APPENDIX.] OF JAMAICA. 297 



mote part of the world, than the assurance they have always had of being 

 governed in such manner as that none of their rights should be lost, so 

 long as they were within the dominions of the kingdom of England : nor can 

 we believe that his majesty would have made this alteration, had he been 

 truly informed of his own interests, and of that which is proper and na- 

 tural for the constitution of this island. 



My lord, you that are now our governor, and here upon the place, cannot 

 but distinguish both, and plainly see that which, at great distance, is im- 

 possible to be known, being always distinguished with the false colours of 

 interest and design. It is to you, therefore, we address ourselves ; and 

 do humbly beg you to assure his majesty, which we do from the bottom 

 of cur hearts unfeignedly declare, that we are his true, faithful, and loy- 

 al subjects. In the next place, sir, we humbly beg you to lay before his 

 majesty the true condition cf this island, and the several circumstances 

 wherein it stands : the situation and natural advantages of the place will 

 very probably, by God's blessing, in a very short time, make it very con- 

 siderable. It were pity, therefore, that any stop in its infancy should 

 be put to it, which may hinder its future growth, and disappoint those 

 hopes which his majesty hath ever had, and which will no doubt of it come 

 to pass, that, if this island be encouraged by good government and whole- 

 some laws, it will effectually serve very many interests, both of his ma- 

 jesty's crown and the nation's trade. 



Sir, the present form of the government as it is now appointed, has 

 these plain and manifest inconveniencies in it: 



ist. That the distance of this place renders it impossible to be put iri 

 practice, and does not in any manner fall under the same consideration as 

 Ireland does, from which, we conclude, the example is taken. 



ad. The nature of all colonies is changeable, and consequently the 

 laws must be adapted to the interest of the place, and must alter with it. 



3^. It is no small satisfaction that the people, by their representatives, 

 have a deliberative power in the making of laws ; the negative and barely 

 resolving power being not according to the rights of Englishmen, and prac- 

 tised no where but in those commonwealths where aristocracy prevails. 



4th. This manner of form of the government brings ail things absolute, 

 and puts it into the power of a governor to do what he pleases, which is 

 not his majesty's interest, and may be a temptation for t.ven good men t<? 

 commit great partialities and errors. 



Vol. I ? P 



