t; and it was not without some
difficulty that Governor Hunter succeeded in the adoption of a
contrary line of behaviour. Habits of dissipation and indolence
resulted from this pernicious mode of bartering the public for
individual interest, which had taken such deep root, as to render
their complete eradication matter of the most extreme difficulty:
The encroachments on the hours of labour for the crown has,
however, been done away by Governor Hunter, and a a more regular
system has been adopted in the allowance of convicts and other
indulgences to settlers, etc. by order of the Secretary of
State, since his excellency's departure.

The custom of imprisoning for debt those persons who are
employed in the public service, constitutes the 5th article of
notice; and this practice had been carried to such a pitch, that
dealers would readily give credit to convicts, or any servants of
the crown, under the idea that they might sue the debtors for the
amount, and imprison them, or obtain the benefit of their labour
until the debt was liquidated. The necessities of the convicts
frequently compelled them to seek for credit, and thus to throw
themselves into the power of those iniquitous designers. In
consequence of the prevalence of this practice many of the
convicts were immured continually, and thus the public was
deprived of their services; since they preferred remaining
indolently in confinement to making those complaints to the
governor, which would have led to their release, and reinstation
in their former situations of labour. Governor Hunter no sooner
made himself acquainted with the mischievous extent to which this
conduct was carried, than he published an order, in which he
prohibited every person in trade from "crediting the
servants of the crown, under the plea of their being at liberty
to imprison their persons; if such credit was given, it was to be
understood as being done at the risk of the creditor, on the good
faith he entertained of the integrity of the persons he so
entrusted, but that the public should not be deprived of the
labour of its servants for the partial accommodation of
individuals." This order was dated the 4th of October, 1798,
three years after the return of Governor Hunter to the
administration of his high and responsible office; and the
regulation was justified by the situation of the colony, and the
abuses which had sprung out of the custom. After the publication
of this order, however, I