in the Island, he has merited their unbounded gratitude; and as an interefting historian, his pages will be read with fentible pleasure; but the caufe itfelf must be tried by an impartial jury, by the community; for it is a molt important one, as it is attempted in this work to establish it as a prece. dent; and though, in the prefent inflance, it was not carried into effect, fo as to produce the bloody cataftrophes that might have enfued, we can not foresee the refult of the example being followed upon any future occafion, if fuch a principle is introduced, as a permanent political maxim, "founded on the authority of the mot celebrated writers on public

law."

It now becomes our duty to give the cafe, as it is stated in Letter IX., the firit in the fecond volume." Neither the energy and determined activity of Lord Balcarres, nor the skill, bravery, and fuccefles, of General Walpole, feemed to avail in the Maroon war, The whole range of Cockpits was open to the enemy: if annoyed in one, they chofe another; and the contest had all the appearance of being an endless evil, or rather one that threatened the entire destruction of the Island; for had this body of Maroons evinced that their rebellion was not a temporary struggle, but a permanent and fuccefsful oppofition to Government, it is highly probable that the example might in time have united all the turbulent fpirits among the flaves in a fimilar experiment, if not in the fame interest; or indeed such a decided triumph might have tempted numbers of the plantation negroes, unwilling before to change a state of peace for warfare, to join the Maroons: at all events, they would have been a rallying point for every discontented flave, and for all who, dreading punishment, were in cited by their fears to escape. The lives of the Colonists must have been fpent in continual terror; maffacres and depredation would have spread throughout the country; and all the credit of the land in Great Britain would have funk to nothing. To complete this miferable picture, the foreign enemy, when fully affured of the ftate of the colony, would, though unable to make a defcent, have kept the coats in conftant alarm, and found means to maintain the fpirit of rebellion, and perhaps to fupply the rebels with arms.

A peace by fupplication, as the terrors of fome had led them to propole, would have been equally fatal and more difgraceful. It was in this state of affairs, and while General Walpole, whofe firmnefs had refcued the Iland from the fhame of a precipitate avowal of defpondence and inability, was bent on compelling the Maroons to licit terms, that an unpremeditated converfation gave rife to circumitances that eventually put an end to a wa, in which force and military skill might have been foiled many years.

"Colonel Quarrell, who had been upon tervice with the troops in the Mountains, was compelled by the state of his health to leave the head-quarters, and to go down to the fea-fhore. There he met with an intelligent Spaniard, who, talking with him on the itate of the Island, related an event, to which the Colonel paid the utmost attention, as he thought the ideas it fuggested might prove of importance to the country. It feems, that fome years before, when the British fettlers abandoned the Musquito fhore to the Spaniards, the latter were oppofed by the native Indians, who had always fhewn the most determined enmity to them. They attempted in vain to take poffeffion of the country by means of a military force: in the course of a few months they loft, from furprises and ambushes, nearly three regiments. Compelled to abandon the place, or fall upon fome plan to counteract the Indian warfare, they imported from Cuba thirty-fix dogs and twelve chaleurs (huntfmen): thefe auxiliaries were more formidable than the finest regiment of the most warlike nation could have been; and from the time of their being employed, neither furprife nor ambula annoyed the troops, the Spaniards foon fucceeded in expelling the Musquito Indians from the territory on the coalt, and quietly occupied Black River, Blue Fields, and Cape Gracios a Deos. In whatever light the Philanthropit may view means of the gentleft kind when used to drive men from their native land, he cannot justly blame the harshest adopted at home, when felf-prefervation is the end propofed. Had the cafe been reverfed, had the Indians employed dogs in driving away the Spaniards, and keeping them from their country, fatif faction, and not horror, would have been the emotion excited. It occurred to Colonel Quarrell, that the affistance

of

of a certain number of the Cuba chaf feurs would be attended with happy effects: he forefaw, that the very terror they would fpread would induce the Maroons to fubmit on proper terms; - and he argued, that even if the Com. mander in Chief were compelled to bring them into actual service, it would be better, and more for the interelt of humanity, that fome of the rebels should be thus destroyed, than that the mott barbarous mafficres fhould be committed on the inhabitants, and the colony ruined. Swayed by thefe motives, he fuggefted the fcheme to the Speaker and feveral Members of the Houfe of Affembly, to be laid before the Lieutenant-Governor. The Houfe, however, mifconceived the plan: in their anxiety to fpare the lives of the troops in fo unequal a warfare, they approved of the means propofed, but contented themfelves with recommending that a pecuniary, encouragement fhould be given to the Spaniards trading to the north fide of the Inland to bring over a few dogs, in order to fee what effect the importation would have. Colonel Quarrell, who had now retained the Spaniard with whom he had converfed, and two others, in his pay, preffed the conducting the bufinefs on a furer ground and a more extensive plan; and having obtained full information on the fubject, offered to take the business upon himfelf, provided he were furnished with a velel, and a letter from the Governor of Jamaica to the Spanish Governor at the Havanno, requering permiffion for him to purchate dogs. The Government. having taken the offer into confideration, acceded to the propofal; a schooner, called the Mercary, carrying twelve guns, was fent down to Blue Fields, ac open road at the western extremity of Jamaica, and a letter was tranfmitted to the Colonel, addreffed to Don Luis de las Cufas, Governor of the Havinna, recommendSng the bearer of it to his attentions, as a Commillioner for the purposes mentioned in it, and likewife as a Member of the Legidature, and a LieutenantColonel of the troops."

Without entering into details refpecting the voyage, abfurdly miled, the Expedition to Cuba, a term usually applied by Statesmen to denote extra ordinary armaments, or enterprizes of great nations for objects of the firit magnitude, let us proceed to the principal arguments advanced in the Houfe

of Affembly of Jamaica for and against ́ the meature.

"The Affembly were not unapprifed that the calling in fuch auxiliaries, and uting the canine fpecies against human beings, would give rife to much animadverfion in England; and that the horrible enormities of the Spaniards in the conquett of America would be brought again to remembrance. It is but too true, that dogs were used by thotë Chriftian barbarians against the peaceful and inoffenfive Americans; and the juft indignation of mankind has ever fince branded, and will continue to brand, the Spanish nation with infamy, for fuch atrocities. It was torefeen, and frongly urged as an argument against recurring to the fame means in the prefent cafe, that the prejudices of party, and the virulent zeal of retlefs and turbulent men, would place the proceedings of the Aflembly on this occation in a point of view equally odious with the conduct of Spain on the farve blood-ftained theatie in times paft. No allowance would be made for the wide difference exiting between the two cafes. Some Gentlemen even thought, that the cooperation of dogs with British troops, would give not only a cruel, but a very daltardiy complexion to the proceedings of Government."

To thefe and fimilar objections, it was antwered; that the fafety of the Iland and the lives of the inhabitants were not to be facrificed to the apprehenfion of perverfe conftructions or wilful mireprefentations in the mo ther-country. It was maintained, that the grounds of the measure needed only to be fully examined, and fairly stated, to induce ail reafonable men to admit its propriety and neceflity. To hold it as a principle, that it is an act of cruelty or cowardice in man to employ other animais as infruments of war, is a pofition contradicted by the practice of all nations. The Atatics have ever ufed elephants in their battles; and if lions and tigers poffelfed the docility of elephants, no one can doubt that thofe allo would be made to affilt the military operations of men, in those regions where they abound. Even the ufe of cavalry, as eltablined among the molt civilized and polifhed nations of Europe, muit be rejected, if this principle be admitted; for wherein, it was afked, does the humanity of that doctrine confift, which allows the employ

ment

ment of troops of horfe in the purfuit of discomfited and flying infantry, yet fhrinks at the preventive meature of fparing the effufion of human blood, by tracing with hounds the haunts of murderers, and routing from ambush favages more ferocious and blood-thirty

than the animals which track them?

The merits of the question, it was faid, depended altogether on the origin and caufe of the war, and the objects to be obtained by its continuance. "If the cause and end of war," fays Payley, "be justifiable, all the means that appear neceffary to that end are juftifi. able alfo. This is the principle which defends those extremities to which the violence of war ufually proceeds: for face war is a conteft by force between parties who acknowledge no common fuperior, and fince it includes not in its idea the fuppofition of any convention which should place limits to the operations of force, it has naturally no boundary but that in which force terminates, the destruction of the life against which the force is directed."

The whole chain of this reafoning, which is continued to fome length, contains rather the fentiments of Payley, and of Bryan Edwards, an interefted planter, not remarkable for lenity to his flaves, whofe partial account of the Maroon war, in his Hiftory of the British Settlements in the West Indies, is fufficient to invalidate his arguments, than thofe of the moderate men of the Afiembly, who voted for the first measure, “that of giving a pecuniary reward to the Spa niards trading to the north fide of the Idand, to bring over a few dogs, in order to fee what effect the importa tion would have." Had this milder plan taken effect, Spaniards, and not an English Officer, would have had the difgraceful commiffion of procuring the dogs, without the formality of a diplomatic embaffy to the Governor of the Havanna. And it appears by the fequel, that it would have had the defired effect; for the dogs were no fooner landed, than they ftruck a terror into the minds of all the black inhabitants of the Ifland; and even many of the white people fhuddered on beholding the ferocity of thefe animals, who were exercifed, by way of experiment, under a volley of mufquetry, to afcertain what effect would be produced on them by a fire of the Maroons. Some of the dogs, maddened by the

fhout of attack while held back by the ropes, feized on the ftocks of the guns in the hands of their keepers, and tore pieces out of them. Their impetuofity was fo great on their march to the rendezvous where they met General Wal pole, the Commander in Chief of the Forces acting against the Maroons, "that they were with difficulty ftopped before they reached the General, who found it neceflary to go into the chaife from which he had alighted; and if the greatelt exertions had not been made to stop them, they would ertainly have feized upon his horfes. The Negroes on the different estates through which they paffed left their work, and fled in every direction." And the defperate Maroons, whofe rebellion, it is afferted, menaced the total ruin of the Iland, were no fooner informed of the approach of thefe new auxiliaries to the British troops, than they offered to furrender; and we defy any impartial perfon to perufe the narrative of this tranfaction, without perceiving that the importa tion of a few dogs, as at firft propofed by the Spaniards, would have brought the war to the fame happy termination. See p. 7. The following timple articles of peace, entered into on the aft of December 1795, were confidered as a Treaty. The propofals were made by the Maroons, and granted by General Walpole.

ift, "That they would on their knees beg his Majelty's pardon. 2d, That they would go to the Old Town, Montego Bay, or any other place that might be pointed out, and would fettle on whatever lands the Governor, Council, and Affembly, might think proper to allot. 3d, That they would give up all run-aways," that is, negro laves who had left their masters and joined them. To thele articles General Walpole was under the neceility of adding another, which was a fecret one, promiling that the Maroons should not be fent off the Iland, and he was obliged to accede on his oath " And was not this condition clearly implied in the fecond article, wherein it is ftipulated that they fhould retire to the Old Town, &c.? How could this take place, if they were to be exiled to Nova Scotia? Yet the Aflembly violated this treaty, and fent them to Halifax : the feelings of General Walpole were wounded, and with becoming dignity he refused the sword which the Allem

bly

fo clearly, that the neglect of it, with refpect to the poor negro flaves, is difgraceful to the colony, and to all perfons at home, who by their power or influence may be enabled to remove it. Etimating the number of the Clergy in Jamaica by the parishes," fays our truly pious Author, "there is not above one to 1,500 white people,

nor above one to 15,000 of the general mass of inhabitants.” A fentible plan is offered for remedying this great evil, and for the future fecurity and profperity of the island, with which the work is concluded.

A number of explanatory documents and letters are annexed to each volume by way of Appendix.

M.

12mo.

THE life of Catharine the Second, continued through 271 pages of the third volume, is clofed with the following pertinent remark: "There are few reigns more interefting than that of Catharine, more strictly biographical; few that involve more important principles, that afford a wider fcope, or that more forcibly tend to awaken reflection. Let this be an apology for a diffuseness that may feem to form an exception to the limits allowed to individuals by the nature of the prefent work." We have to add, let it operate as a charm to induce young females to turn from the delufive and feductive volumes of novels, to the rational, the inftructive, and amufing, records of history and biography.

This life is written in a fuperior manner, collected in general from well known and esteemed authorities, more especially from the Rev. Mr. Tooke's Life of Catharine, amply reviewed in our Magazine, Vols. XXXIV. and XXXV. for the years 1798 and 1799; but enriched likewife by felections from other able writers on the fame fubject. The dictatorial conduct of the Emprefs, in railing her favourite, Prince Poniatoky, to the throne of Poland, we give as a specimen.

"Confcious of her power, Catharine fucceffively difmiffed the various candidates for the Polish monarchy, till. to the amazement of Warsaw, her choice, which fell on Poniatofffky, was made known. Univerfal difcontent enfued; the Polish Nobles enquired of each other, by what fervices, or by what qualities, this man had rendered himfelf worthy of fo extravagant a reward? The endowments of the new King, who was handfome, agreeable, accom

VOL. XLIV. JULY 1803.

plished, eloquent, calculated to please, but incapable of command, were better fuited to conciliate private affection, than to fit him for a throne. But murmurs and refiftance, opposed to the Ruffian power, were equally vain. Catharine wrote to her Minister at Warfaw to employ every engine to favour her lover. "Remember," fays fhe, "my candidate. I write this two hours after midnight: judge if I am indifferent in this affair."

"The Rulian Generals neglected nothing for fecuring the wishes of their Sovereign. The Dietines were convoked. Poniatoffíky was, by that of Warfaw, unanimoufly elected: thofe of the provinces proved lefs tractable. Crowds of foreigners had poured into the city, ready to unite at the first fignal. In the Diet, confusion and tumult prevailed: its Marthal, venerable for his age and for his virtues, in vain attempted to reduce it to order; he was anfwered by drawn fabres and furious outcries. Mokranoffiky. Nun. cio of Cracow, rifked his life under the fwords of the Ruffian foldiers, who tried to pierce him from the galleries of the fpeakers. Returning into its theath his fabre, which he had at firit drawn, he oppofed his breat to their weapons. "If you must have a victim,” faid he to the Ruffians, I ftand here, before you. At least I fhall die as I have lived, free!" He had not escaped their rage, but for the generous courage of Prince Adam Chartorinsky, who threw his body as a fhield between him and his adverfaries.