BRITISH WEST INDIES. 53 



war he issues his warrant to the judge of the Court 

 of Vice- Admiralty to grant commissions to privateers. 



Lastly. A Governor of a colony, besides various 

 emoluments arising from fees, fines, forfeitures, and 

 escheats, has an honourable annual provision settled 

 upon him by Act of Assembly, for the whole term 

 of his administration. For, in order that he may 

 not be tempted to prostitute the dignity of his station 

 by improper condescensions to leading men in the 

 Assembly, he is restrained by his instructions from 

 accepting any salary, unless the same be settled 

 upon him by law, within the space of one year after 

 his entrance upon the government, and expressly 

 made irrevocable during the whole term of his resi- 

 dence in the administration. And this, in my 

 opiaion, is a wise and most necessary restriction. 



Armed with such authorities, and possessing such 

 transcendent pre-eminence and privileges as above 

 described, it is not to be expected, from the common 

 fallibility of human nature, that every Governor of 

 of a colony (placed at so great a distance from the 

 mother country,) should, on every occasion, hear 

 his honours meekly. Great caution is therefore un- 

 doubtedly necessary, on the part of a British Minis- 

 ter, in the choice of persons for a trust of such great 

 weight and dignity; the powers in question being 



