of the rights of mankind committed among the most barbarous nations, than thofe which the English and French have been guilty of committing towards the inhabitants of the island of St Vincent.

It must, however, be allowed, that the Carribs, by changing masters at the treaty of peace, changed much for the worfe; for, during the French government, they were independent, and were proprietors of the ifland, but fince the English received the fupremacy, they have loft their liberty, and are flaves, or to use a more foft word, fubjects of Britain. The French, who at the time of the peace were reckoned between four or five thoufand, foon after abandoned their eftates, which were purchased by new adventurers from England, by which means the English foon became a confiderable body, poffeffed of vaft property. The Carribs were at this time computed to be a thousand fighting men, and upwards; and it is probable they were far more numerous, but in the treaty, they were never confidered but difpofed over as the property of France, to the government of Great Britain.

Though the Carribs were not mentioned in the treaty of peace, yet the court of Britain gave inftructions in the year 1764, that they fhould not be disturbed in the poffeffion of their eftates, and the commiffioners for fales were directed not to attempt any furvey, without particular orders for that purpose. The new fettlers, after they had time to look about them, perceived with anxiety, that the plain and fertile part of the island was in the poffeffion of the Carribs, to whom its valuable properties rendered it of little more advantage than any equael extent of the rudest and most uncultivated country. Both their fear and their covetouinefs, operated strongly to make

them

them defire. the removal of the black inhabitants. Representations were accordingly made in the warmest manner, both by the new fettlers and the commiffioners of fales, to deprive the Carribs of their poffeffions, and to grant them fuch an equivalent, whether in the ifland or in fome other part, as fhould be thought neceffary. The arguments that were ufed to inforce these representations, were the immediate profits to the crown, from the fale of lands; the dangers arifing to those who had already made purchases under the faith and protection of government, as well as to the ifland in general, from the neighbourhood of a lawlefs banditti who were strongly attached to the French, with whom they held a conftant correfpondence in the neighbouring iflands, and who, from their religion. and manners, were much averfe to our people and government.

These representations had the intended effect upon the lords of the British treasury, who, in 1768, iffued inftructions for the furveying and difpofing of the land poffeffed by the Carribs; for the parts of which that were cleared and cultivated, they were to be paid a certain price per acre in money, and were to have other lands affigned them in return, fufficient for their fupport, in a different part of the island. The new lands were to be granted and fecured for ever to them and their posterity, and to be free from all quitrents, charges, and condition, except peaceable behaviour and obedience to government: thefe poffeffions were to defcend among them, according to their own cuftoms and ufuages of inheritance, and were to be for ever unalienable to any white perfon. Five years were given for effecting this change and tranfplantation. Nothing could be more unreasonable and repugnant to the principles of nature, and morality,

than

than this propofal of the British government. They were first to rob and diveft the Carribs of their natural rights and poffeffions, and then to fecure to them what they had as undoubted à right to poffefs, as the inhabitants of Britain have to poffefs the island where they refide. The king of Britain had no more right to the island of St Vincent except to thofe lands which belonged to the French, than the French have a right to Holland, or any other country which belongs to other people; and therefore, to lay claim to any of the poffeffions of the Carribs, or to affume dominion over them, was perfect tyranny and defpotifm. A minifter that could be guilty of advising such a meafure, ought to have anfwered for it with his head. The impartial pages of history will poft up to future ages the characters of fuch men, as bafe, infamous, and deteftable.

The Carribs, from many circumstances, concluded that they were now either to be extirpated, or made flaves; they therefore applied to the governor of Martinico for advice and protection. The last he abfolutely refused; and as to the firft, he advifed them to fubmit to the British government. This advice had no effect upon them. Their anfwer to the British commiffioners was noble and juft, for which they deferve to be praised, and for which all true Englishmen must revere them. They faid, that the whole island was originally their property; that however, as they had permitted the French to fettle upon a part of it, their king might difpofe of that part as he pleafed; but as they were not his fubjects, he had no authority over them, and confequently could not grant or difpofe of the part of their country which they had referved for themfelves. They concluded, with abfolutely refufing to part with their lands, or to admit

of

of any exchange. It might have been expected, that fuch found reasoning would have convinced any Englifhman of the iniquity of proceeding against the Carribs; but avaricious adventurers, and minifters of ftate, whose moral principles hang very easy upon them, feldom feel the force of arguments, when the luft of dominion, and the love of gain rule in their hearts. If the proceedings of the English government against the Carribs, can be vindicated upon any principal of found and good reafoning, it will be eafy to prove that there is now no wickedness in the universe. Selfifh politicians, or the hirelings of a state, may attempt to varnish such actions of a minifter, with all the falfe colourings of fophiftry and deceit; but in fpite of all the thick daubings of falsehood, and the fair ftrokes of flattery, the vile complexion of the men and their measures, will appear to the view of impartial obfervers. Ages to come will stand amazed, when they read in the annals of Britain, that in an æra of liberty, and under the government of a pious and religious fovereign, fuch unjust and arbitrary proceedings should have been carried on.

It may appear to fome exceeding ftrange, that men in a Christian nation, brought up under a free government, and inftructed in the principles of liberty, should be fo abandoned to reafon, juftice, and humanity, as tohave accepted a commiffion to furvey the lands of a people against their will, and without their confent, when no act of wickedness or injuftice was yet imputed to them. Yet fuch were found, and actually went upon the practice of furveying the lands of the Carribs. The moderation of that people, as well as their steadiness on this occafion, might have confounded the commiffioners, provided covetous and interested men were capable of any generous feelings; for they

fhewed

fhewed an unwillingness to come to violence, and even when it was in their power, did not deftroy them. They fhewed, however, fo much difguft at their making roads into their country, as greatly alarmed the furveyors, and it was found neceffary in the beginning of May, 1769, to fend an officer and forty men to the furveyors and their company. This fmall detachment, as if all the country had of right belonged to their masters, took poft in the midst of the poffeffions of the Carribs, where fome temporary huts were erected for their reception. But they foon found themselves furrounded, and all communication with their friends, and fubfiftence cut off, fo that they were little better than prifoners. The prudence of the commanding officer, who confidered the inequaliy of his force, and the extreme unwillingness of the Carribs, of bringing matters to the last extremity, not only faved the detachment from being cut off, but prevented the fmalleft violence to be offered on either fide. In the mean time, the furveyors and their company were fo frighted that they gave over their work, and were permitted to depart with fafety; but their huts were demolished, and their new roads broke up, fo far as time would permit. This fate of the detachment caufed an univerfal alarm among the English fettlers, who were as yet uncertain of the fituation of their friends. They immediately took up arms, and joined the few regular forces that were in the island, and marched with speed to the aid of their brethren. Instead of enquiring concerning the juftice of their caufe, or the righteoufnefs of the behaviour of the furveyors and their party, they were determined at all events to fhed blood, provided they could do it with fuccefs. But as they found the detachment fafe, it was confidered as the most prudent ftep not to

proceed