chap, iv.] WEST INDIES. 187 
pose the new assembly, would, as the first act of 
legislation, cheerfully make good the engage- 
<c ment of granting to his majesty, his heirs and 
successors, the impost of four and a half per 
fi centum on all the produce of the Virgin islands, 
sc to be raised and paid in the same manner as the 
four and a half per centum is made payable in 
the other Leeward Islands ,” did cause his royal 
pleasure to be signified to the governor in chief, 
that he should issue writs in his majesty’s name, 
for convening an assembly or house of representa¬ 
tives, who, together with a council, to be com¬ 
posed of twelve persons, to be appointed by the 
governor for that purpose, might frame and pass 
such laws as should be necessary for the welfare 
,and good government of the said islands. 
Accordingly, on the 30th of November 1773, 
the governor in chief of the Leeward Islands, in 
-obedience to his majesty’s orders, issued a procla¬ 
mation for convening an assembly or house of rer 
presentatives of the Virgin Islands, who met on 
the 1 st of February following, and very honourably 
complied with their engagement to the crown; the 
very first act passed by them being the grant before 
mentioned of four and a half per centum, on the 
produce of the colony for ever. They afterwards 
passed a grant of JdAQO currency per annum, as 
their proportion towards the salary of the governor 
general. 
Such was the price at which the Virgin islands 
purchased the establishment of a constitutional le* 
