regulations as you may make; and if the great commercial towns prepare to furnish us with what we want, there will be little difficulty in counts, I am convinced that more than three fourths of the colony are untouched. The quarters of P'Artibonite, all the south part, the Mole, and Fort Liberté, are entirely pre-reviving the edicts of 1784, respec served. American vessels arrive in crowds in our ports, laden with flour, with deals, and other materials for building. Citizen Pichon writes me, that the Americans are much discontented at the measure which I took at the moment of my arrival; but I think they are wrong. Agents of the American government were with Toussaint, who did not always suggest to him the best opinions. Muskets, powder, and cannon, were furnished with a renewed activity from the United States, as soon as the preliminary treaty was known there. It was natural, therefore, that I should take measures to prevent that communication with the rebels. Our commissaries in. America were not sufficiently alive to the interests of the public purse, An unfortunate little brig which you sent thither cost 28,000 francs = (1166/. 135. 4d.). Citizen Pichon ought to have known that the brig was not worth half that sum.. The national commerce begins also to send out some vessels. I have given orders to place the colonial system in a state of activity as speedily as possible. Vessels coming from France pay no duty whatever on importation. They pay ten per cent. on exportation, but it may be found suitable to exact only five. As to the rest, I expect your directions forthwith. This can do no injury to commerce, as you can proportionably diminish the duties on West India produce. The colony, otherwise, is in a situation to receive such commercial ing the customs. For the rest, citizen ministers, as-sure the first consul that I shall not lose an instant in considering the instructions given to me, in every point of view, political and commercial; and that I shall regard the day when the national commerce will be alone sufficient for St. Domingo, as a happy day for myself and the army, as a colonial war ought to have for its result the triumph of commerce. I have sent general Dugua into the south part: general Rochambeau is on the side of St. Marc. I can only pronounce an eulogy on the whole army; but I must make particular mention of the zeal and services of gen. Rochambeau. I must also praise the activity of the chief commissary Daure. Health and respect. (Signed) Leclerc. I informed you by one of my last dispatches, of the pardon which I was disposed to grant to general Toussaint: This ambitious man has not ceased to conspire secretly since the moment I pardoned him. He only surrendered because generals Christophe and Dessalines saw that he had deceived them, and refused to carry on the war any longer; but seeing that he was abandoned by when he endeavoured to organize an insurrection among the culti vators, and to make them rise en Yy3 masse. ! masse. The information I received I have sent to France, with all his I am continually, occupied in the reorganization of the colony, with as little force as possible; but the excessive heat, and the maladies, which afflict us, render the labour extremely difficult, I expect with impatience the month of Septem-. ber, when the season will restore our activity. The departure of Toussiant has caused a general joy at the Cape. The commissary of justice, Montperon, is dead. The colonial prefect, Benezech, is dangerously ill. The adjutant-commandant, Dampierre, who was a young officer of great promise, is also dead. I have the honour to salute you. Speech of his Honour the Lieutenantgovernor of Jamaica (General Nugent) to the General Assembly of that Island. Kingston, June 17, 1802. Gentlemen of the council, Mr. Speaker, and Gentlemen of the assembly, IT is with much reluctance that I have felt myself obliged to call you together at this season of the year; but the importance of the object will, I trust, sufficiently point out to you the necessity of the measure. I am at the same time, happy that it affords me an opportunity of congratulating you upon the return of the blessings of peace, by the signing of, the definitive treaty. Mr. Speaker, and gentlemen of the assembly, - You will, I hope, with your usual patriotism and liberality, take into your consideration, the peculiar circumstances in which this island is at present placed, and make a full provision for the exigencies of the service accordingly. Gentlemen of the council, Mr. Speaker, and gentlemen of the assembly, -sembly, I shall direct the neces-sary papers to be laid before you, in order to explain the nature of the communications which I have had from his majesty's ministers upon the subject of the present meeting. Message from his Honour the Lieutenant-governor, sent over to the House of Assembly, on the 17th Day of June last. - (Published by Authority.) Mr. Speaker, I am commanded by his honour the lieutenant-governor to lay before the house of assembly of Jamaica extracts of two letters, and a third letter, from the right honourable lord Hobart, which, under the present circumstances of the mother country and the colony, so intimately concern their mutual interests, that his honour earnestly hopes the house will take them into their most mature consideration. The necessity which his honour feels of making a most explicit communication of his sentiments to the assembly on the subject of their present meeting, has strongly induced him to submit for their consideration his reasons for urging the adoption of the important measure proposed by his majesty's ministers upon this occasion, viz. The immense debt which the mother country has incurred in the prosecution of the war, and for the security of the British possessions, and the absolute necessity of her resorting to some extraordinary means for enabling her to support the increased naval and military establishments, so imperiously required in all parts of the empire, but more particularly in her West India colonies, from the melancholy and alarming state of some of the neighbouring islands; the mutual harmony and thorough confidence between the British government and the island of Jamaica, which would naturally follow so liberal and just a proceding on the part of the assembly: The minds of the proprietors and inhabitants of the island, being set at rest upon the question of the employment of black troops as a part of their defence, by the immediate removal of the 2d West India regiment, and the consent of his majesty to the wishes of the assembly, that in future no corps of that description should be sent hither, without the concurrence of the house: The colonies being relieved from the expense of maintaining the 20th regiment of dragoons as a permanent part of its establishment, which may be more than equal to the pay of 1000 infantry : The assembly having pledged itself to pay 2000 white troops at a much less critical period than the present, which, for very obvious reasons, requires full 5000 regular infantry, together with the whole militia of the island placed upon an improved footing, to render her secure against invasion and insurrection The spirit of the present proposals, that the island is only required to maintain the effective numbers upon the returns of the several corps upon this establishment, not exceeding 5000 men, and that those numbers will probably be reduced at a future period, by the, restoration of good order and subordination in the French islands; Yy4 The The opening and the rapid improvement of the interior country, by constructing barracks therein, and the consequent increased means of maintaining the expense of 5000 infantry, or such a part of that number as it may be requisite Thereafter to station in Jamaicathe great prospect of a much more ready and extensive sale for the produce of the colony, from new markets being opened to its commerce by the blessings of peace, the advantages attending the placing of the barrack department under the direction and control of the commander in chief, and the formation of a corps of black artificers, with white master artificers and foremen at their head, under the immediate direction of the island engineer, which would diminish in a great degree the expense of that branch of the public ser vice, and do away altogether the present difficulties attending contracts for the necessary works, so improvident and ineffectual a system for the objects in view : These reasons have impressed themselves so forcibly, and with such thorough conviction upon his honour's mind, that he relies with confidence upon their having their due weight with the members of the assembly, and he has accordingly given directions for the emhirkation of the 20th regiment of dragoons and the 2d West India regiment. His honour hopes and trusts that it is unnecessary for him to make many professions; but he most solemnly assures the house, that as long as he may have the honour to remain in his present situation, he will devote his utmost attention and abilities to the prosperity and security of the island of Jamaica, by studying the greatest economy in the expenditure for the barrack department, if entrusted to his management, and by introducing such an improved system of discipline, and such regulations into the militia service, as must tend to render that body much more efficient for the defence of the island, without drawing thein unnecessarily from their other useful occupations. Proceedings of the House of Assembly of Jamaica, Kingston, (Monday) June 21, 1502. Resolved, That it be recommended to the house to send a message to his henour the lieutenant-governor, in answer to his message of the 17th instant, accompanied by communications from his majesty's secretary of state for the colonies, and containing his honour's sentiments respecting the measures proposed in that minister's letters, to inform his honour that the house, after minutely investigating every antecedent circumstance connected with the subject, has given the most mature consideration. That the house think it their duty, in the most respectful manner, to represent to his honour, that his majesty's subjects in this island, in the full confidence of their having an equal right to protection, for defence and security, as his majesty's subjects resident in Great Britain, having at all times progressively contributed their full proportion for defraying the expenses of the empire at large, have uniformly ९ uniformly resisted applications made by his majesty's ministers, tending to burden this country with the British pay of such troops as have been sent here for its protection; and although from existing circumstances the assembly did, on some occasions, depart from a principle which they consider to be an inherent right, the house did, on such occasions, strongly remonstrate against 'the conditions insisted' on by his majesty's ministers when they conceded to the wishes of the country, as being equally unconstitutional as unjust: That, from the first establishment of a military force in this island, the representatives of the people did, with a liberality becoming loyal and faithful subjects, provide an additional island subsistence for the troops, with convenient barracks, hospital allowances, with various accommodations and comforts; and so early as the year 1773, the council and assembly, in a joint address to his majesty, did solemnly pledge the faith of the country to continue such subsisence, and other incidents mentioned, to any number of troops his majesty might be graciously pleased to send for their protection to the extent of 3000 men. This salutary provision has been faithfully continued at the sole charge of the island, and some additions have recently been made for the comfort of the troops, a provision which the house takes leave to observe, is made by this island alone of all his majesty's territories in the West Indies : That when his majesty was solicited to add a regiment of cavalry to the force then stationed in the island, and the 20th regiment of light dragoons was raised and sent out, it was not at that time, nor at any subsequent period, considered as a permanent establishment, and that it was not so will clearly appear by a reference to the votes and proceedings of the house respecting that measure; that the application made to his majesty in that respect was an experiment resorted to, when the situation of the neighbouring French colony of St. Domingo caused the greatest alarm and terror for the safety of this country; and although the conditions on which this force was sent were acceded to by the house, the strongest representations were made against them as being novel and unconstitutional, and the consent given to submit to such terms could only proceed from imperious necessity: That when the assembly agreed to give British pay to 2000 men, the measure was held out as a substitute to avert the evils and imminent danger at that time apprehended by the inhabitants at large, from having black troops raised or sent here, or, in other language, armed slaves to defend and protect the rights, the liberties, and properties, not only of free men, but of British subjects, a measure not only considered to proceed from ignorance of our local circumstances, of our laws, and of our constitution, but viewed with that abhorrence and indignation which it could not fail to excite. Recent occurrences in some of his majesty's Windward Islands, and certain instances which have actually occurred of desertion of some of the black troops quartered in this country, fully justify the apprehensions of the people from having. a force of this description stationed in their garrisons, the more espe |