HISTORY OF EUROPE.

vice, in which they were alhamed to draw their fwords.

On the other fide it was ob- ferved, that an amazing fund of tendernels and humanity had been difplayed in favour of the Caribbs, while the fmallelt degree of either wa: refufed to our natural-born fubjeifts and countrymen, who had purchafed eftates at high prices from the crown, under the fanétion of its protection and fecurity, and whofe lives and fortunes were at {lake in the event of the prefent expedition. That the charge of injultice was ill founded, as the yellow Caribbs, who were the aborigines, and real proprietors of the ifland, were in no degree af- fected by except only f0 far as they would obtain fecurity by the reduction or removal of a cruel and perfidious race of favages, by whom they had been nearly exterminated; that it could not be pretended that the black Caribbs had any legal or na- tural rights in the ifland, but thofe which they had obtained through the kindnefs and hofpitality of the natives; and that thofe rights would; in the eye of the ftriclell jullice, have been fully cancelled by their fubfcquent conduct and ingra- titude.

That the charge of cruelty was equally ill founded; the removal of the black Caribbs being the lal’: refort; and only to be put in exe- cution in cafe of their proving fo incorrigible, that all means would be found ineffectual for reducing them to fuch a {late of fubmiflion to government, as was abfolutely neeelfary, not only for the fecurity but the prefervation of the illand ; that even in that lall extremity, the meafure of tranfportation was

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guarded from being accompanied with any circumliances of cruelty, or even of hardfhip, except thofe which might be fuppofed to arife from their feelings, on quitting a country in which they had hitherto lived, and going to another equally fit for them, but with which they were not yet acquainted; that whe- ther they were removed to the coatl of Africa, or to the ifland of St. Matthew, care had been taken that they were to have fufiicient lands afiigned for their fupport, and were to be laid down in nearly the fame degrees oflatitude and climate, and in a country furnilhed with much the fame advantages as to fifhing and hunting, which they had en--

the prefent meafures, joyed at St. Vincent’s.

It was faid, that government had neither adopted the views, nor been milled by the fchemes of interefled planters; that it had duly weighed as well the circumllances of the illancl as the reprefentations of the governor, council, and affembly, together with thofe of the com- millioners for the fale of lands; that, as the Caribbs were poffeffcd of near two-thirds of the profitable lands, and the French inhabitants of a great part of the remainder, it was evident, that we never could in that fiate have a natural intereft or llrength in the ifland fufficieht for its fecurity; that as thefe lands were of no particular value to the Caribbs, who had nei- ther means nor inclination to cul- tivate them, equitable terms had been repeatedly propofecl to them for an exchange, all of which they not only contumacioully rejetfled, but daringly difclaimcd all allegi- ance to the King, and refufed all obedience to government. As to the llriéltircs that had been paffcd

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