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-ne, David Meyer, has without the least doubt assaulted the white man
mistreated by the mob and has been among the first who seized hold of
him, but only fellow lawbreakers have given witness to this and it is
therefore doubtful in view of the inadmissibility in proceedings that he
can be found guilty. Also, since his Status as free is unclear given
that, long ago he was willed his freedom, but he has not been found to
have the General Government’s Letter of Freedom required by the
ordinances and, that besides, he is a poor subject having been, twice
before in the hands of the courts, I considered exile from the Danish
Colonies to be the most expedient method of progression with him.
The
other, Wm. Runnels, has taken an active part in the mob, but has not
committed the coarsest excesses, but has never the less in an excited
and mutinous tone yelled and proclaimed “le bon temp viendra”; he has
admitted understanding the meaning of these words and despite having in
the interrogation sought to force an explanation, it is clear that,
given the current circumstances, they cannot mean anything other than
the time is coming when we colored shall have the upper hand. Now, since
the aforesaid Wm. Runnels was not born in this country but on St.
Eustatius, and, by the way, is well known as being infected with these
Times’ Weed of Unrest, I have considered it wiser to have him await The
Good Times on St. Eustatius rather than in Your Majesty’s Colonies.
A copy of my Decree to the established Commission is most humbly attached.
The
Commission of May, 15th, 1815, to which my Decrees refer, is the one
established to take a census, ahead of which each free colored was asked
if he was willing to perform such services as, according to ancient
customs, the authorities might demand. It is noteworthy that among all
those involved, there is to be found only a single one, Richard Craven,
who before this Commission has declared himself willing to obey, which
fact I have also taken into consideration as a valid presumption of his
submissive state of mind, in considerably reducing his punishment. All
the others, as I have also noted in the decree, not as reason for
punishment, but as a strengthening the presumption of the existence of a
defiant mindset, have given a reply to the effect that they would
perform no o- |