against negroes, see 35. amongst us, exasperated by a desperate fortune, he might For laws with more advantage than Cataline kindle a Servile War. Such a man might be dreadfully mischeivous before any above, No. opposition could be formd against him, and tinge our Rivers as wide as they are with blood. besides the Calamitys which wou[1]d be brought upon us by such an Attempt, it woud cost our Mother Country many a fair Million to make us as profitable as we are at present. It were therefore worth the consideration of a British Parliament, My Lord, to put an end to this unchristian Traffick of makeing Merchandize of Our Fellow Creatures. At least the farthar Importation of them into our Our Colonys shoud be prohibited lest they prove as troublesome and dangerous everywhere, as they have been lately in Jamaica, where besides a vast expence of Mony, they have cost the lives of many of his Majesty's Subjects. We have mountains in Virginia too, to which they may retire as safely, and do as much mischeif as they do in Jamaica. All these matters duly consider[e]d, I wonder the Legislature will Indulge a few ravenous Traders to the danger of the Publick safety, and such Traders as woud freely sell their Fathers, their Elder Brothers, and even the Wives of their bosomes, if they coud black their faces and get anything by them. On the contrary, the English government cancolonial statutes limiting or taxing the trade. celled all See below, for John Brown's raid, No. 112, I entirely agree with your Lord" in the Detestation you seem to have for that Diabolical Liquor Rum, which dos more mischeif to Peoples Industry and morals than any thing except Gin and the Pope. And if it were not a little too Poetical, I shoud fancy, as the Gods of Old were said to quaff Nectar, so the Devils are fobbd off with Rumm. Fobb'd= Tho' my Dear Country Men woud think this unsavory Spirit tricked. much too Good for Devils, because they are fonder of it than they are of their Wives and Children American Historical Review (New York, etc., 1896), I, 88–90. By ALEXANDER GRAYDON (1752-1818), author, lawyer, and for a time captain in the continental army. His memoirs are a most inter- which details ch. xiv. 47. A Colonial School-Boy (1760–1766) EING now, probably, about eight years of age, it was deemed expedient to enter me at the academy, then, as it now continues to be, under the name of a university, the principal seminary in Pennsylvania; and I was accordingly introduced by my father, to Mr. Kinnesley, the teacher of English and professor of oratory. . . . The task, of the younger boys, at least, consisted in learning to read and to write their mother tongue grammatically; and one day in the week (I think Friday) was set apart for the recitation of select passages in poetry and prose. For this purpose, each scholar, in his turn, ascended the stage, and said his speech, as the phrase was. This speech was carefully taught him by his master, both with respect to its pronunciation, and the action deemed suitable to its several parts. . . . More profit attended my reading. After Æsop's fables, and an abridgment of the Roman history, Telemachus was put into our hands; and if it be admitted that the human heart may be bettered by instruction, mine, I may aver, was benefited by this work of the virtuous Fenelon. A few days after I had been put under the care of Mr. Kinnersley, I was told by my class mates, that it was necessary for me to fight a battle with some one, in order to establish my claim to the honor of being an academy boy. I found that the lists were appointed, and that a certain John Appowen, a lad who, though not quite so tall, [was] yet better set and older than myself, was pitted against me. . . A combat immediately ensued between Appowen and myself, which for some time, was maintained on each side, with equal vigor and determination, when unluckily, I received his fist directly in my gullet. The blow for a time depriving me of breath and the power of resistance, victory declared for my adversary, though not without the acknowledgment of the party, that I had at last behaved well, and shewn myself not unworthy of the name of an academy boy. . . . I have said that I was about to enter the Latin school. The person whose pupil I was consequently to become, was Mr. John Beveridge, a native of Scotland, who retained the smack of his vernacular tongue in its primitive purity. His acquaintance with the language he taught, was I believe, justly deemed to be very accurate and profound. But as to his other acquirements, after excepting the game of backgammon, in which he was said to excel, truth will not warrant me in saying a great deal. He was, however, diligent and laborious in his attention to his school; and had he possessed the faculty of making himself beloved by the scholars, and of exciting their emulation and exertion, nothing would have been wanting in him to an entire qualification for his office. But unfortunately, he had no dignity of character, and was no less destitute of the art of making himself respected than beloved. Though not perhaps to be complained of as intolerably severe, he yet made a pretty free use of the ratan and the ferule, but to very little pur as my evil star would have it, I was thoroughly tired of books and confinement, and her [his mother's] advice and even entreaties were overruled by my extreme repugnance to a longer continuance in the college, which, to my lasting regret, I bid adieu to when a little turned of fourteen, at the very season when the minds of the studious begin to profit by instruction. We were at this time reading Horace and Cicero, having passed through Ovid, Virgil, Cæsar and Sallust. [Alexander Graydon] Memoirs of a Life, chiefly passed in Pennsylvania (Harrisburg, 1811), 16-31 passim. Flogging was discipline in the common schools. By JAMES head of the 1718. The year after he became secretary he re CHAPTER VIII-COLONIAL GOVERN MENT 48. The English Council for Trade and Plantations (1715) THE Board was erected about fifteen years since, as are HE Board was erected about fifteen Years since, as has directed to enquire into the severall obstructions of Trade, and the means of removing the same And particularly to inform themselves of the condition of the respective Plantacolonies from tions, as well with regard to the Government and administration of Justice in those places, as the Commerce thereof. And to consider how the Collonys there may be eased, and ferred to the secured, and rendered more beneficial to England. To look into Governors Instructions, and see what is fit to be added omitted or changed in them. To take an account yearly by way of Journal of the administrations of such Governments. To hear Complaints of oppressions and Male-Administrations from the Plantations. To examine into and weigh given forms a such Acts as shall be passed in the Plantation Assemblys, Lords of scheme or treatise relating to the plantations, i.e. colonies, of which the extract here part. The piece is a good ex ample of official records as a source of historical knowledge. For principles of English control, see Contemporaries, I, ch. vii; and to consider whether they are fit for his Majesty to consent to, and establish for Laws. And upon these and severall other heads to make representations to his Majesty of such regulations as are fit to be made in the Plantations. As by a Copy of the said Commission will more fully appear. If this power had bin always vested in persons of knowledge and Integrity, to whom the plantation Affairs were well known and [who were] unanimous in the design of promoting the publick service only, it might have produced much good. But there having bin many persons at severall times put into that Commission for different reasons then [than] their ability to discharge such a trust (as is well known) it has not hitherto produced such effects as might be expected from it. And it was impossible that Board should make a right Judgment of wrongs, oppressions, and Male administrations, and of Acts, sent from the Plantations to be passed into Laws, or be able to represent what regulations were fit to be made in the Governments, and administration of Justice, unless some at that Board had a perfect and personal knowledge of the nature of the Plantations, and of the people, as likewise of their different Laws and Constitutions. Many instances might be here given of many incredible things done, and omitted by that Board, but since the design. of this is not to reflect on past miscarriages but to prevent the like for the future, and since there is now reason to expect from his Majesty's Wisdom, and the Justice and prudence of his ministers that the said Councill will be in a short time better filled, two instances need only be now mentioned. "Board of Commissioners for Trade and Plantaally called tions," usu "Lords of Trade." structions the home gov ernment laid colonial policy. The English applied a policy proEnglish down its government They are by the said Commission directed to examine and In the inlook into the usual Instructions given to Governors, and to see if anything may be added, omitted or changed therein to advantage. As likewise to consider what trades are taken up and exercised in the Plantations which are or may be prejudicial to England. They have accordingly had the consideration and setling of all such Instructions, in which nevertheless a clause has bin constantly incerted commanding Governors to endeavour, and encourage the setting of Workhouses to set the poor at work, and many Manufactures are made in the Collonys on the Continent of America, which encrease daily, so that in time they may supply our Sugar Collonys, as well as themselves with things that make a great part of our British Trade, to our great prejudice, and contrary to the Pollicy of all other Nations. tective to manufactur ers. |