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confess, that their remaining in that situation might have been an inducement for those still out to have come in. But I thought it was playing too deep a game, and if the Maroons had given us the slip, I should have had a dreadful reckoning to account to the King, this country, and my own tranquillity of mind."

The general replies, on the 11th, "I send you a private letter: make what use of it you please. The Maroons could make out a stronger case than is imagined. If Palmer and Parkinson should refuse the terms, which I think they will, you never will conquer them; I shall offer the terms, and there leave the matter. I will not, nor shall any thing induce me to avail myself of that reliance which I see they have in me, until I am certain that no deceit is intended; I will not be accessary to so foul a crime. Could not a company of rangers be formed from them, agreeable to the hints which I once laid before you, and the rest dispersed about as free citizens, like the people of colour? One word as to the freedom allowed the Maroons: Montego Bay barrack is not secure; it is best therefore not to seem to mistrust them."

"MY DEAR LORD, (Private.)

March 11, 1796.

"I must trouble your lordship with a few words in privacy and confidence. For some days past I have been in a state of considerable uneasiness at a report which seems to gain ground, that the legislature mean to infringe the capitulation accepted by me and ratified by your lordship. My lord, to be plain with you, it was through my means alone that the Maroons were induced to surrender, from a reliance which they had in my word, and from a conviction impressed upon them by me, that the white people would never break their faith. All these things strongly call upon me, as the instrumental agent in this business, to see a due observance of the terms, or in case of violation to resign my command; and if that should not be accepted, to declare the facts to the world, and to leave them to judge how far I ought or ought not to be implicated in the guilt and infamy of such a proceeding. So much the more strong is this call upon me, as there was no occasion to ratify the terms; for your lordship will recollect that I told you at Castle Wemyss, that the time appointed by me for fulfilling them was expired, and the terms therefore null and void; but your lordship then thought that there was so much of advantage to the country in those terms, that it would be best not to give them up. As the great object of the war is now declared to be accomplished, I shall shortly solicit your lordship for permission to return to England, with an intention to retire from the service. "I am your lordship's most faithful and obedient, "S. WALPOLE."

"Earl Balcarres.

On the 13th of March, the general writes again, “Your lordship has, I well know, been of opinion, that the force sent out on the 14th induced the Maroons to come in. I think not; and my opinion is grounded on this fact, that I met the Maroons about half a mile from the advanced post, coming in with loads on their backs of clothes and children. They must therefore have moved more than half way the day before, and certainly no one knew of my motions here. The wisdom of the treaty cannot be much doubted, as treble the number of troops would not have brought in so many Maroons in twelve months more. The opinions of the field officers on the spot have never differed. keep my faith with the Maroons now surrendered. Sure I am, that Jamaica has been saved by the terms of surrender, and that the not adhering to them may be productive one day or other of the loss of the colony."

I am anxious to

On the 16th of March, Lord Balcarres replies, "the country has a right to every advantage which the treaty affords it. I shall leave it to the legislature to decide whether the treaty has been observed or not. Those strong sentiments which you have expressed relative to the Maroons shall be fairly canvassed. If there is any thing upon earth in which a legislature has a right to exercise its judgment, it is internal rebellion. I regret your determination of quitting the service."

James Galloway, Esquire, was appointed sole commissioner for embarking all the Maroons.

March 21st. The general reports the coming in of the remainder of the Maroons by "Parkinson's party, thirty-six bearing arms, and requests permission for Charles Samuels, a Maroon, to remain with him." On the next day he writes, " My wish to retire was in a great degree connected with a presage which I had of future circumstances with regard to the Maroons; perhaps these may now be altered. I was fearful lest it should seem that I had drawn the Maroons into a treaty which I knew was hereafter to be broken; my resignation was meant to declare my entire ignorance of such an intention."

The joint committees of the legislature met on the 20th of April, and came to the following resolutions:

"1. That it is the opinion of the joint committee, that all runaway slaves, who joined the Trelawney Maroons in rebellion, ought to be dealt with according to law.

2. That all persons of free condition who joined the rebels ought to be dealt with according to law.

"3. That the thirty-one Maroons who surrendered at Vaughansfield, under the proclamation of the 8th of August, together with the six deputies taken up at Saint Ann's, having come in before any

actual hostilities commenced, should be sent off the island, and some settlement provided for them in another country.

"4. That Smith, Dunbar, and Williams, with their wives and children, and the two boys who came in on the 1st of January, are entitled to the benefit of the treaty.

"5. That all the Maroons who are confined in Kingston, Falmouth, and elsewhere, that have petitioned the honourable house of assembly to take the benefit of an act passed in the year 1791, not having been at any time in rebellion, be allowed to do so, acccording to the prayer of their petition.

6. That the Maroons who petitioned the lieutenant-governor on the 3d of November, the thirty-one who surrendered at Vaughansfield excepted, being also guiltless of any act of rebellion, be likewise admitted to take the benefit of the said act.

7th. That all the Maroons who surrendered after the 1st of January, and until the 10th of March last, (within which period Johnstone and his party came in,) not having complied with the terms of the treaty, are not entitled to the benefit thereof, and ought to be shipped off the island; but the joint committee are of opinion that they ought to be sent to a country in which they will be free, and such as may be best calculated by situation to secure the island against the danger of their return: that they ought to be provided with suitable clothing and necessaries for the voyage, and maintained at the public expence of this island for a reasonable time after their arrival at the place of their destination.

"8th. That Parkinson and Palmer, and all the Maroons who came in with them, are entitled to their lives only, but ought to be sent off the island; and as their conduct was marked with aggravated guilt, they ought, in the manner of their being sent off the island, to be dealt with more rigorously than those in the class mentioned in the preceding resolution.

9th. That as there may be among the rebels a few, who by their repentance, services, and good behaviour, since their surrender, may have merited protection and favour, that it be recommended to his honour the lieutenant governor to permit such to remain in the island, together with their wives and children, and to distinguish them by any other marks of favour, as his honour in his discretion may think proper.

10th. That the lieutenant-governor, in complying with the matters mentioned and recommended in the preceding resolutions, shall be fully indemnified at the public expence.'

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April the 22d, the house of assembly ordered 700 guineas to be remitted to London, to purchase a sword for the Earl of Balcarres, and 500 guineas for the purchase of one for the Honourable Major-General Walpole; and requested their thanks to be given to the regulars and militia.

Lord Balcarres in his answer says, he will transmit the precious gift to his posterity, as an everlasting mark of the reverence, attachment, and gratitude which he bears to the island of Jamaica.

Major-General Walpole was dissatisfied with the resolution of the legislature to transport the Maroons from the country, and refused the sword they voted him for his services in subduing them.

In June his Majesty's ship Dover, with two transports, having on board about 600 Maroons, sailed for Halifax; they were provided_ with necessaries for the voyage and for the change of climate, and arrived at Halifax in July.

Upon the 25th of November an express boat arrived at St. Kitt's, with the information that the French, in two ships of war and several small vessels with about 400 men, had attacked the island of Anguilla. Captain R. Barton, in his Majesty's ship Lapwing, immediately proceeded to the relief of the island. The wind being from the northward prevented his getting there in time to save the town from being burnt; but after an action of two hours, he relieved the island, by taking the ship and sinking the brig. The ship was Le Decius of twenty-four six pounders, two twelve pound carronades, and two brass field pieces, with 133 men of her own complement, and 203 troops, commanded by Citoyen Andre Senis; and the brig La Vaillante, mounting four twenty-four pounders, with forty-five men and ninety troops, commanded by Citoyen Laboutique: they were picked troops, sent by Victor Hughes for the sole purpose of destroying the island. They landed on the 26th, and committed acts of great cruelty. It is said Victor Hughes' instructions to the officers were to exterminate the inhabitants. "The French burnt the little town, pulled down the church, stabbed men in their houses, and stripped women of their clothes."i

Edwards, vol. i. pp. 571. 576.
Captain Barton's Official Letter, p. 21.

Annual Register, 1797, p. 13.
Admiral H. Harvey's Official Letter.
Six Months in the West Indies in 1825.

1" To Robert Barton, Esq., Commander of

his Majesty's ship Lapwing, the Ad-
dress of the Inhabitants of St. Chris-
topher's, on his recent success against
the Land and Sea Forces destined for
the reduction of Anguilla, presented
by a Deputation from the Island at
large.

"Deputations from a whole community are not common, because it rarely happens that actions so brilliant as to excite general admiration are performed; but your success, Sir, is of a nature so glorious to yourself, so honourable to the service in which you are engaged, so fortunate and critical for the inhabitants of Anguilla, that a sister colony would be insensible not to

"It is not, however, by our acknowledgments or emotions that your deserts can be expressed, they are proclaimed by the tongues and engraven on the hearts of the people you have saved; whom a merciless enemy doomed to destruction, and whom you rescued from the horrors with which they were menaced.

"These devoted people hail you as their deliverer, bless you for the security and happiness to which they are restored; and while they recite your actions, will perpetuate your name in the traditions of their country, and the memories of their children. Nor do the testimonies of your honour cease here; even your enemies bear witness to the value of your exertions, and

On the appearance of the Lapwing they reimbarked the troops in the night of the 26th, and the following morning early the Lapwing brought them to action: the Decius had eighty men killed and forty wounded. The brig ran on shore on St. Martin's. The next day the Lapwing was chased by two large French frigates.

Early in the year General Nicholls received reinforcements at Grenada, and commenced active operations. In the beginning of March he attacked the French at Port Royal, and was beat back with considerable loss; the second attempt succeeded: he carried their works by storm, and only six prisoners were taken. After this signal defeat and dreadful loss, the insurgents submitted.

Upon the 10th of June, the French in Grenada, under their commandant Jossy, surrendered all their posts, by capitulation, to the British under Major-General Nicholls. On the 19th the British were in full possession of every established post which the enemy had. Fedon, with a few of his associates, escaped into the woods.

Several of the French inhabitants had joined the insurgents, and now surrendered themselves to General Nicholls, who sent them to the Lieutenant-Governor Houstoun, to be tried by the civil power. Upon the 20th of June, fifty persons were put to the bar in the course of the day; all of them were found to be the persons named in the bill of attainder, the whole of whom were ordered to be executed, at eight A.M. the following day, as traitors.

On the 1st of July, fourteen of the most criminal were executed upon the parade at St. George's; the rest were respited by the Lieutenant-Governor Houstoun.

A canoe was found at some distance from the island, which had been overset; a compass nailed to her bottom was known to have been one which Fedon had, it was therefore supposed, that, in attempting to escape, he had been drowned.

June the 1st, William Campbell, Esq. was appointed governor of the Bermuda islands.

September the 30th, Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Green was appointed governor of Grenada.

The Methodists in Grenada assert the especial favour of Provi

General Graham's Letter.

Annual Register, 1796, pp. 78. 258.—1797, p. 14.
Monthly Magazine, August, 1796, p. 579.

it whenever they mention their losses and disappointments, the destruction of their shipping, and the slaughter of their men. They tell it too, not indeed so loudly, but much more emphatically, whenever they mention your humanity and goodness, your care of the wounded, your anxiety for their

your endeavours and success in rescuing from the waves such as the fury of the battle had blindly driven into them; while saying this, they acknowledge that mercy and courage are the inseparable associates of noble minds, and that the honour of the union is yours."

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