made
for a regiment and the report of ye Lords Commissrs. for Trade
of ye necessity thereof. Pray that some forces may be forthwith
dispatched thither, and that for ye restoring and preserving
of peace and justice your Majesty would appoint men of clear
estates and probity, and such as have been least concerned in
these controversies and have fewest law-suits, to be of the Counsel,
and that your Majesty would surpress new offices of power and
profit, and order that no offices in the disposal of which the
Councel or Assembly have any votes be hereafter given to any
of their Members, and that the profits of all these offices may
be moderated, and that upon the passing of new laws or ye giving
directions concerning the same, or upon any insinuation against
the justice and conduct of ye Governor, wee, who cannot but feel
the effects of a good or bad administration, and are acquainted
with the facts, may be heard before any alteration be made or
censure past as to the lessening of the reputation or authority
your Majesty has been pleased to intrust the said Governor
with etc. Signed, J. Colleton, R. Scott, H. Bendish, Robt. Chester,
Tho. Foulerton, Richd. Steele, Robt. Davers, J. Kendall,
J. Bromley, J. Walter, Richd. Bate. [C.O. 319, 1. pp. 116, 117.] |
| [? 1707 or ? 1708.] |
1257. The Condition of Barbados. In times of former
wars, altho the Island had twice the number of people in it
that it now has, yet it was always thought fit to keep a regiment
there for the security of that and all other the Caribbee Islands.
But during this present war, altho the necessitys of the Island
are greater than ever, and many applications have been made
from thence, and also from those concerned here, and that matter
has been laid before H.M. by a representation of the Councill
of Trade, yet it has hitherto been without any effect, and for want
of a regiment and regular convoys and cruisers ye inhabitants
are exposed to inexpressible trouble, labour and expense in the
necessary dutys of the militia, and to great difficulties and hardships for want of regular convoys and supplys, insomuch that the
whole profits of most of ye plantations there are consumed in
ye dutys and expenses that are upon them, and the planters
are become so much indebted that to one person or estate that
is not, there are severall that are incumbered. This is ye reason
that very unjustifiable methods have of late been tryed to come
at money and to favour debtors, and the Assembly, being chosen
by and composed of these planters, even the legislative
authority itself has too often concurred in these practices. The
appointing of paper credit, ye appraising of lands (taken in
execution) to creditors at more then double the value it can be
sold for, the erecting new and unnecessary offices and applying
salaries out of ye publick for the officers (instances of which
and even encroachments on H.M. Grants may be seen in several
late Acts of that Island, the litigiousness of the people, the expense
of the law, and other delays and difficulties that are put upon
creditors, ye many endeavours to raise the current coin of ye
Isle, ye generall decay of trade and credit are melancholly
instances of ye poverty of the people. Another misfortune
that ye Isle lies under, is their unhappy divisions, there being
two partys in the Isle violently set against one another, viz.
those that have ye majority of ye Council and Assembly, and
their party, and those that have not, insomuch that for several
years past there has been and still is a constant and furious
contention amongst ye inhabitants who shal get this majority,
and those that have got it have by unjustifiable methods try'd
to keep it, the true reason of this hot contention for ye majority
of ye Council and Assembly is because those that have it do
imediately put themselves and those that adhere to them into
all the old offices and places of power and profit and often order
new ones for them, and then protect themselves against prosecutions for their debts, and often fine those of the other party.
In former times the Assembly had but one Office, viz. that of
Treasurer, that they could recomend to, and yet that one
Office used to make a great deal of party and contention; now,
by ye means aforesaid, they have several offices to stir for. Of
late, when Governors had liberty of taking presents from ye
people if they concurred and agreed with ye party that had
ye majority, then exorbitant taxes were imposed, extravagant
laws were made, ye Courts of Justice favourd some and violently
persecuted and fined others, and ye spoyl was divided, but now
since ye Governor has not yt. advantage nor temptation if he
do not go into ye measures of ye majority of ye Council and
Assembly, nor concur with them when they propose revenge
upon their enemys or advantage to themselves, and favour in
their law-suits, then it is that a just administration is misrepresented. The people here that are interested in that Island,
are either such as have plantations there but are not ingaged
in ye debts and partys, and generally speaking, those can have
no interest but in ye prosperity of ye Island, or they are merchants
that have consignments from thence, and those comonly speak
the language of those that employ them, and those that trade
thither are for ye most part in an interest different from that
of ye planters. Now, as to what concerns ye present circumstances of Barbados, with regard to ye complaints that are made
against Mr. Crow, ye present Governor, it is to be considered
that before he went thither, ye Isle was in ye utmost disorder
and confusion, insomuch that, when he had equipt himself (and just
ready to embark Envoy for Spain) he was dispatcht into Barbados
in such hast that he was forced imediately to leave all his own
affairs and his lady and family to follow him, and by his Instructions
Mr. Sharp, Mr. Cox, Mr. Cleland, Mr. Milles, Mr. Holder and
Mr. Walker were all appointed to be Members of ye Councill,
but, there having been great complaints here against those
gentlemen, that they had been ye promoters of ye Paper Act,
there was a particular Instruction added requiring him upon
his arrival to examine which Counsellors had misbehaved themselves in their Offices, and to remove them and put others in
their places. Accordingly, upon his arrival, he comunicated
this Instruction to ye Assembly then siting, and recomended
ye inquiry to them, and they represented to him, and ye
generalltry of ye people agreed with them, in accusing Mr. Sharp,
Mr. Holder, Mr. Cox, Mr. Walker and Mr. Mills as ye authors
of yt. pernicious law and other grievances. In ye meantime
H.M. Mandamus follows Mr. Crow, confirming Mr. Holder of
ye Councill, but Mr. Crow suspended the other four from ye
Councill, and ye rather because, at his departure from England,
ye Lords Commissioners of Trade were disposed to have absolutely
dismist from ye Counsel all that voted for passing ye said Paper
Act, had not gentlemen here concerned in the Isle prevailed
to have it delayd till the Governor's arrival there, and to have
it refered to him. Soon after Mr. Crow had suspended these
gentlemen, H.M. approbation of Mr. Sharp's conduct was signified
to him, and since Orders have been dispatcht for restoring ye
said Sharp and the three other suspended Counsellors, and to
dismiss Mr. Holder and Mr. Cleland, tho' ye latter was no ways
concern'd in ye Paper Act, nor ever heard to any complaints
against him. So that now ye misunderstanding of ye parties
are greatly increased, and ye Governor's authority diminished
thorough the hopes they have of being justified at home, and
many are uneasy and provoked at his government by reason
of ye great dispatch of justice in ye law-suits he found depending,
and his presiding in ye Grand Sessions to prevent ye danger
and confusion that thretend the Isle ye last time ye Court was
held, and to moderate the extravigant fines and violent prosecutions that had been used and then were likely to be inflicted
(on some), incensed others, so that ye parties, not finding their
revenge or interest gratifyd, they turn their discontent against
the Governor. To prevent the present danger of a forreign
enemy and to ease ye inhabitants of ye great burthens and
difficulties they lie under by ye expence of ye Militia for want
of regular convoys and supplys, it is humbly proposed that ye
fleet intended thither be imediately dispatched, and with it
a full regiment of foot soldiers be sent, and that during the continuance of ye warr regular and proper convoys and crusers may be
allowed. And as preceding. Recommend the dispatch of suits
in the Courts etc. [C.O. 319, 1. pp. 116–120.] |
