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 Londonderry[45] 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.