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Depicting daily business life in Surinam

[CLIFFORD, Jeronimy].
The case and replication of the legal representatives of Jeronimy Clifford; a British Subject; and late merchant and planter of Surinam, deceased; to the information of the directors of the Society of Surinam, presented, on the 7th of October 1762, to their High Mightiness the Lords States General of the United Provinces, upon the memorial presented by his Ecellency Sir Joseph Yorke to the Assembly of their High Mightinesses, on the 13th of July 1762.

Title printed in red and black, large folding engraved map of Surinam.

London, C. Say, 1763. Large 8vo. Contemporary blue-greenish morocco, spine gilt, richly gilt borders on sides, gilt inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, gilt edges. Title printed in red and black, large folding engraved map of Surinam. [4], 478, [2 blank] pp.

The "full, explicit, and final answer to the information of the Directors of the Society of Surinam, concerning a Matter of State, which has been depending through so many successive reigns, without a decision".
The Englishman Jeronimy Clifford was the owner of a great sugar plantation, called Corcabo, owned before him by his father from the times when the colony was still a possession of the English Crown. After the First Dutch-English war the colony of Surinam was ceded to the Dutch by the Treaty of Breda in 1667, but former English planters were guaranteed the same rights as the Dutch, which was also confirmed by subsequent treaties.
In 1682, the Dutch Governement transferred their Surinam interests to the Dutch West-India Company. Afterwards the Company sold one third of Surinam to the city of Amsterdam, and another third to the lord of Sommelsdijk, whereby Surinam became equally divided between the city of Amsterdam, a private family and the Company. The governement and police were put in the hands of the governor, with a possible appeal to the States General of the Dutch Republic. From then on Jeronimy Clifford was persecuted by the Surinam Governor, harrassed, imprisoned and hindered to leave Surinam with his goods and effects, leading in 1692 to a sentence pronounced against Clifford for mutiny, condemning himto the cord (te be hanged). The sentence, however, was mitigated to 7 years imprisonment and at last entirely remitted. But in the meantime his plantation was ruined.
At the intercession of King William, also Stadtholder of Holland, Clifford was at last free to leave Surinam. He paid all his debts and entered formal complaints and requests for reparation and on his way to England, he also complained with the West Indian Company in Amsterdam. When his complains were rejected, he appealed to the States General. But the question remained undecided for more than half a century. In 1760 his descendants published a 'scandalous pamphlet' to defend Clifford: The conduct of the Dutch, relating to their breach od treatises with England ... with a full account of the case of Jer. Clifford (London 1760).

The present final appeal presents the entire case in four parts:
1. A summary of the case and proceedings from 1667 to 1737;
2. The case of Jeronimy Clifford's legal representation in England;
3. The information of the directors of the Society of Surinam, presented to the States General on October 7, 1762;
4. The replication of the legal presentation of Jeronimy Clifford to the information given by the Society of Surinam.

The book describes and explains an interesting case, including descriptions of many interesting details of daily life, business and work in Surinam at the period.

Binding slightly rubbed, little tear in the map. Good copy.

JCB III, 1, p. 1348; Sabin 13685; cf. Muller, America, 1462 (the 'scandalous pamphlet' of 1760).

Related Subjects: America, North Cartography Colonial History English Surinam

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