Читать книгу Antigua and the Antiguans (Vol. 1&2) - Mrs. Lanaghan - Страница 12

Table of Contents

Governor Walter Hamilton​—​Walter Douglas’s Disturbances​—​Complaints against him sent to England​—​Queen Anne recalls him, and reappoints Walter Hamilton​—​Lord Viscount Lowther​—​John Hart​—​Lord Londonderry​—​Lord Forbes​—​Colonel William Crosbie.

After the death of Colonel Parke, the government, of course, devolved upon the lieutenant-governor of Antigua, John Yeamans, until such time as despatches could be forwarded to Nevis, where General Hamilton, who was next in command to the late captain-general, (and who had married the widow of Sir William Stapleton, a former governor,) was residing. Four of the members of the legislature were, accordingly, sent to General Walter Hamilton, advising him of the death of Colonel Parke, and inviting him to come to Antigua in order to assume the chief command. General Hamilton received the party with great urbanity and kindness, and accompanied them back to Antigua, where he took up his residence, for the time being, with Dr. Mackinnon, one of the actors in the late affray.⁴⁴

Upon the intelligence of Colonel Parke’s death reaching England, Queen Anne was very much incensed against the inhabitants of Antigua; but, after hearing the catalogue of Parke’s crimes, and in order to prevent any further effusion of blood, her majesty was graciously pleased to send a general pardon to all that were concerned in that transaction.

But although the queen thought proper to extend her clemency to the Antiguans, she made some alteration in the affairs of the Leeward Island government. General Walter Hamilton was recalled, and General Walter Douglas appointed in his room; and John Yeamans was removed from the situation of lieutenant-governor of Antigua, and that appointment conferred upon Colonel Edward Byam.

During the period General Douglas administered the government, he received instructions from England to see an act put into execution, which had been passed in the time of Christopher Codrington the younger, respecting the ascertainment of the value of current coin.

The 24th of June, 1712, Admiral Sir Hovenden Walker again visited Antigua with a fleet of seven ships under his command. Soon after his departure, M. Copard, the French admiral, with a fleet of eight ships and seventeen sloops of war, manned with about 5000 men, made an attack upon the island; but we find, from despatches sent to England by the governor, General Douglas, their attempts at landing were frustrated.

General Douglas had scarcely been two years governor before complaints against him were also despatched to England, as well as a petition from the inhabitants, praying the queen to recall him, in which petition their late governor-general, Walter Hamilton, joined. General Douglas had made himself so obnoxious, that another rebellion had almost occurred. One of his measures was to retain certain duties, which ought to have been paid into the treasury, (such as duties upon wines and liquors, &c.), for his own particular use. He also persecuted General Hamilton, and suspended him from all offices he held in the island; and upon that gentleman repairing to England to transact some private business, Colonel Douglas endeavoured to seize Dr. Mackinnon and Chief-Justice Watkins for their proceedings in the affair of Colonel Parke, as well as on the plea of another intended rebellion. These gentlemen, however, contrived to escape to England, where, from advices received from Governor Douglas, they were afterwards seized and committed to prison; but, pleading the general pardon which her majesty had issued, they were discharged without trial, although Ensign Smith, one of the asserted culprits, lay in Newgate for some months.

While these rancorous dissensions were going on between the governor and the inhabitants, orders were received for him to return to England; and, to the joy of the Antiguans, his majesty George I. re-appointed General Walter Hamilton to the government in 1715. The island was now pretty quiet; the French keeping to their own colonies without troubling their neighbours. The Antiguans, however, were still very cautious of them; and the few persons of that nation who, after the termination of the war, came to reside at Antigua, were very coldly received. This year (1715) the court of chancery was amended. Hitherto it was held by one person, which caused delays, besides other inconveniences: so that it was resolved in future it should consist of the governor, and not less than five members of the council.

Previous to this period, there was also much difficulty in recovering minor debts, owing to the want of good laws, which occasioned so much inconvenience to the merchants of Antigua that they found it necessary this year (1715) to draw up a petition, signed by twenty-six of the most influential members of their body, praying for a better settling of the island courts. In 1711, the attorney-general, Thomas Bretton, Esq., had drawn up an act “for establishing a court of queen’s bench and common pleas, and for the better regulating and settling due methods for the administration of justice,” with which the council and assembly were so well pleased, that they presented him with one hundred and forty pounds currency; but which act was so marred in the passing of it, that they themselves found it necessary to incur further expense by having another drawn up. As, however, this did not appear to have the desired effect, in 1715, (after receiving the petition from the merchants,) further and more effective measures were taken for settling law courts, and limiting a time for issuing executions out of the court of chancery.

In 1716, fresh regulations were made respecting the importation of white servants. Every owner of slaves, to the number of fifteen, was obliged to find a white man to serve in the militia; and for every twenty slaves, above fifteen, they were obliged to find another white servant. Importers of white Protestant servants could demand of the treasurer of the island eighteen pounds per head if not sold in twenty days, and further obliged the treasurer to receive such servant until sold. The general term of servitude was seven years, at the end of which period their master was to give them fifty shillings, and 400 pounds of sugar or tobacco, with a certificate of their being free. If one of these white servants married a free person without the consent of their master, that free person was to be fined 100l.; and if one servant entertained another for more than twenty-four hours at one time, the person so offending was to be publicly whipped, or serve the injured party three months; or if the entertainer was free, he was to forfeit 20l.

About this time, Governor Hamilton sent a party of settlers, under command of a Mr. Howell, from Antigua and the different Leeward Islands, to plant a colony upon Crab Island, a small island lying between Santa Cruz and Porto Rico.

In the year 1699, the Scottish or Darien Company fitted out two large ships with a cargo of articles for traffic, and arms and ammunition, intending to form a settlement in America. While on their passage, they resolved to call in at Crab Island, and leave some of their party there; but upon their arrival, finding a large tent erected on the beach, with Danish colours flying, and not wishing to have any dispute, they left the island to the Danes, and proceeded to the Isthmus of Darien. The Danes having given up the colony, the English thought it a good time to put in a claim, and accordingly, as before remarked, Governor Hamilton sent a party to colonize it.

Improvements were made about this time in the erection of mills for the purpose of grinding the sugar cane, and also in the art of sugar-boiling, which the Antiguans at that day appear to have been deficient in. Oldmixon, speaking of the sugar made in Antigua, says—​“It is so black and coarse, that no art could fine it; and, as if our sugar bakers in England scorned to put dirt in their coppers, it was generally shipped off to Holland and Hamburg, where it was sold for 16s., when any other brought from 18s. to 19s. per hundred.”

In 1620, Lord Viscount Lowther was appointed to the government of the Leeward West India Islands, but his appointment was afterwards cancelled; and, in 1721, George I. appointed John Hart, Esq., former governor of Maryland, to be commander-in-chief of the Leeward Islands, who arrived at Antigua about the middle of the year. About this time gambling raged to a great extent in Antigua, and it was thought necessary to adopt some measures to suppress it. It was therefore ordained, in 1723, that, if any person won more than seven pounds at one sitting, or within twenty-four hours from the time they first commenced playing, they were to forfeit treble the value, half of which was to be paid into treasury for the purpose of building and repairing forts, &c., and the other half to go to the loser. It is strange that, much about the same time, this vice was very prevalent in England. Indeed, profligacy of all kinds had increased in that kingdom to an alarming extent. This was supposed to have arisen from the infatuation of the South Sea scheme, which, intoxicating the minds of the people with the prospect of imaginary wealth, led them into every excess. If any of the Antiguans had joined in this infatuation, I am unable to say. I was led into the mention of it from the fact of both countries being, at the same period, subject to the same kind of vice.

For the last few years the inhabitants of Antigua had been very much harassed by a gang of runaway slaves, from various estates, who had taken up their abode in some of the mountains and rocky parts of the island, and who were in the practice of issuing out at night, and committing many and great depredations. The leaders of this gang of vagrants were three men, of the name of Africa, Papa Will, and Sharper; and, to insure their capture, a reward of twenty pounds was offered to any person who should place either of them, dead or alive, in the hands of the provost-marshal. If any one killed a slave who had been absent from their owner three months, while in pursuit of them, he was entitled to the sum of three pounds; and when such slave was taken alive, the reward was doubled, the owner of any slave so killed being paid his or her value from the treasury. If a slave concealed, afforded nourishment to, or comforted a runaway, he was to be publicly whipped on the bare back with any number of stripes the justice of the peace thought proper to order; and if any free person so offended, such freeman was to be fined not less than ten pounds for the first offence. No person was allowed to purchase goods of a slave, under a penalty of thirty pounds for the first offence, except such things as pigs, goats, fowls, fish, or ground provision, which slaves were allowed to sell; but ginger and cotton ranked among the prohibitory articles. For the better government of this sable race, it was thought proper by those in power to restrict their diversions, and publish a decree, that all owners of slaves should allow them three days at Christmas for play-days, and no more, under a penalty of twenty pounds. Many other regulations were made, which appear at this day very harsh​—​such as not allowing slaves to plant cotton, forbidding them to assemble in parties of more than ten, punished for carrying any kind of weapon, unless in company of a white person, &c.; but, at the same time, it was enacted that if any cruelly disposed person hurt, or killed a slave, they were liable to the same punishment as if the victim had been free; thus setting a bright example to the other island, where killing a slave was looked upon, in law, as a mere trifle.

In 1725, the parish of St. Peter’s was divided into two, making Antigua to consist of six parishes, instead of five; the separated half of St. Peter’s being called St. George. The reason of this division was the great extent of the parish, which, having only one church and one chapel of ease in it, and those at a considerable distance, the parishioners had not an opportunity of attending divine worship every week. Nothing of much importance occurred during the next two years, except that the assembly of Antigua returned thanks to Captain Arthur Delgarno, commander of H.M.S. South Sea Castle, for his indefatigable exertions in these seas, in keeping away the enemy’s ships, and protecting the trade of the island: they also voted two hundred guineas to purchase a sword to present to the gallant commander, as a token of respect. It was by the suggestions of this Captain Delgarno, and Captain Cooper, of H.M.S. Lyon, in 1725, that the spacious dockyard at English Harbour was first erected.

George I. dying in the month of June, 1727, his son succeeded to the vacant throne, under the title of George II. Upon the intelligence reaching the ears of the Antiguans, he was proclaimed at Antigua with great pomp. An ox was roasted whole, and three hogsheads of beer distributed to the poor inhabitants; while a splendid entertainment was provided for the governor and the gentry of the island, at the public expense.

His majesty George II. having appointed Lord Londonderry⁴⁵ to succeed John Hart, Esq., in the government of the Leeward Islands, that nobleman arrived at Antigua in 1728; but was detained off the port, or rather on board his vessel, which was anchored in the roadstead for some time, on account of a hurricane. About this period, the commander of H. M. S. Winchelsea took a pirate vessel, while at anchor near one of the small islands with which these seas abound; but the crew escaped, with the exception of five persons, who were brought to Antigua, and hung. These were Captain Fen, the owner and commander, his gunner, and three common sailors.

The first year of Lord Londonderry’s administration, it was privately recommended to him, by the English government, to lay before the legislature of Antigua the necessity of building barracks for the accommodation of the regiment of foot stationed in the island, or else assign them quarters, by billeting them upon the several estates, or in the towns. Hitherto, they were scattered all over the country, obtaining shelter wherever they could, and consequently, they became very disorganized. It was, however, not until the year 1741, that these recommendations were carried into effect, when barracks were erected upon Rat Island; and, in 1753, additional barracks were built at the head of the town. The Antiguans were this year alarmed by a conspiracy among the negroes, which, however, appears to have been confined to those belonging to a Mr. Crump. As upon trial they were not thought worthy of death, it was resolved to banish eight of the principal offenders, who were to be sent to Maryland or Virginia, or else sold to such persons who would agree to transport them to the Spanish coasts, with the proviso that if they returned to Antigua, they were immediately to be executed.

A thousand pounds were granted to his excellency Thomas Pitt, Earl of Londonderry, this year, in addition to the usual salary; and the emoluments arising from a duty of 3s. 6d. per ton, upon all vessels clearing from the island, having on board native produce, was also settled upon him as long as he continued in the government. As, however, the next year, (1729,) transient factors were allowed exemptions from the charge of 3s. 6d. per ton, (on the ground of their paying 2l. for every 100l. imported,) which would tend to decrease the governor’s salary, a further sum of a thousand pounds was granted to supply all deficiencies. As there had been no government house erected since the affair of Colonel Parke, the Antiguans renting a house for that purpose, which was attended with some disadvantage, Lord Londonderry recommended to the council and assembly the necessity of building a government house, pointing out at the same time that the want of such an accommodation for their governors might thereafter prove disadvantageous to the Antiguans. This advice, however, appears not to have been followed, for it was not until after 1800, that the present government house was erected. The laws of Antigua were also this year recommended to be sent to the agent in England, to have them printed.

Many other regulations were gone into, tending to the welfare of Antigua; and it was also resolved that if any members of the council and assembly were absent, and could not give a satisfactory cause, such absentees were to forfeit 5l., and were sometimes even expelled. During the government of this nobleman, a bill passed the two houses of parliament, which had been long pending, granting encouragement to the sugar colonies, of which Antigua had become one of the most flourishing. Lord Londonderry did not live more than a year and a half after his appointment; and, upon his demise, the Right Honourable Lord Forbes was nominated to the vacant government. The country voted a sum of money for his reception, and a house was engaged for him; but, after waiting for about six months, and no governor making his appearance, it was given up, and the government devolved to William Mathew the lieut.-governor. The same year, however, Brigadier-general William Crosbie was appointed captain-general; but it appears he did not accept the office, or the appointment was cancelled by the home government; for in the following year he removed to New York, where he became governor.

⁴⁴ See further as to the Mackinnons, Appendix, No. 13.

⁴⁵ Son to Mr. Pitt; famous for the diamond he brought from the East Indies, and which he afterwards sold to the King of France.