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POSTCRIPT TO THE ROYAL GAZETTE.
pared by underhand manoeuvres the total ruin of the colony.
'Our Deputies, mean while, knowing nothing of what had happened with us, urged as much as possible the departure of the fleet which was destined for us. - It appeared at last towards the end of May, and we believed that the end of our evils was now at hand. It was a month since we had taken up arms against the patriots, as they stile themselves, whose daily increasing numbers reduced us to the most horrid situation. The English arrived with a Governor for our island, and 2000 men for its garrison, but without artillery for a siege, and without troops for a descent. They had depended on the promises of our Deputies, and doubted not but that we were yet in possession of the forts. The winter season approaching, rendered the success of an attack entirely impossible.
'Penetrated by the horror of our situation, the Admiral offered us an asylum in his Britannic Majesty's colonies, and promised to do all that lay in his power to reinstate us safely in our plantations. We accepted his generous offers, and on the 25th of June, all the inhabitants, their wives, their children, and such of the citizens of colour as had made a common cause with them, went on board of the several vessels of the fleet, and were transported to the English islands, where they are furnished with the means of subsistence ever since their arrival.
'Much noise has been made in certain newspapers respecting the pretended victory of the satellites of Rochambeau. See here the fact :
'There was an action of a quarter of an hour between 60 English chasseurs, and 500 of these gentry ; the first had two men killed and one wounded, the others betook themselves to flight, after having lost forty men : to say otherwise would be an imposition.
'As soon as the British fleet appeared, La Crosse and Rochambeau caused the best quarters of the island to be laid in ashes. Our brave protectors foamed with rage, and swore to chastise sooner or later the infamous authors of our misfortunes.
'My pen refuses its aid to trace all the horror our unfortunate country has been the theatre of.
'Were those then so much to blame who tried to secure themselves against the daggers and firebrands of the assassins? to escape from the horrid catastrophes which threatened so long since the French colonies?
'The unfortunate, who are on the point of losing property and life, have not they a right to seek shelter under the protection of a people who know how to distinguish liberty from anarchy and crime?
'The following is the actual state of the forces at Martinique :
'Rochambeau governor, La Crosse with his frigate, which never goes out of the bason of Fort Royal, 300 men of marshal de Turenne, officers doing duty on the island - none : Artillery, 12 men ; Malthese, Genoese, people of colour and negroes armed, 6000.
'Six English frigates are cruising round the island, in order to prevent the introduction of any provisions and ammunition, until the end of the hurricane months.
'Mr. de Riviere and Mr. Malvaux have received a most flattering letter from the King of Spain, who has conferred the rank of a commander on the first, and that of a captain of a man of war on the second.
'All the officers who have remained faithful to the house of Bourbon, have had a share in the county of his Catholic Majesty.
'At the very moment when the English fleet departed from Martinique, Messrs. de Riviere and the Malvaux received orders from Don Chacon, governor of Spanish Trinidad, to go immediately to Porto Cabello to take provisions, and to put themselves in order to join the Spanish fleet, whose arrival was expected every minute.'
Boston, Aug. 29. The French privateer Roland was originated at Nantasket, before there were any rules given by the Executive Power of the United States, with regard to the propriety of originating privateers by belligerent powers in a neutral country. After the Roland failed, two small schooners, under British papers (and no doubt British property), were captured by the privateer, and sent into this harbour. The friends of the original owners, under an idea that a capture made by a privateer, originating in one of the United States, by the authority of the French government, was unlawful, procured writs of replevin, and attempted to take the schooners. The Concorde frigate, of the republic of France, being in the harbour, Capt. Vandogen took the schooners under his protection.
The governor, in pursuance of the requisition of the general government, has now the schooners in custody of a detachment of troop from Castle Island ; where they will remain until the determination of the President shall be had on the subject. The attempting to replevy the vessels was injudicious and wrong, because these matters are to be settled by the executive of the country where they happen. The French, no doubt, consider the process as wrong ; but they will consider that, in our country, every citizen is entitled to such a process of right, without appealing to the supreme executive ; and that if it is an inconvenience, it is one which necessarily results from the principles of a free government. It may be further observed, that this right of originating suits cannot be taken from individuals, without destroying the security of the citizens.
As to the rules promulgated from Philadelphia respecting captures, we can say nothing with propriety in regard to them ; should our brethren of the French republic think them wrong, that matter will be settled between their minister and the President of the United States.
J A M A I C A,
H O U S E O F A S S E M B L Y,
Tuesday, October 29, 1793.
THE Speaker and the whole House attended his Honour the Lieutenant-Governor, and presented the following address :
To his Honour ADAM WILLIAMSON, Esq. Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief, &c. &c.
The humble ADDRESS of the ASSEMBLY.
"May it please your Honour,
"WE, His Majesty's dutiful and loyal subjects, the Assembly of Jamaica, beg leave to return your Honour our thanks for your Speech at the opening of the session.
"It gives us great satisfaction that such tranquillity has prevailed in the island, as not to have laid you under the necessity of calling us together at an earlier period.
"We should be happy to be informed, that the island of St. Domingo, was entirely restored to regular order ; and shall rejoice at the speedy arrival in these seas of a naval and military force, that may give protection and safety to this colony.
"We lament that the commencement of hostilities has created any additional expence ; but have the greatest confidence that such as hath been incurred on that account was necessary, and has been conducted with oeconomy. We shall provide for the necessary exigencies of Government with our usual readiness.
"With you, Sir, we view with pleasure the good effects of union and harmony in the different branches of the Legislature ; and we assure your Honour, that nothing shall be wanting on our parts to preserve a continuance of so necessary and desirable an object."
To which his Honour was pleased to return the following answer :
"Mr. Speaker, and Gentlemen of the Assembly,
"ACCEPT my sincere thanks for your address, and permit me to assure you, that I shall at all times, as far as lies in my power, promote the welfare and prosperity of this island."
A message to his Honour, requesting, that in consequence of the sickness which has for some time past prevailed at Philadelphia, all vessels from thence may be ordered to lie in some part of the harbours of this island separate from all other vessels, until they are examined respecting the state of the health of the ship's company ; and that it may be ascertained that there is no infectious disorder on board. In answer to which message his Honour said, he would give orders immediately.
Mr. Speaker laid before the House a letter from Mr. Vaughan, desiring leave of absence for twelve months, if he should be so long absent from the island. Granted.
The Poll Tax, Deficiency, Rum, Tonnage, Additional Duty, Rules and Articles of War, Embargo, Foreign Attachment, Party, Commissioners for Forts, &c. and Foreign Slave bills, were severally read a second time, and committed.
The Clerk to the Commissioners for forts, fortifications, and public buildings, according to order, laid before the House the books, papers, &c. belonging to the said commissioners :
Ordered, That they lie on the table.
Ordered, that the Clerk of the Board of Works do lay before the House the books, papers, and writings, of the said Board.
On motion, committee appointed to bring in a bill for regulating the probate and acknowledgment of deeds executed in the United States of America, respecting property in this island. - Adjourned.
Wednesday, October 30.
A Message to the Council, desiring their Honours to send down the names of such Members of their Board, as they will have named in the bill for appointing Commissioners for forts, fortifications, and public buildings.
A motion being made, that a committee be appointed to prepare an address to his Honour the Lieutenant-Governor, to thank his Honour for having opened the ports of this island to neutral vessels, for the importation of dry provisions, whereby all apprehensions of a famine have been happily prevented : to state to his Honour, that the plantations in sugar and coffee in this island want an annual supply of between five and six millions of slaves, besides heading : that, from the interruption to trade, the quantity that has been imported for the next crop is very inadequate to such a demand, and that without so essential a supply the most fatal consequences must ensue - first, to his Majesty's custom in Great Britain, a great proportion of which depends on our importations of sugar and rum ; secondly, to the shipping of the mother country, whose vessels will be obliged to return in ballast thirdly, to the British merchants engaged in the West-India trade, who will not receive those remittances to which they are well entitled from us, and which the planters are exceedingly anxious to make to them, at a time that trade in general has been