242 TlMEHRI. 



footing and that the increased head money be abolished, 

 which request has been refused by the Dire6leur- 

 General, he not being empowered to make any altera- 

 tions, or to refuse to carry out his instructions. 



It had been published that the planters should send in 

 their returns for the assessment of the Head-Tax on pain 

 of a fine of /300, Very few having sent in their returns, 

 a second publication was made, extending the time with 

 a double fine, but still very few reports were received. The 

 Direfleur-General thereupon summoned five of the most 

 influential, and inflicted the fine, which they refused to 

 pay. They sent a letter to the Fiscal, of which we en- 

 close a copy. A Council was then held, the minutes of 

 which are enclosed. We have ordered the sentence to 

 lapse, and do not intend further action until we learn 

 your decision. 



Minutes of an extraordinary meeting of the Court of 

 Policy, held at Stabroek, November 28th, 1785. 



A letter from the Fiscal was read, enclosing another 

 letter from the planters summoned to appear before the 

 Commissary to-morrow. 



The Directeur-General said that the planters called 

 the Court a " Pretended Council :" this he considered 

 very impertinent. The letter contained threatening lan- 

 guage and was, in his opinion, treasonable. If they had 

 appealed to the Court they might have had some indul- 

 gence; instead of which they had sent to the Fiscal, as 

 it that gentleman were able to decide. To maintain 

 their dignity they were bound to take notice of it. It 

 also threatened danger to the colony. He wished the 

 Court to deliberate as to what ought to be done under 

 the circumstances. In his opinion, the Fiscal should 



