SHORT SKETCH OF TEMPORARY REGULATIONS (UNTIL BETTER SHALL BE PROPOSED) FOR THE INTENDED SETTLEMENT ON THE GRAIN COAST OF AFRICA, NEAR
SIERRA LEONA.
LONDON:
PRINTED BY H. BALDWIN, FLEET-STREET. M DCC LXXXVI.
A SHORT SKETCH OF TEMPORARY REGULATIONS,
&c.
FRANKPLEDGE.
THE most certain and effectual mode of securing peace, right, and mutual protection, for any community, is the old English system of mutual
Frankpledge,
or
free suretyship,
given by all
the householders,
for themselves and each other, in exact numerical divisions of
tens
and hundreds; which, in the English lawbooks, is called
"Maxima securitas"
—
"the greatest security,"
though it is now unhappily neglected, and consequently crimes abound and increase; so that, notwithstanding the horrible increase also of
bloody laws
to intimidate offenders, yet there is
no effectual security
from violence and robbery, either in our streets or roads, or even in our chambers; since the houses of the rich and great, nay of the first officers of the state, are not exempted from the nocturnal intrusion of housebreakers, insomuch that even the Lord Chancellor and Honourable Speaker of the House of Commons have lately experienced the common danger, and the deplorable want of the antient
"Maxima securitas."
That fundamental system of
English polity
is so little known among us at present, that many well-meaning persons are induced, by their fears, to wish for
security,
on a much less eligible plan, formed on the model of the arbitrary system of government in France, commonly called
police,
the introduction of which would be an utter perversion of the first principles of
legal
government in England. The inhabitants even of the most distant settlements under the crown of Great-Britain must not adopt any
polity
that is essentially
inconsistent
with the
Maxima securitas,
ordained and required by the common law of England.
The community of free African settlers, however, have already adopted (as I am informed) a small variation from the old English model of numerical divisions, by forming themselves into divisions of
dozens,
instead of
tithings
or
tens;
but as this little change is by no means
inconsistent
with the true principles and intention of our legal English
frankpledge,
I am at liberty to acknowledge a most hearty approbation of it, as being an arrangement far more convenient and effectual for securing perfect subordination, peace, and good government, even than the antient legal divisions into
tens
or
decenaries,
because each
dozen
will have one
chief
or
headborough,
and one
assistant headborough,
to govern and lead a compleat complement of ten
deciners;
so that the division may still with propriety retain the old
legal
name of a
tithing
or
decenary;
and the
hundred division
may be rendered literally and strictly an
hundred
families, by appointing one
hundreder,
two
chiefs
of
fifties,
and one town clerk (or clerk of the hundred) over every
eight dozens;
whereby the legal
hundred,
in its civil capacity (for the maintenance of
peace, justice,
and
common right,
according to the first principles of our constitutional
polity,
the most effectual for all the purposes of good government) will consist of—
1
Hundreder,
or centurion
Who in the common law is a
high constable
and
"justiciarius,"
or justice of the peace.
,—
2
Chiefs
of
fifties—superior constables,
and presiding
justices
in the weekly Tithing-courts
† Or rather, in the courts or four tithings, or dozens, collected together.
;
1
Town-clerk,
or Clerk of the hundred
With a proper salary, to register all judgments and debts, and to be allowed two or more assistants, if necessary, from the best qualified of the deciners, with suitable salaries also for their trouble.
,
8
Headboroughs
being constables in ordinary.
8
assistant Headboroughs
or constables extraordinary.
80
Deciners
—masters of families or householders
Who, jointly with the chiefs of their several divisions, pledge each other, and their respective families or dependants for the publick peace and common right, and are termed in law,
boni et legales homines, "Good and true men."
, viz.
100
Householders
in all, who must
equally
contribute to support all the burthens of the state, and of course must be entitled to an
equal
voice in the
"common council,"
or parliament, of their settlement; which on the African coast is called
Palaaver;
and if the whole body of householders should hereafter, by God's blessing, become too numerous for a
personal
attendance in their
common council
they will be all equally entitled to elect a proper number of deputies from their respective divisions to represent them in the supreme council; and that, in a due and
equal
proportion to their numbers; for otherwise their representation would be rendered most banefully
delusive
and
corrupt!
And in a military capacity the same hundred householders will form a corps of
militia
consisting of
1 Captain
2 Lieutenants
1 Muster master and commissary
8 Serjeants
8 Corporals
80
Milites
or men of arms
Amounting altogether to 100 free militia men or armed deciners.
To these must also be added the sons, apprentices, and indentured servants of the deciners, viz. all the males of 16 years of age and upwards, who by the
common law
are required to be armed, and of course to be disciplined in the use of arms. The average of males above 16 years of age may be stated, I believe, at three to each family, including all the persons above described: so that in a few years, if the settlement succeeds, there may probably be added to the 100 armed deciners at least 200 Privates or rank and file.
In all 300 militia men in each hundred division, a corps that may be rendered sufficiently effectual to support the executive justice of a free, legal government, within any extent of land which an
hundred families
can fairly occupy, and amply sufficient to supply a roster or rotation of very easy service in the necessary
watch
and
ward
of the settlement.
N. B. This average number of males would be rather too large, were not apprentices and
indentured servants
included; but in a new settlement, where
ordinary labour
is chiefly wanted, there is a great probability that the
indentured servants
will far exceed the number I have estimated.
WATCH AND WARD.
Rotation.—Exercise.—Discipline, preserved by Fines of Labour.—Watch Duty of Indentured. Servants to be allowed and deducted from the Term of their Indentures.
THE
hundred deciners
should serve, three at a time at least, with six privates, in due rotation, as the nightly guard of the
hundred division;
which guard being divided into three parties of one deciner and two privates each, one party may patrole, whilst the other two are stationed at the gate-house, or watchtower, alternately watching and resting every four hours; but the patroling and watching party must relieve each other every two hours, until it is their turn to rest four hours in the inner guard room; by this means the watch duty may be rendered very easy and
equal
to all ranks of persons in the hundred; and even if the captain and four of the
oldest
deciners, together with eight of the
youngest
privates be excused the nightly duty, the rotation of this easy service to each individual will be only once in thirty-two nights, viz. less than twelve nights in a year, which cannot interfere with their ordinary employments: but for the sake of keeping up proper discipline, triple the number ought to assemble in rotation, every evening and morning, to set and to discharge the guard, after the performance of a short military exercise all together, under the inspection of the captain, or one of the lieutenants, (being previously trained or drilled in small squads under the inspection of their respective serjeants) and this attendance may be rendered perfectly
equal
and regular to all ranks, by a proper roster of service, duly distinguishing the courses of
Watch and Ward
from the rotation of attendance for mere exercise.
Want of punctuality in musters, or absence, should be punished in proportion to the time lost, by
equal
fines on all ranks of men, estimated at so many
days
or
hours labour
(as hereafter explained) towards the support of the public Exchequer.
Disobedience of orders on service, and inattention or carelessness in exercise, and all such other misdemeanors, should be likewise punished by
fines of labour
for publick profit.
The watch duty of an indentured servant should be rewarded by a deduction of one day's service from
his indentures
for each night that he attends on military duty, which will encourage his vigilance, and win his attention to the interests of the settlement; and by his being entered on the same roster with the whole body of
deciners,
and by serving in due rotation with them, he will soon perceive the facility and happiness of becoming a
deciner
himself, by proper diligence in fulfilling his contract of labour; especially as the regulations, hereafter to be mentioned, will insure him from the imposition of more service than is due, and from the fraud or oppression of an unjust master; and he will acquire still further security by being known, and by becoming acquainted with other deciners (besides his master) in the militia service.
FREE LABOUR.
Free Labour to be the Standard or Medium of Traffick instead of Cash.—Times of Labour (publick or hired) to be general and uniform.— Evening Prayer and the Advantages of it.— Limitation of Labour per Day to eight Hours.—Six Hours on Saturdays.—That the People may attend the Courts and Folkmotes to improve their Decernment of Good and Evil.
HUMAN Labour
is more essential and valuable than any other article in new settlements, which chiefly depend on the cultivation and produce of the earth for their subsistence and commercial profit. On this account, though the price of provisions is generally lower in new settlements than in communities of long standing, yet the price of
Free Labour
is always much higher; and higher still, or rather infinitely
more expensive
(however slaveholders may reckon) is
the labour of slaves,
besides the abominable injustice, the corruption of manners, the danger, and other
curses,
which
always attend
the toleration of slavery!
Free labour,
therefore, in all new settlements, ought to be made the
standard,
or
medium,
whereby to rate the value of all the necessaries of life, as well as of all articles of commerce in the settlement: a cow, sheep, or hog, or a bushel of corn, should each be valued at a proportionable number of
day's labour,
estimated at eight hours actual labour per day; and a pig, rabbit, or fowl, at so many
hours labour,
according to their respective sizes; and for the fractional estimation of smaller articles, the hours may be reduced to
minutes,
and thereby afford an excellent substitute for money as a medium of traffic and exchange, whereon a
paper currency
may be established, which will always bear an
intrinsic value,
without diminution, as hereafter explained under the head of
Publick Revenue.
The daily commencement of publick labour and of hired labour, and all the necessary cessations from labour for rest and refreshment, should be limited to stated periods of time, rendered uniform and general, throughout the settlement, by the periodical summons of a publick bell, as in our
dock yards
and great manufactories, for the more effectual prevention of imposition by the employer or employed.
By the limitation of labour to eight hours per day, the rateable or legal days work (instead of continuing from six in the morning to six in the evening, as with us) will end at four in the afternoon, including two whole hours for necessary refreshment and rest; unless it should be thought more convenient in general to begin at five in the morning, and to work three hours till eight, and then, after resting half an hour at breakfast, to work three hours and an half more till noon, when a moderate and temperate meal, suitable to the heat of the climate, may be rendered more refreshing and healthful to the labourer by a
general sestoo,
or sleeping time, during the meridean heat till half past one; which rest of one hour and an half, at one time, will be amply sufficient to recruit them for the remaining burthen of the rateable labour, or legal day's work, viz. one hour and an half more, ending at three o'clock in the afternoon, when the
evening
of the antients commenced, and the appointed hour of
evening sacrifice
in the patriarchal times. If, therefore, the new society would agree to assemble at
that hour,
in whatever place they shall afterwards appropriate to religious worship, and there join together in a very short
general form of prayer and evening sacrifice of thanks
(in which, to remove all objections about the value of time, they need not be detained much longer than about five minutes, to express all that may be absolutely necessary for every good purpose of prayer and thanksgiving, at least as a
daily
service) they will soon be convinced that no human measure is so well calculated to add real dignity to the ordinary labourer, as well with respect to his own
internal
improvement, as in the outward esteem and consideration which it will necessarily insure to him from others, by continually reminding the rich and higher ranks of men that the daily labourer is their brother and their
equal
in the sight of God, and that all men ought to be
equally
servants to
the same Lord!
I could wish that a short daily morning prayer might also be adopted at nine o'clock, after breakfast, but I propose with diffidence, lest publick prayers even
only once
a day should be obtained with difficulty.
As some of the
out lots
will be distant about two miles from the centre of the township, it may perhaps be more expedient to commence the rateable daily labour even half an hour sooner still, than I have last proposed, viz. at half past four in the cool of the morning, whereby all
publick labour
will end at half past two in the afternoon, which will allow time for labourers in the distant lots to repair to the general assembly of the township, at
evening prayer.
And an officer from every dozen may be ordered to be prepared, by a previous examination, at the publick bank of all the indents in course for each day's labour; that after being discharged in the publick books, they may be cancelled, and most expeditiously returned to those who have fulfilled them; all which, by the happy system of
Frankpledge,
may be most easily effected with very little loss of time; so that the labourers may return from the centre of the township to their own private lots, and have near five hours of leisure to themselves to cultivate their own land, even if they work no later than eight at night, which will allow them ample time for rest, especially as the mid-day
sestoo
will render less sleep necessary at night.
A seventh part of the year shall be appropriated more particularly to God's service, and shall be duly observed and kept holy, on the penalty of seven weeks, or forty-two days labour in the publick lots for every breach of this universal law of God, either in buying, selling, or
working for pecuniary profit;
or for
travelling,
unless a very urgent necessity can be proved: and this penalty to be doubled on a repetition or continuance of the offence. 52 Sundays or days of our Lord.
Two more days shall be appropriated to a religious commemoration of our Lord's birth and expiatory death, at the usual seasons; and a third day to the great annual
view of Frankpledge,
to be appointed at some convenient season, after the greatest and most general harvest of the year, the remembrance of which shall also be solemnized on that day by religious thanksgiving both at the opening and conclusion of the
view of Frankpledge;
—so that the 365 days of the year will be further reduced by the deduction also of 3 Holidays.
The abovementioned Sundays and holidays, amounting to fiftyfive days, being deducted from the year, there will remain only 310 Days of labour.
365
The days of labour shall be rated throughout the new settlement only at eight hours actual labour each day, in all agreements or contracts for labour, as well of apprentices and indentured servants, as of those who are hired by the day; that all labourers may have some leisure hours every day to cultivate their own private lots of land. And only six hours labour are to be required by law on Saturdays, without any deduction from the labourer's profit for the deficiency, because it is for the publick benefit that the people should have leisure to attend the courts and folkmotes (to be held on Saturdays) in order that they may gradually improve that natural faculty of
reason
or
knowledge
which is inherited by all men from our first parents, and may
"have their understandings exercised by habit to discern both good and evil."
FREEDOM AND PROTECTION TO STRANGERS.
Limitation of Indentured Service.—An injured Indentured Servant to be turned over to the Publick Exchequer.—Fugitive Slaves to be protected, and allowed to purchase Land by Labour, and after due Time of Probation to be admitted to the Rank of Deciners.
AS soon as a slave shall set his foot within the bounds of the new settlement, he shall be deemed a
free man,
and be equally entitled with the rest of the inhabitants to the protection of the laws, and to all the natural rights of humanity. And the service even of
indentured servants
shall be strictly limited, viz. no person to be bound for a longer term than five years after the age of twentyone, or of seven years if bound after the age of fourteen years, or of ten years if bound after the age of eleven years. And if any indentured servant shall have just cause to complain of his master's behaviour to him, he shall be turned over to the care of the
general asylum for males;
and his
labour,
for the limited term of his indentures, shall be turned over to the
publick Exchequer,
which shall purchase of the master all the remaining term of service. If any slave shall
escape from his master
in any part of the neighbouring country where the abominable traffic in human beings is tolerated, and shall apply at any township within the free settlements for an asylum, he shall be received and protected in the publick asylum; for this is required by an indispensable moral law of God, and, of course, by the laws of England—
Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant
(or
slave,
for all
slaves
are servants)
which is escaped from his master unto thee; he shall dwell with thee, even among you, in that place which he shall choose, in one of thy gates, where it liketh him best: Thou shalt not oppress him,
Deut. xxiii. 15, 16. The stranger, however, shall be required to promise obedience to the laws of the settlement, and due legal submission to the chiefs of the division, wherein he is admitted and pledged; and also to enter himself on the publick roster of equal service in
Watch and Ward,
when of proper age. And in order to obtain his livelyhood, independently of individuals, he shall, if he is above twenty years of age, be allowed to purchase, of the publick Exchequer, one quarter of a lot of land, for one year's service, consisting of 310 days service of eight hours each, (and a proportionable addition to the term, if under that age) for which quarter of a lot, he shall be taxed only one quarter part of a deciner's contribution to parochial and publick exigences and expences; which proportionable contribution of labour for
taxes
shall commence from the time he receives the land; but the Exchequer shall give him credit for the
labour of purchase
until the second year after he receives the land; in the course of which only
half of the labour,
viz. 155 days, may be demanded, and the remainder in the course of the third year, whereby the stranger will have
spare days of labour
to enable him (by giving indents for it) to purchase necessaries for his farm: And he shall be allowed a separate chamber in the publick asylum or inn, until he is able to build an house or cottage upon his own lot. After he has faithfully discharged his debt of service according to his first contract with the Exchequer, and also his other contract debts with private individuals (for all such private debts should be entered in the publick Exchequer, in order to give
intrinsic value to the indentures for labour,
as the state of
every man's
credit and circumstances will then appear on the publick books) he shall be allowed another quarter of a lot on the same terms, and so on till he has acquired a compleat lot; when, if he has by his good and faithful behaviour proved himself worthy of the rank and trust of a
deciner,
he shall be admitted to all the privileges and civil rights of the community as a free member and
equal proprietor
of the whole settlement.
REDEMPTION FROM SLAVERY.
Redemption from Slavery.—Price to be repaid by a short limited Service to the Publick Exchequer.—Profit by Redemption infinitely superior to the Profits of the Slave Trade.
THOUGH it is a fundamental principle of the settlement, that all
slaves
shall be deemed
free
as soon as they enter it, so that no person can retain, or sell, or employ,
a slave
within the bounds of the settlement, yet there can be no impropriety in providing a means of repaying the expence of
redeeming slaves,
on the condition of a
short limited service,
as an apprentice or indentured servant, provided that the actual prices given for redemption can be sufficiently authenticated, that no more may be repaid, except, perhaps, a limited profit, not exceeding ten per cent. by way of interest, for advancing the price; and provided also that the said
limited service
of the contract be not claimable by any
individual,
but by the
publick Exchequer only,
after the redeemed person has consented to work out the price; whereby all possibility of
domestic slavery,
or
private oppression,
will be excluded; and the Exchequer will give an ample equivalent to the redeemed person, to insure his voluntary consent to a contract for a
limited time of labour,
not only by the protection it will afford him, but also by putting him in possession of a portion of land, equal to the quarter part of a
deciner's
lot, to be increased as he discharges his debt of labour; and by finding him provisions until he shall be able to raise provisions from his own land. The publick Exchequer will be enabled, by the consent of a majority of the settlers, thus to dispose of land, because all the
unoccupied
land in the settlement is to be deemed as
common,
in which the whole body of settlers, sent out from England, if above sixteen years of age, whether indentured or not, shall be entitled to an
equal share,
and therefore no land must be appropriated, but by
common
consent. Suppose the redemption of a man should cost ten pounds (which I believe is about the average price on the coast) and suppose the labour of such a stranger be estimated only at sixpence sterling per day (though it is certainly worth much more, perhaps three or four times as much) a limited service, by the redeemed person, of five years to the publick Exchequer, as an equivalent for the purchase of a full lot of protected land, with a gradual introduction to all the privileges of a free English settlement, will amount, at 310 working days per annum (fifty-two sundays and three holidays being deducted for the reasons already mentioned under the head
of Free Labour)
will amount, I say, to 38l. 15s. out of which, after paying 10l. the price of redemption, and 10 per cent for the advance of money, viz. 1l. more, there will remain in the publick Exchequer (towards supplying food and necessaries to the labourer, till he can provide for himself, and for risque of loss by sickness or death) the sum of 27l. 15s. the surplus of which, if the redeemed person lives and does well, becomes the
property of the publick,
in which he
himself
enjoys an equal share of profit; so that the
purchase of a slave,
under so equitable a regulation, will be really and truly a
Redemption from Slavery
to a state of
freedom
and protection. And if the
voluntary labour of a man
should really be worth three times what I have estimated (as I really believe it is) the profit for redemption, for 11l. disbursed, will amount to 105l. 5s. which is 956 9/11l. per cent. in favour of the publick Exchequer! Nay, the profit may be fairly estimated at a much higher rate! for if the
free labour,
which the redeemed person pays for his lot of land, be employed by the elected trustees of the Exchequer in the
publick lots
of land, they may expect to receive at least the
ordinary production of land,
for the labour bestowed upon it; which even in our northern climate may be rated at a
triple amount
(and much more may certainly be expected in the fertile and productive climate of Africa) so that the
ordinary profit
may fairly be stated at 315l. 15s. for 11l. disbursed, which is at the rate of 2870 5/11;l. per cent. in favour of the
publick Exchequer
in which the redeemed person himself would have an
equal property
with the rest of the community. Let the advocates for slavery shew, if they can, that
involuntary servitude
is equally profitable! The intolerable expence of all kinds of labour wherever slavery is permitted, when compared with the price of labour in
free
countries, will sufficiently confute them. But more shall be said of the great profits of
Free Labour,
under the head of
Publick Revenue, &c.
AGRARIAN LAW.
Money for purchasing Land, to be invested in Presents for the African Chiefs.—Chiefs to be previously acquainted with some necessary Conditions.—All the Settlers to be restrained from purchasing Land for
private Property,
until the Bargains for the
Publick
Land are concluded.—The Presents to be deemed Publick Stock.—All the Settlers above sixteen Years of Age to be
equally
entitled to the Land.—Precautions for fixing on the Spot for the first Township.—Settlers to be obedient to the Agent and how long.—Reserve of Land.— Limitation of Land.—Limitation of landed Possession.—Manner of laying out a tenth Lot for the Conductor.—Also two more Lots for Publick Uses.—Likewise ten other
Publick
Lots for every hundred
private
Lots.—How to be appropriated. General Asylum for Males and Females, and for married Persons.—Hospital for Sick.—Penitentiary Let.—Glebe Land.—No Layman to have Benefit from the Glebe.—Limitation of the Cure of Souls.— Lot for Parish Clerks and Beadles.—Under Beadles or Trumpeters.—Lot for a Town Clerk.—Let for two Assistant Clerks of the Hundred.—One reserved Lot to make good Deficiencies.—Allowance of Land to Apprentices and indentured Servants.—Sons of Settlers how to purchase Land.—Indentured Servants allowed to redeem the Terms of Service and how.—And to purchase Land by Labour.
THE money which has been paid into the hands of the trustees to procure land for the settlement shall be vested in such articles of merchandize, as are deemed most proper for presents to the petty chiefs or Cabo-sieurs, on the African coast, and shall be disposed of among them to the best advantage, to engage their peaceable consent to admit the new settlers, and to give up to them a sufficient tract of uninhabited land, bordering on the sea, or on some navigable river or creek where fresh water also may be procured, with every other natural accommodation suitable and necessary for a proper settlement. But in treating for the land, the Cabo-sieurs or chiefs shall be informed, as a necessary part of the agreement, that the land which they are requested to give up to the new setlers, is intended to be dignified with the title and privileges of a
land of freedom,
like England, where no man can be a slave; for as soon as a
slave
sets foot on English ground, he immediately becomes free, provided he conforms himself to the laws of the state. And therefore, if any
slave who has escaped from his master,
(in the neighbouring country, where slavery is allowed,) should fairly get within the boundary of the new settlement, he is afterwards to be considered as
a free man.
And no man must pursue him to take him away by force, nor be offended with the new settlers for refusing to deliver him up: because they are indispensably required by the laws of God, and of England, to
protect the slave that has escaped from his master.
(See this further explained under the head of
freedom.
) This previous declaration is absolutely necessary to be made, as one means of avoiding future disputes with the neighbouring inhabitants. And in order that as much land as possible may be procured for the new settlement by the abovementioned presents, the agent or agents, for the settlers, and every individual among them, shall be restrained from purchasing or making any agreement whatever for separate
private
property in land (on pain of forfeiting all right to a share in the profits of the settlement) until an agreement is made and concluded for the
whole common stock of land:
and until the bounds of it are actually marked out and made known to the whole body of settlers. An invoice shall be made of all the articles for presents, in which the money intended for the purchase of land was invested; so that if any articles remain more than are necessary for the purpose, they shall be deemed a part of the
common stock,
and shall be registered accordingly. The whole body of original settlers that go together from England above the age of sixteen years, whether male or female, apprentice, or indentured servant, shall be
equally
entitled to
all the land
within the bounds of the settlement; subject, however, to the rules hereafter expressed for the appropriation of it, from time to time when wanted: and all unappropriated land shall be deemed
common.
No land shall be appropriated but by the free consent of a majority of the settlers, after a full discussion of the reasons in the common council, or folkmote.
When the agent-conductor shall have carefully viewed and considered the tract of country thus vested in the community of settlers, he shall recommend to them a proper situation for the first encampment and principal township, as nearly in the center of their territory as the necessary accommodations of a constant supply of fresh water, and a navigable communication with the sea will permit: and he shall lay before the community his reasons for the choice, and if any other person or persons should propose different situations of equal propriety, the
elected
heads of dozens, or a sufficient deputation from them must carefully examine all the proposed situations; and after duely weighing the reasons assigned for each proposal, they shall make their report to the
common council;
and the opinion of the majority shall decide the question; for it is absolutely necessary that the majority of the settlers should be well satisfied and contented with the situation of their principal township, whether it be better or worse than was first proposed. But in all other points they must be obedient to the advice of the agent-conductor, and follow his directions in clearing the ground, marking out and entrenching the first encampment, building temporary barracks, and store-houses, for the accommodation of the whole community, and in digging, sowing, and planting, in the publick grounds, for the common support of the whole body of settlers; and no man shall separate himself to work for private emolument, until a small portion of land for a
town lot,
and a larger portion for an
out lot
agreeable to a plan annexed (No. 2) shall be marked out, and sufficiently cleared by
publick
labour for
every settler;
nor until the said portions of land are equally and indifferently appropriated to each person
by lot,
to avoid disputes, and shall be duly registered with the names of the respective proprietors. Whether or not the
separate private houses
should be built by joint and
publick
labour, may be afterwards discussed and determined in the
common council.
Land shall be reserved in the township for such new settlers as may afterwards arrive, which may in the mean time be cultivatad for public benefit, but it shall
not be appropriated
until it is really wanted for such additional settlers as may afterwards join themselves to the community: for no man ought to be the proprietor of more than
one town lot,
with its proportional
out lot,
according to the limitation here-after mentioned. And therefore if any additional land, either of town lots or out lots, or both, should be acquired by marriage or by inheritance, or legacy, or by any other lawful means, the inheritor shall be allowed three years to dispose of them: but in any other case, if it should be found out, that one individual possesses more than one town lot, or more land in out lots, than is declared in the following table, such land and lots shall be forfeited to the community.
EXCEPTION.
N. B.
The agent or first conductor of the settlement is excepted in the above regulation, because he is to be allowed every tenth lot that is laid out for private property, on account of his extraordinary care and trouble in agreeing for the land, and for laying out the lots
Memorandum. Mr. Smeathman the agent, and first proposer of the settlement, having unfortunately caught a putrid fever of which he died, July 1, 1786, the gentlemen of the committee must now determine whether this exception ought to be made in favour of any other agent; or whether this tenth lot ought not rather to be reserved for such publick purposes as the committee may hereafter think proper to direct. As more money than what is allowed by government will probably be wanted, the reserved
tenth lots
may enable the settlers to repay whatever money may be necessary for them to borrow for the first exigencies of their little community.
. And also such
publick officers
are to be excepted who hold
publick lots,
hereafter mentioned, in right of their respective offices, as the chaplain, clerk of the hundred, two assistant clerks of the hundred, and the three beadles, each of whom may be allowed to possess one separate lot, in their
private
capacity, besides their
official publick
lots.
If any man should be dissatisfied with the situation of the first township, and can find eleven other deciners of the same opinion, they may afterwards dispose of their registered lots, and agree with the
community
(to whom all the
unoccupied land
within the bounds of the settlement doth jointly and equally belong) for sufficient land to form a proportional township in some distant part, as proposed in the general scheme of the settlement (plate No. 2.) according to the following limitation.
LIMITATION OF LANDED POSSESSIONS.
NO person shall possess in his or her own right, more land (exclusive of the Town lot where the person dwells) than the number of acres expressed against the following descriptions of places, viz.
Within 3 miles of the principal town not more than 20 Acres.
Within 3 miles of the sea, navigable river, creek, or haven in any other part of the settlement not more than 40 Acres.
Within 7 miles of Do. not more than 100 Acres.
Within 12 miles of Do. not more than 200 Acres.
Whenever nine lots are laid out, a tenth of equal size, shall be laid out closely adjoining to them, which shall be numbered and registered as the property of
the conductor;
or for a
reserve to pay publick debts
(the first conductor to whom the promise of
every tenth lot
was made, having lately died the committee are at liberty to dispose of this
reserved land,
as they shall think most just and right) and an account shall be kept of whatever odd number of lots are laid out at the same time,
more
than the ten last appropriated, and
less
than the amount of another nine; that as other new lots are demanded, the conductor may have a tenth lot of equal size close adjoining to any of the last appropriated lots which he shall chuse: but, for every ten lots thus marked out for
private property,
two lots of equal size, shall be also marked out adjoining to them, for
publick uses,
to be registered as such, which under the care of an elected committee, in every district, controlled by the common council of the state, shall be cultivated by
publick labour
(hereafter more fully explained) and the produce be appropriated to a
publick fund
for religious instruction, schools, poor, hospitals, salaries of publick officers, and all such just and reasonable expences besides as ought to be defrayed by a publick exchequer. And also to every hundred lots
laid out for
PRIVATE
property ten additional publick lots
N. B.
The
publick lots
are
not
to be reckoned with those that are
tithed
in favour of the conductor, but only the lots which are laid up for
private property.
shall be laid out
closely adjoining: viz. One lot for a
general asylum for poor males,
under the care and direction of the
oldest
and most prudent deciners in
the hundred,
elected as a committee, expressly for that trust.
Secondly, One lot for a
general asylum of poor females,
under the care of the
elderly widows,
or of such other prudent matrons as shall be elected to the charge.
Thirdly, One lot for a
general asylum of poor families,
of both sexes together, that the branches of a family may not be separated through misfortunes or poverty; but that each family may be allowed a distinct and separate habitation to themselves at the publick expence, until they can be otherwise provided, and more comfortably established, under the care and patronage of the committee of elder deciners above mentioned. Spare chambers shall also be prepared to accommodate strangers and travellers, as at an inn, but separately in the said three lots, according to their respective descriptions of
male, female,
or
family.
Fourthly, One lot for the support of an
hospital for the sick and hurt,
divided into separate wards, for males and females, subject respectively to the visitation and direction of the two separate trusts abovementioned.
And Fifthly, One
penitentiary lot
to be strongly fenced (with palisades, ditch, and parapet, having all the defences reversed or facing inwards) for the secure confinement of all felonious offenders, and to be divided into three distinct compartments; two for the separation of the two sexes; and a third for the married persons of either sex, that they may not be separated from their spouses, or families, in case they should desire to attend them. And
Sixthly, One lot to be registered as
glebe
land; and to be reserved for the chaplain of the hundred, whenever a clergyman duly qualisied shall be elected by the majority of the
deciners
or
householders
in the
hundred;
but no layman, during the vacancy, may receive any profit from
the glebe,
though he may officiate gratis, as far as a layman may lawfully be allowed to interfere in the sacred office. And no chaplain shall be inducted to a legal charge or cure of souls over more than
one hundred families of deciners
and
their dependants,
at one time; with due exception, however, to clergymen of episcopal authority, in case God's blessing on the settlement should hereafter render the appointment of bishops necessary.
Seventhly, One lot, half of which to be appropriated to the use of a
parish clerk,
who shall also act as a
head beadle
in all assemblies of the hundred; and the other half in equal parts to
two inferior beadles,
for his assistants; who, as soon as they can be taught, shall have an additional salary as
trumpeters,
to summon the people to the courts of justice, and to assemble the militia at the head quarters in case of publick danger.
Eighthly, One lot for a
town clerk,
or
recorder of the hundred,
who shall keep an exact register of all the appropriations of land in his division, the rosters of service, both civil and military, the judgements of the courts for
fines of labour;
and the due registering of all private contracts for
labour,
in which duty he shall be subject to the control and accompt of the publick Exchequer in the principal township.
Ninthly, One lot for two
assistant clerks of the hundred
to be elected from the body of deciners, the most prudent and best qualified to acquire a general knowledge of the principles and maxims of the
common law,
as well as of the regulations of the settlement, that they may be able to advise the headboroughs on all occasions. And
Tenthly, One publick lot reserved to make good the deficiencies of any of the rest, or to be applied to any other
public use
that the Hundred Court shall think proper to direct. And if any of these
publick lots,
or any parts thereof, remain uncultivated, the directors of the nearest bank, with the consent of the Hundred Court, may cause the superfluous land to be cleared and cultivated for the increase of the publick stock, and revenue.
Every
apprentice,
or
indentured male,
above the age of sixteen years, that shall afterwards be introduced into the settlement from Europe, and every male bred in the settlement, as they arrive at that age, shall be allowed by the publick as many acres of land to himself, adjoining to the out lot of his parent, or of his master, as will amount to
an eighth part of a lot,
in order that he may employ his leisure hours to his own profit; and as soon as he is twenty-one years of age, he shall have an addition from the publick of one-eighth more, amounting in all to
one quarter of a lot, gratis:
and the son of a settler, when arrived at that age, shall be allowed to
purchase
three-fourths of a lot more, to compleat his proportion for a deciner, at the rate of
half a year's service
for each
fourth part
—that is in all for 465 days labour to the publick: half of which to be demanded before the end of the second year, and the remainder gradually before the end of the third year. But with respect to an indentured servant or apprentice, if he shall be able, even before he is of age, to purchase out his indentures, either by the produce of his private portion of land, or by entering himself at the town bank, for such a proportion of his extra hours, or evening's labour, as shall be deemed equal to his strength, without injury to the labour due to his master, but not exceeding two hours (making ten hours labour in all per day:) the master must consent to the redemption, and the late indentured person, even though he is not of age, shall be allowed to
purchase
one quarter of a lot in whatever township he shall chuse, for
one year's service
(viz. 310 days labour paid by installments as above) to the Exchequer of the township; but on condition however that if he does not chuse to settle in the township of his late master, he shall give up the land which he there held, on being allowed
the value
of it, by the Exchequer; and that he shall previously apply to the headborough or chief of the division wherein his desired lot is situated, in order to obtain the assent of the inhabitants to his admission among them; which being granted, he shall make a publick declaration in open court of his sincere intention to comply with the laws of the settlement, and to behave himself consistently with the necessary peace and good order of a civilized society. And after he has approved himself to the vicinage of his new settlement by good behaviour, and by a faithful discharge of the stipulated service or price, he shall be admitted (if he is twenty-one years of age, or as soon as he attains that age) to all the civil rights of the community, provided that he solemnly
renews
the said declaration at the next publick court or folkmote of the district which he inhabits; and he shall then be allowed to purchase at the publick Exchequer as much more land as will amount to a compleat lot. And every indentured
European,
above the age of twenty-one, shall be allowed
gratis,
half a lot of land adjoining to his master's
out lot;
and as soon as the limited demand of labour, due to his master, shall be faithfully discharged, either by service or by redemption, he shall be allowed to
purchase
half a lot more for two years service (with reasonable credit or allowance of time to perform it in) to
the Exchequer
or publick bank and shall be admitted to all the civil rights of a deciner, as soon as the stipulated service is faithfully discharged: or sooner, if the
Hundred Court
shall be satisfied that he is worthy.
PUBLICK REVENUE AND PAPER CURRENCY OF INTRINSIC VALUE.
Tax on Day's Work required from all Males above eighteen Years of Age.—Number of Indentures to be given by every Male.—Indentures how to be certified.—Every Man to have an Accompt of Labour open at the Exchequer, certified by the proper Officers of his Division.—Apprentices and Indentured Servants to be registered.—Publick Labour to be deducted from the Terms of all Indentured Servants.—Accompts of Labour how to be settled and discharged.—Estimation of Labour.—Additional Tax on the Rich, and on those who have more profitable Employments than ordinary Labour.—The Payment of Tithes of Property always grievous and inconvenient.—Tax on Pride and Indolence. The Advantages of making
Ordinary Labour
the Medium of Traffic.—That poor Men will never want Employment, nor lose Time in searching for it.—Will obtain Credit for Necessaries, and for the Assistance of Artificers. —Indentures how to be certified, entered, and put in Circulation.—Indentures will be
ready Cash
to the Merchant, Tradesman, or Artificer, and will enable them to redeem their own more valuable Labour, and to draw on the Bank for Paper Cash to circulate, or for Labour to accommodate Planters, who will repay in Produce; that the Indentures will be really as intrinsically valuable as ready Cash. —The Author's Doubts.—A few Objections removed.—Debts of Labour to be demanded only by the publick Banks.—Applications either for Labourers or Labour to be made at the publick Banks.—Planters to pay a small Commission per Cent. to the Bank for supplying Labourers.—Labourers to be summoned in due Rotation some every Day, with due previous Notice, according to the Dates of their Indentures not balanced.—Guard against Bankruptcy, and against Oppression of indentured Labourers.—In case of Death, Debts of Labour due
to the Exchequer
to be made good out of the
real
and
personal
Estate of the Debtor.—The System of
Frankpledge
the chief Security of this Revenue.—Publick Fines and Forfeitures.—The peculiar Improvement which even
Frankpledge
will obtain by Fines of Labour.—Even
Neglect
of
publick
Labour may be turned to the
publick
Advantage.—The Revenue of
Fines
reserved to make up all Deficiences in this Calculation as it would probably amount to
a Third
of what is already reckoned, and the Profits of the Sale of Land probably even more than the Fines.—The
Savings
by this Arrangement would be almost as extraordinary as the
Gains.
IN order to establish an efficient publick revenue, and at the same time to render industry and honest daily labour honourable, or at least
creditable
by being
general.
—All contributions to the state, and all publick fines, (except those laid on persons convicted of felony within the settlement, which are to be worked out in the
penitentiary lots,
(before described) shall be levied in
day labour,
estimated (whatever a man's calling, art, or ability may be) at the rate of eight hours work per day of an
ordinary labourer;
so that persons who have money, or more valuable employments, may compound, or find a sufficient substitute accustomed to
ordinary labour:
but the substitute must be a
free man;
because no slave, nor even an apprentice or indentured servant, if bound for a longer term than what is limited under the general head of freedom, shall be permitted to work within the bounds of the settlement, lest any discredit should thereby be thrown on
honest labour.
And for the same reason the fines of days work laid on persons convicted of felony, within the settlement, shall not be entered on the same books of the Exchequer which contain the names of the rest of the community, but shall be registered in a distinct book, as a separate branch of the revenue, and shall be worked out in the penitentiary lots.
All written contracts or indentures for labour, publick or private, shall be entered in the books of the Publick Exchequer, to which shall be made compleat indexes of reference, that the state of every man's engagements may easily be known, whereby no man will have it in his power to dispose of indentures for more labour than such a reasonable proportion of his leisure as he may be supposed capable of fulfilling and discharging in due time.
A
truth part
of the 310 days of labour shall be appropriated to the support of Religious instruction, schools, widows, poor, and other parochial exigencies. 31 Days.
And also another
tenth
for other
general
expences of the community or state 31 Days.
This publick contribution of
two-tenths,
or one-fifth of the
work-days
in a year, shall be equally required of all males above the age of eighteen years, and shall be estimated at the value only of
ordinary labour in cultivating the earth,
amounting for each person, per annum, to sixtytwo days of ordinary labour 62 Days.
For which every male of the above description shall annually sign indentures for the undermentioned portions of his labour, viz.
 
 
Days Work.
1 Indenture for
20 Days Work 20
20
1 Do.
10 Do.
10
1 Do.
5 Do.
5
4 Indentures for
2 Do.
8
10 Do.
1 Do.
10
10. Do.
4 Hours work or ½ a day each
5
8 Do.
2 Do. or ¼ do.
2
16 Do.
1 Do. or ⅓ do.
2
51 Indentures.
Days work of ordinary labour
62
The small portions of time are necessary to form a rateable medium for the prices of all kinds of small articles in traffick, and to afford a convenient exchange when the indentures are circulated like bills in lieu of cash; and for such articles as may require a still smaller fraction to express any gradual rising or fall of price, the proper fraction of an hour into sixty minutes, will be sufficiently small for all purposes; and if any species of so small a value as
one minute
(or even as five or fifteen minutes) should be thought necessary, small pieces of copper or other cheap metals, amber, or particular kinds of shells or beads, may be substituted for it. But if
indentures,
(for the sake of uniformity in the currency) should be preferred, an indenture for
ten minutes,
the sixth part of an hour, will amount exactly to
one farthing,
at the lowest price of
ordinary labour,
i. e. one shilling per day.
In the indentures must be express'd the name of the township, or of
the hundred,
and
the number,
or other denomination of the
tithing
or
dozen,
wherein the signer lives; and when the indenture is cut at the figured tally, the signer of it shall keep the checque in his own possession, but shall deliver the full number and value of his signed indentures into the Exchequer, in the presence of the chief of the dozen to which he belongs. If he himself is an
headborough,
or chief of a dozen, he shall deliver his indentures in the presence of his
hundreder,
or of three other
headboroughs,
of the same hundred, and the
hundreder himself
in the presence of four
headboroughs
of his own division.
The entry or counter checque in the publick treasury of every man's accompt of indentures, for which he is a debtor to the publick, shall be carefully examined and certified by the
Hundreders,
or their assistants, or at least by four of the Headboroughs, of the particular division to which each debtor respectively belongs, which will be very little trouble to each
chief,
as the highest will certify only for 100 families; and the regularity of the frankpledge, and the
certain knowledge
of each individual in a division, which every chief obtains by it, will effectually secure every individual from forgeries; so that no man will be liable to answer any demands for labour, but what may be amply proved and authenticated by comparing the checques in his own hands with the certified entry in the Exchequer.
Masters of
apprentices,
and also of
indentured strangers,
brought by them into the settlement, shall be obliged to register the said indentured persons in the publick Exchequer of the township where he lives, together with the terms of their indentures, on the penalty of 310 days labour for every wilful failure herein; and he shall be obliged to deduct from the limited time of indentured service, all the time that the apprentices or servants have worked for the publick benefit.
When a man has worked out, or otherwise redeemed any of the papermoney, for which he is nominally responsible, and shall have received back the indenture, after the service, he may produce it at the Exchequer, together with its corresponding checque, that it may be cancelled in the publick accompt; whereby the discharge of publick debts may be as regularly proved and authenticated as the just demands abovementioned; and the state of a man's publick debt may always be known at the publick Exchequer by the balance of indentures in his accompt; and thereby all frauds and impositions may be easily traced and detected.
As
Labour
in all new settlements where land is cheap, is, of course, much higher and more valuable than in old established states, the intrinsic value of the labour, in the proposed new settlement, might fairly be estimated
at double the price
of labour in England; but at present I will rate it only at
one shilling per day,
on account of the limitation of eight hours instead of ten, commonly required in England. About 300 males have already entered their names; which number multiplied by sixty-two, the tax of days work due from each per annum, by this regulation, will produce 18,600 days of labour in a year, due to the publick; which, estimated at the low average rate of only 1s. per day, will amount to 930l. per annum. And as the value or expence of labour, when applied
to land,
(at the ordinary estimation of increase by the products of the earth in return for labour and care) is expected to produce
at least triple the amount
of the disbursement, even in our northern climates, so the value of 930l. bestowed in labour on the publick lots of land in the fertile and productive climate of Africa, where very little labour is necessary, might certainly be estimated much higher: but even at the ordinary rate it will amount to 2790l. per annum, which is a very great publick revenue, if it be remembered that it is calculated on the very small number of 300 males, reckoning rich and poor together, which are only the ordinary average number of males in an
hundred division,
or 100 families of a well established settlement, at the rate of three males to a family!
The general contribution, which I have proposed, is
equally
laid on the poor as on the rich, the former being
equally
capable of paying it, and that certainly with more ease to themselves, by being accustomed to
ordinary labour.
Nevertheless the rich (it may be said) ought to contribute more than the poor, on account of the superior advantages which accrue to them by their association with the poor in one well regulated political body. The superior advantages I speak of are—1st, The
personal ease
or exemption from labour, which their riches may always procure to them in such a society—and secondly the effectual security of their property, or wealth,
procured in Frankpledge,
or
"Maxima securitas,"
by the equal exertion of persons, who have
no property,
and by an
equal
risque, also
of their lives,
in case of actual danger. So that it seems clearly reasonable and just, that the rich and higher ranks of citizens should contribute
more to the publick revenue,
than the poor;—but in what proportion is rather difficult to determine; though it may be readily answered, that the quantity of riches should, in due proportion, determine the quantity of contribution; yet this cannot be done without a general
tax on property,
which, as experience teaches us, is liable to many inconveniences; so that even the antient and ordinary tax of
tithes
to the clergy is deemed grievously inconvenient, on account of the difficulties, disputes, quarrels, and vexations, which too frequently happen, as well in compounding for them as in the collection of them
in kind.
The only expedient, therefore, which I am able to devise, at present, for procuring a larger contribution from the rich, is a
tax on pride and indolence;
a tax which, though it will not produce in exact proportion to the property of the wealthy, will nevertheless most certainly obtain from the wealthy and luxurious a contribution exactly proportionate to whatever
pride and indolence
may be occasioned by the superfluous wealth of the community: and in aid to this tax on
superfluous wealth,
the
affluence
likewise of the more useful members of society, whose employments procure them a more profitable reward than they could obtain by ordinary labour, might be made to yield a reasonable addition to the revenue in consideration of their superior abilities to contribute, which men of this respectable class certainly have.
TAX
on
PRIDE
and
INDOLENCE,
and on Persons who have superior Emoluments above the ordinary Class of Labourers.
THOUGH
labour
is the common lot of man, according to the divine sentence, or penal judgment, denounced against our first
male
parent,—
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return into the ground,
&c. Gen. iii. 19. and though an apostle also has declared, that
if any would not work neither should he eat,
yet many persons there are, in every community, who by some means or other seem to be exempted from the necessity of
personal labour,
the ordinary condition of human life! How this may be accounted for, and reconciled with the divine decree, is stated more at large in my tract on the Law of Nature, and Principles of Action in Man, p. 21—30. Nothing, therefore, according to
natural religion,
can be more
reasonable
and
just,
or more consistent also, according to the second foundation of law, with the
revealed will of God
in the holy scriptures, than that all persons who have wealth sufficient to purchase an exemption from this
ordinary lot of man,
should be required to contribute in a larger proportion to the exigencies of the community, than persons who depend on their
daily labour
for their
daily bread.
And this additional contribution may very easily be levied, without making any other additional object of taxation than what I have already proposed to be the
single article
of general contribution, viz.
the two tenths of ordinary labour:
let a redemption of the general tax of sixty-two days' contribution, viz. two tenths of
ordinary labour
be required at the rate of a
double,
or, if necessary, of a
triple
value of the service, from all persons who, having no real bodily infirmity or incapacity, shall decline a
personal
attendance for the general contribution, either through
pride,
by setting themselves up above their brethren in their own estimation, as superior to the common lot of
ordinary labour,
or else by having a better and more reasonable motive, that of a more profitable occupation for the employment of their time, which will equally render them capable of paying, without any actual hardship, the additional tax for the
ease, indulgence,
and
superior profit,
which they enjoy by the purchase.
Suppose there be ten men in an hundred, or thirty males in
one hundred families,
whose pride, or wealth, or indolence, would induce them to decline personal labour: such men ought surely to redeem their exemption at a
triple value,
which cannot amount to any real hardship or oppression; as the alternative, and only hardship to those who may
love too well their wealth, and deem the tax too heavy,
is to submit to the ordinary lot of their brethren, in complying with a short limited service for the publick benefit, in which they themselves have an
equal
profit. And suppose there be also double that number of persons in an hundred division, who have useful arts and more profitable trades and occupations to induce their redemption of
personal service:
—The produce of the tax will be as follows—the first class of thirty gentlemen, or idle men, taxed at triple the value of the sixty-two days of ordinary labour, will pay all together the sum of 279l. but as the sixty-two days of labour from each is already included in the former general calculation, one third must be deducted from the estimated value of this additional tax, where by it is reduced to
 
l.
s.
d.
 
186
0
0
The second class of 60 merchants, tradesman, or useful artificers, who will be induced by more profitable occupations to redeem their
personal labour,
will each pay a
double tax,
viz. the value of 124 days ordinary labour at 1s. per day which all together is
only
6
l.
4
s. per ann. each man;
but as they are already charged half that sum, in the general estimate of contribution, the other half alone must here be reckoned, viz. 3l. 2s. which multiplied by 60 amounts to
186
0
0
Total additional tax on the 2 classes abovementioned in one hundred families
372
0
0
Which addition, if laid out on the cultivation of land in the publick lots, would produce
three times that value,
according to the ordinary increase of land, for the labour bestowed on it. The risque, indeed, of a misapplication of the labour, or of a defalcation of the increase, may reasonably be objected, according to the ordinary misconduct of persons intrusted with the care of farms, at present in this country; but the same objection will not hold where
Frankpledge
is duly established, because the eye of every neighbour would be a watchful guard against fraud, all being equally interested in the publick profit. I will therefore multiply this additional tax by 3, the ordinary rate of increase to be expected from the land which is cultivated by it
3
0
0
 
1116
0
0
To which add the general contribution before estimated at
2790
0
0
The total amount of revenue for one single division of an hundred families
3906
0
0
Thus an ample source is opened not only of
publick credit
but also of
private security,
or trust, in traffick, by the same easy means; whereby poor labouring men may be enabled to obtain all the necessary articles of merchandize, though they have no ready money to advance. For, as
ordinary labour
is rendered the
medium of traffic,
instead of cash, the first advantage to a poor industrious man, accustomed only to
ordinary labour,
is, that he will, at all times, have it in his power to obtain employment; in the search of which, with us, many honest men, in all the three kingdoms, are obliged to leave their native country. And the second material advantage to him is, that he can always obtain an immediate credit, proportionable to the value of his unengaged time, for any articles of trade that he may want, by giving the
merchant,
or
tradesman,
in return for them, an indenture for as many
days labour
as the purchase is worth; and he is also enabled to employ a
blacksmith, carpenter,
or other useful
artificer
(in case he should want their assistance on his own lot) by giving them, in like manner, an indenture, for as many days of
ordinary labour,
as will amount to the value of the work. These indentures (as before proposed for the indentures of general contribution) should express the names of the
hundred,
and of the
dozen
in which the signer is associated, and should be previously carried by him to be entered at the public Exchequer, or bank, of the hundred, and be there properly certified, as before proposed; after which the labourer may cut off the indentures from his checques, at the printed tally, and pay them to the
merchant
or
tradesman,
for the article purchased; or to the
artificer
for his job, retaining the checques in his own custody, that he may always know the amount of his
debt of labour.
On the other hand, the
merchant, tradesman,
or
artificer,
who receives such an indenture from a poor labourer, can immediately
realize
the value of it in his own favour, by paying it into the public Exchequer, or bank of the township; where, of course, it will be posted to the credit of his accompt of labour, and will enable him to redeem a part of his
own indentures,
without his
own personal labour,
which, of course, is much more valuable than
ordinary labour;
and in like manner he will proceed with all other indentures for
ordinary labour,
that he has procured by his traffic, or more valuable occupation, always paying them to the credit of his account at the bank, until the amount exceeds his own debt for public service: when, from the balance of labour in his favour, according to the amount of it, he will always be at liberty to draw on the bank for
indentures of days work,
either for
circulation,
as ready cash, or for
labourers,
to cultivate his own lot of land, or else occasionally to accommodate planters who want labourers, and are willing to pay the value of them, in
produce,
&c. whereby
private credit
(as well as
public credit,
already provided for) will be amply supported: and the indentures for
labour,
by which this most essential
public
and
private
service is effected, will be, in fact, A PAPER CURRENCY OF INTRINSIC VALUE, answering all the purposes of
ready cash,
as a medium of traffic, as well as all the necessary purposes of
negociable bills,
to support
public
and
private
credit; and yet they cannot be, at all, liable to depreciation!
The advantages appear to me so great and extraordinary, that I can hardly give credit, as I proceed, to my own estimation of them; and am inclined to suspect that I am, in some way or other,
enormously mistaken;
but as I cannot yet find out my error, I must leave my censure to some more able head. A few obvious objections, however, I am prepared to remove by a timely proposal of adequate remedies. As for instance—Whatever might be deemed troublesome, or disagreeable, in exacting the payment of these
debts of labour,
may be effectually withdrawn
from individuals,
by investing the
public bank of each township
with the sole authority of demanding the
labour
for the indentures, that have been respectively entered and certified therein. And that the several banks may be enabled to realize the value of these indentures, all applications either for
labourers,
or
labour,
shall be made at the several
town banks;
where planters may be sure of a supply of labourers, and the labourer equally sure of a constant supply of work, without danger of oppression, or non payment of wages, being secured from both by the mediation of the bank, which employs him, and disposes of his service. And both parties, or at least the
planters,
ought to pay some small allowance per cent. to the bank, by way of commission, or profit for the negociation. And each bank should regularly summon, (with
due previous notice
for every day) a sufficient number of the indentured labourers that are entered on their books, not only to cultivate
the public lots of land
under their care, but also to supply the current daily demand of labour that may be wanted by planters and other private individuals; but all persons summoned to labour, shall work on the
public lots,
until such demands are made, by which means
the labourers will lose no time in waiting for work.
The daily summonses to labour, issued from the bank, should be made
in due rotation, according to the dates of the indentures entered on the books,
and according to the quantity of debt which each individual has to work out. And, that no man may run deeper in debt, by disposing of his labour to a greater amount than he may be able to discharge in due time, all indentures whatsoever for the labour either of apprentices or servants, should be entered at the bank of the township, where the parties reside, whereby not only the state of every labourer's debt may be always known, and, of course, likewise his ability to discharge it, but also, on the other hand, the labourers, apprentices, and servants themselves, will be thereby more easily protected from the oppression of such avaritious masters, as might otherwise be inclined to exact more service than is due by the terms of their contract.
If any person should die before his indentured service is discharged to the
public
bank, his land, stock, and effects shall be answerable to the amount of his deficiency to the
publick,
in preference to all other debts: whereby the
paper currency,
will always preserve a
standard value;
and, at the same time, afford a most convenient medium for traffic and exchange. If any further difficulties, more than I have foreseen and guarded against, should still be objected, I flatter myself that the salutary establishment of Frankpledge will be sufficient to obviate them all. For this
maxima securitas,
renders every individual completely responsible for all debts or demands that can justly be made upon him, and for all charges against him whatever, because the residence of the meanest member of society can be most expeditiously known by the public books; so that he may be immediately traced at any time to his very chamber, and no individual in
Frankpledge
can resist the united power of a free people—for if any one should neglect or despise the summons of the public bank, his
tithing
or dozen may be compelled (on the penalty of a heavy fine for neglect) to produce him: and should the tithing or dozen neglect, the hundred is summoned to enforce satisfaction, and so on with respect to higher divisions, until the strength of the whole community is united, as one man, to render executive justice, to
fine,
or otherwise punish all contumacious delinquents against common sense, and to enforce obedience to the determined justice of the majority. This occasional mention of
misdemeanors
and
fines,
reminds me that I have omitted to add to the amount of my calculation of
Revenue,
the profit of the
public fines
and
forfeitures,
which must always be very considerable where
Frankpledge
is established; not only, because the regularity and order of the system renders the levying of
fines
and
forfeitures
extremely easy, expeditious, and free from expence, but also, because the penalties of
fines
and
forfeitures
are, in Frankpledge, extended to the
minutest immoralities,
and
negligences,
in order to render the peace and regularity of society as perfect as possible. Add to this a very particular advantage, which the ancient mode of punishing by
fines
and
forfeitures,
will acquire by the application of my proposal of universal calculation by
days labour
—an advantage which could never before be obtained; viz. that the
poorest man
has, thereby,
something to forfeit,
even sometimes very considerable, because his
personal labour
is
equally valuable,
and probably
more so,
than the labour of a man of superior rank; so that even the happy system of
Frankpledge itself
is very materially improved, and rendered much
more effectual,
as well as more
profitable,
by the proposed addition.
All contempts of legal summonses to
labour,
would, of course, be
finable;
as also
apparent sloth,
or
remissness in working;
both of which would thereby be made
effectual to increase the value of the paper currency,
instead of diminishing it, as might be expected. Likewise all contempts of court, neglects of summons to attend juries; want of punctuality in attending the duties of Watch and Ward, in the rotation of the public roster; and all inattention or disobedience while on duty; all breaches of the sabbath, swearing, drunkenness, and immodesty, as well as
fornication
and
adultery
(both of which should be very strictly, and very severely mulcted, for the more effectual promotion of
honourable marriage
) giving or accepting a challenge to fight, even though no mischief should ensue; all unnecessary wrangling, fighting, or striking, and even every wilful provocation by word or gesture, and every other misbehaviour that is inconsistent with the peace, order, and quiet of a happy society, would be punished by a suitable
fine of days' work,
in proportion to the offence, by which altogether this essential article of
fines
and
forfeitures
(which, in England, through
neglect of Frankpledge,
are hardly an object of consideration) would necessarily occasion a much larger addition to the
public revenue
than I can venture, at present, to estimate; and, therefore, I must beg leave to
reserve
this valuable article of
fines,
to make up any deficiencies, which, perhaps, may be afterwards discovered in my other calculations; to which must also be added, as a further reserve, the profits arising from the
sale of land
for
day labour,
not yet estimated, though it would probably amount even to more than the fines.
I have already, without these profitable articles, carried my estimation of the
public Revenue
nearly to the amount of 4000l. per annum, for every 100 families, including equally both rich and poor, which far exceeds the proportionable revenue, I believe, of any kingdom on earth; for indeed, the same means are
not practicable
in any country or nation, unless the most excellent system of
Frankpledge
be previously established, which I must frequently repeat. But, for the sake of comparison, let us apply this scheme to the computed average number of taxable houses or families in England and Wales. The one million families (as they are commonly estimated) would raise, by merely taking on themselves the very moderate and equal burthen of only a 5th part of their
most ordinary
labour, estimated at the low rate of one shilling per day, together with the additional
tax on pride,
and the easy levy
on profitable occupations,
with the due increase of the whole profit, when applied to
the cultivation of public land,
would raise (I say) at the rate of 3906l. for every hundred families, before calculated, the amazing revenue of 39 millions, and 60 thousands of pounds sterling, per annum. If I am questioned on the possibility of raising a sum so enormously great, that it far exceeds the whole annual produce of all our accumulated taxes, customs, and other means of revenue, I must confess, that I am at a loss how even to satisfy my own doubts about it; and that I know not what reasons to assign for such an incredible accumulation of wealth, arising from so
trifling a burthen
laid upon the people, unless it may be attributed to the
effectual employment of all the labouring poor;
and of others capable of labour, and also to the
effectual
means of which the proposition seems to promise of rendering that general employment
of ordinary labour
profitable, not only in the circulation of the indentures as
bills
and
cash;
but also in the increase which may be naturally expected from
the actual labour, when applied to the earth.
But there are other advantages attending the proposal, which are not yet reckoned.
The previous re-establishment of
frankpledge,
without which the raising of such an increased revenue could not be practicable, would, at the same time, render absolutely
unnecessary
the greatest part of our most expensive establishments both
civil
and
military.
So that, upon the whole the gain might fairly be estimated at nearly triple the
effective,
or neat amount of all the other deviseable "
Ways and Means,
&c. &c."— That this is not an exaggerated statement of our publick burthens, will be allowed, I believe, by all parties. I wish they were equally agreed in opinion about the necessary remedy!
GRANVILLE SHARP.
Old Jewry,
3d
July,
1786.