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ready stated, assume that it was for the intereft of the country to maintain our colonial poffeffions; and he would give this as an anfwer to the Honourable Gentleman who made the Motion, as well as to the extract from that elegant pamphlet which he had read. At the fame time he would remind the Houfe of the peculiar injuftice with which he and his friends were treated on this point.

When troops were first sent to the continent, to protect Holland and the Netherlands, the Houfe would recollect that they were arraigned from the oppofite fide of the Houfe for neglecting the West India Colonies; he begged of Gentlemen then, as they must attack him, to attack him confiftently, and not at one time to attack him for neglecting, and at another for preferving, the West India Colonies. No longer ago than last spring a very heavy attack was made upon him, in order to prove that the West Indies had been entirely neglected: he had repelled the attack, and proved to the Houfe that the charge was totally groundless; and this day he was called upon to defend himself against a charge of a directly oppofite nature. The Ifland of St. Domingo was the object of this day's attack, and an endeavour was made to prove that we should never have attempted to get poffeffion of it, and that having got a part of it, we fhould directly abandon it. If it was, as it had always been held to be, right policy in this country to make it the principle object of any war to protect our own Weft India Colonies, and annoy those of the Enemy, then fo far the Ifland of St. Domingo was a great object, not only to fecure ourfelves, but to leffen the maritime power of France: for, was it ever yet ftated by any man, that it was at all to be doubted, that the naval power of France always refted almoft entirely for its fupport and ftrength on their poffeffion of the Ifland of St. Domingo. If Gentlemen would take the pains to inquire into the point, they would find this affertion confirmed beyond all poffibility of difpute; for they would fee, that when France had full poffeffion of it, the exports of that Island amounted to no lefs than feven millions fterling. This was at the reduced price fugars then bore; but, at the price which fugars bring at the prefent day, the exports of St. Domingo would amount to full ten millions fterling; and the men employed in the trade were the foundation of the maritime power of France, and the foundation of its commerce. The Inland of St. Domingo alone produced one third more than all the British West India Islands, Jamaica itfelf included. So that he was well warranted in saying, that the fugar-trade of Europe was, by the poffeffion of that important Ifland, almost wholly in the poffeffion of France: and whatever afforded ground for trade, afforded also ground for maritime ftrength. Even in that folitary

1388 PARLIAMENTARY CHRONICLE. [COMMONS. point of view, being engaged in a war with France, was he wrong to aflume, that if it was poffible to difpofess men of such a vaft refource, it was the very beft poffible appropriation of the forces of this country? It was, in fact, a meritorious object, and was therefore of itfelf a fufficient answer to the objections of the Honourable Gentleman.

But he had ftated it much too narrowly indeed, when he spoke of it as it affected the interefts of France only for the poffeffion of St. Domingo: it was aifo the protection of our own refources, and of the maritime power, which we derived from the poffeffion of Jamaica. At all times, while a war fubfifted between Great Britain and France, Jamaica was the object of our continual anxiety and folicitude: for from the contiguity, and local fitua tion of Domingo, as well as from the innumerable harbours with which the coaft of that Inland is indented, it was always affumed as a fact, and, indeed, fo plain as to be, reduced to an axiom, that Jamaica was in continual danger from it. Every foldier, therefore---every failor---every fhip that was fent to St. Domingo was fent to Jamaica. The Hon. Gentleman himself had admitted, that the harbour of Nicola Mole was of great ufe; it was, indeed, of incalculable value to us---a harbour which com manded the whole windward paffage would be allowed by any Gentleman in the Houfe to be at least material to us. were topics which were maintained in all wars, and which he Thele would maintain now. But it did not rest here---it was yet to be confidered what the fituation of St. Domingo was during the period of the war. He begged leave to correct a mistake the Honourable Gentleman had fallen into, when he faid the calamities of St. Domingo had arifen from our fending troops there. This was by no means founded in fact or reafon.

The Houfe would recollect, that long previous to the commencement of the war, there was a dangerous infurrection of Negroes in that Ifland, and Lord Effingham, who was then Governor of Jamaica, fent a force to it to protect the Government of it from the Infurgents. This infurrection, though it was checked from time to time, was never completely quelled; but that very circumstance juftified the measure: for on our connection with St. Domingo depended folely the safety of Jamaica. The House, in confidering this queftion, would take into confideration, that in this war a fcene unheard of, and a policy unexampled, was purfued. The French not only abandoned their ow.. Ilands to infurrection, but promoted it, and endeavoured to make the Negroes in all parts, and in our own Islands, inftruments to avenge them on this country. He put it to the Honourable Gentleman himself, whether, fuppofing every other reafon out of the queftion, Great Britain could re

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main an indifferent spectator of a body of five thousand Negroes in infurrection, and poffeffed of uncontrolled power, in an Ifland contiguous to their Colonies? Was there any man who would agree, that if the Negroes, being in that ftate, had been permitted to proceed, and gaining ftrength, had extirpated the Planters, Jamaica would be worth one years purchase? or that the lives and properties of the Planters of Jamaica would be fafe? Was there the fame invafion of Jamaica that there was of Grenada from Guadaloupe? No: for St. Domingo was in our poffeffion. Our firft connection arofe from being importuned by the Planters to take the I land under the dominion of England. The question then to be confidered was this, was it advifeable to clofe with that folicitation? And was it not matter of felf-defence to prevent their being over-run with infurrections of Negroes?

As to the mortality, the Honourable Gentleman had not gone fo far as to charge any one with an intention of taking poffeffion of an Island that they knew would be fatal to the troops, for the purpose of cutting them off. But the Houfe would recollect that infalubrity was not the character of St. Domingo. Even when the yellow fever attacked the troops it was not peculiar to that Island, for it raged in every other. When Sir Charles Grey went to Saint Domingo the yellow fever did not prevail. And Governor Williamfon wrote (which letter Mr. Dundas read) that nothing marked the healthfulness of the climate more than that not one man had died in it, but two of wounds. After that it was fuppofed that the contagion would ceafe, and the Island be reftored to its priftine falubrity; and that it would not be the unhealthy grave which the Honourable Gentleman had stated.

Mr. Dundas then proceeded to fhew, that other Administrations, and good ones, had fent troops on expeditions to a much more deleterious climate. At the Havannah, for inftance, Lord Albermarle went there with near twelve thousand troops, and between June and October five thousand men were left dead there, fo that there were more men loft in that one spot in a few months, than in the West India Islands in four years of this war. Yet that war was reckoned glorious.

When therefore it was the effect of the poffeffion of that Island to bring down the Maritime Power of France, and fave Jamaica from devaftation, when it was confidered what the calamities would be, if a large body of Infurgent Negroes, murdering the Planters, men, women, and children in St. Domingo, would extend their system of infurrection to Jamaica, and that this was prevented; would the Honourable Gentleman fay that the caufe of humanity would have gained any thing by abstaining from taking poffeffion of St. Domingo.

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As to the expences, confidering the magnitude of the object, they were not fo great;--they were laid out under Officers who were inftructed to be careful, and who he believed were fo, and whofe accounts were under investigation; but he must fay the Officers were in a delicate fituation---they had many things to plead in defence of not exercifing ftrict œconomy, and would perhaps have reasons to give for the expences, which forbad the House at this time deciding upon it. It was rather unfair, however, in the Honourable Gentleman, to accufe Minifters of a job, when there was only one perfon whose appointment was made in this country. Ministers, however, he faid, had taken a decided plan, and given inftructions prohibiting the expence of Civil and Military Eftablishments in that Ifland (excepting the Garrison) from exceeding 300,000l.

But admitting as the Honourable Gentleman did that the Harbour of Nicola Mole was the best in the West Indies, could he be serious when he propofed to abandon it, and leave the whole without protection, to the people who had enabled us to make head against France? and to fuffer the Negro infurrections to ruin that Ifland and fpread the fame deftruction to Jamaica? or if it was even to pass from us to France, would it be advisable to give up such a stake, which would be so great a material in Negotiation. To fhew that it had not all the time been unproductive to us, he stated that 1796, the part of St. Domingo in our poffeffion produced a Million and an Half, and employed above 400 fhips. Upon the whole, therefore, he oppofed the Motion.

Mr. Wilberforce faid, that upon this fubject he should rather lay in his claim for future difcuffion, than enter into it at length now. He was forry that he could not fubfcribe to the argument of his Right Honourable Friend. In the first place, he had contended that this war was not conducted by the French upon the fame principle as former wars; and yet he had juftified the conduct of Minifters, who had adopted the fame plan of operations that was pursued on former occafions. Inftead of this mode it appeared to him that the wifest fyftem of policy we could adopt, would have been rather to guard our own poffeffions against the deftructive attacks of the French, than to extend them. Poffeffions in the West Indies were formerly extremely different from what they are now: for fince the fyftem adopted by the French, new poffeffiens were rather a curfe than an advantage. The Right Honourable Gentleman, in contending for the advantage of our conquefts in St. Domingo, had fpoken of its immenfe value; and yet afterwards, he faid, that it was reduced to the moft deplorable ftate of anarchy before we attempted to attack it. The Right Honourable Gentleman faid, the poffeffion

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of St. Domingo operated to prevent attacks upon our other iflands; but the fact did not fupport that argument: for Victor Hugues, with 1000 blacks, attacked Guadaloupe, and drove out 8 or 9500 of our troops; and fuppofe, at the end of the war, the Brigands fhould, as it was poffible they might, remain in the poffefion of St. Domingo, then they would be able to attack Jamaica. His Right Honourable Friend had alluded to the opinion of officers; they certainly were entitled to great refpect, but ftill he thought the fubject was left in doubt, and that another difcuffion was neceflary. Our true policy appeared to be to fhut up ourfelves within our own poffeffions, and not to attempt to make new conquefts. He had been led into thefe, obfervations from what had fallen from his Right Honourable Friend; but, upon the whole, he was compell.d to give his negative to the Motion.

Mr. B. Edwards faid, he was in fome degree qualified to give an opinion upon this fubject, because he had made the state of St. Domingo his peculiar ftudy. An offer was made, through him, in the year 1791, by the Planters, to furrender the Island to Great Britain; but it was not then thought proper to interfere in the affairs of France. In the year 1793, the fame offer was made, and inftructions were fent out to Sir A. Williamson, who was nevertheless left to his own difcretion. The force in Jamaica was at that time very fmall; but it was faid, that as soon as the British force appeared before St. Domingo, the Inland would furrender. If Sir A. Williamfon had not been of that opinion, he would not have attempted the conqueft. The regular force in the Ifland of St. Domingo amounted to about 3000 men; the Commiffioners brought out 8000 men, and the Militia was about 9000 men; and to these were to be added about 5000 Renegado Negroes---in all about 25,000 men. Our force amounted to only 890 men; fo that Sir A. Williamson must have had great reliance on the Planters declaring in our favour; but he was unfortunately deceived, for the Planters were overawed. Mr. Edwards then proceeded to detail the circumftances of the va rious attempts that were made upon the Ifland of St. Domingo, and concluded with giving his vote against the Motion.

Mr. Fox rofe for the purpofe of faying only a few words. A Right Honourable Gentleman (Mr. Dundas) had affixed upon him a charge of inconfiftency, in at one time accufing him of fending too few, and at another time of fending too many men to the Weft Indies. He pleaded guilty to the charge, but denied the inconfiftency. If a Weft India expedition was to be undertaken for the purpose of making and defending new conquefts, he contended now, as he did then, that Sir Charles Grey was fent with too small a force. But where was the in No. 38. confiftency

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