The Memorial of Kenneth Francis Mackenzie Esquire Attorney General of the Island of Grenada and the Grenadines in America

To his Grace the Duke of

Portland, one his Majesty’s

Principal Secretaries of State

322

The Memorial of Kenneth Francis Mackenzie

Esquire Attorney General of the Island of

Grenada and the Grenadines in America

         After many years of Public Service in an unhealthy Climate, it is with much Concern that your Memorialist finds himself under the necessity of making the present application, in order to obtain redress in a matter where he apprehends Government and the Individual are equally interested, but your Grace’s disposition to promote Justice induces your Memorialist to trust that you will take into your Consideration the following short statement of facts and give such directions in consequence as you may think the circumstances require.

            In January 1778, Lord Macartney then Governor and Commander in Chief of Grenada and Tobago was pleased to appoint your Memorialist his Majesty’s Counsel at Law of the last mentioned Island. In November 1779 John Graham Esquire, then Lieutenant Governor, and by the Capture of Grenada, Commander in Chief of Tobago, was pleased to appoint your Memorialist Attorney General of Tobago; and soon after the arrival of George Ferguson Esquire who succeeded Mr. Graham as Lieutenant Governor and for the time Commander in Chief of Tobago, Your Memorialist was appointed a member of his Majesty’s Council in that Island.

The

The cession of Tobago to France, induced your Memorialist to quit the Island, and in the Year 1783 his Majesty was graciously pleased to appoint you Memorialist Solicitor General of Grenada and its dependencies. In the beginning of the year 1785 his Majesty was also pleased to appoint your Memorialist a Member of Council for the Government of Grenada. On the twentieth day of January 1791 Edward Matthew Esquire, Governor and then Commander in Chief of Grenada, was pleased to appoint your Memorialist in the place of Sir Ashton Warner Byam then lately deceased, Attorney General of Grenada until his Majesty’s Royal pleasure should be known—And his Majesty being pleased to approve thereof, was further Graciously pleased on the twenty fifth day of April 1791 to appoint your Memorialist Attorney General of the said Island of Grenada and the Grenadines, with authority to have and enjoy all the Rights fees profits privileges and advantages thereof. – Your Memorialist is in Possession of the Commissions and other documents which substantiate these appointments and he begs leave to add that he has uniformly and conscientiously to the best of his abilities performed the duties attached to each of them.

            The appointments of Kings Counsel, Member of Council and Solicitor General are in this Country attended with trouble and labour, but with no emolument whatever.—In like manner, the Office of Attorney General here, tho at all times laborious and troublesome and exposed to responsibility, furnishes nothing but Rank at the Bar, and thereby that

Chance

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chance for professional success which knowledge and talents insure without it, for tho an Annual Salary of about Two hundred pounds, Sterling, payable by the Crown, is attached to the Office, on account of its precluding the possessor, from acting in any cause against the Crown, yet that sum iis not paid, and your Memorialist has never been able to recover any part of it, tho’ very inadequate either to the duties of the situation or to the loss of health which rarely fails to be the Consequence of residence in tropical Countries.

            Of the Principal of these facts, the Public Offices at Whitehall furnish authentick (sic) evidence; and of the others, your Memorialist, if necessary, is ready to produce the most unquestionable testimony. The only Comment which he will presume to make upon them is, that tho’ Government certainly may fix the Recompense for Public services, at whatever they may be deemed Worth, Yet when an office is given and accepted, with a specific annual Salary attached to it payable by Government, and the duties of that Office are performed, Your Memorialist humbly conceives the money becomes a debt of Right and that Good Faith and Justice have an equal Interest in seeing it paid.

            Your Memorialist is persuaded that the Circumstances as set forth in this address have not hitherto come to your knowledge; and he also hopes and trusts that notwithstanding the pressures of Public business of infinitely more importance, Your Grace will not Consider as misemployed the few Minutes which may enable you to honor to the engagement of the Crown, and Justice to the claim of the Subject.

                                                                                    K.F. M