I 



APPENDIX.] ^ OF JAMAICA. 285 



unto your majesty's several governors, or prescribed by the instructions 

 given them from time to time ; and that as the constitution and exigency 

 of affairs have often changed^ so your majesty has thought fit variously 

 to adapt your royal orders thereunto j and by the last commission, given, 

 unto the lord Vaughan, your majesty was pleased to empower his lordship, 

 with the advice of your majesty's council, from time to time to summon 

 general assemblies of freeholders, who have authority, with the advice 

 and consent of the governor and council, to make and ordain laws for 

 the government of the island j which laws are to be in force for the space 

 of two years, except in the mean time your majesty's pleasure be signi- 

 fied to the contrary, and no longer, unless they be confirmed by your 

 majesty within that time. Having, therefore, directed our thoughts 

 towards the consequences and effects which have been produced, or may 

 arise, from this authority derived unto the said freeholders and planters, 

 which we observe to have received a daily increase by the resolutions they 

 have taken, less agreeable to your majesty's intention, we do most hum- 

 bly offer our opinions, that the laws transmitted by the lord Vaughan, 

 which are now under consideration in order to be enacted by your majesty, 

 may be intrusted in the hands of the earl of Carlisle, who, upon his arrival 

 in the island, may offer them unto the next assembly, that they may be 

 consented unto as laws originally coming from your majesty; and that, 

 for the future, no legislative assembly be called without your majesty's 

 special direction? j but that, upon emergencies, the governor do acquaint 

 your majesty by letters with the necessity of calling such an assembly, 

 and pray your majesty's consent aad directions for their meeting ; and, at 

 the same time, do present unto your majesty a scheme of such acts as he 

 shall think fit and necessary, that your majesty imy take the same into- 

 consideration, and return them in the form wherein your majesty shall 

 think fit that they be enacted j that the governor, upon receipt of your 

 majesty's commands, shall then summon an assembly, and propose the 

 said laws for their consent, so that the same method in legislative matters 

 be made use of in Jamaica as in Ireland, according to the form prescribed 

 by Poyning's law ; and that, therefore, the present style of enacting 

 Jaws, By the governor, council, and representatives of the commons as- 

 sembled, be converted into the style of, Be it enacted by the king"s tnoft 

 excellent majesty, by and with the consent of the general assembly. 



We are further of opinion, shat no escheats, fines, forfeitures, or 

 penalties, be mentioned in the said laws to he applied to the public use 

 f the island ; and that your majesty dp instruct your governor to dis- 



