182 



ALIENATION OF LAND. 



an alien of what was honestly his. Think for a moment 

 of the reprisals it would provoke against British subjects 

 holding land in America, as many do with all safety, con- 

 trary to the letter of your laws. Your worthy citizens, 

 would, I am sure, consider it infamous, as we would, to dis- 

 turb such a holder. 



Such a management, however, of the title, as I have 

 suggested may be preferred by cautious people. 



I mentioned British subjects resident in America, as the 

 proper intermediate holders of such property, but your 

 countrymen who come, desirous of settling amongst us for 

 temporary purposes, would in very few cases be at a loss to 

 find safe holders of their interests in land amongst the 

 friends they would make here." 



Were aliens permitted to hold properly here, it is pro- 

 bable that the United States would very soon furnish 

 white laborers in sufficient quantities to show the agri- 

 cultural capabilities of the island ; but there are very few, if 

 any Americans worth having as fellow citizens, who would 

 renounce their native country and take the oath of alle- 

 giance to any foreign sovereign. I have no doubt, how- 

 ever, in my own mind, that the title of an American 

 purchaser in good faith, and his heirs, executors and as- 

 signs, would be as fully protected in Jamaica as in the 

 United States, during the continuance of peace between 

 the two countries. If a war should occur, it would be 

 unsafe to reckon upon a continuance of such protection. 



