Page:The History of the Island of Dominica.djvu/218

 to be wholly exempt from a duty which they cannot be induced to relih, unles under their own proper government. Beides, the impropriety of obliging uch perfons to bear arms for the defence of a country, where they look upon themelves as only temporary reidents, and liable to be everely punihed, hould it fall into the hands of their nation, and they were to be found bearing the arms of oppoition. And moreover, to force them to learn the ue of arms, might be attended with dangerous conequences if they joined with the enemy in time of invaion, or withdrew themelves, as they did before; at any rate they can be of no ue whatever in defence of the place.

The ubjecting them, therefore, to the payment of a certain yearly um, intead of obliging them to appear in the field, to which they are o greatly avere, would be the means of a coniderable