A. D, 1767. 457 



tion to the profperity of the ifland was on this occafion further dheded 

 to the prevention of any alarm at home, whereby moll of the planters, 

 who in the infancy of their fettlements were largely indebted to the 

 merchants of London, would have been in danger of being ruined. 

 This he efFecfled by advifing the publifher of the newfpaper to forbear 

 from mentioning the infurredtion, till he could at once relate the be- 

 ginning and the termination of it, which he was happily enabled to do 

 in his next paper : and thereby thofe, who were concerned in the prof- 

 perity of the ifland, were prevented from ever feehng the fmallefl: un- 

 eafinefs upon that account *. 



Marcli — The Britifh merchants fettled in, or trading to, Portugal com- 

 plained, tliat for fome years pafi: their trade had been expofed to great 

 and unufual difficulties. The privileges and jurildidion of their judge- 

 confervator, eflablifhed by antient decrees of the kings of Portugal, and 

 contirmed by the treaty of 1654, were trampled upon. The perfons, 

 properties, and books, of the merchants were feized, their houfes and 

 warehoufes broken open, and forcibly entered, withop.t any proper war- 

 i-ant ; and their debtors were proteded from law fuits. A company 

 eftablilhed on pretence of improving the wines of the diflricl of Alto 

 Douro polfefled the power of appret^ating every vintager's wine at their 

 own pleafure, whereby the intcrefls of the Britifli merchants were great- 

 ly injured, and their property was laid at the mercy of that company, 

 who were their rivals in the wine trade, and were inverted with very 

 extraordinai7 and arbitrary powers f . The eftabllfliment of cxclufive 

 companies for the trade to Maranham and Pernambucco, contrary to 

 the 2d, 3d, and 9th, articles of the treaty of 1654, had ruined many 

 of the Portuguefe merchants, who formerly carried on a flourifhing 

 trade to thofe places, and they being all indebted to the Britifh mer- 

 chants, the greateft ])art of the whole lofs inevitably fell upon them. 



Notwithftanding the preference ftipulated for the Engliih woollen 

 manufadlures by the treaty off 1703, the confumption of them was pro- 

 hibited by new fumpruary laws. But the Britiih merchants had the 



freedom at iho pnWic expenfe. Not btijg wr.lli.g that they bo governed with a ruild and (Icady au- 

 to remain on the l\ime ifland with' his Inte niadcr, tliority by nic.i of humanity, prudence, and liberal 

 wliofe opprcflion lud diivcn him into rfbvlliun, he fcntimcnts. But it has too often liappencd, tliat 

 begged of the u;<iveinor to acceji; of his feivicea men of a very oppufitc charader have acquired the 

 upon an eftaic belonging tnhimin Dominica. His property of them, or btcn let over ihcni by tlicir 

 requell was granted; and he has" evrr fmce bf en proprictora, whofe liceiitioui abufe of power hiit 

 einphiycd upon wages as a driver, or black over- driven the unhappy llavts to zAa of defperaiion, 

 feer, and has 4lifchargeii the duties of his office which have move than once endangered the life of 

 Avitli fidelity and every dcnionllration of gratitude, every white perfon in Jamaica, and have been re- 

 ■He u Hill on the general's elbte, aiul reccivci from \eugcd by the clfufum of torrents of blood, fticd 

 him an annua! prefvnt, which id regularly font cut with ciicimiilanccs of vUliberatc cruelty, difjjracc- 

 aliint; with the planlaliun (lores. 'I'Uh little anec- ful to any pcoi>le who call ihemlilvcs civilized. 

 dote, as coiilaining jn iiuportanl Iclion li> the pro- * The reader may recollect a fimilar inllarice of 

 prielors of Haves, Jcfervis lo be publicly known. prudent attention in thecondud ot General Dalling 

 As Well-li.dia goods, which oov/ occujiy fo ilic lieiitcnnnt-govcrnor of Jani.iIcJ In the year 1760. 

 important a place in the general cominerce of -f Their powers fccm to have been more luit- 

 Great Ciitaln, are prodncej entirely by the labour able to the general of an invading aimy, than lo 

 of negro (lave-., it is ot the utmolt confequeacc, a cuuiiuercial company. 



Vol. hi. 3 M 



