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ment of this territory may be ascribed chiefly to the exertions of an officer formerly in the British service: " that the method taken by him to improve "his lands was, by granting land in small portions and on long credit to "individuals who would immediately improve it, and in larger portions. "and on shorter credit to others who would purchase on speculation; the "lands in both cases being mortgaged for the payment of the purchase "money."-" The numbers," says he, "that have been induced by these temptations, not to be met with elsewhere in the states, is astonishing; and "numbers are still flocking to it every year, as not one third of the land " is yet disposed of.”

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Among the advantages which invite to the clearing and cultivation of land in this district is the great number of sugar maple trees that are found here. The tree, we are informed, propagates very rapidly: the process of making the sugar is very easy: and the produce of it in 1796 was sufficient to form a considerable article of trade; it being asserted upon good authority, "that 160,000lb. had been made in one township, in the year 1793, "which had been an entire wilderness in 1786"**These inviting circumstances would, probably, lead to a more rapid increase of population, were it not retarded by the very high price of labour, which is one dollar per day.

e

1790

GREAT

This fact is given in Tench Coxe's View of the United States, on the authority of a letter addressed to him by Mr. Cooper, one of the judges of the common pleas at Oswego.-[T. Coxe's View. 77.]-The same writer informs us, on the same authority, "that there are fifty trees on an acre at a medium."

The duke de la Rochefoucault gives us the following information, collected by him from the settlers themselves. "The medium produce of a tree, standing in the midst of a wood, is three

"pounds of sugar.

"The average produce of trees, standing on ground which has been cleared of all other wood, " is from six to seven pounds per tree.

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"A barrel of the first juice, which comes from the maple-tree, will yield seven pounds of

sugar, if the tree stand single, and four, if it stand in the midst of other wood. This sugar is "sold at one shilling per pound.

"A barrel of the second juice will yield three gallons and a half of treacle.

"Four or five barrels of the third juice will yield one barrel of a good and pleasant vinegar." -De la Rochefoucault's Travels. 1. 227.

Ꮟ Weld's Travels. 2. 333.

C Liancourt. 1. 227.

с

Liancourt. 1. 276.

d T. Coxe's View. 77.

1791

GREAT BRITAIN.

1791.

THE conduct of Russia during the American war had opened the eyes of the British cabinet to the true interests of the state: and it became daily more evident that a resistance to that domineering power was essential to the independency of Europe. Actuated by these sentiments, the courts of London and Berlin had instigated the Turks to defend their frontier against the encroachments of the empress and her Austrian ally. And that they might fix the Porte in warlike councils, they had availed themselves of the Swedish monarch's enmity to Catharine, his thirst of military glory, and his desire to preserve the independency of the Baltic states, to prevail on that enterprising prince to become the sultan's subsidiary ally, and to make a powerful diversion in his favour.-Great Britain and Prussia had hitherto effected their purposes by negotiation, and had prudently avoided involving themselves in a war of which they had been the abettors.-But some important changes had taken place on the continent, in the course of the late year, which rendered it expedient to adopt a correspondent line of policy. -The death of the emperor Joseph had been followed by a treaty of peace between Austria and the Porte, où terms very honourable to the Turks.— The Swedish king, not receiving the support he expected from the crowns of Great Britain and Prussia, and his resources being exhausted by the war, embraced the opportunity which Catharine's pacific disposition offered him to follow the emperor's example.-It was now evident that the sultan must soon yield to his triumphant enemy, unless effectual support should be given him by those powers which had instigated him to hostilities.

Frederic

Frederic William had dismissed his warlike minister, baron de Hertzberg, 1791 and had adopted the pacific councils which his successor in the administration recommended, and to which his own love of ease and sensual pleasure inclined him. But when he perceived the urgent occasion, he returned to that line of conduct which policy had originally induced him to adopt.— To stop the empress in her career of victory, who must otherwise eventually accomplish her purpose of gaining possession of Constantinople and establishing a subordinate empire there, or would, at least, force the sultan to submit to her tyranny, and to become entirely subservient to her dominion, the courts of London and Berlin began now to act more strenuously in support of a power whose existence was essential to the welfare of Europe.

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Negotiations for a peace had been carried on by the belligerent powers with the mediation of Great Britain and Prussia, which Catharine's demand rendered abortive. On intelligence of which, the premier delivered a message to the house of commons, importing, "that the endeavours which "his majesty had used in conjunction with his allies to effect a pacification having proved unsuccessful, he judged it requisite, in order to add weight to his representations, to make some further augmentation of his "naval force."-A strong opposition was made to the address proposed on this message; to which the minister replied by representing the wise policy of employing means to avert the evils which threatened us before the sword should fall on our own heads. And the result was that the motion was carried by a great majority, and that supplies were forthwith voted for making the proposed armament.-The effect of the warlike aspect assumed by Great Britain and her Prussian ally was evinced by the success of the negotiations which were this year resumed. Notwithstanding the Russian arms had lately been crowned with almost uninterrupted success, yet the empress discovered a disposition to peace: and the sultan, at length, despairing of obtaining better terms, consented to the cession of Oczakow and an adjoining district, which had been the chief subject of dispute; and a treaty was concluded at Sistove, which brought to a conclusion one of the most savage wars that ever disgraced a christian nation.

During these transactions relative to foreign politics, the public was

a Segur. 2. 135. 60. 74.

interested

1791

interested in the deliberations and measures of parliament relative to domestic affairs.-That liberal spirit, so congenial with the principles of christianity, was again discovered by the legislature in an extension of religious toleration.-Many of the laws against roman catholics, which had been enacted soon after the reformation, to guard the state against their machinations, still remained in force, though the danger ceased which had given occasion to them, and their extreme severity was universally acknowledged. There was at this time a large body of roman catholics in the kingdom who had, for the satisfaction of government, formally protested against the temporal power of the pope. Mr. Mitford, therefore, moved by the feelings of a generous mind towards these persons, proposed a bill, "to relieve, under certain restrictions, persons called protesting catholic "dissenters from certain penalties and disabilities to which papists are by "law subject."-This humane proposition was unanimously approved. And Mr. Fox, embracing every opportunity for the advancement of liberty proposed an amendment, to extend the benefit of the act to all roman catholics: but this was overruled; and the bill was passed in its original form.+

The advocates of freedom and friends of humanity were not so successful in their labours in the cause of the unfortunate negro slaves. From what had passed respecting them they promised themselves the satisfaction of seeing that reproach to the christian world done away, either by immediately abolishing it, or by some effectual steps for its gradual abolition.Mr. Wilberforce revived his proposition in the late session: and a select committee was appointed to hear evidence upon it.-The witnesses having been examined, he now moved for a bill, "to prevent the importation of African negroes into the British colonies." This motion he prefaced with a pathetic representation of the manner in which the slaves were obtained-their sufferings on shipboard-the cruelties exercised by their masters-and the influence which the state of slavery has on their morals and character. This address to the feelings of his audience he supported by arguments to remove the objections of those who are of opinion that a sufficient supply of labourers could not be obtained by propagation, and that the profits of

Our

+ March 1,

Annual Register. 95.

our plantations and the prosperity of our West India trade depended on the continuance of it.-He was supported by Mr. Pitt, Mr. Fox, and others, upon the principle of humanity and justice.-Their arguments were answered by sir W. Yonge, lord Sheffield, and several other speakers, who represented the treatment of the negroes in a more favourable light, and opposed the abolition of the trade upon the principle of expediency.— The nation had long been held in anxious suspense upon this interesting subject, when the philanthropists were finally disappointed by the rejection of the bill by a majority of 75 votes.*-As if it were to atone for the inhumanity of this decision, a bill was brought in and passed, "for chartering a company for the purpose of cultivating West Indian and other tropical products at Sierra Leone, on the African coast, by the use of "free negroes."-The success of this experiment, it was hoped by the friends of the negroes, might possibly lead to the accomplishment of their views at some distant period.

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The

This interesting subject is very elaborately treated of by Mr. Bryan Edwards, in his History of the British Colonies in the West Indies.-Though not an advocate for the practice of employing slaves or for the trade in slaves, he represents both in less horrid lights than those in which they are generally seen. He places the merits of both chiefly on the relative circumstances of the slaves in their original state, and those which they are placed in. The former he says on the authority of a well-informed person åre those of absolute slavery. "Most parts of the coast differ "in their governments," said his informer, "some are absolute monarchies; while others draw near to an aristocracy. In both, the authority of the chief or chiefs is unlimited, extending to life, and it is exercised as often as the criminal cases require, unless death is commuted into "slavery; in which case the offender is sold; and, if the shipping will not buy the criminal, he "is immediately put to death. The bulk of the people are born slaves to great men, reared as such, held as property, and as property sold."-[Edwards. 2. 103.]—With respect to the transporting of them, he admits that great abuses have been practised by the slave merchants, particularly by crowding their vessels, in order to make their trade more profitable. But he says, that the act lately passed for apportioning the number of slaves to the size of the vessel, if properly enforced, will prevent these in future.-With respect to their treatment by the planters, though he admits that cruelty is practised by some, he denies that it is common; and avers, on his personal information, that their treatment is not in general severe.—[122. 32. 43.]——Upon the whole, he declares himself an enemy to all slavery, a condition in which no human creature ought to exist: but, in order to prevent the abolition from being ruinous to the planters, and even prejudicial to the present slaves themselves, whose burthens would be increased by it, he wishes that it should be accomplished gradually, and that proper preparatory measures should be adopted to obviate the ill consequences of it. Moreover, that, in the mean-time, every precaution should be used to prevent. the abuses complained of, and more effectual means taken for the punishment of the cruel treatment of slaves.-Edwards's St. Domingo. 2. 151.

Annual Register. 94

d

Belsham. 4. 327..

1791

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