82
RE-APPOINTMENT OF HAMILTON.
had made himself so obnoxious, that another rebellion had almost occurred. One of his measures was to retain certain duties, which ought to have been paid into the treasury, (such as duties upon wines and liquors, &c), for his own particular use. He also persecuted General Hamilton, and suspended him from all offices he held in the island ; and upon that gentleman repairing to England to transact some private business, Colonel Douglas endeavoured to seize Dr. Mackinnon and Chief-Justice Watkins for their proceedings in the affair of Colonel Parke, as well as on the plea of another intended rebellion. These gentlemen, however, contrived to escape to England, where, from advices received from Governor Douglas, they were afterwards seized and committed to prison ; but, pleading the general pardon which her majesty had issued, they were discharged without trial, although Ensign Smith, one of the asserted culprits, lay in Newgate for some months. While these rancorous dissensions were going on between the governor and the inhabitants, orders were received for him to return to England ; and, to the joy of the Antiguans, his majesty George I. re-appointed General Walter Hamilton to the government in 1715. The island was now pretty quiet; the French keeping to their own colonies without troubling their neighbours. The Antiguans, however, were still very cautious of them ; and the few persons of that nation who, after the termination of the war, came to reside at Antigua, were very coldly received. This year (1715) the court of chancery was amended. Hitherto it was held by one person, which caused delays, besides other inconveniences : so that it was resolved in future it should consist of the governor, and not less than five members of the council. Previous to this period, there was also much difficulty in recovering minor debts, owing to the want of good laws, which occasioned so much inconvenience to the merchants of Antigua that they found it necessary this year (1715) to