APPENDIX TO Vol. III. 941 



tobcolonlfts, to fend back to our colonies nil Negroe flaves, of either 

 fex, which they may have brought or fent into the kingdom ; and, in 

 cafe thefaid inhabitants or officers flinll fail offending them back within 

 the term prefcribed, the (laves fhall be free. 



SECT. III. 

 Progrefs of the French fettlement at Cape Nicola Mole. 



IF the principles and genius of the French government are at all 

 confpicuous in the preceding example, which has been given of their 

 civil and political ordinances rcfpeding their Negroe flaves, and flave- 

 owners ; they are ftill more fo, in the other departments of their co- 

 lony-fyftem. Thefe mnnifeft a degree of forecaft, prudence, and 

 vigour, that .are not fo obfervable in any movement of our own tor- 

 pid machine. There is a fpirit in the French' monarchy, which per- 

 vades every part of their empire ; it has feledt objedls perpetually in 

 view, which are (leadily and confiftently purfued ; in their fyflem the 

 ftate is at once the fentient and the executive principle. It is, in fhort, 

 all foul; motion correfponds with will ; a6iion treads on the' heels of 

 contrivance ; and fovereign power, ufefully handled and direded, 

 hurries on, in full career,- to attain its end. With us, the liberty to 

 which every corporate fociety, and every individual member of thofe 

 focieties, lays claim, of independent thinking and afting, excludes al- 

 nioft a poffibility of concurrent exertion, to any one finite and deter- 

 minate point. 



If the inhabitants of Hifpaniola were abandoned to their own con- 

 du£t and free agency, their ifland would probably be defiitute of ar- 

 tificial defences. It is, befide?, a natural efFeft of the continental fitu- 

 ation of France, the vait number of her fortified and garrifoned towns', 

 and large (landing army, that Hie is always in condition to fpare" an 

 ample fupply of regular troops for proteftion of her diflant provinces J 

 of the ableft engineers for conftrufting or improving their fortifications i 

 and of chofen induftrious fubjefls, for extending their fettlements". 

 Her colonies are not only well fortified and garrilbncd, but xvell peo- 

 pled, and all under the vigilani meafures of her government. If the 

 income of the French planters is diminilbed by fubfidies for thefe ends; 

 fo that they are unable to vie with princes of the blood in expenfive 

 living, when they vifit the metropolis of their mother country, they 

 have fiill the fatisfaftien left 'iiTcm, of enjoying a competent remainder, 



itv 



