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MIDDLEMEN". 



was annually sinking money without any apparent cause. 

 His first step on his arrival was to visit his attorney, who 

 resided at Spanishtown, the estate itself being some sixty 

 miles distant. On inquiring about the condition of the 

 property, the attorney was obliged to, make the mortifying 

 confession that he had never seen it, and could give no in- 

 formation about it. Nor was this altogether an excep- 

 tional case, for I venture to say, that not half of the estates 

 are visited by their attornies once a year. How these 

 facts could have escaped Mr. Stanley's observation, as I 

 presume they did, I find it difficult to understand, and his 

 oversight is more to be regretted, as with his ample oppor- 

 tunities for reaching authentic facts upon the subject, he 

 might have escaped the gross misapprehension into which 

 he has fallen, and might also have supplied his countrymen 

 who are interested in West Indian property, with some in- 

 formation by which they could profit. 



For my own part, I can see no one aspect in which 

 absenteeism is not a calamity to the colonies, nor do I 

 think it easy to ascribe to it too large a proportion of their 

 present distresses. 



