AMERICAN STATE PAPERS VOL 5

ISBN: 9781528160117 Géneros: JPA Sinópsis: Excerpt from American State Papers Vol 5 Documents Legislative and Executive of the Congress of the United States From the First Session of the First Congress to the Second Session of the ThirtyFifth Congress Inclusive Commencing March 4 1789 and Ending March 3 1859I have selected the island of Jamaica for the particular Object of my observations because it is equal in value to all the other islands and because it has proportionally greater resources The same observations will apply with still greater force to the other insular possessions of Great Britain In the West IndiesWhen we take into consideration the amount of British capital vested 1n the West Indies estimated many years ago by Bryan Edwards at the enormous sum of 70 000 000 sterling of the value and extent of the British shipping employed In the West India trade which in 1787 was no less than vessels or 155 009 tons and also the amount of the mercantile capital actively and usefully employed in this trade can we for one moment suppose that Great Britain will put in jeopardy the Whole or any considerable part of these important possessions merely to preserve to herself the comparatively small consideration Of monopolizing the carriage of our lumber and provisions in which we have a rational claim to participate Such a supposition but ill accords with the wary and calculating spirit that governs her commercial policyBut let us admit that deaf to all the suggestions of reason and common prudence she should persist in this course of interdiction are there no other considerations opposed to its operation Will she lay aside all regard to the comfort to the established habits and to the interests of her colonists which are identified with her own The charges incident to the cultivation of the favored island of Jamaica are already so high that on an average the estates of that island scarcely pay the legal interest of the capitals vested in them and it i