L29/568/138

Grantham, St. James's to Fitzherbert, Paris (No 38, draft) It is necessary that something more than assurances are obtained for the merchants, planters and proprietors of Tobago. Encloses a Memorial on the subject which gives the main points (not present). Desirable to have the points ensured by Articles either incorporated in the Definitive Treaty or annexed, or by some declaration by the French king. "In a Government like that of France it is difficult indeed that any thing short of a mutual Stipulation should be binding, for we have had a late Instance in which that Court was on the point of revoking the Edicts which had been issued with regard to the Grenades, after the Capture of those Islands". Principal points are the exercise of religion, the preservation of the civil constitution, the security of the tenure of proprietors in Europe, interests of mortgages and the rights of succession. If the French Minister cites the precedent of the Treaty of Paris in regard to Canada, Fitzherbert to answer that after the Treaty the Quebec Act positively allowed the free exercise of the Catholic religion. All the persons inhabiting or interested in Tobago are British and "not allowing them the free exercise of their religion is in fact attempting a most preposterous violence". Propriety of preserving as entire as possible the original Constitution of the island. No limitation of time should oblige the proprietors to part with their estates. Slaves are part of real estate on the islands. If France should insist on putting mortgages on the footing of French Law, this should not relate to any mortgages already made.

March 1783

From: 1783 To: 1783

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Lucas,
Grantham, Thomas Robinson, 2nd Baron,
Fitzherbert, Alleyn

Foreign Secretary, political correspondence, Plenipotentiary, French, merchants, planter, treaties, general royalty, central government, general, Christianity, religious practices, Catholicism, mortgages, Canadians, Quebec Act 1774, private buildings & land, slavery, general law, Westminster Saint James, Paris, Tobago, Britain, France, St.Vincent & the Grenadines, Europe, Canada, Quebec