until the first of January, 1872. In this connection it may be
interesting to quote the opinion of Hill expressed by the Rev. James
Thome and J. H. Kimball, who in 1838 published for the American
Anti-Slavery Society an account of _Emancipation in the West Indies: a
six months' tour in Antigua, Barbadoes and Jamaica in the year 1837_.
They say: "We spent nearly a day with Richard Hill, Esq., the
secretary of the special magistrates' departments, of whom we have
already spoken. He is a colored gentleman, and in every respect the
noblest man, white or black, whom we met in the West Indies. He is
highly intelligent and of fine moral feelings. His manners are free
and unassuming, and his language in conversation fluent and well
chosen.... He is at the head of the special magistrates (of whom there
are sixty (_sic_) in this island) and all the correspondence between
them and the governor is carried on through him. The station he holds
is a very important one, and the business connected with it is of a
character and extent that, were he not a man of superior abilities, he
could not sustain. He is highly respected by the government in the
island and at home, and possesses the esteem of his fellow citizens of
all colors. He associates with persons of the highest rank, dining and
attending parties at the government house with all the aristocracy of
Jamaica. We had the pleasure of spending an evening with him at the
solicitor general's. Though an African sun has burnt a deep tinge on
him he is truly one of nature's nobleman. His demeanor is such, so
dignified, yet so bland and amiable, that no one can help respecting
him."[7]

Hill represented St. James and afterwards Trelawny in the House of
Assembly which sat from October 24, 1837, to November 3, 1838, and
during that time he served on several important committees, notably
one appointed to inquire into the state of the several courts of
justice in the island. But the fact that he unsuccessfully contested
the representation of Port Royal in November, 1838, may have had
something to do with his withdrawal from political strife. About 1840
he was offered the governorship of St. Lucia, but his love for his
native island caused him to decline the offer. He was in 1855
nominated a member of the Privy Council which post he held only about
ten years.

His political career was ended early in life, and the remainder of his
days were passed in retirement at Spanish-Town where he had ta