98 



RESTRICTIONS ON COMMERCE. 



Toronto, U. C, Sept. 14, 1850. 



Deai 1 Sir : — 



I have experienced great pleasure during the past sea- 

 son in reading some communications which have appeared 

 in the New York Evening Post, relative to the Island of 

 Jamaica, and which are attributed to your pen. Your 

 editorial connexion with that journal tended to confirm the 

 report, and I write under that impression to assure you, 

 that though myself a British subject, a residence of 

 several years in the British West Indies, enables me to 

 bear testimony to the truthfulness of your statements, and 

 the soundness of your conclusions. 



I was gratified to see that you took proper notice of 

 the bankrupt condition of the island before slavery was 

 abolished. That fact deserves all the prominence that can 

 be given to it. I think, however, you have overlooked one 

 of the causes of that condition of things, of no secondary 

 importance. At least I do not remember to have seen it 

 noticed in any of your communications which have fallen 

 under my eye, and I hope if you write any more upon the 

 subject you will give it a share of your attention. I refer 

 to the restrictions upon the commerce between those islands 

 and foreign nations which prevailed for many years pre- 

 vious and subsequent to the abolition of slavery. 



Those who are acquainted with the West Indies, are 

 aware that at one time salt fish formed the principle article 

 of food, with which the planters supplied their slaves ; and 

 it was for the purpose of encouraging the fisheries of the 

 North American provinces, that its introduction from the 

 United States was prohibited. It is true, that the ports 



