480 HISTORY 



They were placed on vacant tracts of Crown land in each case."'^ The people 

 expressed fears that their presence would bring disorders on the commnnity,"" 

 but on every occasion they appeared to be orderly and disposed to work."" 



Court Martial of Major Nicolls. 



Sir James Smyth continued in the government of the Bahamas until the 

 spring of 1833, at which time he was succeeded by Blaney T. Balfour as 

 Lieutenant-Governor. The new Executive was of the same mind as Governor 

 Smyth had been, on the question of slavery, although not as obtrusive as the 

 latter in his manner. Sir James Smyth's leavetaking had been delayed by 

 a court-martial of an officer of the troops stationed at Nassau. In the autumn 

 of 1831 Major Nicolls became meddlesome in criticising the government of 

 Sir James Smyth. His conduct was so flagrant that he was placed under 

 arrest, and permission obtained from the Horse Guards to proceed against him 

 by a court-martial, in order that the whole matter might be probed to the 

 bottom, the insolence of the officer punished, and the government vindicated."^ 

 The application for the court-martial was allowed to lie at the Horse Guards 

 unanswered for sixteen months. Meantime the offender was confined in the 

 prison. He had not been identified with the opposition party at Nassau, but 

 the attempt to prosecute him, as one who had criticised the government, was 

 sufficient to arouse public sympathy for him. As the departure of Sir James 

 Smyth was known to be approaching, the urgency of the matter was the greater, 

 for the Governor was the sole prosecutor. If he had departed without having 

 tried the case the trial would never have occurred, and it would have been 

 looked upon as a discomfiture of the hated Governor. Exultation over it would 

 have caused unpleasantness to the successor of Governor Smyth."^ On the 

 arrival of Balfour the trial was the theme of almost every conversation. 

 " Every feeling of civil or military society was evidently enlisted on the one side 

 or the other." The testimony all in hand Sir James Smyth departed, and 

 Balfour assumed the government, while the case was awaiting the decision of 

 the military court."" Balfour thought to remove Major Nicolls, in order that, 



"' Smyth's Ds., No. 72. The Governor wrote that the people of Nassau were 

 expressly opposed to the settlement at Headquarters. At first the people steadily 

 refused to aid them. 



^^^Loc. cit., No. 137. 



-'">Loc. cit., No. 137; also Balfour to Stanley, No. 26. 



"^Balfour to Stanley, No. 2. 



-^- Loc. cit. 



-'^ Loc. cit.. No. 31. 



