No. 1.-Extract of Letter from Governor Green to his Grace the Duke of Portland; dated 13th July 1797 P. 3. PP. 3,4,5. No. 3.-Extract Letter from the Duke of Portland to Governor Green; 13th September No. 5.-Extract of Letter from Governor Green to the Duke of Portland, 20th February 1798 (One Enclosure.) - P. 5. ibid. p. 6. to 15. 5th November 1798. 7th September 1799 No. 12.-Another - 6th October 1799 P. 17. No. 13.-Extract, the Duke of Portland to Governor Green - 22d November 1799 F. GRENADA. No. 1.-Extract of a Letter from Governor Green to his July 1797. AM alfo to acknowledge the honour of your Grace's Letter of the 6th May laft, marked Duplicate and Circular, accompanied by a *Refolution of the Houfe of Seep. Commons, of the 6th April laft, refpecting the Negroes on His Majefty's plantations in the West Indies, and I fhall not fail, in obedience to His Majefty's commands, to take the earlieft opportunity of communicating the faid Refolution to the Council and Affembly of this Colony, and at the fame time of recommending to their particular attention and confideration, the formation of fuch a system of measures, as may appear to them best suited to the attainment of the feveral important objects therein specified. I fhall take care, in conformity to your Grace's inftructions, to tranfmit from time to time to your Grace, accounts of the proceedings of the Legislature of this Ifland in confequence of that communication; and I beg leave to affure your Grace, that I fhall be attentive to avail myfelf of every opportunity of cultivating and improving such disposition, as I inay obferve in the Planters and Inhabitants to promote the humane and beneficent views, which the Legislature of Great Britain has fo eminently manifefted in the Refolution which has been tranfmitted to me. An Act of the Legislature of this Ifland, commonly called "The Guardian Act," which contained many provifions tending to promote the purpofes expreffed in the Refolution of the Houfe of Commons, was in force for four years, and expired in the Year 1792: in the beginning of the following year it was renewed, but the difturbance which foon after happened put an end to its operation. Some months ago, a Bill was brought into the Houfe of Affembly, the object of which was, the better protection of the Slaves, &c. this Bill was ordered to be committed; but I prefume tome difficulties have hitherto retarded its progrefs, however, I make no doubt that on the first meeting of the Legiflature, which is to take place in a few days, this fubject will be taken into immediate and ferious confideration. No. 2. Extract of a Letter from Governor Green to (Three Enclofures.) IN obedience to His Majefty's commands, conveyed to me in your Grace's Dispatch, of the 6th of May laft, I have laid before the Council and Affembly, the Refolution of the Houfe of Commons, of the 6th of April laft, respecting the Negroes on His Majefty's plantations in the Weft Indies, and I have now the honour to tranfmit to your Grace, copies of my Meffage on the fubject to the different branches of the Legiflature, and their joint Refolutions thereupon. F. 4 I have the further fatisfaction to acquaint your Grace, that a Bill is now under the confideration of the Houfe of Affembly, the provifions of which are made with a view to the attainment of the important objects expreffed in the Refolutions of the House of Commons before mentioned, and I trust that it will foon be in that state of forwardnefs, to enable me to tranfmit it home, to receive His Majesty's approbation or difallowance. (1.)-In Governor Green's, of the 10th August 1797 The Governor to the Honourable the Prefident and The Governor has received a Letter from his Grace the Duke of Portland, one of His Majefty's principal Secretaries of State, dated 6th May laft, tranfmitting to him by the King's commands, a Refolution of the Honourable the Houfe of Commons, refpecting the Negroes on His Majefty's plantations in the West Indies; which Refolution, the Governor being directed to take the earlieft opportunity of communicating to the Council and Affembly of Grenada, he thinks he cannot do it more properly than by laying before them, together with the faid Resolutions, a Copy of the Secretary of State's Letter on that fubject. The near intereft which His Majefty and the House of Commons of Great Britain appear to have taken in the welfare of the Colonies in the West Indies, is fo clearly manifested by their proceedings on this occafion, and the importance of the matters thereby recommended to the confideration of the Legislature, is, at the fame time, fo evident, that it becomes entirely unneceffary for the Governor to add any thing further from himself, other than to affure the Council, that his moft hearty and zealous concurrence and co-operation fhall not be wanting to any measures the Legiflature may think proper to adopt, for the attainment of the effential objects now fubmitted to their deliberations. July 24th 1797. A true Copy. (Signed) Chas, Green. Fred Newcome, Secretary. Similar Meffage, Copy of the Secretary of State's Letter, and Refolutions of the Houfe of Commons, were fent at the fame time to the Affembly. (2.)-In Governor Green's, of the 10th August 1797 The Speaker and Gentlemen of the Affembly, to his This House having taken into their confideration your Excellency's Meffage, of the 24th inftant, communicating his Grace the Duke of Portland's letter, of 6th May last, enclosing the Refolution of the House of Commons refpecting the Negroes on His Majefty's plantations in the West Indies, have come to feveral Refolutions thereon, in which the honourable Board of Council have concurred, and herewith tranfmit the faid joint Refolution for the information of your Excellency. (Signed) Houfe of Affembly, James Hay, Speaker. (3.)-In Governor Green's, of the 10th August 1797. Extract from the Minutes of the Affembly, 25th July 1797. Refolved, That a Meffage be fent to his Excellency the Governor, thanking him for his communication of his Grace the Duke of Portland's Letter, of the 6th of May laft, enclofing the Refolution of the Houfe of Commons refpecting the Negroes on His Majefty's plantations in the Weft Indies, recommending the adoption of fuch meafures as fhall appear to the Legiflature beft calculated to obviate the caufes which have hitherto impeded the natural increase of the Negroes in the Islands, and to employ fuch means as may conduce to the moral and religious improvement of the Negroes, and fecure to them throughout all the British West India Iflands, the certain, immediate, and active protection of the law. Refolved, That the Legislature of these Islands have not hitherto been remifs in their endeavours to accomplish the above defirable ends. In the year 1788, an Act was paffed for the better protection, and for promoting the increafe and population of Slaves, and other purposes, commonly called "The Guardian Act," in which the corporal punishment of Slaves by their Mafters was reftricted, their hour of labour defined, a fufficiency of food and clothing provided, and the clergymen of the different parishes enjoined frequently to vifit the plantations, and instruct the Slaves in the Chriftian Religion, to baptize and marry them without fee or reward, and to adminifter the Sacrament to fuch as they might deem fit to receive it. The perfon of the Slave was thoroughly protected from any wanton or undue exercife of power, and secured in every benefit of the laws. That this or fimilar Acts continued in force till the year 1793. That, previous to the breaking out of the infurrection, there was a Guardian Bill again before the Legislature, which that very difaftrous event prevented being immediately paffed into a law. That after order and peace had again been eftablifhed in the Colony, a new Bill for the fame purposes, was brought into the House of Affembly on the 24th of November laft, and is now before the Houfe; that his Excellency may be affured this Houfe will, as fpeedily as poffible, adopt whatever meafures thall appear to them neceflary for fulfilling the withes of the Honourable the House of Commons, as expreffed in their Refolution of 6th April last. A true Extract. A true Copy. Fred Newcome, Secretary. (Signed) Tho. Lynch, Clerk of the Affembly. No. 3.--Extract of a Letter from his Grace the Duke of I AM truly fenfible of your attention to the fubject matter of my Letter to you, of the 6th of May laft, accompanying a Refolution of the Houfe of Commons of the 6th of April preceding. I HAVE laid before the King, your Letter of the 10th of Auguft laft. I have much fatisfaction in obferving the readiness you have fhewn, in attending to the important objects pointed out to you by the Refolution of the Houfe of Commons, of the 6th of April laft, refpecting the Negroes on His Majefty's planta tions in the Weft Indies. To Governor Green, &c. &c. &c. I am, &c. Portland. I HAVE the honour to tranfmit to your Grace by this opportunity, under a feparate cover, a certified Copy of an Act of the Legislature of this Colony, which has been lately paffed; viz. "An Act for the better protection, and for promoting the natural increase and "population of Slaves within the Ifland of Grenada, and fuch of the Grenadines as are annexed to the Government thereof, &c. &c." This Act has been paffed, with a view to the attainment of the important objects fpecified in the Refolution of the Houfe of Commons, of the 6th of April laft, tranfmitted to me by your Grace on the 6th of May; the regulations it contains, are not fo full as might be wifhed; but, in the prefent fituation of the Colony, it has not been thought expedient to adopt a fyltem of a more extensive nature. (Copy) GRENADA. By his Excellency Charles Green, efquire, Captain General and Governor in Chief in and over the Ifland of Grenada, and fuch of the Islands commonly called The Grenadines, to the Southward of the Inland of Cariacow, including that Ifland, and lying between the fame and Grenada in America, Chancellor, Ordinary, and ViceAdmiral of the fame. To all to whom thefe Prefents fhall come, Greeting: KNOW ye, That on the day of the date hereof, George Henry Horfley, efquire, Deputy Secretary of the faid ifland of Grenada and its Dependencies, perfonally came and appeared before me, and made oath on the Holy Evangelifts of Almighty God, that the Copy of the Act hereunto annexed, intituled, "An Act for the better protection, and for promoting the natural increafe and population of Slaves within the ifland of Grenada, and fuch of the Grenadines as are annexed to the Government thereof; for compelling an adequate provifion for the care of them, as well in fick nefs and in old age, as in health, and for conftituting and appointing Guardians to effectuate and carry into execution the regulations and purpofes of this Act," is a true Copy from the original Act remaining in the Secretary's Office of this land, and was by him the faid Deponent diligently compared and carefully examined with the faid original. In faith and teftimony whereof, I have hereunto fet my hand, and have caufed His Majefty's great feal, appointed for the faid ifland of Grenada and its Dependencies, to be hereunto put and affixed. Given at the town of Saint George, in the faid island of Grenada, this 3d day of May, in the year of our Lord; 1798, and in the 38th year of His Majesty's reign. (Signed) By his Excellency's Command, (Signed) George Chalmers. Charles Green. |