6 



INTRODUCTION. 



It is impossible to justify the various enactments which 

 effect alterations on the sugar duties, and of which the 

 Planters justly complain, as they are not only in direct con- 

 tradiction to the avowed motives of the Government in 

 abolishing slavery, but amount to a direct breach of the 

 positive engagements entered into by them on that occasion. 



The abolition of slavery had in itself, comparatively, 

 little influence m bringing about the unfortunate state of 

 affairs which prevails, as was evinced by the fact, that 

 property, in some of the Colonies, and particularly in 

 Barbados, where I then was, maintained its highest value 

 for some time after the period of emancipation; and 

 there is abundant evidence, that well conducted estates 

 in all the West Indian Colonies, continued to yield as 

 large a return to their proprietors as at any former period, 

 Estates were leased at even an extravagant rental, and 

 large transfers of property were made without dread or 

 hesitation. 



The cause of this temporary prosperity may be traced 

 to the dependence placed by the Planters upon the promised 

 assistance and protection of Government, w r hich they did 

 not regard as a boon, but as an indisputable right— the 

 just claim of a creditor for an admitted debt — because they 

 had received only an instalment of the compensation to 

 which Government had admitted they were entitled, being 

 paid little over one third of the appraised value of their 

 slaves, receiving only sixteen millions out of the forty-three 

 millions, which was the valuation of the crown commit 



