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VIII.

CHA P. government of the colony.-It may be divided into districts, each to contain, as near as can be, 50,000 acres, or 100 grand lots, and be subdivided into tythings of 5000 acres, or 10 grand lots each. Every district to have one head constable, and every tything, one petty constable, or tything man, who should have power to call the ty thing together, on every emergency.—The head constable to be captain of the militia in his district, and to nominate such of the tything men under him, as he fhould chufe for officers.-Every proprietor, or proprietors, of 500 acres to furnish one man for the militia, whereby there would, in every district, be 100 militia; and the civil police there would consist of one head, and ten petty, conftables.-The tything man to be elected annually in each tything; but the head constable to be named annually by the prefident and council, to be poffeffed at least of 500 acres, and to be responsible, to the prefident and council, for the fafety and peace of the district; as the tything men would be responsible to him, for that of their respective tythings.-In parts of the colony distant from the feat of government, it may be proper for the prefident and council to name a chief, who might have the power of a juftice of peace, and be alfo at the head of the militia of the feveral diftricts under his inspection; and where his command was extenfive, he should be affifted by proper persons to collect the taxes, if any, superintend the public works, and see that the orders of government were duly executed, &c. The chief and his affiftants to have fome falary; but the head constable, tything men, &c. to serve without falary.”

168. "Wherever there fhall be towns established, that contain 500 or more males, above the age of fifteen, every fuch town to be confidered as a district in itself, wherein

VIII.

every ten families fhall conftitute a tything, and fhall an- CHA P. nually chuse a tything man who shall act as constable; and, from among the tything men so chosen, the president and council fhall annually nominate a mayor and three aldermen, who shall prefide over the town, and take charge of the police for the year.—Each family, in every town, shall also be obliged to find a man for the militia; and they shall be enrolled and exercised under such persons, from among their own townsmen, as the president and council shall annually appoint, who, as well as the mayor and aldermen, shall serve without salary, fee or reward.”

169. To these valuable hints from his lordship, I have only to add, that the defence of the colony ought to be committed to a distinct department of the government or direction, in order to protect the colony from hostile attacks by land, by fea or by noxious animals.

FINANCES.

170. Many may think that in a colony or community, where the public good is the interest of every individual, a public treasury would not be a material confideration. But when the neceffity of the three following institutions is confidered, it will foon be found, not only that the raising of colonial finances will come to be unavoidable, but also that a board of the direction must be established for applying them to these necessary uses, viz.

I. Public charities, such as public inftitutions for orphan children, for all useful perfons after the age of fixty, or when they become incapable of labour; for hofpitals, &c.

II. Public works ufeful, ornamental and recreative, such as public buildings, highways, bridges, harbours, gardens, &c.

CHA P. III. Public defence, fuch as fortifications, arms, ammunition, &c.

VIII.

Political arrangements,

POLITICAL ARRANGEMENT S.

171. Comprizing alfo foreign affairs. This is placed the laft of all public functions, because it is the link by which every individual within a colony, and every colony with it's mother country, neighbours, and other countries, are connected together in relations whose basis is, or ought to be, mutual friendship and affiftance. The order which connects individuals in fociety is called police and polity; and that which connects nations and colonies, politics. Both are equally neceffary, and require fpecific departments in the direction; the two former, namely police and polity, are referred to the 4th department in the 1ft clafs, § 179; the fuctions of the last, or politics, may be referred to the three following objects.

I. The political balance, between the colonists, or subfcribers, and the direction, or the government, both in the colony, and in Europe.

II. The political balance, between the colonial establishment, and other mercantile companies, or colonies, in Europe, or elsewhere.

III. The political balance, between the colonial establishment, and the neighbouring African nations, which require a different mode of intercourse and treatment, as being uncivilized.

СНАР.

CHA P. IX.

SPECIFIC PROPOSITIONS APPLIED TO THE CASE OF A NEW COLONY.

172.

-Si quid novifti rectius iftis,

Candidus imperti; fi non, his utere mecum.

HOR. DE ART. POET.

N the seventh chapter, I have made such observa

the first establishment of a new colony in Africa; and in the eighth, I have delivered my opinion refpecting some of the permanent regulations. Still fome of my readers may perhaps expect a more specific and practical plan than what I have yet proposed; for most men are much affifted in comprehending and deciding upon a subject, by having it reduced to fomething like a fyftem. It hath been well obferved, by Dr. Watts, that method and system, though lately too much neglected, are nevertheless excellent auxilliaries to the mind, in forming an adequate idea of any subjećt that comprises many mutually dependent parts. And, if there be any subject in which system is peculiarly neceffsary, the science of government is certainly that fubject. To gratify (therefore the lovers of order) I insert, with a few neceffary alterations, the following Propofitions, which I had the honour to lay before the subscribers to the Bulama Affociation, for their confideration, at a meeting held on the 29th of April 1794.

PROPOSITION I

173. That those who may be difpofed to fubfcribe to such an undertaking, form themselves into a company

FOR

CHAP.
IX.

CHAP.
IX.

FOR CULTIVATING AND RAISING

TROPICAL PRODUCTIONS

on the western coast of Africa, between the 6th and the 14th degrees of north latitude*.

174. That such company select from among themselves a court of directors to manage the whole concern; to fell land; to engage colonists; to receive money or commodities; to pay money, and dispose of commodities; to appoint their own officers and agents, both in Europe and in the colony; to send out veffels, to trade wherever it may be found beneficial for the whole concern, &c. and to lay a proper and fatisfactory account of their proceedings, before a general meeting of the subscribers, every year.

175. The directors of this court ought to confist of two claffes.-The first clafs fhould have the care of the cultivation of the people, or the introduction of morals and civiliz

* My reasons for selecting this part of the coaft, for the subject of my book and -1ft, That it is much nearer to Europe than any equally productive pormap are-1 tion of the coaft.—2dly, That owing to the trade-wind and currents, as well as the finaller distance, voyages to and from this part, can be performed fooner than to parts lower down, and incomparably fooner than to any island in the Weft Indies (fee § 6, note)-3dly, That the harbours are better on this part, than any known harbours on the Western coast of Africa.-4thly, That this part of the coast is more fertile than any part convenient for European navigation, and particularly than the tract of coast immediately to the northward of it.-5thly, That the inhabitants appear, upon the whole, to be more disposed to peace and industry, than on any other portion of the coaft.-6thly, That very little of this portion of the coaft is occupied, or claimed, by European powers.-7thly, That this part is lefs infefted by the flave-trade, than any other portion of the coaft, where that traffic is at all carried on.-8thly, That, on account of navigable rivers and the good disposition of the the inland people, the interior countries are more eafily acceffible, from this part of the coaft than almost any other.

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