“ greatest danger. Our internal resources- of finance were exhausted, while
1 a stagnation of trade, caused by the blockade of our shores, cut off all
jjf§ hopes of procuring assistance from without. In the midst of such disas-
l- fcrous circumstances, and the failure of J|f. many attempts to- introduce re,
“ form, and to maintain the dignity of government, I found it necessary to
“ place myself above the usual formalities, and to disregard every law, but
fg that which eryoined the. preservation q f the colony entrusted to my mamge-
*-*: ment. The verbal order which I- received, at my departure from Holland,
had this for its object, and the approbation bestowed- upon my ear by
“ attempts to carry it into execution, encouraged me in. the course of.pro-
“ ceeding which-1 had began.”
The situation in which the Marshal found the colony is justly drawn ; but
the result of his operations, and the condition in which he., loft the government
to his successor, are described in colours by far too flattering. His
partialityfor bis own work, and the consciousness of having made great exertions
to accomplish it, seems to have influenced bis mind too easily, in convincing
him of the advantage and success of the measures he had adopted.
“ In spite,” says he, “ of all the obstacles I encountered, I obtained the follqw-
t‘ ing results. I made the general government the centre .of authority, from
“ whiph every inferior authority descended in a determined proportion, with
“ a definite responsibility and a salutary controul. Into all the local
“ and subordinate administrations, clearness and simplicity were . intro-
“ duped 5s agriculture was encouraged, protected, and extended} general
“ industry was promoted; the administration of justice and of the police
“ was put on a sur$ looting 5 the means of defence were increased
“ as much, as posable * many works were undertaken, both for the
“ service of government and other useful ends 5 new roads were made
“ and old ones improved 5 the condition of all the inhabitants, as well native
“ as European, was. ameliorated, and every cause of misunderstanding re*
“ moved y the relations of the colonial government with the courts of the
“ native princes were regulated on principles conformable to the dignity,
“ and
Hj conducive to the'ftrteTests" Of the former; and, in fine, the revenues of the
“ colony Were so augmented, that after every deduction for internal, expen-
“ diture, they will furnish a surplus of five millions, free-of all charge, as a
“ nett return to Holland.”
Marshal Daendels, in this .teremoir, sufficiently showed the fallacy contained
in the report of the'Commissioners, concerning the estimated revenue
and profits of the Company. Instead of the receipt of 1,250,000- florin«,
accruing from the profit of the sale of opium (as marked in the table whicjh
I have transcribed)4 he assures usihat not one farthing was actually obtained.
1 Many pf the conclusions of the Commissioners,, concerning the temper
of the inhabitants, the nature of the soil of particular districts, and the
general resoUroes o f the island, be satisfactorily proved to be founded on
erroneous- information or mistake 5 and it is. only to-be'regretted,'that he
did not carry the same spirit^üSF impartiality'Into the formation of'his own
reports, which he requires in those of his predecessors, or anticipate from his
successors, an examination equally rigorous, and a measure of justice
equally strict as - that- to which they were .subjected. Had this been the
case, we ■ should • not have beeff offered such financial results as make the
revenue of the'island amount ’ to 10*789,000 rix-dollars,- and its expenditure
only 5,790,000/ leaving a balance of five millions of profit. It may be
interesting to compare his estimate with the table already exhibited.
Estimated