The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

BASSETERRE, (in St. Christopher's ) July 30.

Extract of a letter from Montferrat, July 12.

" When this unhappy country shall again enjoy the
sweets of peace and tranquility. heaven only knows !
for we have no sooner suppressed one dreadful evil,than
we are threatened with calamities equally dangerous to
the state, civil feuds. and dissensions amongst ourselves.
A very bad understanding subsists between the governor
and the assembly, the latter declaring they will not sit
so long as a certain lawyer is one.of their members.-
When the rebellion of slaves was suppressed, commis-
sioners were appointed to bring those who were appre-
hended to trial ; a great number of them were accord-
ingly tried, some of whom were executed, and others
banished ; but many of them still remaining in custody,
and the expence to the public of maintaining them there.
amounting to upwards of thirty pounds a week, so ir-
ritated the white people, that they assembled to the
number of one hundred, and waiting on the commis-
sioners, 'demanded their reasons for postponing the trials
of the rebels so long, keeping the country at so vast and
unnecessary an expence. when they were already taxed
as high as they could bear g concluding with telling
them, that they were determined to do themselves jus-
tice. and that if their demands were not immediately
complied with, they would set fire to the goal, and de-
stroy every Negro in it ; and very probably they ( the
commissioners) might not escape their vengeance, as they
were resolved to compel them to do their duty. They
then went and pulled down every free Negro's house
in the town ; after which they waited on a Lawyer of
great eminence here to take his advice in what manner
they should proceed to have justice done themselves and
the public. This Gentleman, they thought. received
them with too magisterial an air. they told him. that
they did not come there as an unruly mob. but as Gen-
tlemen who thought themselves aggrieved, and who ex-
pected genteeler treatment from him. He then politely
told them, that he was not only ready to go with them
into the street, but even upon his knees. to give them
that satisfaction they requir'd. This pacified them,and
after taking his opinion,they departed; but the free Ne-
groes coming to survey their demolished habitations,
and try if they could repair them, were again attacked
by the white people, who destroyed even the remains
of their houses ; and threatened that if any of them
were found here after the 26th instant, they should be
utterly destroyed. Thus stood matters yesterday ; how
they will end time only can discover."