356 TRINIDAD. 



and, of course, must be regarded as a gross injustice by those who 

 do not enjoy the like immunity. It is most essential that the law 

 should never convey the idea of partiality, inasmuch as it is some- 

 thing holy, and sacred ; and whenever, for any partial end, that 

 character is impaired, it loses the reverence due to its high authority, 

 and becomes paralysed in its action. Moreover, let it never be 

 forgotten that, for centuries, two distinct classes alone existed in 

 these colonies the slave-holders, and the slaves; and this 

 original distinction of classes divided society into two hostile 

 camps. As a natural consequence of former social institutions, 

 the great majority of small proprietors is composed of the emanci- 

 pated, and coloured people ; and whenever any such distinction 

 shall be made, as exists in the Territorial Ordinance, the emanci- 

 pated and the coloured classes will see, in such distinctions, a 

 continuation of the exploded system they have so many reasons to 

 curse. The sentiments engendered by past wrongs, are not yet ex- 

 tinct, and let not injudicious enactments revive their virulence. The 

 Territorial Ordinance evidently requires amendment in this respect. 



It is said, in extenuation, that the land and house-tax being 

 raised for local purposes, it matters not whether the annual rate 

 be levied on the lands only, or on the lands and houses jointly : 

 this may be correct as to the ultimate result, yet even then, only 

 as regards those wards wherein but one staple would be cultivated. 

 But, as such is not the case in any ward of the colony, the objec- 

 tion holds good ; besides which, the question of principle still sub- 

 sists in its full force. Now, since on the admission of those who 

 defend the present plan, it matters not whether the rate be levied 

 on the lands only, or on the lands and houses as a whole let the 

 clause be amended at once, and the exception which now exists, 

 to the vitiation of the very principle of the law, will then have been 

 obviated, without causing any inconvenience to the parties con- 

 cerned, and with great benefit to legislation in general. 



The following plan of amendment might be adopted : 

 Labourers' houses should be rated singly; all buildings used 

 directly and indirectly for manufacturing purposes, might be 

 assessed separately, or as a whole, according to a certain scale of 

 valuation. For instance, all cattle mills, and all steam or water 

 mills, under a certain amount of horse-power, would form one 

 category ; and all similar machinery above that amount of power, 

 another division. The boiling, curing, and mogass houses, as also 



