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 1921 IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY 379 subsists * That this is the institution generally referred to as the Planters' Club is confirmed by the account given of its origin by the club itself in a letter received by the council of Montserrat in 1745 : The sugar planters that Reside in England being Desirous to promote the Interest of the Sugar Colony's in every Branch of it, as far as Lay in their Power ; and to put a stop to many abuses that had Crept into the Sugar Trade, thought that the first step to be taken for promoting these ends, wou'd be, for the Gentlemen belonging to the several Islands, to Unite into one Body ; and Accordingly they did some Years ago, form themselves into a Society in London, which takes the Name of the Planters Club. 2 The letter was signed by twenty-eight persons, amongst them William Beckford and James Knight. 3 The Planters' Club was probably at this time the only perma- nent organization of the West India interest in existence. But in the year 1743/4, only a few years after the great triumphs of 1733 and 1739, we have a detailed account 4 of the method taken by the planters and merchants to attain their ends, and it is clear that the Planters' Club, although it joined in the business, was by no means the predominant element. The leaders were John Sharpe, the agent for Jamaica and Barbados, and Samuel Martin, the agent for several of the Leeward Islands. The incident to which the description relates is well known : 5 Pelham proposed to place an additional duty of 2s. 6d. per cwt. on all sugar imported, and on 13 March a motion to this effect was introduced into the committee of supplies. Long before this the duty had been ' much talked of '. William Beckford wrote to James Knight from Spanish Town on 18 June 1743, 1 should the parliament propose laying an additional Duty of 2/4d. [sic] per cent, [sic] on sugar Adieu to all new settlements '. 6 Six months later the danger had become urgent and vigorous measures were taken to withstand it. The merchant trading to Barbados, whom we have already quoted, describes what these were. First, a case was drawn up showing the grounds on which the tax was opposed, and the agents presented it to Mr. Pelham. 1 Ibid., fos. 120-1. 8 Minutes of Council of Montserrat, Colonial Office Papers 177 (5, 16 October 1745). The club was supported by voluntary subscriptions. a See also Journals of Assembly of Jamaica ; Colonial Office Papers 140 (33, 21 Geo. II, 16 April 1747), where the agent is directed to consult certain members of the Planters' Club, including Beckford and Knight. Further references to the club exist in Colonial Office Papers 177 (5, 26 August 1745 ; and 9, 20, 13 February 1748/9). 4 Letter- book of Messrs. Lascelles and Maxwell, 1743-5. 5 See Pitman, The British West Indies, pp. 187-8, n. 67. 6 Brit. Mus., Add. MS. 12431, fos. 125, 126. Cf. letter published in the London Evening Post, Thursday, 16 February to Saturday, 18 February 1744, under same date.