Читать книгу Antigua and the Antiguans (Vol. 1&2) - Mrs. Lanaghan - Страница 15

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Governors: William Woodley​—​John Stanley​—​Major-General Charles Leigh​—​Archibald Esdail​—​John S. Thomas​—​Robert Thomson.

In 1792, William Woodley, Esq., was again appointed commander-in-chief; and, soon after his arrival, the increase of the importation of white servants was again taken into consideration.

Antigua had never reckoned a large population of whites; indeed, from various causes, they were continually decreasing. This could not be attributed to the want of encouragement given to settlers, but from the situation of the island itself. Although Antigua is naturally fortified by rocks and breakers, which defends it from the attacks of large vessels; yet there are so many creeks and harbours (which, with a small population, it was almost impossible to protect) that the French and Caribs found it an easy matter to land in their canoes, and destroy and plunder the country, and ill-treat the inhabitants. From these circumstances, emigrants were unwilling to settle here, but preferred going to some of the other islands, which were less liable to these incursions. To counteract these evils, and increase the number of white inhabitants, various plans, as already shewn, had been adopted by former governors—​fines were imposed upon proprietors if they did not employ one able-bodied white man to every thirty slaves, supposing that would tend to augment the population. But as it was found that the law was still eluded, by owners paying the penalty rather than maintain so many white servants, it was agreed, this year, by the governor, council, and assembly to increase the fine to 53l. 6s. 8d. for every deficient white servant to forty slaves annually. Possibly this might have had, in some degree, the desired effect; for, in 1800, we find there were about 3000 white inhabitants to 36,000 negroes, which had not been the case for the last forty years.

In 1793, the militia was regulated, and formed into “one squadron of light dragoons, who were to serve on foot and horseback; two regiments and one independent company of foot; and one battalion of artillery.” The dragoons were to be named by the governor and council; and although not to be appointed without their own consent, when once entered, they were not at liberty to remove to another corps, unless promoted by the governor to a commission. Only one person from an estate could serve in the dragoons, which squadron was to consist of never more than one hundred and eight men​—​non-commissioned officers and privates included​—​or less than sixty. This was the first year any free negro or coloured person was allowed to serve in the militia, when they were appointed to the under services of artillery, and to act as pioneers, and made subject to the same fines as privates of foot. It appears this was also the year uniforms were appointed for the militia, which being well arranged, made a good show upon their monthly field-days. Antigua was visited this year by a malignant fever, which caused a great many deaths. It was supposed to have been brought from Grenada in H. M. S. Experiment, and conveyed ashore in some of the sailors’ bedding.

John Stanley, Esq., succeeded Mr. Woodley in the government, and arrived the latter end of the same year, (1793,) but he did not reside often in Antigua, giving St. Kitts the preference. In 1794, Antigua sent a complement of men, and some negro slaves, to assist in the reduction of Martinique and Guadaloupe; and upon the taking of those islands, the governor, council, and assembly, issued a proclamation, forbidding any free persons of colour, or negro slaves belonging to those places, from coming to, or remaining in, this island. During the next year an annuity was granted to the Honourable Edward Byam, the president of Antigua, for his many services to the island, which has been alluded to in a former chapter. A sum of money was also raised for defraying the expenses of the war, which had been very heavy for the last three years.

Major-General Charles Leigh was appointed commander-in-chief in 1795, but did not continue in the government more than twelve months. During this period, it was agreed to allow such of the poorer classes of white persons who might be wounded (while serving in the militia) so severely as to affect their after-life, 70l. annually; if killed, their widows to receive 40l. annually, during their widowhood; and their children, 20l. annually, until they attained the age of fourteen. Additional pay was also provided for the gunner and matrosses employed in the several forts, and new regulations for the better ordering of the militia, which in these seasons of danger was very necessary, for the West Indies were still in an unsettled state, and their old enemies the French were always on the look-out for opportunities of increasing their possessions in these seas. Major-General Leigh becoming disgusted with the West Indies, he determined to return to England, and accordingly embarked on board a vessel bound for that place, on the 3rd July, 1796, without permission from his majesty.

At the departure of Major-General Leigh, there happened to be none of the lieutenant-governors of the Leeward Caribbee Islands in the West Indies; and accordingly, Archibald Esdail, Esq., a counsellor of St. Christopher’s⁵¹ claimed the administration of the government, and acted as such until his death, which happened about three months after; but he did not visit Antigua to take upon him the administration of the government, as he ought to have done by direction of the reigning monarch. Upon his decease, the lieutenant-governors being still absent, John S. Thomas, Esq., another resident of St. Christopher’s, represented himself as first counsellor, and exercised the office of governor until April, the following year, (1797.) Nothing of any consequence occurred during his short administration, and very little can be said about him in this place, for, like his predecessor, he never honoured Antigua with his presence. The Kittefonians appeared to have had it all their own way at that period, for no sooner had Mr. Thomas breathed his last sigh, than another member of that community, Robert Thomson, Esq., followed the example set before him, represented himself as the oldest counsellor, and, consequently, entitled to the vacant government; in which office he continued until the arrival of the Right Honourable Lord Lavington, (who was formerly governor under the title of Sir Ralph Payne,) in 1801. During the three years Mr. Thomson was governor, he visited Antigua for about three days, in March, 1800, so that the Antiguans had not much of their commander-in-chief’s society; but the council and assembly appear to have gone on very well without him, and framed some very good laws.

The first year of Mr. Thomson’s government, Antigua had a visitor in the person of that indefatigable, but unfortunate traveller, Mungo Park. Mr. Park had embarked on board the “Charlestown,” an American slaver, commanded by a Captain Harris, who was bound to Antigua with his live cargo. Upon nearing the island, the vessel struck upon a rock and narrowly escaped shipwreck; it was, however, at length got off, and brought into St. John’s harbour, where part of the cargo was sold. Mr. Park remained in Antigua until the arrival of the “Chesterfield” packet, in which he took passage to England. He speaks of Antigua as the loveliest of all lovely isles.

Whilst Mr. Thomson was residing at St. Kitts as commander-in-chief, the Antiguans were busy in again raising funds to defray the expenses of the war, which had been, and still were, very great. It was also enacted, that if any free coloured, or white person, killed or wounded a slave belonging to themselves or any one else, such offenders were to be considered as murderers, and, consequently, as worthy of punishment as if their victim possessed the fairest skin. That the life of a negro was no longer to be considered “in law” as the “life of a dog,” but that he was at length to be looked upon as human.

Antigua has always been liable to droughts, and, in such season, serious losses have occurred from the slaves dying for want of good water; to remedy this evil, as far as laid in their power, a tax was imposed upon all sugar plantations and houses in the island, which did not possess one or more cisterns.

This year (1798) appears to have been the first time that slaves were really tried by jury, which was then made to consist of six reputable white inhabitants. If upon trial they were found worthy of death, the justices of the peace were to acquaint the governor, or whoever might at such time be in command of the island, with the sentence, in thirty-six hours after it was pronounced, under a penalty of 20l. The provost-marshal was also obliged to attend such trial, under a fine of 20l.; and for his trouble he was to receive 3s. for summoning each juror, and 33s. for his attendance.

In the middle of this year, a general council and assembly was held at St. Kitts; and amongst other affairs discussed, it was determined to pass certain regulations which would tend to ameliorate the condition of slaves.⁵² All owners of slaves were to furnish a certain quantity of provisions for each slave, under a penalty of 10s. per head weekly, which was to be distributed among the negroes at the discretion of the master, and old and infirm slaves were to receive their full allowance. Perhaps it may not be uninteresting to some of my readers to know what was the weekly allowance the law allowed for slaves, and consequently, will insert it:—​“Nine pints of corn or beans, or eight pints of peas, or wheat or rye flour, or Indian corn flour, or nine pints of oatmeal, or eight pints of Cassava flour or Farine, or eight pounds of biscuit, or twenty pounds of yams or potatoes, or sixteen pounds of eddoes or tanias, or thirty pounds of plaintains or bananas; and also one pound and a quarter of herrings, shads, mackarel, or other salted provision, or double the quantity of fresh fish or other fresh provisions,” all of which were to be of good quality. Owners of slaves were not allowed to pay them in money, unless there was absolute necessity for so doing, under a fine of 20l.; but when circumstances obliged them to recompense their slaves by cash, each negro was to receive the sum of 4s.⁵³ weekly, and have two half days allowed them to come to market for the purpose of laying it out. The clothes allowed slaves for a year were, two jackets of woollen cloth, and two pair of trousers, made of Osnaburghs, for the men; and two woollen wrappers, and two Osnaburgh petticoats, for the women. If preferred by the slave, and agreed to by the master, a blanket and a cap were given in place of one suit of these clothes. When employed in agricultural work, half an hour was allowed for breakfast, and two hours for dinner, and they were not to be called to work before five in the morning, nor after seven in the evening, unless in crop time, or from evident necessity! If any owner of slaves cruelly whipped or imprisoned a slave without sufficient support, they were liable to imprisonment, or to be fined at the discretion of the justices before whom the case was tried; and if they deemed it necessary for the further protection of the slave, they could cause such slave to be sold at public auction. If any owner of slaves used unnecessary severities towards them, or put upon them iron collars, chains, or weights, such owner was liable to a fine not exceeding 100l. When any slave was attacked by illness, medical assistance was to be procured without loss of time; and whatever nourishment the doctor ordered, such as wine, &c., was to be given, under penalty of 50l. In cases of sudden death among the slaves, (when they had not been visited by a medical man forty-eight hours before,) notice was to be sent to the coroner or justice, when an inquest, of not less than three persons, was to be held on the body; should the owner neglect to do this, another fine of 100l. was imposed. With regard to the “marriage rites” of slaves, if their union can be called so, which was only nominal, owners were to encourage them to have only one husband or wife; and if faithful to each other, the woman was to receive four dollars for her first child, (provided it was alive six weeks after its birth,) and five dollars for each succeeding child under the same circumstances, and the slave and his wife to receive one dollar each at the end of the year. Should their master fail to do this, it was punished by a fine of 50l.; while the female who, in this state of conjugal fidelity, had borne six children, was exempt from any but light work upon her youngest child having obtained its seventh year.

Religion appears also to have been encouraged among them; for no owner or manager of negroes was to restrain them from attending a place of worship on a Sunday, under a penalty of 5l.; and if any clergyman refused to baptize a slave which was supposed to be sufficiently informed, such clergyman was to forfeit 30s. To insure further their comforts, it was ordered that no estate was to be without a commodious sick-house, furnished with proper conveniences for the use of the sick, and a sufficient number of attendants, under direction of a white person, to minister to their wants. In omitting to do this, the owner of such estate was liable to a penalty of 100l. for the first offence; and 20s. for the latter. They were also obliged to return an annual account of the births and deaths of their slaves, and how the sick were treated, under fine of 100l.

When a female slave proved enceinte of her first child, her master was to provide her a house containing two rooms, and not compel her to go to the sick-house, under penalty of 20l. During pregnancy, they were not to be employed in the general work of the estate, but lighter occupation was to be found them; and no punishment was to be inflicted but imprisonment. So anxious did they appear for the comfort and well-being of their slaves, that it was further enacted, that sufficient clothing and provisions should be provided for them, even if the estate was in debt; and the costs for such articles was to be liquidated before any other claim.

A melancholy catastrophe occurred during this year, at Antigua. Lord Camelford, then acting as commander of his majesty’s sloop “Favourite,” had a private quarrel with Lieutenant Peterson, of H. M. S. “Perdrix;” and some very unpleasant recriminations passed between the parties. Soon after this, Lord Camelford gave Lieutenant Peterson an order, which he unfortunately refused to obey, at the same time making use of some disaffected expressions; and the consequences were, that Lord Camelford shot him. His lordship was tried by a court-martial, and honourably acquitted; but he must have carried a blighted conscience with him, for—

“Alas! they had been friends in youth;

But whispering tongues can poison truth;

And constancy lives in realms above;

And life is thorny; and youth is vain:

And to be wroth with one we love,

Doth work, like madness, in the brain.”

It was this Lord Camelford, who, when travelling through Italy some years after, pointed out a spot in one of the fair valleys of Savoy, as the place where he wished to be buried; and accordingly, his remains were deposited there, amid Nature’s loveliest works. The end of Lord Camelford was untimely; he fell in a duel, by the hands of Captain Best, a native of Barbados, whose ideas of honour obliged him to challenge a professed duellist, although he was himself a complete novice in such affairs. Captain Best’s first fire, however, took effect, and Lord Camelford fell, mortally wounded. The quarrel originated with an unfortunate woman, a second Millwood in character; and Lord Camelford, who was the aggressor, confessed to his second, before the duel took place, that he knew he was in the wrong, but he would not retract words he had once uttered. It is said that Captain Best, the successful duellist, was never a happy man afterwards. He met with heavy domestic afflictions; but in his last moments he said to a friend, that all his sorrows would have appeared trivial, could he have wiped from his recollection all traces of that unfortunate duel.

In 1798 sheep-stealing was made a capital crime in Antigua. It had been considered so in England since 1740; and the Antiguans found it necessary to punish such offence as that statute directed. In 1799, an assize of bread was constituted, which was intended to prevent bakers from taking undue advantage of the public. Many other regulations were agreed to, upon this head, such as not allowing any one to sell bread without licence; obliging bakers to put a mark upon their bread, and if changing such mark without further licence, to forfeit 50l. If such bread was imperfectly baked, to be fined as if deficient in weight; if damaged flour was used, the bread to be destroyed by a magistrate, and a fine imposed upon the baker of 20l.; and if a diseased person was employed in the bakehouse, another 20l. penalty was enjoined.

In 1800, a law was passed to ascertain the number of negro slaves in Antigua; and the total number of births and deaths upon an average, for the last three years; when, upon taking the census, the number of negroes was found to be 37,000. About this year the legislature thought proper to increase the salary of the colonial agent to 200l. sterling, considering that the sum appointed for his recompence in 1698, namely 100l. sterling, was an insufficient compensation for the trouble. The agent at this period was the late Anthony Brown, Esq. Several serious accidents having occurred during the last few years from the custom of throwing about squibs, or other fireworks, it was determined that should any one in future, let their sex or quality be what it might, offend in this respect, such offender should be fined 40s. If any slave made or sold fireworks, they were to suffer such correction as the magistrate before whom the complaint was brought should deem proper.

Thus ended Mr. Thomson’s public career, after having held the government for nearly four years. As before remarked of Mr. Thomas, very little can be said about him; for he made St. Kitts head-quarters, in opposition to the orders which had been sent out by his majesty, to constitute Antigua the residence of the commander-in-chief; and did not repair to this island to take upon him the administration of the government.

⁵¹ Perhaps it may be scarcely necessary to mention that St. Christopher’s is as frequently called St. Kitt’s as its real name.

⁵² This has been known throughout the West Indies as the famous “Melioration Act.” This appears to have been the last time the general council and assembly for the Leeward Islands met.

⁵³ A shilling currency is equal to sixpence sterling. It must be borne in mind, that all these specified sums are Antigua currency.