HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
arrival of the next fleet with provi- 
sions from Cork*, While these 
discussions disturbed the tranquillity 
of Jamaica, the Leeward islands re- 
mained perfectly quiet, in conse. 
quence of the firm and judicious 
conduct of their governor, who 
availing himself of the letter, while 
he disregarded the spirit and ob- 
vious intention of his new instruc- 
tions, issued a proclamation, de- 
claring it of ‘**real and very great 
necessity” to the welfare of the 
islands under his care, that the in- 
tercourse which they had heretofore 
maintained with the United States, 
should not be interrupted. + 
_ Such was the situation of the 
West India islands, when the new 
ministers came into office. ‘The first 
object, that engaged their attention, 
was to quiet the apprehensions of the 
colonies, and relicve them from any 
actual danger with respect to’subsis- 
_tence. For this purpose a circular 
letter to the colonial governors, was 
transmitted from the secretary of | 
state’s office, directing them to con- 
tinue the established intercourse 
with America, and assuring them 
that the usual act of indemnity 
would be moved in their favour, 
This measure, which was afterwards 
represented in the house of com- 
mons as an arrogant and presump- 
tuous exercise of authority, arose 
naturally out of the desire of minis- 
_ ters to allay that state of disquietude 
_and alarm, into which the late pro- 
_ ceedings of the government at home 
_ had thrown the colonies, as well as 
from a laudable anxiety to commu- 
nicate, as speedily as possible, to the 
83 
colonial governors, their intentions 
and views of policy in the super- 
_intendance of this important part 
of the empire. .They who blame 
them for precipitancy on this occa- 
sion, should recollect, that, when 
these instructions were sent, the 
colonial governors were in doubt 
how to proceed, and the colonial 
assemblies full of alarm at the pros- 
pect of famine. 
lt was then discovered, that the 
infraction of the navigation laws, in 
this branch of the carrying trade, 
had been considered by the late ad- 
ministrations in so trivial a light, 
that they had omitted for several 
years to introduce -into parliament 
an indemnity bill for those concern. 
ed in it, the last bill of the kind 
having been passed in 1801, An 
indemnity bill in the usual forms 
was therefore enacted. 
The nextsubject to be considered, 
was, whether the necessity, which 
had occasioned the offence, and 
which aione could justify the indem- 
nity, was of a kind likely to continue 
during the war; and as thirteen 
years experience had now amply 
shewn, that, in time of war, it was 
impossible to supply our colonies 
with lumber and provisions, with- 
out the aid of neutrals, it seemed to 
follow, that there was no probabi- 
lity of the necessity terminating till 
the war was at an end. But, if 
neutrals must be permitted to trade 
with our colonies in time of war, it 
was surely better, that such permis- 
sion should be given to them under 
theauthority of law, than that thelaw 
should be perpetually violated, and 
* Representation of the assembly of Jamaica to lieut. governor Nugent, and his 
answer thereto, July 18, 1805. 
+ Proclamation of lord Lavington, governor of the Leeward yslands, Noy, 29 
G 2 
- 1804, 
, 
the 
