Stewards Present 



reigns are not common, lliousli lli< re 

 is a premium of about 10 per cent, on 

 them, a guinea of full wcii^lit passing 

 for £\ 12*. Q(l. currency, and sovereigns 

 in proportion. The silver coins arc 

 dollars, value 6s. 8d., Iialf dollars, quar- 

 ter dollars, half quarter dollars or lOrf. 

 pieces, and 5fl. pieces ; also pisterines 

 at 1*. 3d., and rials or hits at 7\d. ; but 

 tliese have become rare. Briiish silver 

 coins arc not common, and generally 

 pass below their actual value, a crown 

 piece passing only for a dollar, and the 

 rest in proportion. 



TAXES. 



The principal taxes in this island are 

 tlie poll-tax of Gs. 8d. for each slave, 

 and 1*. 6d. for each horse, mule, or 

 head of horned slock ; the deficiency- 

 tax, as it is called, being 20*. for each 

 slave, but with this proviso, that every 

 able-bodied man, whether proprietor or 

 person em[)ioyed by him, who does duly 

 in the militia, saves to the amount of 

 jg50 of this tax annually. 



There is, also, a land-tax of 3d. per 

 acre, and quit-rent of {d. per acre ; a 

 stamp-tax ; a tax of 20*. on each wheel 

 of all carriages not used in agriculture 

 or for the conveyance of goods ; and a 

 house-tax of 12 per cent, on the amount 

 of the rent. 



There are also parochial taxes, viz. 

 6s. 8rf. for each slave, and 1*. Sd. for 

 each horse, mule, or head of horned 

 stock ; a road-tax of 4*. 9d. for each 

 slave, for keeping the highways in re- 

 l)air ; a tax on trade, and one on tran- 

 sient im|)orters of goods, of 2 per cent, 

 on their invoices. 



The annual receipts, proceeding from 

 the taxes, &c. may be estimated at 

 about ^£'280,01)0. 



TIIF. GOVHRNOR. 



The governor, besides his legislative 

 prerogatives, has the style and autho- 

 rity of captain general, is chancellor 

 and judge of the court of errors and of 

 ordinary. He has the presentation to 

 all vacant livings, appoints the magis- 

 trates, the members of council, the 

 assistant judges, the masters of chancery, 

 and various public oflicers; he grants all 

 commissions in the militia, lays on mar- 

 tial law in times of emergency, grants 

 letters of marque, and niay respite, 

 Ihnugh he cannot pardon, criminals, 

 lie has, besides, other minor jiowers 

 and prerogatives in his twofold capacity 

 of Kovernor and chancellor. 



'J"he governor, or lieutenant-governor, 

 may be either a military manor civilian. 



State of Jamaica. 605 



During the last fifty years there have 

 been a greater proportion of the former 

 appointed to this government. In time 

 of war a military governor must doubt- 

 less be the most efllcient. The Duke 

 of Maucliestcr is at present governor. 

 His government has been marked by a 

 mildness and moderation which has 

 procured him the gratitude and attach- 

 ment of the inhabitants, at whose ear- 

 nest desire he has been allowed to retain 

 his government more than dodble tho 

 time that any of his jircdeccssors pos- 

 sessed it; and in testimony of the high 

 sense the assembly had of his niild ami 

 equitable government, they inianimously 

 voted him, a few years a<;o, an addition 

 to his salary of ^3000 currency. 



ASSEMBLY. 



The conncil consists of twelve, in- 

 cluding the president, who is usually 

 the chief justice : he is the person next 

 in power and rank to the governor, in 

 the event of whose death, should there 

 be no commander of the forces, he as- 

 sumes the supreme power, with the 

 title of president, until the arrival of 

 another governor or lieutenant-governor. 

 The council form the aristocratic branch 

 of the legislature, besides being the 

 advisers of the first branch, — an anomaly 

 certainly far frim constitutional, anJ 

 frequently the cause of much difliculty 

 and delay in the public business, through 

 the jealousy and bickerings that almost 

 every session occur between them and 

 the house of representatives. 



The hous« of assembly consists of 

 forty-five mcml>ers, viz. two cmcIi for 

 eighteen of the parishes, and three each 

 for the remaining three, viz. Kingston, 

 Port Royal, and St. Catherine. Its 

 sessions commence in October, and 

 continue till about the 20th of Decem- 

 ber. It has a s[>eaker, seigeant-at- 

 arms, librarian, chaplain, and messen- 

 ger. The members are chos n by the 

 freeholders scptennially. Tiie debates 

 are often animated and warm, but 

 there is not much display of that power- 

 ful and commandingcloqnenee which is 

 so often witnessed in the ISritish senate. 

 This may in sotne measurt; be owing t« 

 the topics being so far inferior in mag- 

 nitude and interest to those dibcussed 

 in the imperial ))arlianK'nt. 



I,AWS. 



The English common law is in force 

 in Jamaica, but many of the statute 

 laws are not — for exain|)le, the game 

 laws, po<ir laws, bankrupt laws, and 

 most of those relating to the reveime. 



An 



