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colonial, and British produce and manufacture, and
see not one article for which he has paid any thing
beyond the price of produce and labour, and the trader’s
profit. But these privileges are necessary to the
prosperity of Jersey. Without them, its population
would dwindle away; trade would languish, and property
fall in value; and thus depopulated, moneyless,
and nerveless, the island would fall a prey to France,
on the outbreaking of a war—an event, which if it be
the policy of England to avert, can be averted only
by protecting the privileges of Jersey, though guarding
against the abuse of them; and thus encouraging
the prosperity, and consequently, the patriotism and
loyalty of those who enjoy them.
Besides the important, and real privileges which I
have mentioned, Jersey possesses others, highly esteemed
by those who exercise them—none of them
however, of any real value, and one, directly prejudicial
to the welfare of the island. This, the right of
electing their own judges, I have already spoken of.
The other political privileges consist in being governed
by their own legislature; the inoperativeness
of all writs from British courts of judicature; freedom
from the effects of acts of parliament; exemption from
the impress service; and some other privileges, which
are either too trifling to notice, or which are not now
recognized. These contribute nothing to the prosperity
of Jersey; and, with the exception of freedom
from the impress service, nothing towards the happiness
of the people. Many of them are, besides, imaginary.
An act of parliament, backed by an order in
council, may extend to Jersey; the refusal of the
royal sanction makes nugatory the acts of island legislation
; and it were absurd for a moment to suppose,
that the parliament of Britain does not legislate for
the benefit of the whole empire. For the preservation
of all its truly valuable privileges, Jersey is
indebted to the interest of the empire at large.
Whether or not it would be well, that the habeas corpus
act should be made to extend to this island, let
the following fact testify. It is but lately, that a girl
was imprisoned, charged with some inconsiderable
offence by the authority of some police officer. She
remained in prison nine months; at the end of which
time, upon the representation of one of his majesty’s
receivers general (for be it recollected that the maintenance
of prisoners forms a deduction from the king’s
revenue) the girl was brought up for trial, or rather
for accusation. There was no accuser,—no charge;
the cause even of her imprisonment was unknown;
and she was discharged.
A thorough and radical change in the civil constitution
of the island, is essential to the happiness of
the people of Jersey. So long as the present mode of
constituting the bench be maintained, the spirit of
faction will continue to exercise its despotism : and
ignorance, and partiality will impede the course of
justice. From the island legislature, nothing is to be
hoped: it is in vain to imagine, that the twelve
judges, and the twelve rectors, will accede to any
proposition for excluding themselves from the legislative
body. But indeed, it is much to be doubted,
whether a legislature, however formed, would be found
an efficient one; for there is no reason to believe.
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