270 HISTORY OF THE [book. hi. 
It hath been already observed, that the governor 
or captain general of the leeward Charaibean islands,, 
although directed by his instructions to visit occasi- 
only each island within his government, is gene¬ 
rally stationary at Antigua 5 he is chancellor of each 
island by his office, but commonly holds the court 
in Antigua, and in hearing and determining causes 
from the other islands, presides alone. In causes 
arising in Antigua, he is assisted by his council, 
after the practice of Barbadoes; and, by an act of 
the assembly of this island, confirmed by the crown, 
the president and a certain number of the council 
may determine chancery causes during the absence 
of the governor general. The other courts of this 
island are a court of King’s Bench, a court of Com¬ 
mon Pleas, and a court of Exchequer. 
The legislature of Antigua is Composed of the 
commander in chief, a council of twelve members, 
and an assembly of twenty-five; and it is very 
much to its honour, that it presented the first exam¬ 
ple to the sister islands of a melioration of the cri¬ 
minal law respecting negro slaves, by giving the 
accused party the benefit of a trial by jury: and al¬ 
lowing in the case of capital convictions four days 
between the time of sentence and execution. And 
it is still more to the honour of Antigua, that its 
inhabitants have encouraged in a particular manner, 
the laudable endeavours of certain pious men, who 
have undertaken, from the purest and best motives, 
to enlighten the minds of the negroes, and lead 
