ledged right, by the law of nations, to feize enemies goods whenever they can be found, if the victors are not reftrained from doing fo under fome compact or capitulation. Seizures of a fimilar nature to that made by us at Martinique have been made in every war for many years paft; as for inftance, at Vigo in 1703, at Paita in 1745, at Senegal in 1759, at the Havannah in 1763, at Omoa in 1780, and at St. Eustatius in 1781. The property taken at the laft-mentioned place included all the goods and effects, of every delcription, found upon the jfland, except fome inconfiderable quantities given up to a few individuals, and yet no inftructions were given to the Admiral and General for making fuch a feizure. It was however afterwards approved by his Majefly, and a grant made of the whole property taken in favour of the captors. In the conference between your Grace and the Merchants it feems to have been taken for granted, that the proclamations complained of by them were inconfiftent with that of the 1st of January. If your Grace will refer to the latter you will find, that in the event of the terms offered by it not being acceded to, all perfons acting in defiance of it were to be treated as enemies, and expofed to all the evils which the operations of war would neceffarily bring, both on their perfons and poffeffions." In this predicament were all the in-. habitants of the conquered iflands, and confequently all our fubfequent orders ought to be confidered as iffued against perfons fubject to all the rights and feverities of war. And although your Grace feems to have been of opinion, that in exercifing those rights we were unauthorised by any " power," other than the force we commanded; yet, upon a reconfideration of the fubject, we are perfuaded your Grace will find, that we poffeffed all the power veiled in his Majefty as fovereign of the ftate, whofe force we commanded, and were not only warranted, but in duty bound, to exercife the rights of war in fuch manner as we fhould think most likely to meet with his Majesty's approbation, regard being had to the inftructions with which he had honoured us. In the fituation in which we were placed, much was left to our difcretion. His Majesty pointed out to us the objects he wished to accomplish, but the means were left to us; and with respect to all inferior objects, they were left to our management, without any inftructions whatever. If we have exceeded or abused the powers delegated to us, we are not only amenable to his Majefty in a court military, but to all individuals in the ordinary courts of juftice. We are perfuaded, that neither your Grace, nor any other of his Majefty's minifters, will think us objects of cenfure on the ground of mere unexecuted intentions, even if they should be found to have originated in error or mistake. We are convinced, that it never occurred to the inhabitants of the captured iflands, that we had treated them with unwarranted feverity, until the idea was fuggefted to them by British traders, who had interefted views to anfwer. Our conduct was approved by the principal planters and the public officers of the islands, as your Grace will perceive by the teftimonials which we take the liberty to fubjoin. Various mifre prefentations having been circulated as to the value and extent of the the property feized, it is proper that your Grace fhould be informed, that the whole which was taken, both afloat and on thore (excepting arms and ftores), produced only 183,000l., our proportion of which, fhould it not be diminished by claims or litigation, or by difhonoured bills, will be 11,4371. each. We trust your Grace will excufe our having entered at fuch great length into the difcution of the fubject, as we confider our perfonal honour, and the reputation we have hitherto held in fociety, as feriously attacked. We have the honour to be, &c. 7th March 1795. CHARLES GREY. Tefimonials addreffed to Sir Charles Grey. The Committee eftablished this day at St. Pierre by me is hereby anthorised to give, when required fo to do by the Staff Officers of the army, and efpecially by Colonel Myers and Major Grey, all neceffary orders to procure from the ftores of the different individuals the articles that may be found therein fuitable for the fervice, and the public cheft fhall be anfwerable for the value thereof; provided nevertheless the said articles be not liable to confiscation. They are alfo to deliver all neceffary orders to get from the general ftore the articles found therein, and required for the fervice. And, finally, they are hereby authorised to direct the inhabitants, and other individuals, to find the negroes or cattle neceffary for the fervice. St. Pierre, Martinique, the 18th February 1794. Thomas Dundas. We, the former members of the Committee appointed for Government by his Excellency General Dundas, in the town of St. Pierre, do hereby certify and affert, that this is a true copy of the power given to us by the faid General to procure from the feveral individuals what articles were neceffary for the fervice of the navy; and moreover, that thofe articles have been accordingly provided for, on our fluing written orders for the fame; and that they have been delivered by the different inhabitants only by our giving them the certainty of their being paid, agreeable to the above-mentioned or ders, having informed them thereof, and the original being now in our hands. We do furthermore declare, that, except the produce feized in the harbour, and in the ftores of this town, no fort of goods whatever, being French property, has been confifcatel here, and that the fhops in particular have never been molefted. In teftimony whereof we have hereunto fet our hands, at (Signed) Cafala, Fatquin, jun. Borde, Pecoul Is the underwritten King's Attorney in the court of justice of St. Pierre, do hereby certify, that the above fignatures are well known to be thofe of the former commiffaries of Government. In tefti mony whereof I have hereunto fet my hand, and the feal of the court. St. Pierre, Martinique, the 14th day of November 1794. Regnaudin. A true translation by the fworn interpreter. May it please your Excellency, Chs. Sorin. If the island of Martinique now enjoys any degree of happiness, it is to your wife administration alone that we are indebted for it. It was not enough to have conquered the colony; it was befides neceffary to infure its tranquillity. An active vigilance and feasonable meafures have put this ifland, the most valuable in these seas, out of the reach of the enemy's intrigues and depredations. As for us, who have been happy enough to co-operate with your Excellency in maintaining good order in the town of St. Pierre, we confefs that it is wholly to the protection with which your Excellency honoured us, and to the confidence which he placed in our abilities, that our fuccefs is to be attributed. We fhall ever be mindful of your Excellency's kindness. To the fentiments with which we are impreffed let him allow us to add, the affurance of the moft fincere and unfeigned attachment. This homage, which springs from the heart, is the faithful expreffion of our gratitude. Sir Charles Grey's happiness will ever be the object of our prayer. The Members of the Court of Common Pleas at (Signed) Aftorg, Judge; Catala, Substitute to the King's At- 2d ditto; Jaguim, Register; Borde, 2d Register. Abflrad from the Records of the Superior Council of Martinique. MARTINIQUE. This day the Court, anxious to give to his Excellency Sir Charles Grey a proof of the extreme fatisfaction they have felt during the time of his adminiftration, and of the infinite concern with which they are impreffed by his Excellency's departure from this colony; Refolves, That Meffrs. Clarke, the fenior magiftrate of the Court, and Menant, one of the Magiftrates, fhall be appointed to exprefs to his Excellency the fentiments of the Court, when they will prefent to him a copy of the prefent refolves. Given in Superior Council, this 22d day of November 1794. Roignan, Regifter. (Signed) (Seal.) Sealed this 22d day of November 1794. (Signed) Borde. A true tranflation. Given under the hand and feal of the fworn interpreter of the colony of St. Pierre, Martinique, the 24th day of November 1794. Chs. Sorin. Martia Martinique-prefented the 24th November 1794. Addrefs to his Excellency Sir Charles Grey, Knight of the Bath, General, &c. &c. &c. Sir, Anarchy, and all the crimes by which it is furrounded, had spread its empire over the French colonies. Your Excellency led here a triumphant army. All has been fubdued by you, except the climate. Neceffary precautions have determined the fevere meafures by which Martinique has been preferved from fresh calamities. To the triumph of arms your Excellency has united the wifdom of adminiftration, and you carry with you the double glory of having con quered enemies, and bound to you the hearts of his Majefty's new fubjects. (Seal.) (Seal.) (Signed) Clarke, Menant. A true translation. Given under the hand and feal of the fworn Winterpreter of the colony-St. Pierre, Martinique, the 24th day of November 1794. Charles Sorin. Copy of a Letter written to M. de Curt, Deputy of the Colony of Martinique, in London, and addreffed to him by Monf. la Hante, appointed for that purpose by the Superior Council Fort Royal, 8th November 1794 By the refolves of the Superior Council, which I have the honour to tranfmit to you, Sir, you will fee that the Court, in appointing me Commiffary for the purpose of carrying on a regular correfpondence with you, has efpecially directed me to inform you of its opinion on the meafures taken by his Excellency Sir Charles Grey to fecure the tranquillity of this colony. The Court has had fome reafon to believe, Sir, that perfons, moved by various motives, have endeavoured to throw fome blame on the operations of his Excellency concerning the individuals fent away, and whofe refidence in this ifland would have hazarded the fafety, not only of Martinique but of all the Weft Indies. The Court thinks that it is its duty to undeceive, as much as it is in its power to do fo, his Majesty's minifters, that they might not fuffer themfelves to be impofed upon; and this is what I am directed to let then know through you. The proclamations iffued by the commanders in chief at the time they attacked Martinique, and which probably had been penned agreeable to the directions they had, thefe proclamations had before-hand declared the meafures that have been taken fince-full of clemency, while they held forth a pardon to all thofe who would oppofe no refiftance, and even fheltered them from the criminal pro fecution of the law, for all the heinous and fanguinary acts of which they had been guilty-they in the mean time had made however a fpecial fpecial referve, which they declared to be unavoidably fulfilled, viz. the fending away all guilty people, and all individuals dangerous to fociety, in a country where his Majefty's intention was to re-eftablifh the reign of good order and laws. So evidently neceffary was this measure, that it feems needlefs to prove it and indeed of what was compofed the fet of people of which his Excellency Sir Charles Grey has endeavoured to exonerate the colony? Whites, moftly ftained with crimes, all inftigators or agents of deftruction or conflagration-people of colour entirely loft in guilt; and flaves armed against their mafters. It certainly would have met the general with, if in each of thofe claffes the public punishment of fome of the moft guilty individuals had ferved as an example to terrify the audacity of whomfoever would prefume to involve again the colony in fresh difturbances; but by forbearing to put in force fuch severity, advantageous as it was, it became the more neceffary to remove fo many people, whofe impunity could' only entice them to commit crimes again. Could any tranquillity be expected in the colony, by forcing the colonifts to remain fur. rounded by all those who had murdered their relations, their friends! who had plundered and committed to the flames their property, and who were fill in the fame difpofition of mind? Could the commanders in chief, with the fmall forces they had, preserve' under the dominion of Great Britain this country, where fo many individuals avowed ftill publicly these fentiments, contrary to the new government; and declared, in an open manner, that they expected! nothing but a little affiftance from the Convention to be mafters again, and deliver up the colonists to the guillotine? And fhould' this be looked upon as a bare affertion, let the truth of it be judged by a reflection on the events of Guadaloupe. This colony, which had juft paffed to the British Government, had been only partly cleared as yet of the dangerous individuals it contained. A fmalf armament from the republic arrives; the republican chiefs are at firft at a lofs; they heĥitate, and are almoft ready to quit the coaft but from every point of the fhore they receive information; they are apprifed of the weakness of the garrifon, and of every circumftance that may be favourable to their enterprise; they are invited to make an attempt; they do it, and are foon joined by all the perfidious enemies which Guadaloupe ftill concealed, and by all thofe who had not been removed far enough not to meet again at the first opportunity. What has been the confequence of this? You know it too well, Sir. By thefe events the fafety of the old and new possesfions of Great Britain in the West Indies has been and is ftill in peril. Therefore it is now very evident (for all those who are not led by particular intereft to think, or to seem to think otherwise) that far from having exceeded the line of precaution neceffary on that point, authority has remained within it. |