Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1808 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER IV. Government, $c.--Laws.--Litigiousness, fyc. of the people.--Ecclesiastical affairs.--Parochial regulations. THE government of Jamaica is formed after the model of that of the mother country. It consists of the governor, council, and assembly, or house of representatives. The council may be considered as equivalent to the house of lords. The office of governor, or lieutenant-governor, of Jamaica, is a very lucrative and important one. He is usually a staff officer, and has performed some acceptable services to the country and government, or is at least in high favour with the ministry. His office is two-fold, civil and military; he is both commander-in-chief of the forces, and chancellor. It may be asked, how it can reasonably be expected, that one who has been bred up in a camp, and educated merely for the military profession, and who has never, perhaps, thought of, much less studied, civil jurisprudence, can be at all competent to the functions of a chancellor? The court in which he presides, being a court of equity, not of law, legal professional talents are not so indispensably necessary therein; besides that he has had the advice and assistance of the masters of chaneery, who ought, of course, to be well acquainted both with the spirit and practice of that court. An anecdote is mentioned of Lord Chancellor Hardwick, and a general officer, who was appointed as lieutenant-governor of one of our West India islands. The officer waited on, his lordship, and expressed himself extremely embarrassed at the thought of his incompetency tofulfil the important duties of a colonial chancellor, which he understood was attached to his new appointment, and begged the favour of his advice and instructions how to act. His lordship said ..".
