Governors: The Right Honourable Ralph Lord Lavington--William
Woodley--James Tyson--John Julius--Hugh Elliot--Sir James Leith
--Henry Rawlins--S. Rawlins--Major-General Ramsay.
In 1801, the Right Honourable Ralph Lord Lavington was
re-appointed to the office of commander-in-chief, to the
gratification of the Antiguans, who, as before remarked, were so
pleased with his government in 1771, when he was Sir Ralph Payne.
Lord Lavington came to Antigua about the latter end of January;
and soon after his arrival, it was agreed for the country to
allow him an annuity of 1000l. to be paid quarterly out of the
public treasury of the island; and a further sum of 300l. to be
paid in like manner until a government house was built for his
reception. And that his excellency might better support his
dignity, another annuity of 700l. was granted him, as long as he
remained within his government. About this time the practice of
slaves stealing sugar and retailing it in the markets, or selling
it to shopkeepers privately, was so general, that it was found
necessary to lay a duty upon that article when retailed. If any
person sold less than 100lbs. of sugar without having a licence
for six months, and the further entering into a bond with one
security for the sum of 50l., such person was liable to a penalty
of 50l. for the first offence.
It was this year that slaves were condemned to work in the
streets, for the first time, as a punishment for offences. If any
slave was committed to jail for refusing to give their owner's
name, they were put to such work until claimed; when convicted of
a crime less than felony, they were to be kept to hard labour in
the streets for the space of three months; and if they had been
sentenced to death, and afterwards pardoned by the governor, his
excellency could annex to such pardon an order for the guilty
slaves to work in the streets for any time he thought proper.
These culprits were made to work in a gang, chained two and two
together, and, at the close of the day, when their toil was over,
they were conveyed to the common jail, and closely confined until
the next morning, when their labours were resumed. When a slave
was pardoned on condition of working in the street-gang for a
certain time, their owners were paid a shilling a-day until the
release of their slave.
Doubts having arisen with regard to the validity of certain laws
passed during the administration of A. Esdail, J. S. Thomas, and
R. Thomson, on account of their not repairing to Antigua to take
upon them the administration of the government, it was found
necessary to obviate all doubts by framing another law, to
confirm them, as also all civil and military commissions which
had been granted during their government.
The treaty of peace which had been signed between France and
England in 1801 was not of long continuance. During the latter
end of 1802, the French government began to act in a very
menacing manner towards England; and from the military and naval
preparations which were being carried on by Bonaparte, it was
evident that war was intended. On the 13th of May, 1803, affairs
were brought to a crisis, by Lord Whitworth, the ambassador at
the French court, quitting Paris, by order of his sovereign; and
immediately after, the French ambassador left England, and war
was declared between the two powers. Notice to this effect was
directly forwarded to Lord Lavington, by Lord Hobart, (late
governor of Madras,) who at that period was one of the principal
secretaries of state; and upon the arrival of the despatches,
Antigua was put into a state of defence. Not wishing to declare
martial law in force through the whole island, yet at the same
time seeing the necessity of part of the militia being on
service, it was thought proper to ordain, that in future it would
be lawful for the governor, with the concurrence of the council
and assembly, to call out a portion of it for the purpose of
keeping guard, &c., and, by proclamation, requiring the whole
body to hold themselves in readiness. It was also deemed
necessary to revive an act, (which had expired upon the treaty of
peace being signed at Amiens, March 25th, 1802, between England,
France, Spain, and Holland,) laying a powder-tax upon all vessels
trading to and from Antigua. Accordingly, all commanders of ships
were obliged to pay into the hands of the receiver appointed one
full pound of powder per ton, to the size of the vessel; half in
cannon, and the other half in pistol powder.
In 1804, Mr. Wilberforce's annual motion for the abolition of the
slave trade, which was supported by Mr. Pitt and Mr. Fox, was
carried by 124 to 46 voices; and a bill presented, limiting the
period when ships would be allowed to clear out from any English
port for this inhuman traffic, to October 1st of the same year.
This bill passed the third reading in the house of commons, but
was rejected in the house of lords on account of the lateness of
the session. In Antigua the negro population had decreased 1000
since the last year.
In the early part of the following year, a French squadron,
consisting of six sail of the line, and two frigates, contrived
to elude the vigilance of Lord Nelson's blockading squadron; and
leaving Rochefort (France), where they had been hemmed in for the
last two years, proceeded to the West Indies. After having made a
descent upon Dominica, and levied a heavy contribution upon the
inhabitants, obliging the town of Roseau to surrender upon
certain terms, the squadron proceeded for Antigua. Great were the
fears of the inhabitants when this intelligence reached them; the
court of king's bench and grand sessions were prevented from
sitting their usual days on account of the alarm; the militia
were called out, and the whole island put into a posture of
defence. The French squadron, however, passed Antigua, and landed
upon Nevis, and after laying the inhabitants under contribution,
proceeded to St. Kitts, and lightened a little the pockets of the
Kittifonians. The alarm had scarcely subsided, when news of the
arrival of the Toulon fleet, under Admiral Villeneuve, in these
seas, was received. Again Antigua prepared for war; but the
ferment did not last long; Lord Nelson quickly followed the
enemy; and upon his arrival at Barbados on the 4th of June, heard
that Admiral Villeneuve had only reached Martinique. The name of
this gallant officer so intimidated the French admiral, that he
immediately quitted the West Indies, and was followed by Lord
Nelson, who was in hopes of overtaking him, and chastising the
French for their audacity.
The departure of these squadrons gave the Antiguans a little
rest, and enabled them to settle their island business. As peace
was not likely to ensue at present, and knowing how liable they
were to alarms like the foregoing, the governor, council, and
assembly ordained, that in future whenever the court of king's
bench and grand sessions were prevented from sitting on account
of the fear of an invasion, it would be lawful for any three or
more justices, provided three out of the number should be of the
quorum, to meet at the court-house, and by proclamation, adjourn
the sessions to a period not less than ten, or longer than
fourteen days. An act also passed about this time, containing
sixty-eight clauses, respecting the better regulating the militia
in these times of danger.
By order of his gracious majesty George III., Lord Lavington
invested Sir Samuel Hood with the order of the Bath, as some
reward for his gallant achievements in these seas. Upon this
occasion his excellency Lord Lavington made a very powerful
speech, which has been justly praised, but which is too long for
insertion here. Antigua was visited (1805) by the very clever
author of "The Chronological History of the West Indies," Capt.
Southey. This gentleman mentions seeing a female slave, with an
iron rivetted round her ankle, which had two bars, sharp at each
point, crossing each other, and projecting about a foot in four
directions. Her owner informed Capt. Southey it was to keep her
at home, which was impossible to do without it. This historian
alludes to the melioration act, which passed in 1798, prohibiting
such punishments except, (and, as Mr. Southey justly remarks, the
exception neutralizes the prohibition) _such as are absolutely
necessary_.
On the 13th of November, died Mr. John Baxter, the head of the
methodists in Antigua. Mr. Baxter, who was by trade a shipwright,
had been sent out from Chatham dock-yard to English Harbour in
1778, and upon his arrival exerted himself in gathering together
the little society of methodists which Mr. Gilbert had
established, but which since his death had been scattered about
for want of a pastor. A further notice of Mr. Baxter and his
praiseworthy exertions will be found in another part of the work.
In 1806, the abolition of the slave trade was again brought
before the English parliament, and considerable progress was made
towards its accomplishment. A bill was also passed prohibiting
the exportation of slaves from the British colonies after the
first of January in the succeeding year. On the 22nd of January,
1807, the total abolition of the slave trade was accomplished,
and the bill ordained that no slaves should be landed in any of
the British colonies after the 1st of March, 1808.
Thus this great work was ended, which had been annually discussed
since 1787; and Mr. Wilberforce reaped the reward of his labours.
For two hundred and forty-four years had England allowed this
blood-stained traffic, and shut her ears to the cries of the
distressed Africans; but a more glorious era had dawned--liberty
was exerting her power, and paving the way to the future freedom
of that despised race.
About the middle of the year died the Right Honourable Ralph Lord
Lavington, Baron of Lavington, one of his majesty's most
honourable privy council, knight companion of the most honourable
order of the Bath, captain-general and commander-in-chief of his
majesty's Leeward Caribbee Islands. His lordship, it is said, was
a very hospitable man, and very fond of splendour; his Christmas
balls and routs were upon the highest scale of magnificence; but
he was a great stickler for etiquette, and a firm upholder of
difference of rank and _colour_. It is asserted, that he would
not upon any occasion, receive a letter or parcel from the
fingers of a black or coloured man, and in order to guard against
such _horrible defilement_, he had a golden instrument wrought
something like a pair of sugar tongs, with which he was
accustomed to hold the presented article. In his household he was
also very particular. He had, of course, an immense number of
attendants, but he would not allow any of the black servants to
wear shoes or stockings, and consequently his ebon footmen used
to stand behind his carriage as it rolled along, with their naked
legs shining like pillars of jet, from the butter with which, in
accordance to his excellency's orders, they daily rubbed them.
Lord Lavington entered upon his government the latter end of
January, 1801, and resided at Antigua, with the exception of a
short visit to Monserrat, until the day of his death. He died
regretted by the "magnates of the land:" his tomb may still be
seen at an estate called Carlisle's,[54] but the garden in which
it stands is overgrown with weeds, and the surrounding walls are
falling to ruins. Were I the possessor of Carlisle's, this should
not be the case. If only in respect to the old and noble family
of the Paynes, Lord Ralph's last resting-place should not be thus
dishonoured; a few flowers should shed their sweets around; a few
trees should shade that old grey tomb. There is a very handsome
monument erected to his memory in the church of St. John's, which
will be further mentioned in the description of that edifice.
Lord Lavington's family, on his father's side, had long been
resident in St. Christopher's, where they were of great eminence
and distinction, having filled some of the highest offices in
that island. They originally came from Lavington, in the county
of Wilts, from whence the title, and are said to have been of
great antiquity, tracing their descent from Ralph de Payne, a
follower of William the Conqueror, who took his name it is said
from Payne in Normandy. His lordship's intimate connexion with
Antigua is derived from his mother, Alice Carlisle, of a family
originally from the neighbourhood of Bridgewater, in
Somersetshire, and whose lineage will be found in the Appendix,
where it is given from the same source I have derived other
genealogical information.
After the decease of Lord Lavington, William Woodley, Esq., again
resumed the reins of government; but he did not repair to
Antigua, being in a delicate state of health. Sir Alexander
Cochrane, with a squadron under his command, visited the island
during this year on his return from taking the Danish West India
colonies of St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix.
In the month of March, 1809, Wm. Woodley, Esq., the then acting
commander-in-chief, departed this life; and James Tyson, Esq.,
represented himself as the first counsellor, and accordingly took
upon himself the administration of the government, without
repairing first to Antigua, as he ought to have done.
In 1809, it was found necessary to award certain punishments to
dealers in witchcraft. Obeah,[55] as it was termed, raged to a
great extent among the negro population in these islands, and led
many of them into the deepest crimes. To strike a blow at this
infatuation, it was ordained, that if any negro pretended they
had communication with any evil spirit by whose aid they could
cause death, &c., such slave upon conviction was to suffer
capital punishment; and if any slave prepared a mixture which was
intended to cause death, although the poison did not take effect,
such slave and their accessories were also liable to the same
punishment.
In the latter part of 1809, John Julius, Esq., another resident
of St. Kitts, elected himself to the office of
commander-in-chief, but neither did he repair to Antigua to take
upon him the administration.
About this period, the Antiguans, out of respect to their late
respected governor Lord Lavington, agreed to allow his widow,
Lady Frances Lavington, an annuity of 300l. sterling during her
life, which was to be paid out of the treasury.
The following year, 1810, Hugh Elliot, Esq., was appointed to the
government of Antigua and the rest of the Leeward Islands. During
his administration, it was again ordained, that no medical man
should practice in this island without a licence; and no licence
should be granted unless such persons as applied produced a
certificate from the Surgeons' Hall, or from one of the
universities in Great Britain, shewing his admittance in them.
One reason for this regulation was, on account of the numerous
cases of poisoning among the negroes; and it was conjectured that
they procured deleterious drugs from some of the low venders of
medicines, who, like Shakspeare's half-starved apothecary--
"If a man did need a poison
------ would sell it him."[56]
This wise regulation appears to have emanated from the governor,
who saw the absurdity, if not _guilt_, of allowing the public to
place their lives in the hands of the low "self-educated
physicians," of whom, in those days, the medical body was pretty
generally composed.
Nor was this the only salutary step proposed by his excellency
during his administration. Although, as before mentioned, the
general assembly of the Leeward Islands had, during a meeting at
St. Kitts, in 1798, passed the "Melioration Act," with the hopes
of restricting the owners of slaves from excessive cruelty in
their dealings with their negroes. No limits had been put to the
_number of lashes_ to be given at _one time_, and for _one
offence_, and accordingly some maliciously disposed persons had
evaded the law, and treated their slaves in a most barbarous
manner. The governor had full proof of this soon after his
arrival, in the case of a member of the council, at Nevis, who,
setting aside the laws of humanity, had caused "300 lashes of
cart-whip, or nearly that number, to be inflicted in the public
market-place (without the sentence of a magistrate) upon a
considerable proportion of a gang of thirty-two negroes, who were
all, more or less, severely punished, without having been
convicted of any act, which, by the most forced construction,
could be deemed mutinous, or dangerous to the community at
large."
In the governor's communications with the Earl of Liverpool, in
1810, upon this subject, he alludes to the "Melioration Act," and
deplores that the punishment of whipping was not restricted to 39
lashes, as in the 14th clause of the "Consolidated Act," passed
in Jamaica, in 1792; and further proposes, that the clause in
question should be _immediately annexed_ to the "Leeward Island
Melioration Act."
That such was not done upon the passing of the act, cannot be
laid to the charge of the representatives of Antigua, who fully
coincided with Mr. Burke, the attorney-general of the Leeward
Islands, in his proposal that such measure should be adopted, but
which proposition was not carried into effect by the general
council and assembly.
In 1812, this suggestion of his excellency's, limiting the number
of lashes to be given in the chastisement of a slave, was fully
carried into effect. The Antiguans had had another example
brought before them, where a Tortolian slave-master had murdered
several of his negroes, in a most shocking manner, and cruelly
ill-treated others; and the Antiguans appear to have been wishful
of exterminating that plague-spot cruelty from their little
island! For this reason, they forbad owners, jailors, or any
other person who had the superintendence of such inflictions, to
give their slaves _more than 39 lashes_ at one time, and for one
offence; nor were they to repeat the punishment within 14 days,
under a penalty of 100l. No slave was to receive more than six
lashes at one time, for one offence, unless the owner's attorney,
manager, or overseer, should be present It is strange, very
strange, that so many dreadful deeds should have been practised
in Antigua, and still so many laws been framed for the protection
of the slaves, even long before the period I am now writing
about. What answer are we to give to this enigma? Alas! alas! in
many instances, we must again exclaim with Captain Southey, "_The
exceptions neutralize the prohibitions_."
In 1813, his excellency Hugh Elliot left the government, and John
Julius again entered upon the administration, but he did not
reside at or visit Antigua. This was the first year a police
force was established; it consisted of five reputable white men,
who had been recommended to the commander-in-chief, (or in his
absence, the president of the island,) assisted by about as many
discreet black or coloured persons. One of these white men was to
be called "Clerk of the Police," and it was his duty to attend
the sittings of magistrates on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays,
and summon accused parties and witnesses. These police-officers
had several duties to perform--such as taking up slaves who were
found selling any article in the streets, on the working days,
unless they could produce a pass from their owners; to forbid
them selling fresh butter or milk, unless in possession of like
certificate; and to turn out of the town, upon the ringing of the
church bell at half-past nine at night, all country negroes, and
oblige such as resided in the capital to retire to their houses.
In the middle of June, 1814, Sir James Leith arrived in Antigua,
to fulfil the office of captain-general and governor-in-chief
over the Leeward Caribbee Islands, but he did not remain here
much longer than a year, for, having suffered from indisposition,
he obtained leave of absence, and embarked for England, where he
shortly afterwards died. Nothing of much importance occurred
during the period Sir James resided in the government. Admiral
Cochrane was still stationed in these seas, and kept so strict a
watch upon the enemy, that they were unable to distress this or
the other islands.
After the departure of Sir James Leith, another resident of St.
Kitts, Henry Rawlins, Esq., acted as commander-in-chief. During
his administration, an act was passed, founded upon that
celebrated one of Lord Ellenborough's against cutting and
maiming, punishing with death those who discharged fire-arms with
intent to injure any one, setting fire to cane pieces or
buildings, or perpetrating any other malicious deed.
In the year 1814 was signed the treaty of peace between France
and England, and once more Antigua was freed from her alarms and
watchings. Henry Rawlins dying, Stedmans Rawlins exercised the
government in 1816. Neither of these gentlemen, however, resided
in this island. The yellow fever again made its appearance, and
carried off a great many persons, particularly among the
soldiers.
In 1816, the general government of the Leeward Caribbee Islands
was discontinued, and the Prince Regent, during the unfortunate
indisposition of his father, appointed Major-General George W.
Ramsay, governor-in-chief of Antigua, Monserrat, and Barbuda, who
arrived in Antigua in the middle of the year. Soon after General
Ramsay's arrival, it was agreed by the council and assembly to
allow his excellency 5000l. currency per annum, which was to be
paid quarterly, from taxes and fines for the deficiency of white
servants, or duties on retailers of rum; and should these be
insufficient, from other moneys in the public treasury. It was
also enacted, that in the event of the death or absence of the
commander-in-chief, the treasurer should pay to such person, to
whom the government devolved, the sum of 3000l. currency per
annum, as long as he remained in command, the better for him to
support his dignity.
About this period, it was currently reported in the mother
country, that the West Indian proprietors were in the habit of
holding _free_ black and coloured persons in slavery; and that,
from the facilities afforded them by a state of peace, they also
evaded the slave trade abolition laws, by smuggling negroes into
these islands. To confute these reports, the Antiguans thought it
best to introduce a registry of slaves, to be filled up at
certain periods, with the name, sex, colour, and age of every
slave, and how they were become possessed of. This registry was
to be sworn to before a justice of the peace, by the proprietor
or his representative; and if any person omitted making such
return of their slaves, they were liable to a penalty of 200l.
for every slave.
During the temporary absence of his excellency Major-General
Ramsay, T. Norbury Kerby, Esq., the treasurer of the island, held
the government. It was thought proper, about this period, (1817,)
to restrict the existing privilege of exporting slaves, and make
it punishable to sell or send a slave off the island. If any
slaves were thus exported, they became forfeited to the king, as
well as the vessel which was to convey them away, and any
officers of H.M. Customs could seize such ship and slaves. This
did not, however, prevent any owner from carrying their domestic
slaves off the island with them, or from hiring or employing
their slaves as mariners; but they were to have their name and
description indorsed on the clearance of the vessel which carried
them away, under penalty of 100l., to both owner of slave and the
master of the vessel.
In concluding this chapter, I must be allowed to remark, that,
let Antigua be what she may, since she has seen her error, she
has never withheld manumission from her slaves; and, as we have
just noticed, was the first among the West Indian Islands which
endeavoured to spare that class the further pang of
transportation.
------
[54] This estate belonged to his excellency Lord Lavington, and
until within this last few years went by his name.
[55] For further particulars respecting Obeah, see Chapter XXXII.
[56] In 1676, a similar law had been brought into force, but from
some cause had fallen into disuse. The penalty for practising
without a licence was, at that period, confined to a forfeit of
5000lbs. of sugar.