132
DUTY ON SUGAR.
Payne. Lord Lavington came to Antigua about the latter end of January ; and soon after his arrival, it was agreed for the country to allow him an annuity of 1000l. to be paid quarterly out of the public treasury of the island ; and a further sum of 300/. to be paid in like manner until a government house was built for his reception. And that his excellency might better support his dignity, another annuity of 700/. was granted him, as long as he remained within his government. About this time the practice of slaves stealing sugar and retailing it in the markets, or selling it to shopkeepers privately, was so general, that it was found necessary to lay a duty upon that article when retailed. If any person sold less than lOOlbs. of sugar without having a licence for six months, and the further entering into a bond with one security for the sum of 50/., such person was liable to a penalty of 50/. for the first offence. It was this year that slaves were condemned to work in the streets, for the first time, as a punishment for offences. If any slave was committed to jail for refusing to give their owner's name, they were put to such work until claimed ; when convicted of a crime less than felony, they were to be kept to hard labour in the streets for the space of three months ; and if they had been sentenced to death, and afterwards pardoned by the governor, his excellency could annex to such pardon an order for the guilty slaves to work in the streets for any time he thought proper. These culprits were made to work in a gang, chained two and two together, and, at the close of the day, when their toil was over, they were conveyed to the common jail, and closely confined until the next morning, when their labours were resumed. When a slave was pardoned on condition of working in the street-gang for a certain time, their owners were paid a shilling a-day until the release of their slave. Doubts having arisen wit regard to the validity of certain laws passed during the administration of A. Esdail, J. S. Thomas, and R. Thomson, on account of their not repairing