

Sp®S$$ 





156 



SUGAR-PLANTATIONS. 



chants will be more careful how they lend their 

 money ; and this may sometimes prevent an 

 honest man from obtaining what he requires for 

 the due advancement of his labours. * 



Most of the plantations of the first class are 

 however in the hands of wealthy persons, and 



* The alvarii was passed the 21st January, 1809. One to 

 the same effect had been passed on the 22d September, 

 1758, for the captaincy of Rio de Janeiro; this was ex- 

 tended to other captaincies, at first as a temporary law, but 

 it was afterwards several times renewed ; and it was at last 

 allowed to be in force in all the ultra-marine dominions of 

 Portugal, by the alvara of the 6th July, 1807. However, as 

 there were some restrictions attached to this law, that of 

 1809 was passed. By this last, in the first place, executions 

 cannot be made upon sugar-estates which are in a working 

 state and do work regularly, and that have under cultivation 

 that quantity of ground which is requisite for the carrying on 

 of the work of the mill, and for the support of the slaves ; 

 executions can only be carried into effect upon one-third of 

 the net produce of such plantations ; the other two-thirds 

 being left for the expenses of cultivation, and for the 

 administration, that is, for the support of the owner. 



Secondly. Executions can, however, be made if the debt 

 is equal to or above the value of the estate ; but the whole of 

 the slaves, the cattle, the lands, and the implements belong- 

 ing to the engenho must form one valuation, nor can they 

 be separated ; but they must all be taken as parts of the 

 engenho. 



Thirdly. If there are more debts than one, and these to- 

 gether make up the sum which may cause the plantation to 

 be subject to execution, still some law proceedings must be 

 entered into, by which these several debts may be placed in 

 such a form as to be considered as one debt. Thus the 

 government does those things which ought not to be done, 

 and leaves undone those things which ought to be done. 



