' APPENDIX. xxii'r 
     
    
   
   
    
          
     
         
     
         
     
         
     
         
     
         
     
       
     
         
     
    
   
   
    
     more they would not decide upon the title to a single fel~ 
     
     ow subject‘s estate without grave doubt and deliberation, 
     
     nd a sense of heavy obligation to do what was just and 
     
     ight. How much more onerous the burth‘en when a mil- 
     
     ion of acres, and the rights of thousands, Were involved. 
     
     t was a re'liel'to feel the burden othhe mind; it was, per- 
     
     aps, too much to hope that the verdict would give uni- 
     
     ersal satisfaction. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Coming to the main question referred to them. the Com- 
     
     missioners decided that the granting away of the whole 
     
     Island in blocks of20.000acres each,was an improvidont exer- 
     
     cise of the prerogative of the Crown. But even improvident 
     
     grants can only be revoked by a legal process, which had 
     
     never been resorted to. There was no doubt that all the 
     
     grants were forfeited for breach ofconditions in not settling 
     
     the lands with loreign Protestants. There is little doubt 
     
     that they were forleited over and over again lor non~settle4 
     
     ment and non-payment ol Quit Rents. but as the Crown 
     
     was the sole judge in all these cases—as the Crown not 
     
     onlydid not avail itself of the laches ol the subject, but 
     
     actually forgave them and confirmed their titles by autho- 
     
     ritative declarations over and over again, the Commission- 
     
     ersjustly decide, yielding everything that Mr. Cooper and 
     
     other gentlemen have ever claimed, that the title of the 
     
     proprietors cannot now be disturbed. With respect to the 
     
     leases it is equally clear. that when a man had signed a 
     
     lease, and in a written document had signed an acknow- 
     
     ledgment of title, it was too late for him to ask the Com- 
     
     missioners to pronounce that bad which he had himself 
     
     confirmed. All leases must, therefore, be regarded as 
     
     valid and binding on all parties. 
     
    
   
   
    
     As regarded the Quit Rents the Commissioners con- 
     
     sidered the Treasury minute binding, and that all arrears 
     
     were remitted up to that period. As long as the Land Tax 
     
     Act remained on the Statute Book, no Quit Rents could be 
     
     collected. When that Act was repealed the Quit Rent of 
     
     course revived. 
     
    
   
   
    
     It was apparent. then, that the conversion of thglease- 
     
     hold tenure into freehold could only be accomplished by a 
     
     compromise. and it appeared to the Commissioners that an 
     
     extension of the principles of the Land Purchase Act 
     
     passed by the Island Legislature some years ago, ofi'ered 
     
     the fairest basis of compromise—the best solution of the 
     
     difliculty that could be devised. The Commissioners there— 
     
     fore strongly recommend to Her Majesty’s Government to 
     
     guarantee a Loan to the Colony of £100,000 sterling. to be 
     
     loaned on the pledge of the general revenue of the Island, 
     
     to be appliedcgo the purchase of the estates, and repaid out 
     
    

    
     C .