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deal of blood that has been fhed in and about England, there has been the vasteft expences of treafure that ever were heard of in that nation: Scotland almoft ruined by rebellions and distractions, arifing from difference of opinions: the deplorable condition of Ireland I need not tell you of: New England at great expences in the late expedition, and in great danger from their ill neighbours: New York not long fince under great oppreffion by the ufurpation of the government: in Maryland and Virginia, rifing and differences between the governors and the people, to the great difquiet of both, and the uncasiness of the government at home: and what have not the inhabitants of St. Chriftophers and the other idlands fuffered? Many of these are now wandering and feeking for new places of abode, whilft you fit under your own vines, and reap the fruits of your labour, without any confiderable difturbance. Do you do what fhall be requifite on your part, and nothing fhall be wanting on mine that can contribute to it.

Gentlemen, I am commanded by the king to offer and recommend to your confideration the making an act, whereby the creditors of perfons becoming bankrupts in England, and having eftates in this ifland, may be relieved, and the debts fatisfied out of the fame; and, likewise, that, for the better management of public affairs of this ifland, a law be paffed for raifing of three hundred pounds per annum for the folicitation of the fame in England. The last is effentially neceffary, that the public affairs may fuffer very much by the want of it; therefore, for your own fakes, I will hope for your concurrence in it, in the fame manner as it has been formerly allowed of.

Gentlemen, fome grievances that you have lain under have been removed fince my coming among you; if any yet remain, you fhall find me as ready, as far as in my power lies, to confent, to fuch laws as you fhall propofe for the redreffing them, as you can be to afk it; for I know the king intends you all the kindness you can reasonably defire, and therefore I hope you will, and muft command that you carry yourselves toward him in your debates, as well as upon all other occafions, with all the duty and refpect that is owing to a prince, whofe piety, wisdom, and valour, has redeemed our religion and our liberties, by breaking the measures of them who defigned the ruin of both.

Thefe, gentlemen, in my judgment, are the ways for you to become a happy people, and whenever you are so, I fhall think myself a happy governor among you.

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A SPEECH OF THE EARL OF INCHIQUIN

TO THE

ASSEMBLY OF JAMAICA, AT THEIR DISSOLUTION.

GENTLEMEN,

THE 'HE chief ends of my calling you together were, that you might take duc meafures for your own prefervation in this troublesome time of war, and the indemnifying of the inhabitants of this ifland, who have fuffered by the invafions of the enemy, which you are bound to do by your own laws; and to lay before you the exigency of the government, in hopes you would have taken it fo far into your confideration as to have enabled me to do fomething for your protection, and towards the dis charging of near eight thousand pounds debt, incurred upon that account, most of it before my coming to the island, and some fince: You have indeed paffed a bill for raising four thousand seven hundred and eighty odd pounds, towards the maintaining of a floop, and repairing the lofles of the fufferers; but, as it were in the fame breath, you vote and pass a bill in a matter the king had taken into his confideration, which I take to be a great disrespect to him; that it entirely takes away his revenue, there not being any mention made, that I can hear of, in feven or eight weeks time that you have fat, for what was granted to the crown by the one and twenty years bill, or of any equivalent for it; only I understand, by a meffage I fometime fince received from you, that you had once read and paffed a bill for raifing a duty of forty fhillings per head on negroes exported, and fomething upon wine imported. The first is abfolutely repugnant to the commands I have received from the king, and, should it pafs, would, in my judgment, be highly prejudicial to the kingdom of England and this island, it being the greatest blow that can be given to trade, which is the life of this place, and I am bound to encourage and protect, and will do it. And now you fend me a meflage to defire the expediting of two bills, the one tending to the deftruction of the govern◄ ment, the other to the affronting of me, neither of which, in my opinion, require fo much hafte as that for the relieving of the poor fufferers, and the preventing others from falling under the fame calamities; but that

bill,

bill, it feems, you think fit to lay afide till you fee what I will do with the others, though yesterday I fent you a meffage to prefs the expediting of it, which you vouchfated to anfwer only with another meffage. This is fuch a way of proceeding, that I cannot, in behalf of the king, of the government, all traders, and the generality of the planters, (who I have a very good opinion of), but highly refent. You may ftand in need of that juftice and charity, which you have, by these measures, withheld from your poor neighbours; but that God, which is a God of juftice as well as mercy, will avenge the caufe of the poor on them and theirs who have been the oppreflors of them.

When I came to this ifland, I found a flame kindled among you, which I took fome pains to quench, and had in a great measure done it; but, fince your meeting, I find fome turbulent fpirits have added new fuel; therefore, to prevent the increase of a fire that may be fatal to the island, though you have a speaker and several others among you I highly efteem, and am perfuaded of their being very well affected to the government; fince I cannot fay fo much of the major part of you, I think it neceffary, in the king's and queen's names, to diffolve you, and you are hereby accordingly diffolved.

But now I have further to fay to you, gentlemen, that, fince you did not think it fitting to make a congratulatory addrefs to fo gracious a king as you have, it is not fit for me to receive one from you; therefore, there's your addrefs again.

„And it was thrown at them with some contempt,

July 30, 1691,

AN

AN ADDRESS OF THE

PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL OF JAMAICA, TO THE KING AND QUEEN.

To their most excellent and most facred majesties king William and queen Mary, by the grace of God, of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, king and queen, of Jamaica, in America, lord and laay, defenders of the faith, &c.

THE HUMBLE ADDRESS OF YOUR MAJESTY'S PRESIDENT, AND THE REST OF YOUR MAJESTY'S COUNCIL, OF JAMAICA AFORESAID.

Moft dread fover eigns,

SINCE

INCE, by the death of your majefty's late governor, and want of a commander-in-chief of your majesty's island aforefaid, and the especial truft and confidence your majefties have been pleafed to repofe in us, the government thereof is now devolved on us, your majesties most humble, loyal, and obedient, fubjects; we, therefore, in the deepest contemplation of your majefties moft tranfcendant goodness towards all your majefties fubjects, and the many great and marvellous things your majefties have not only attempted, but brought to pafs for us, and more especially of your majestics princely care and particular providence of this place, moft humbly befeech your majefties, inftead of what we owe, but can never perform, gracioufly to accept of what we can and are willing and ready to do, which is the laying down our lives and fortunes at your facied majefties feet, in defence of your majeities royal perfons, prerogative, government, and fucceffion, as by law established, as the best means to make your majesties great and ourselves happy.

Moft gracious fovereigns,

We have great reason to fear, that we unhappily labour under your majefties moft gracious difpleasure, through the endeavours of the laft affembly, as they reprefented the communion of the island, to repeal and annul the laws made in the late defpotic reign and government; but most humbly hope, and heartily implore your majefties, that no mistaken methods or unfuccefsful measures may eclipfe and darken the royal beams of your majefties moit gracious favours, which have hitherto fhone fo illuf

triously

rioufly in this our weftern hemifphere; and, fince it appears to the world to be your majeftics royal opinion in your majefties moft princely declaration, at your majefties moft happy arrival, that it is most certain and evident to all men, that the public peace and happinefs of any state or kingdom cannot be preferved where the laws, liberties, and cuftoms, eftablished by the lawful authority in it, are openly tranfgreffed and annulled; more especially where the alteration of religion is endeavoured, and a religion which is contrary to law is endeavoured to be introduced; and that it cannot be pretended that any kings ever reckoned it a crime for their fubjects to come in all fubmiffion and respect, and in due number, not exceeding the limits of the law, and reprefent to them the reafons that made it impoffible for them' to obey their orders; and that your majefties, in further confirmation thereof, in the first year in your auguft reign, have been gracioufly pleafed to pafs it into a law, that it is the right of the fubject to petition the king; and elections of members of parliament ought to be free, and exceffive bail ought not to be required, nor exceffive fines impofed, nor cruel punishments inflicted; and that jurors ought to be duly impanelled and returned; we, in all humility, moft humbly prefume ourselves within the bounds of your majefties royal grace, favour, and protection, and in the moft humblewife, in behalt of ourfelves and the rest of your majefties fubjects belonging to this your majefties inland, with all manner of fubmiffion, duty, and refpect, moft humbly beg leave to lay before your majefties how much and wherein our laws, liberties, and cuftoms, have been tranfgrefed and annulled, and a religion contrary to law endeavoured to be introduced amongst us, and why we cannot with due cheerfulness submit to their laws; and most humbly befeech your majefties, whom it hath pleafed God to make the glorious inftrument of our deliverance from popery and arbitrary power, that your majefties will be graciously pleafed to favour us with an hearing before your majefties in council against the unfree elections and proceedings of that affembly, in that your majefties will in no otherwife perfect our deliverance, fo far advanced by your majestics, by annulling those laws, than the real truth of the violation of the freedom of our elections and the often tranfgreffing and annulling our laws, liberties, and customs, and the introduction of religion, which was contrary to law was endeavoured on us, fhall be fully proved and made appear before your most gracious majesties in council.

And, according to our duty and intereft, we shall always pray majefties long and profperous reign over us.

April 28, 1692.

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