Glass £■ ^ "'.'sJ Book.— uA_k_Lil7 , Vv} 7 THE , , , NO. T. ANTI-SLAVERY EXAMINER. EMANCIPATION IN THE WEST INDIES. SIX MONTHS' TOUR IN A.NTIGUA, BARBADOES, AND JAMAICA, IN THE YEAR 1837. BY JAS. A. THOME, AND J. HORACE KIMBALL Net) "5t orft : PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY, No. 143 NASSAU-STREET. 1 .■ 1838, This periodical contains 4 sheets.— Postage under 100 miles, 6 cents ; over 100 miles, 10 cents. Collected set. '4 ^ o ^1 Entered, accordins; to the act of Congress, in the vear 1838, by JOHiN RANKIN, Treasure of the American Anil-Slavery Society, IB -.he Cle-k s Ofiice of the District Court of the United States, for the South?rn District of New York. Price Sl'3 50 per hundred copies, 18} cents single copy, in sheets : ^13 25 per hundred, aud ^ cents single, if stitched. -f Note — This work is published in this cheap form, to give it a wide circulation. Please, after perusal, to send it to some friend. 31^ This work, as originally published, can be had at the Depository of the American Anti- Slavery Society, No. 143, Nassau Street, New York, on fine paper, handsomely bound, in a volume of 481) pages, price one dollar per copy, $75 per hundred. CONTENTS. ANTIGUA. — CHAPTER I. 7—24. Geosfaphy and Statistics of the Island, 7 — Re- flection's on "arrival, 7 — Interview witli Clergy- men, 7 — with the Governor, 7 — with a member of Assembly, 7 — Sabbath, 8 — Service at the Mora- vian Chapel, 8 — Sabbath School, 8 — Service at the Episcopal Church, 8 — Service at the Wesley- an Cliapel, 8— Millar's Estate, fl— Cane-holing, 9 — Colored planter, 9 — Fitch's Creek Estate, 9 — Free Villages, 10 — Dinner at the Governor's, 10 — Donovan's Estate, 11 — Breakfast at Mr. Wat- kins, 11 — Dr. Fcrj^uson, 11— Market, 11— Lock- up house, 11 — Christmas Holidays, 11— Colored Population, Iw — Thibou Jarvis's Estate, 13 — Tes- timony of the Manag-er, 12 — Anniversary of the Friendly Society, 13 — A negro patriarch, 13 — Green Castle Estate, 14 — Testimony of the Man- ager, 14 — Anniversary of the Juvenile Associa- tion, 14 — Wetherill Estate, 14 — Testimony of the Manager, 14 — Conversation with a boatman, 15 — Moravian station at Ncwfield, 15 — Testimony of the Missionaries, 15 — School for Adults, 15 — Interview with the Speaker of the Assembly, 15 — Moravian " Speaking," 16 — Conversation with Emancipated Slaves, IG — The Rector of St. Phil- ip's, 16 — Frey's Estate, 16 — Interview with the American Consul, 17 — Sabbath at Millar's, 17 — Breakfast at the Villa Estate, 17 — A Fair, 17 — Breakfast at Mr. Cranstoun's, 17 — His Testi- mony, 17 — Moravian Station at Cedar Hall, IS — Conversation with Emancipated Slaves, 18 — Mo- ravian Station at Grace Bay, 18 — Testimony of the Missionaries, 19 — Grandfather Jacob, 19 — Mr. Scotland's Estate. 20— A day at Fitch's Creek, 20 — Views of the Manager, 20 — A call from the Archdeacon, 20 — from Rev. Edward Era- ser, 20 — Wesleyan District Meeting, 21 — Social interviews with the Missionaries, 21 — Their Views and Testimony, 21 — Religious Anniver- saries, 21 — Temperance Society, 21 — Bible So- ciety, 22 — Wesleyan Missionary Society, 22 — Resolution of the Meeting, 23 — Laying the Corner Stone of a Wesleyan Chapel, 23 — Resolutions of the Missionaries, 24. ANTIGUA. — CHAPTER II. GENERAT, RESULTS. ^—34. Religion, 25 — Statistics of Denominations, 25 — Morality, 26 — Reverence for the Lord's Day, 28 — Marriage, 26 — Conjugal faithfulness, 26 — Con- cubinage decreasing, 26 — Temperance, 27 — Pro- fane Language rare, 27 — Statistics of the Bible Society, 27— Missionary Associations, 28 — Tem- perance Societies, 28 — Friendly Societies, 28 — Daily Meal Society, 28 — Distressed Females' Friend Society, 29— Education, 29— Annual Ex- amination of the Parochial School, 29 — Infant Schools in the Country, 30 — Examination at Par- ham, 30— at WilloughbyBay,31— Mr. Thwaite's Replies to Clueries on Education, 31 — Great Igno- rance before Emancipation, 32-— Aptness of the Negroes to learn, 33— Civil and Political Condi- tion of the Emancipated, IW. ANTIGUA.— CHAPTER III. FACTS AND TESTIMONY. 34—52. Immediate Aboi^ition — an immense change in the condition of the Slave, 34 — Adopted from Po- litical and Pecuniary Considerations, 35 — Went into operation peaceably, 3(3 — gave additional se- curity to Persons and Property, 37 — Is regarded 'oy all as a great blessing to the Island, 39 — Free, cheaper than Slave labor, 40 — More work done, and better done, since Emancipation, 40 — Free- men more easily managed than Slaves, 41 — The Emancipated moreTrustworthy than when Slaves, 43 — They appreciate and reverence Law, 43 — They stay at home and mind their own business, 46 — Arc less " insolent" than when Slaves, 47 — Gratitude a strong trait of their character, 4"?— Emancipation has elevated them, 48 — It has raised the price of Real Estate, given new life to Trade, and to all kinds of business, 49 — Wrought a total change in the views of the Planters, 49 — Weak- ened Prejudice against Color, 51 — The Discus- sions preceding Emancipation restrained Masters from Cruelties, 52 — Concluding Remarks, 52. BARBADOES. 53—84. Passage to Barbadoes, 53 — Bridgetown, 53 — Visit to the Governor, 54— To the Archdeacon, 54 — Lear's Estate, 55— Testimony of the Manager, 55 — Dinner Party at Lear's, 57 — Ride to Scot- land, 57 — The Red Shanks, 57 — Sabbath at Lear's ; Religious Service, 58 — Tour to the Wind- ward, 59 — Breakfast Party at the Colliton Estate, 59 — Testimony to the Working of the Appren- ticeship, 59 — The Working of it in Demerara, 60 — The Codrinffton Estate, 60 — Codrington Col- lege, 60— The ^' Horse," 60— An Estate on Fire, 61 — The Ridge Estate ; Dinner with a Company of Planters, 61 — A Day at Colonel Ashby's ; his Testimony to the Working of the Apprentice- ship, 61 — Interviews with Planters ; their Testi- mony, 62, 63 — The Belle Estate, 63 — Edgeccmbe Estate ; Colonel Barrow, 64 — Horton Estate, 64 — Drax Hall Estate, 64r — Dinner Party at the Governor's, 64 — Testimony concerning the Ap- prenticeship, 65 — Market People, 66 — Interview with Special Justice Hamilton ; his Testimony, 66 — Station House, District A ; Trials of Ap- prentices before Special Magistrate Colthurst, 67 — Testimony of the Superintendent of the Rural Police, 68 — Communication from Special Justice Colthurst, 59 — Communication from Special Jus- tice Hamilton, 70 — Testimony of Clergymen and Missionaries, 70 — Curate of St. Paul's, 71 — A Free Church, 71— A Sabbath School Annual Ex- amination, 71 — Interview with Episcopal Clergy- men ; their Testimony, 71— Visit to Schools, 71 — Interview with the Superintendent of the Wes- leyan Mission, 71 — Persecutionof the Methodists by Slaveholders, 71 — The Moravian Mission, 72 — Colored Population, 72 — Dinner Party at Mr. Harris's, 72 — Testimony concerning the ob- jects of our Mission, 72 — A New Englander, 73 —History of an Emancipated Slave, 73 — Break- fast Party at Mr. Thome's, 73— Facts and Testi- mony concerning Slavery and the Apprentice- CONTENTS. ship, 74 — History of an Emancipated Slave, 74 Breakfast Party at Mr. Prescod's, 74 — Character and History of the late Editor of the New Times, 74— Breakfast Party at Mr. Bourne's, 75— Preju- dice, 75 — History and Character of an Emanci- pated Slave, 75 — Prejudice, vincible, 75— Concu- binage, 7fi— Barbadoes as it was ; " Reign of Terror," 76— Testimony ; Cruelties, 77— Insur- rection of 1816, 78— Licentiousness, 79— Preju- dice, 7y — Indolence and Inefficiency of the Whites, 79— Hostility to Emancipation, 80 — Barbadoes as It is, 80— The Apprenticeship System; Provis- ions respecting the Special Magistrates, 81 — Pro- visions respecting the Master, 81 — Provisions respecting the Apprentice, 81— The Design of the Apprenticeship, 82— Practical Operation of the Apprenticeship, 82— Sympathy of the Special Magistrates with the Masters, 82— Apprentice- ship, modified Slavery, 83— Vexatious to the Master, 83— No Preparation for Freedom, 83— Begets hostility between Master and Apprentice, 83 — Has illustrated the Forbearance of the Ne- groes, 83 — Its tendency to exasperate them, 83 — Testimony to the Working of the Apprentice- ship in the Windward Islands generally, 84. JAMAICA. 85-114. Sketch of its Scenery, 85 — Interview with the Attorney General, 85 — The Solicitor General ; his Testimony, 85— The American Consul ; his Testimony, 85 — The Superintendent of the Wes- leyan Missions, 86— The Baptist Missionaries; Sabbath; Service in a Baptist Chapel, 86 — Mora- vians ; Episcopalians ; Scotch Presbyterians, 86 — Schools in Kingston, 87 — Communication from the Teacher of the Wolmer Free School ; Educa- tion ; Statistics, 87— The Union School, 88— "Prejudice Vincible," 88— Disabilities and Per- secutions of Colored People, 88 — Edward Jor- dan, Esq., 88 — Colored Members of Assembly, 89 — Richard Hill, Esq., 89 — Colored Artisans and Merchants in Kingston, 89 — Police Court of Kingston, 90 — American Prejudice in the " lim- bos," 90— "Amalgamation!" 91— St. Andrew's House of Correction; Tread-mill, 91 — Tour through " St. Thomas in the East," 92— Morant Bay ; Local Magistrate ; his lachrymal fore- bodings, 92 — Proprietor of Green Wall Estate ; his Testimony, 92 — Testimony of a Wesleyan Missionary, 92 — Belvidere Estate ; Testimony of the Manager, 92 — Chapel built by Apprentices, 93 — House of Correction, 93 — Chain-Gang, 93 — A call from Special Justice Baines ; his Testi- mony, 93 — Bath, 94— Special Justice's Office; his Testimony, 94—" Alarming Rebellion," 94— Tes- tim y of a Wesleyan Missionaiy, 95 — Princi- pal of the Mico Charity School ; his Testimony, 95 — Noble instance of Filial Affection in a Ne- gro Girl, 96- Plantain Garden River Valley; Alexander Barclay, Esq., 96— Golden Grove Es- tate ; Testimony of the Manager, 96 — The Cus- tos of the Parish; his Testimony, 96 — Amity Hall Estate ; Testimony of the Manager, 97— Lord Belmore's Prophecy, 97 — Manchioneal ; Special Magistrate Chamberlain ; his Testimony, 97— his Weekly Court, 98— Pro slavery gnash. mgs, 98— Visit with the Special Magistrate to the Williamsfield Estate; Testimony of the Man- J ager, 98— Oppression of Book-keepers, 98— Sab- bcUh ; Service at a Baptist Chapel, 99— Interview with Apprentices; their Testimony, 99— Tour tbrough St. Andrew's and Port Royal, 101— Visit to Estates in company with Special' Justice Bourne, 101— White Emigrants to Jamaica, 101 —Dublin Castle Estate; Special Justice Court, 101 — A Despot in convulsions ; arbitrary power dies hard, 101- Encounter with Mules in a moun- tain pass, 102— Silver Hill Estate ; cases tried : Appraisement of an Apprentice, 102— Peter's Rock Estate, 103— Hall's Prospect Estate, 103— Female Traveling Merchant, 103— Negro Pro- vision Grounds, l03— Apprentices eager to work for Money, 104— Jury of Inquest, 104— Character of Overseers, 104 — Conversation with Special ^ Justice Hamilton, 104— With a Proprietor of Es- tates and Local Magistrate ; Testimony, i04— Spanishtown, 104 — Richard Hill, Esq., Secretary of the Special Magistracy, 104 — Testimony of Lord Sligo concerning him, 105 — Lord Siigo's Administration; its independence and impar- tiality, 105— Statements of Mr. Hill, 105— Stale, ments of Special Justice Ramsey, 107— Special Justice's Court, 107 — Baptist Missionary at Span- ishtov/n ; his Testimony, 107— Actual Working of the Apprenticeship ; no Insurrection ; no fear of it ; no Increase of Crime ; Negroes improving ; Marriage increased ; Sabbath better kept ; Reli- gious Worship better attended ; Law oljeyed, 108 — Apprenticeship vexatious to both parties, 108 — Atrocities perpetrated by Masters and Magis- trates, 108 — Causes of the ill-working of the Ap- i prenticeship, 108 — Provisions of the Emancipa- tion Act defeated by Planters and Magistrates, 109 — The present Governor a favorite with the Planters, 109 — Special Justice Palmer suspended by him, 109 — Persecution of Special Justice Bourne, 109 — Character of the Special Magis- trates, 110 — Official Cruelty; Correspondence be- tween a Missionary and Special Magistrate, 110 — Sir Lionel Smith's Message to the House ot Assembly, 111 — Causes of the Diminished Crops since Emancipation, 112 — Anticipated Conse- quences of full Emancipation in 1840, 113 — Ex- amination of the grounds of such anticipations, 113 — Views of Missionaries ayd Colored People, Magistrates and Planters, 114 — Concluding Re- marks, 114. APPENDIX. 11.5—126. "-0. Official Communication from Special Justice Lyon, 115 — Communication from tJie Solicitor General of Jamaica, 117 — Communication from Special Justice Colthurst, 117 — Official Returns ot the Imports and Exports of Barbadoes, 118 — Valuations of Apprentices in Jamaica, 118 — Tab- ular View of the Crops in Jamaica for fifty-three years preceding 1836; Comments of the Jamaica Watchman on the foregoing Table, 119 — Com- ments of the Spanishtown Telegraph, ISO- Brougham's Speech in Parliament, 121. INTRO D U CTION It is hardly possible that the success of British West India Emancipation should be more con- clusively proved, than it has been by the absence among us of the exultation which awaited its failure. So many thousands of the citizens of the United Slates, without counting slaveholders, would not have suffered their prophesyings to be falsified, if they could have found whereof to manufacture fulfilment. But it is remarkable mat, even since the first of August, 1834, the evils of West India emancipation on the lips of the advocates of slavery, or, as the most of them nicely prefer to be termed, the opponents of aboli- tion, have remained in th? future tense. The bad reports of the newspapers, spiritless as they have been compared with the predictions, have been traceable, on the slightest inspection, not to eman- cipation, but to the illegal continuance of slavery, under the cover of its legal substitute. Not the slightest reference to the rash a>ct, whereby the thirty thousand slaves of Antigua were immedi- ately " turned loose," now mingles with the croaking which strives to defend our republican slavery against argument and common sense. The Executive Committee of the American Anti-Slavei-y Society, deemed it important that the silence which the pro-slavery press of the United States has seemed so desirous to maintain in regard to what is strangely enough termed the " great experiment of freedom," should be thoroughly broken up by a publication of facts and testimony collected on the spot. To this end. Rev. James A. Thome, and Joseph H. Kim- BALL, Esq., were deputed to the "West Indies to make the proper investigations. Of their quali- fications for the task, the subsequent pages will furnish the best evidence : it is proper, however, to remark, that Mr. Thome is thoroughly ac- quainted with our own system of slavery, being a native and still a resident of Kentucky, and the son of a slaveholder, (happily no longer so.) and that Mr. Kimball is well known as the able editor of the Herald of Freedom, published at Concord, New Hampshire. They sailed from New York, the last of No- vember, 1836, and returned early in June, 1837. They improved a short stay at the Danish island of St. Thomas, to give a description of slavery as it exists there, which, as it appeared for the most part in the anti-slavery papers, and as it is not directly connected with the great question at issue, has not been inserted in the present volume. Hastily touching at some of the other British islands, they made Antigua, Barbadoes, and Ja- maica, successively the objects of their deliberate and laborious study — as fairly presenting the three grand phases of the " experiment" — Anti gua, exemplifying immediate unrestricted aboli- tion ; Barbadoes, the best working of the appren- ticeship, and Jamaica the worst. Nine weeks were spent in Antigua, and the remainder of their time was divided between the other two islands. The reception of the delegates was in the highest degree favorable to the promotion of their object, and their work will show how well they have used the extraordinary facilities afforded them. The committee have, in some instances, restored testimonials which their modesty led them to suppress, showing in what estimation they themselves, as well as the object of their mission, were held by some of the most distin- guished persons in the islands which they visiird. So wide was the field before them, and so rich and various the fruit to be gathered, that they were tempted to go far beyond the strength supplied by the failing health they carried with them. Most nobly did they postpone every per- sonal consideration to the interests of the cause, and the i-eader will, we think, agree with us, that they have achieved a result which undimin- ished energies could not have been expected to exceed — a result sufficient, if any thing could be, to justify the sacrifice it cost them. We regret to add that the labors and exposures of Mr. Kimball, so far prevented his recovery from the disease* which obliged him to resort to a milder climate, or perhaps we should say aggravated it, that he has been compelled to leave to his col- league, aided by a friend, nearly the whole bur- * We learn that Mr. Kimball closed his mortal career at Pembroke, N. H. April 12th, in the 25th year of his age. Very few men in the Anti-Slavery cause have been more distinguished, than this lamented brother, for the zeal, discretion and ability with which he has advocated ths cause of the oppressed. "Peace to the memory of s man of worth!" VI INTRODUCTION. deii of preparing for the press — which, together with the great labor of condensing from the im- mense amount of collected materials, ticcounts for the delay of the publication. As neither Mr. Thome nor Mr. Kimball were here while the work was in the press, it is not improbable that trivial errors have occurred, especially in the names of individuals. ft will be perceived that the delegates rest nothing of importance on their own unattested observation. At every point they are fortified by the statements of a multitude of responsible per- sons in the islands, whose names, when not for- bidden, they have taken the liberty to use in be- half of humanity. Many of these statements were given in the handwriting of the parties, and are in the possession of the Executive Committee. Most of these island authorities are as unchal- lengeable on the score of previous leaning towards abolitionism, as Mr. McDuffie or Mr. Calhoun would be two years hence, if slavery were to be abolished throughout the United States to-mor- row. Among the points established in this work, beyond the power of dispute or cavil, are the following : 1. That the act )f IMMEDIATE EMANCI- PATION in Antigua, was not attended witli any disorder whatever. 2. That the emancipated slaves have readily, EXPLANATION OF TERMS 1. The words 'Clergy' and 'Missionary' are used to distinguish between the ministers of the English or Scotch church, and tliose of all other denominations. 2. The terms ' church ' and 'chapel' denote a corresponding distinction in the places of wor- ship, though tiie English Church have what are technically called ' chapels of ease I ' 3. ' Manager' and ' overseer' are terms desig- nating in different islands the same station. In Antigua and Barbadoes, manager is the word in general use, in Jamaica it is overseer — both mean- ing the practical conductor or immediate super- intendent of an estate. In our own country, a peculiar odnim is attached to the latter term. In the "West Indies, the station of manager or overseer is ^r>,,,][ipnorabla one ; proprietors of faithfully, and efficiently worked for wages from the first. 3. That wherever there has been any disturb- ance in the working of the apprenticeship, it has been invariably by the fault of the masters, or of the officers charged with the execution of the '■ Abolition Act." 4. That the prejudice of ca.ste is fast disap- pearing in the emancipated islands. .5. That the apprenticeship was not sought for b)^ the planters as a preparation for freedom. 6. That no such preparation was needed. 7. That the planters who have fairly made the " experiment," now greatly prefer the new system to the old. 3. That the emancipated people are perceptibly rising in the scale of civilization, morals, and religion. From these established facts, reason cannot fail to make its inferences in favor of the two and a half millions of slaves in our republic. We present the work to our countrymen who yet hold slaves, with the utmost confidence that its perusal will not leave in their minds a doubt, either of the duty or perfect safety of immediate einancipalion, however it may fail to persuade their hearts — which God grant it may not ! By order of the Executive Committee of the American Anti-Slavery Society. New York, April 28th, 1838. USED IN THE NARRATIVE. estates, and even men of rank, do not hesitate to occupy it. 4. The terms ' colored ' and ' black ' or ' negro ' indicate a distinction long kept up in the West Indies between the mixed blood and the pure negro. The former as a body were few previous to the abolition act ; and for this reason chiefly we presume the term of distinction was originally applied to them. To have used these terms inter- changeably in accordance with the usage in the ■{ United States, would have occasioned endless ' confusion in the narrative. 5. ' Preedial' and ' non-prccdial ' are terms vised in the apprenticeship colonies to mark the dilTer- ence between the agricultural class and the do- mestic ; the former are called pnidials, the latter 7ion-pr(Bdial$. POPULATION OF THE BRITISH (^Covipiled from recent Britisli Colonics, White Slave. F. Col'd. Total. Ansiiilla 355 2,388 357 3,110 Antigua'.. ..i...V.;.'.'V..... .1,^80 2V3'J 3,^!'5 35,714 Bahiinas »..4,ai0 9,268 2,9i)l 1(3,499 Barbadoes.... s^.,,,k,.i,^.. 15,000 82,000 5,100 102.100 Bcrbicet ?..„.. I;. V;.,.. .550 21,300 1,150 2:3,000 Bonnmla* .':'..:'.'...[';': '.3,900 4,600 740 9,240 Cape of Good Hopet..' 43,000 .3.5,.-00 29.000 107,.50O Bcuicrarat ...,, 3,000 70,000 6,400 79,400 DtMriiiiica -:.,,.[... ..'^.50 15.400 3.600 19,;! 2,100 -,Ji:o i,'j:o Jamaica 37,000 323,000 55,000 41.5,000 * These islands adopted irametJiate t;manoipafjon, Aug. 1, lS3i. (FORMERLY SLAVE) COLONIES. authentic documents. ) Biitish Colonies. While. Slave. F. Col'd. Total. Mauritiust 8,000 76,OC0 15,000 99,000 Montserrat 330 6,-:0G 800 7,330 Nevis ''00 6,600 2,000 9,300 St. Christopher.s ^ , gj^ jg ojg 3000 23,9':^ St. Kitts S St. Luciai ^^0 13,600 3,700 18,2SO St. Vincent 1,300 23,500 2,800 27,(00 Tobago 3:.0 I2..^00 1,-00 14.020 Toriola .»•...,... 4S0 , 5,400 1,300 7. 180 Ti-hrdadt '...' 4,-^10 24.000 16,000 4!,2!iO Va-fiiu Ible.. '-Of^ 5>'0l3 60n r.,m Total 131,257 831,105 162,733 1,125,095 < Those arc orown colooioB, wid have no local I<«i«latuTe. ANTIGUA "H AFTER I. I Antigda is about eio:bteen miles long and fifteen broad; the interior is low and undulating, the toast mountaincuii. From the heights on the i^oast the whole island may be taken in at one view, and in a clear day the ocean can be seen entirely around the land, with the exception of a few miles of cliff in one quarter. The population of Antigua is about 37,000, of whom 30,000 are negroes — lately slaves— 4500 are free people of color, and "2500 are whites. The cultivation of the island is principally in sugar, of which the average annual crop is 15,000 hogsheads. Antigua is one of the oldest of the British West India colonies, and ranks high in importance and influence. Owing to the propor- tion of proprietors resident in the island, there is an accumulation of talent, intelligence and refine- ment, greater, perhaps, than in any English colony, excepting Jamaica. Our solicitude on entering the Island of Anti- gua was intense. Charged with a mission so nearly concerning the political and domestic in- stitutions of the colony, we might well be doubt- ful as to the manner of our reception. We knew indeed that slavery was abolished, that Antigua had rejected the apprenticeship, and adopted en- tire emancipation. We knew also, that the free system had surpassed the hopes of its advocates. But we were in the midst of those whose habits and sentiments had been formed under the influ- ences of slavery, whose prejudices still clinging to it might lead them to regard our visit with in- difference at least, if not with jealousy. We dared not hope for aid from men who, not three years before, were slaveholders, and who, as a body, strenuously resisted the abolition measure, finally yielding to it only because they found resistance vain. Mingled with the depressing anxieties already refeiTed to, were emotions of pleasure and exulta- tion, when we stepped upon the shores of an un- fettered isle. We trod a soil from which the last vestige of slavery had been swept away! Tons, accustomed as %ve were to infer the existence of slavery from the presence of a particular hue, the numbers of negroes passing to and fro, engaged in their several employments, denoted a land of oppression ; but the erect forms, the active move- ments, and the sprightly countenances, bespoke that spirit of disinthrallment which had gone abroad thi-ough Antigua. On the day of our arrival we had an intei'view with the Rev. James Cox, the superintendent of the Wesleyan mission in the island. He assured us that we need apprehend no difficulty in pro- curing information, adding, " We are all free here now; every man can speak his sentiments un- awed. We have nothing to conceal in our pre- sent system ; had you come here as the advocates of slavery you might have met with a very differ- ent reception." At the same time we met the Rev. N. Gilbert, a clergyman of the English Church, and proprietor of an estate. Mr. G. expressed the hope that we might gather such facts during our stay in the island, as would tend effectually to remove tht, curse of slavery from the United States. He said that the failure of the crops, from the extraordinary drought which was still prevailmg, would, he feared, be charged by persons abroad to the new system. "The enemies of freedom," said he, " will not ascribe the failure to the proper cause. It will be in vain that we solemnly declare, that for more than thirty years the island has not ex- perienced such a drought. Our enemies will per- sist in laying all to the charge of our free system ; men will look only at the amount of sugar export- ed-, which will be less than half the average. They will run away with this fact, and triumph over it as the disastrous consequence of abolition." On the same day we were introduced to the Rev. Bennet Harvey, the principal of the Moravi- an mission, to a merchant, an agent for several estates, and to an intelligent manager. Each of these gentlemen gave us the most cordial welcome, and expressed a warm sympathy in the objects of our visit. On the following day we dined, by in- vitation, with the superintendent of the Wesleyan mission, in company with several missionaries. Freedom in Anligva was the engrossing and de- lightful topic. They rejoiced in the change, not merely from sympathy with the disinthralled ne- groes, but because it had emancipated them from a disheartening surveillance, and opened new fields of usefulness. They hailed the star of freedom " with exceeding great joy," because it heralded the speedy dawning of the Sun of Righteousness. We took an early opportunity to call on the Governor, whom we found affable and courteous. On learning that we were from the United States, he remarked, that he entertained a high respect for our country, but its slaver}' was a stain upon I'le whole nation. He expressed his conviction that the instigators of northern mobs must be impli- cated in some way, pecuniaiy or otherwise, with slavery. The Governor stated various particulars 'in which Antigua had been greatly improved b}' the abolition of slavery. He said, the planters all conceded that emancipation had been a great bless- ing to the island, and he did not know of a single individual who wished to return to the old system. His excellency proffered us every assistance in his power, and requested his secretary — a colored genlleman — to furnish us with certain documents which he thought would be of service to us. When we rose to leave, the Governor followed us to the door, repeating the advice that we should " see with our own eyes, and hear with our own ears." The interest which his Excellency manifested in our enterprise, satisfied us that the prevalent feel- ing in the island was opposed to slavery, since it was a matter well understood that the Governor's partialities, if he had any, were on the side of the planters rather than the people. On the same day we were introduced to a bar- rister, a member of the assembly and' proprietor of an estate. He was in the assembly at the time the abolhion act was under discussion. He said that it was violently opposed, until it wns seen to be inevitable. Many w< re the predictions made re- specting the ruin which would be brought upon the colony ; but these predictions hc/1 failed, and ANTIGUA. abolition was now regarded as the salvation of the island. SABBATH. The morning of our first Sabbath in Antigua came with that hushed stillness which marks the Sabbath dawn in the retired villages of New England. Tlie arrangements of the family were conducted with a studied silence thajt indicated habitual respect for the Lord's day. At 10 o'clock the streets were filled with the church-going throng. The rich rolled along in their splendid vehicles with liveried outriders and postillions. The poor moved in lowlier procession, yet in neat attire, and with the serious air of Christian wor- shippers. We attended the Moravian service. In going to the chapel, which is situated on the border of the town, we passed through and across the most frequented streets. No persons were to be seen, excepting those whose course was toward some place of worship. The shops were all shut, and the voices of business and amusement were hushed. The market place, which yesterday was full of swarming life, and sent forth a confused uproar, was deserted and dumb — not a straggler was to be seen of all the multitude. On approaching the Moravian chapel we ob- served the negroes, wending their way church- ward, from the surrounding estates, along the roads leading into town. When we entered the chapel the service had begun, and the people were standing, and repeat- ing their liturgy. The house, which was capa- ble of holding about a thousand persons, was filled. The audience were all black and colored, mostly of the deepest Ethiopian hue, and had come up thither from the estates, where once they toiled as slaves, but now as freemen, to present their thank-offerings unto Him whose truth and Spirit had made them free. In the simplicity and tidiness of their attire, in its uniformity and free- dom from ornament, it resembled the dress of the Friends. The females were clad in plain white gowns, with neat turbans of cambric or muslin on their heads. The males were dressed in spen- cers, vests, and pantaloons, all of white. All were serious in their demeanor, and although the services continued more than two hours, they gave a wakeful attention to the end. Their responses in the litany were solemn and regular-. Great respect was paid to the aged and infirm. A poor blind man came groping his way, and was kindly conducted to a seat in an airy place. A lame man came wearily up to the door, when one within the house rose and led him to the seat he himself had just occupied. As we sat facing the congregation, we looked around upon the multitude to find the marks of those demoniac pas- sions which are to strew carnage through our own country when its bondmen shall be made free. The countenances gathered there, bore the traces of benevolence, of humility, of meekness, of docility, and reverence ; and we felt, while look- ing on them, that the doers of justice to a wronged people " shall surely dwell in safety and be quiet from fear of evil." After the service, we visited the Sabbath school. The superintendent was an interesting young colored man. We attended tl>e recitation of a Testament class of children of both sexes from eight to twelve. They read, and answered nu- merous questions with great sprightlin?ss. In the afternoon we attended the Episcopal church, of which the Rev. Robert Holberton is 913 r rector. We here saw a specimen of the aristoc- racy of the island. A considerable number present were whites,— rich proprietors with their families, managers of estates, officers of government, and merchants. The greater proportion of the audit- ory, however, were colored people and blacks. It might be expected that distinctions of color would be found here, if any where ;— however, the actual distinction, even in this the most fashionable church in Antigua, amounted only to this, that the body pews on each side of the broad aisle were occupied by the whites, the side pews by the I colored people, and the broad aisle in the middle \ by the negroes. The gallery, on one side, was also appropriated to the colored people, and on the other to the blacks. The finery of the negroes was in sad contrast with the simplicity we had just seen at the Moravian chapel. Their dresses were of every color and style ; their hats were of all shapes and sizes, and fillagreed with the most tawdry superfluity of ribbons. Beneath these gaudy bonnets were glossy ringlets, false and real, clustering in tropical luxuriance. This fan- tastic display v/as evidently a rude attempt to fol- low the example set them by the white aristocracy. The choir was composed chiefly of colored boys, who were placed on the right side of the organ, and about an equal number of colored girls on the left. In front of the organ were eight or ten white children. The music of this colored, or rather " amalgamated" choir, directed by a colored chor- ister, and accompanied by a colored organist, was in good taste. In the evening, we accompanied a friend to thn Wesleyan chapel, of which the Rev. James Cox is pastor. The minister invited us to a seat within the altar, where we could have a full view of the congregation. The chapel was crowded. Nearly twelve hundred persons were present. All sat promiscuously in respect of color. In one pew was a family of whites, next a family of colored persons, and behind that perhaps might be seen, side by side, the ebon hue of the negro, the mixed tint of the mulatto, and the unblended whiteness of the European. Thus they sat in crowded con- tact, seemingly unconscious that they were out- raging good taste, violating natural laws, and " confounding distinctions of divine appoint- ment!" In whatever direction we turned, there was the same commixture of colors. What to one of our own countrymen whose contempt for the oppressed has defended itself with the plea of prejudice against color, would have been a com- bination absolutely shocking, was to us a scene as gratifying as it was new. On both sides, the gallery presented the same unconscious blending of colors. The choir was composed of a large number, mostly colored, of. all ages. The front seats were filled by children of various ages — the rear, of adults, rising above these tiny choristers, and softening the shrillness of their notes by the deeper tones of mature age. The style of the preaching which we heard on the different occasions above described, so far as it is any index to the intelligence of the several congregations, is certainly a high commendation. The language used, would not offend the taste of any congregation, however refined. On the other hand, the fixed attention of the people showed that the truths delivered were un derstood and appreciated. We observed, that in the last two services the subject of the present drought was particulaily noticed in prayer. li^BALU- ANTIGUA. 9 The account here given is but a fair specimen of the solemnity and decorum of an Antigua sab- bath. VISIT TO Millar's estate. Early in the week after our arrival, by the spe- cial invitation of the manager, we visited this es- tate. It is situated aboht four miles from the town f St. John's. The smooih MacAdamized road extending cross the rolling plains and gently sloping hill sides, coven d with waving cane, and interspersed with provision grounds, contributed with the fresh bracing a r of the morning to make tlie drive plea- sant and nnimati ng. At short intervals were seen the buildings of the different estates thrown together in small groups, consisting of tlie manager's mansion and out-hou- ses, negro huis, boiling house, cooling houses, distillery, and windmill. The mansion is gene- rally on an elevated spot, commanding a view of the estate and surrounding country. The cane fields presented a novel appearance — being with- out fences of any description. Even those fields which lie bordering on tlie highways, are wholly unprotected by hedge, ditch, or rails. This is from necessity. Wooden fences they cannot have, for lack of timber. Hedges are not used, because they are found to withdraw the moisture from the 3anes. To prevent depredations, there are watch- iieji on every estate employed both day and night. There are also stock keepers employed by day in cceping the cattle within proper grazing limits. 4s each estate guards its own stock by day and bids them by nignt, the fields are in little danger. We passed great numbers of negroes on the oad, loaded with every kind of commodity for he town market. The head is the beast of burthen mong the negroes throughout the West Indies. ♦Vhaiever the load, whether it be trifling or valu- able, strong or frail, it is consigned to the head, both for safe keeping and for transportation. While the head is thus taxed, the hands hang use- 3ss by the side, or are busied in gesticulating, as !ie people chat together along the way. The ne- ;roes we joassed were all decently clad. They niformly stopped as they came opposite to us, to ay the usual civilities. This the men did by )uching their hats and bowing, and the women, y making a low courtesy, and adding, sometimes, howdy, massa," or " mornin', massa." We issed several loaded wagons, drawn by three, ur, or five yoke of oxen, and in every instance e driver, so far from manifesting any disposition insnlently" to crowd us otf the road, or to con- nd for his part of it, turned his team aside, leav- g us double room to go by, and sometimes stop- nsr until we had passed. We were kindly received at Millar's by Mr. ourne, the manager. Millar's is one of the first tates in Antigua. The last year h made the rgest sugar crop on the island. Mr. B. took us jfore breakfast to view the estate. On the way, 2 remarked that we had visited the island at a ery unfavorable time for seeing the cultivation of t, as every thing was suffering greatly from the 'rought. There had not been a single copious iin, such as would "make the water run," since .he first of March previous. As we approached the laborers, the manager pointed out one compa- ny of ten. who were at work with their hoes by the side of the road, while a larger one of thirty vere in the middle of the field. They greeted us n the most friendly manner. The manager spoke findly to them, encouraging them to be industrious He stopped a moment to explain to us the process of cane-lioling. The field is first ploughed* in one direction, and the ground thrown up in ridges of about a foot high. Then similar ridges are formed crosswise, with the hoe, making regular squares of two-feet-sides over the field. By rais- ing the soil, a clear space of six inches square is left at the bottom. In tliis space the 'plo.nt is placeu hori7.ontally, and slightly covered with earth. The ridges are left about it, for the purpose of con- ducting the rain to the roots, and also to retain the moisture. When we came up to the large com- pany, they paused a moment, and with a hearty salutation, wliicli ran all along the line, bade us ■'•good mornin'," and immediately resumed their labor. The men and women were intermingled; the latter kept pace with the former, wielding their hoes with energy and effect. The manager ad- dressed them for a few moments, telling them who we were, and the object of our visit. He told them of the great number of slaves in America, and appealed to them to know whether they would not be sober, industrious, and diligent, so as to prove to American slaveholders the benefit of free- ing all their slaves. At the close of each sen- tence, they all responded, "Yes, massa," or "God bless de massas," and at the conclusion, they an- swered the appeal, with much feeling, "Yes, mas- sa ; please God massa, we will all do so." When we turned to leave, tliey wished to know what we thought of their industry. We assured them that we were much pleased, for which they returned their " thankee, massa." They were working at A job. The manager had given them a piece of ground " to hole," engaging to pay them sixteen dollars when they had finished it. He remarked that he had found it a good plan to give jobs. He obtained more work in this way than he did by giving the ordinary wages, which is about eleven cents per day. It looked very much like slavery to see the females working in the field; but the manager said they chose it generally "/or the sake of the wages.'' Mr. B. returned with us to the house, leaving the gangs in tile field, with only an aged negro in charge of the work, as swpei-intend- ent. Such now is the name of the overseer. The very terms, driver and overseer, are banishea from Antigua; and the vjhvp is buried beneath the soil of freedom. When we readied the house we were introdu- ced to Mr. Watkins, a colored p\&n\,er, whom Mr. B. had invited to breakfast with us Mr. Watkins was very communicative, and from him and Mr. B., who was equally free, we obtained informa- tion on a great variety of points, which we re- serve for the different heads to which they appro- priately belong. pitch's creek estate. From Millar's we proceeded to Pitch's Creek Estate, where we had been invited to dine by the intelligent manager, Mr. H. Armstrong. We there met several Wesleyan missionaries. Mr. A. is himself a local preacher in the Wesleyan connection. When a stranffer visits an estate in the West Indies, almost the "first thing is an offer from the manager to accompany him through the sugar works. Mr. A. conducted U8 first to a new boiling house, which he was building after n plan of his own devising. The bousft is of brick, on a very extensive scale. It has been built entirely ' In those cases whert 'he plough is used at all. It is not yet generally introduced througliotit the West Indies. Where the plough is not used, the whole process 9f holing is done with the hoe, and is extremelv laborious. 10 ANTIGUA. by negroes — chiefly those belonging to the estate who were emancipated in 1834. Pitch's Creek Estate is one ot' the largest. on the Island, consist- ing of .'iOO acres, ot' which oOO are under cultiva- tion. Tile number of people employed and living on tlie property is 2G0. This estate indicates any thing else than an apprehension of approaching ruin. It presents the appearance, tar more, of a resu^-rcciion from the grave. In addition to his improved sugar and boiling establishment, he has projected a plan for a new village, (as the collec- tion of negro houses is called,) and has already selecied the ground and begtm to build. The houses are to be larger than those at present in use, they are to be built of stone instead of mud and sticks, and to be neatly roofed. Instead of being huddled together in a bye place, as has mostly been the case, they are to be built on an elevated site, and ranged at regular intervals around three sides of a large square, in the centre of which a build- ing for a chapel and school house is to be erected. Each house is to have a garden. This and simi- lar improvements are now in progress, with the view of adding to the comforts of the laborers, and attaching them to the estate. It lias become the interest of the planter to make it for the interest of the people to remain on his estate. 'YVx'S, maUual interest is the only sure basis of prosperity on the pne hand and of industry on the other. •'.,!,'The whole company heartily joined in assuring tJs that a knowledge of the actual working of abo- lition in Antigua, would be altogether favorable to the cause of freedom, and that the more thorough our knowledge of the facts in the case, the more per- fect would be our confidence in the safety of imme- diate emancipation. Mr. A. said that the spirit of enterprise, before dormant, had been roused since emancipation, and planters were now beginning to inquire as to the best modes of cultivation, and to propose mea- sures of general improvement. One of these mea- sures was the establishing of free villages, in which the laborers might dwell by paying a small rent. When the adjacent planters needed help they could here find a supply for the occasion. This plan would relieve the laborers from some of that dependence which they must feel so long as they live on the estate and in the houses of the planters. Many advantages of such a system were specified. We allude to it here only as an illustration of that spirit of inquiry, which free- dom has kindled in the minds of the planters. No little desire was manifested by the company to know the state of the slavery question in this country. They all, planters and missionaries, spoke in terms of abhorrence of our slavery, our iuoby, eur prejudice, and our Christianity. One of tLe missionaries said it would never do for him to go to America, for lie should certainly be ex- communicated by his Methodist brethren, and Lynched by the advocates of slavery. He insisted that slaveholding professors and ministers should be cut off from the communion of the Church. As we were about to take leave, the proprietor of the estate rode up, accompanied by the governor, whom he had brought to see the new boiling- house, and the other improvements which were in progress. The proprietor resides in St. John's, is a gentleman of larg'e fortune, and a member of the assembly. He said he would be happy to aid us ia any way — but added, that in all details of a practical kind, and in all matters of fact, the planters were the best witnesses, for they were the cpjaductors of ths present system. We were glad to obtain the endorsement of an j-jfiuentj.il proprietor to the testimony of practical planters. DI.VNER AT THE GOVERNOR'S. On the following day having received a very courteous invitation* from the governor, to dine at the government house, we made our arrangements to do so. The Hon. Paul Horsford, a member of the council, called during the day, to say, that hf expected to dine with us at the government house and that he would be happy to call for us at thf appointed hour, and conduct us thither. At six o'clock Mr. H.'s carriage drove up to our door^ and we accompanied him to the governors, \vher6 we were introduced to Col. Jarvis, a member of the privy council, and proprietor of several estates in the island. Col. Edwards, a member of the as- sembly and a barrister. Dr. Musgrave, a member of the assembly, and Mr. Shiel, attorney general. A dinner of state, at a Governor's house, attended by a company of high-toned politicians, profes- sional gentlemen, and proprietors, could hardly be expected to furnish large accessions to our stock of information, relating to the object of our visit. Dinner being announced, we were hardly se'ated at the table when his excellency politely of- fered to drink a glass of Madeira with us. We begged leave to decline the honor. In a short time he proposed a glass of Champaign — again we declined. " Why, surely, gentlemen," ex- claimed the Governor, " you must belong to the temperance society." " Yes, sir, we do." " Is it possible 1 but you will surely take a glass of li- queur?" "Your excellency must pardon us if we again decline the honor; we drink no wines." This announcement of ultra temperance principles excited no little surprise. Finding that our alle- giance to cold water was not to be shaken, the governor condescended at last to meet us on mid- dle ijround, and drink his wine to our water. The conversation on the subject of emancipation served to show that the prevailing sentiment v/as decidedly favorable to the free system. Col. Jarvis, who is the proprietor of three estates, said that he was in England at the time the bill for immediate emancipation passed the legislature. Had he been in the island he should have opposed it ; hxxincv} he was glad it had prevailed. The evil consequences which he apprehended had not been realiz-d, and he was now confident that they never would be. As to prejudice against the black and colored people, all thought it was rapidly decreasing — in- deed, they could scarcely say there was now any such thing. To be sure, there was an aversion among the higher classes of the whites, and espe- cially among females, to associating in parties with colored people; but it was not on account of their color, but chiefly because of their illegitimacy. This was to us a new source of prejudice : but subsequent information fully explained its bear- ings. The whites of the West Indies are them- selves t!ie authors of that illegitimacy, out of which their aversion springs. It is not to be wondered at that ihey should be unwilling to in- vite the colored people to their social parties, see- in? they might not unfrequently be subjected to " We venture to publish the note In which the governor conveyed his invitation, simply because, though a trifle in itself, it will serve to show the estimation in which our mission was held. "If Messrs. Kimball and Thome are not engaged Tues- day ne.vt, the Lieut. Governor will be happy to see them at dinner, at sl.v o'clock, when he will endeavor to facili- tate their philanthropic inquiries, by inviting two or thre« proprietors to meet them. " Government House, St. John's, Dec. mh, 1836." ANTIGUA. U Vlj* embarrassment of introducing to their white wives A colored mistress or an illegitimate dsiMgh- ter. This also explains the special prejudice v/liich the ladies of the higher classes feel toward tho^e among whom are their guilty rivals in a hus- banc(|s aft'cctions, and those whose every feature tells the story of a husband's unfaithfulness! A fiw days after our dinner with the governor and lii? friends, we took breakfast, by invitation, ', witlif^r. Watkins, the colored planter whom we , had the pleasure of meeting at Millar's, on a pre- ' vious occasion. Mr. W. politely sent in his chaise for us, a distance of five miles, At an early hour we reached Donovan's, the estate of which he is manager. We found the sugar works in active operation : the broad wings of the windiiiill were wheeling their stately revolu- tions, and the smoke was issuing in dense volumes from the chimney of the boiling house. Some of •he negroes were employed in carrying cane to the mill, others in carrying away the Irasli or me- gass, as the cane is called after the juice is ex- pressed from it. Others, chiefly the old men and women, were tearing the megass apart, and strew- ing it on the ground to dry. It is the only fuel used for boiling the sugar. On entering the house we found three planters whom Mr. W. had invited to breakfast with us. The meeting of a number of intelligent practical planters aftbrded a good opportunity for com- paring their views. On all the main points, touching the working of freedom, there was a strong coincidence. When breakfast was ready, Mrs. W. entered the room, and after our introduction to her, took her place at the head of the table. Her conversa- tion was intelligent, her manners highly polished, and she presided at the table with admirable grace and dignity. On. the following day, Dr. Ferguson, of St. John's, called on us. Dr. Fei-guson is a member of the assembly, and one of the first physicians in the island. The Doctor said that freedom had wrought like a magician, and had it not been for the unprecedented drought, the island would now be in a state of prosperity unequalled in any pe- riod of its history. Dr. F. i-emarked that a gene- ral spirit of improvement was pervading the isl- and. The moral condition of the whites was rapidly brightening; formerly concubinage was respectable ; it had been customary for married men — those of the highest standing— to keep one or two colored misiresses. This practice was now becoming disreputable. There had been a great alteration as to the observance of the Sab- bath ; formerly more business was done in St. John's on Sunday, by the merchants, than on all the other days of the week together. The mer- cantile business of the town had increased as- tonishingly ; he thought that the stores and shops had multiplied in a ratio of ten to one. Mecha- nical pursuits were likewise in a flourishing con- dition. Dr. F. said that a £:reater number of buildings had been erected since emancipation, than had been put up for twenty years before. Great improvements had also been made in the streets and roads in town and country. MARKET. SATtTRDAY. — This is the regular market-day here. The nngroes come from all parts of the island ; walking sometimes ten or fifteen miles to attend the St. .John's market. We pressed our way through the dense mass of all hues, which crowded the market. The ground wa« covered with wooden trays filled with all kinds of fruits, grain, vegetables, fowls, fish, and flesh. Eajh one, as we pa.ssed, called .ittention to his or her little stock. We passed up to the head of the avenue, where m^n and women were employed in cutting tip the light fire-wood which they had brought from the country on their heads, and in binding it into small bundles for sale. Here we paused a moment and looked down upon the busy multitude below. The whole street was a moving mass. There were broad Panama hats, and gaudy turbans, and uncovered heads, and heads laden with water pots, and boxes, and baskets, and trays — alljnovingand mingling in seemingly inextricable confusion. There could not have been less than fifteen hundred people congregated in that street — all, or nearly all, emancipated slaves. Yet, amidst all the excitements and com- petitions of trade, their conduct toward each other was polite and kind. Not a word, or look, or ges- ture of insolence or indecency did we observe. Smiling countenances and friendly voices greeted us on every side, and we felt no fears either of having our pockets picked or our throats cut ! At the other end of the market-place siobd the Lock-up House, the Cage, and the Whippiiig Pqil^ with stocks for feet and wrists. These are dl'- most the sole relics of slavery which still linger in the town. The Lock-up House is a sort of jail, built of stone — about fifteen feet square, and originally designed as a place of confinement for slaves taken up by the patrol. The Cage is a smaller building, adjoining the former, the sides of which are composed of strong iron bars — fitly c&WeA B. cage '. The prisoner was exposed to the gaze and insult of every passer by, without the possibility of concealment. The Whipping Post is hard by, but its occupation is gone. Indeed, all these appendages of slavery have gone into en- tire disuse, and Time is doing his work of dilapi- dation upon them. We fancied we could see in the marketers, as they walked in and out at the doorless entrance of the Lock-up House, or leaned against the Whipping Post, in careless chat, that harmless defiance which would prompt one to beard the dead lion. Returning from the market we observed a negro woman passing through the street, with several large hat boxes strung on her arm. She acci- dentally let one of them fall. The box had hard- ly reached the ground, when a little boy sprang from the back of a carriage rolling by, handed the woman the box, and hastened to remount the carriage. CHRISTMAS, jjbijim.-. During the reign of slavery,' the Christmas holidays brought with them general alarm. To prevent insurrections, the militia was uniformly called out, and an array made of all that was formidable in military enginery. This custom was dispensed with at once, after emancipation. As Christmas came op the Sabbath, it tested the respect for that day. The morning was similar, in all respects, to the morning of the Sabbath described above ; the same serenity reigning every- where — the same quiet in the household move- ments, and the sametranquilliiyprevailingthrough the streets. We attended morning service at t?ie Moravian chapel. Notwithstandivig the descri|v tions we had heard of the great change which eniancipation had wrought in the observance of Christmas, we were quite unprepared for vbe i: 12 ANTIGU; delightful reality around us. Though thirty thousa)id slaves had but lately Isf^en " turnf^d loose'' upon a wluie populutiou ol' less than ihree ihoustind ! instead of meeting with scenes of disorder, what were the sights which greeted our eyes'? The neat attire, the serious demeanor, and the thronged procession to the place of wor- ship. In every direction the roads leading into town were lined with happy beings— attired for the house of God. When groups coming from d liferent quarters met at the corners, they stopped a moment to exchange salutations and shake hands, and then proceeded on together. The Moravian chapel was slightly decorated with green branches. They were the only adorn- ing which marked the plain sanctuary of a plain people. It was crowded with black and colored people, and very many stood without, who could not get in. After the close of the service in the chapel, the minister proceeded to the adjacent school room, and preached to another crowded audience. In the evening the Wesleyan chapel was crowded to overflowing. The aisles and communion place were full. On all festivals and holidays, which occur on the Sabbath, the church- es aad chapels are more thronged than on any , other Lord's day. • It is hardly necessary to state that there was no instance of a dance or drunken riot, nor wild shouts of mirth during the day. The Christmas, instead of breaking in upon the repose of the Sabbath, seemed -QJtJy^io enhance the usual solem- nity of the day.tn r-i- . The holidays continued until the next 'Wednes- day morning, and the same order prevailed to the close of them. On Monday there were religious services in most of the churches and chapels, where sabbath-school addresses, discourses on the relative duties of husband and wife, and on kindred subjects, were delivered. An intelligent gentleman informed us that the negroes, while slaves, used to spend during the Christmas holidays, the extra money which they got during the year. Now they save it — to buy small tracts of land for their own cultivation. The Governor informed us that the police re- turns did not report a single case of arrest during the holidays. He said he had been well acquainted with the country districts of England, he had also travelled extensively in Europe, yet he had never found such a peaceable, orderly, and laiu-abiding people as those of Antigua. An acquaintance of nine weeks with the colored population of St. John's, meeting them by the wayside, in their shops, in their parlors, and elsewhere, enables us to pronounce them a people of general intelligence, refinement of manners, personal accomplishments, and true politeness. As to their style of dress and mode of living, were we disposed to make any criticism, we should say that they were extravagant. In refined and ele- vated conversation, they would certainly bear a comparison with the whita families of the island. VISIT TO THIBOU JARVIs's ESTATE. After the Chrititmas holidays were over, we resumed our visits to the country. Being provided with a letter to the manager of Thibou Jarvis's estate, Mr. James Howell, we embraced the earliest opportunity to call on him. Mr. H. has been in Antigua for thirty-six years, and has been a prtictical planter during the whole of that time. He has the management of two estates, on which there are more than five hundred people. The prineipat itetfls oV'fevfeS^;^!]*^ testimony will be found in another place. In this connection we shall lecord ohly.miscellaneous, statements of a local nature. ,, . , 1. The severity of the drought. He had beer in Antigua since the year 1800, and he had never, known so long a continuance of dry weather, although the island is subject to severe droughts He stated that a field of yams, which in ordinary seasons yielded ten cart-loads to the acre, would not produce this year more than three. The failure in the crops was not in the least degree chargeable upon the laborers, for in the first ptace, the cane plants for the present crop were put in earlier and in greater quanthies than usual, and U7ilil the drought commenced, the fields promised a large return. 2. The religious condition of the negroes, during slavery, was extremely low. It seemed almost impossible to teach them any higher reli- gio7i than obedience to their masters. Their highes; notion of God was that he was a little above theii owner. He mentioned, by way of illustration, that the slaves of a certain large proprietor used to have this saying, " Massa only want he little finger to touch God I" that is, their master icas lower than God only by the length of his little fimger. But now the religious and moral condi- tion of the people was fast improving. 3. A great change in the use of rum, had been effected on the estates under his management since emancipation. He formerly, in accordance with the prevalent custom, gave his people a weekly allowance of rum, and this was regarded as es- sential to their health and effectiveness. But he has lately discontinued this altogether, and his people had hot suffered any inconvenience from it. He gave them in lieu of the rum, an allowance of molasses, with which they appeared to be entirely satisfied. When Mr. H. informed the people of his intention to discontinue the spirits, he told them that he should set them the example of total abstinence, by abandoning wine and malt liquor also, which he accordingly did. 4. There had been much less pretended sick- ness among the negroes since freedom. They had now a strong aversion to going to the sick house,* so much so that on many estates it had been put to some other use. We were taken through the negro village, and shown the interior of several houses. One of the finest looking huts was decorated with pictures, printed cards, and booksellers' Hdvertisem^nts in large letters. Amongst many ornaments of this kind, was an advertisement not unfamiliar to our eyes — " The Girl's Own Book. Bv Mrs. Child." We generally found the women at home. Some of them had been informed of our intention to visit them, and took pains to have every thing in the best order for our reception. The negro vil- lage on this estate contains one hundred houses, each of which is occupied by a separate family. Mr. H. next conducted us to a neighboring field, where the great gangi were at work. There were about fifty persons in the gang — the majori- ty females — under two inspectors or superinten * The estate hospital, in which, during slavery, all sick persons were placed for medical attendance and nur.siiig. There was one on every estate. r Tlie people on most estates are divided into three gangs : first, the great gang, composed of the principal effective men and women ; second, the weeding gang, consisting of younger and weekly porson.s; and thij^i, the grass gang, which embraces all the cliUUrcn aU work. ANTIGUA. 13 •*ents, men who talce the place of the quondam drivers, though tlieir province is totally different. ' They merely direct the laborers in their work, employing with the loiterers the stimulus of per- suasion, or at farthest,, no more than the violence of the tongue. Mr. H. requested them to stop their work, and told them who we were, and as we bowed, the men took off their hats and the women made a low courtesy. Mr. Howell then informed them that we had come from America, where there were a great many slaves: that we had visited Antigua to see how freedom was working, and whether the people who were made free on the first of August were doing well — -and added, that he " lioped these gentlemen might be able to carry back such a re- port as would induce the masters in America to set their slaves free." They unanimously replied, "Yes, massa, we hope dem will gib um free." We spoke a few words : told them of the condition of the slaves in America, urged them to pray for them that they might be patient under their suffer- ings, and that they might soon be made free. They repeatedly promised to pray for the poor slaves in America. We then received their hear- ty '■ Good bye, massa," and returned to the house, while they resumed their work. We took leave of Mr. Howell, grateful for his kind offices in furtherance of the objects of our mission. We had not been long in Antigua before we per- teived the distress of the poor from the scarcity of water. As there are but few springs in the island, the sole reliance is upon rain water. Wealthy families have cisterns or tanks in their yards, to receive the rain from the roofs. There are also a few public cisterns in St. John's. These ordina- rily supply the whole population. During the present season many of these cisterns have been dry, and the supply of water has been entirely inad- equate to the wants of the people. There are seve- ral large open ponds in the vicinity of St. John's, which are commonly used to water " slock. " There are one or more on every estate, for the same purpose. The poor people were obliged to use the water from these ponds both fordrinking and cook- ing while we were in Antigua. In taking our morning walks, we uniformly met the negroes ei- ther going to, or returning from the ponds, with their large pails balanced on their heads, happy ap- parently in being able to get even such foul water. Attended the anniversary of the " Friendly So- ftpiely, " coimected with the church in St. John's. jiMany of the most respectable citizens, including o|.he Governor, were present. After the services in the church, the society moved in procession to the Rectory school-room. We counted one hundred males and two hundred and sixty females in the procession. Having been kindly invited by the Rector to attend at the school-room, we followed the procession. We found the house crowded with women, many others, besides those in the procession, having convened. The men were seated without under a canvass, extended along one side of the house. The whole number present was supposed to be nine hundred. Short address- es were made by the Rector, the Archdeacon, and the Governor. The Seventh Annual Report of the Society, drawn up by the secretary, a colored man, was read. It was creditable to the author. The Rec- tor in h's address afreclio:'\aIly w.'.nied the society^ espL-cialiy the female members, against extrava- gance in dress. The Archdeacon exhorted them to domestic and conjugal faithfulness. He alluded to the preva- lence of inconstancy during past years, and to the great improvement in this particular lately ; and concluded by wishing them all " a happy new-year and iiianij of them, and a blessed immortality in the end." For this kind wish they returned a loud and general "thankee, massa." The Governor then said, that he rose merely to remark, that this society might aid in the emanci- pation of millions of slaves, now in bondage in other countries. A people who are capable of forming such societies as this among themselves, deserve to be free, and ought no longer to be held in bondage. You, said he, are showing to the world what the negro race are capable of doing. The Governor's remarks were received with ap- plause. After the addresses the audience were ser- ved with refreshments, previousto which the Rec- tor read the following lines, which were sung to the tune of Old Hundred, the whole congregation standing. " Lord at our table now appear And bless us here, as every where ; Let manna to our souls be given, The bread otlife sent down from heaven.'/' r , The simple refreshment was then handed round. It consisted merely of buns and lemonade. ■ The Governor and the Rector, each drank to the health and happiness of the members. The lood' re- sponse came up from all within and all around the house — " thankee — thankee — thankee — -massa — thankee ^ool1 mni took us iii his cuaiag; to Green Castle estate. Green Castle lies about three miles south-eant u ANTIGUA. from St. John's, and contains 940 acres. The mansion stands on a rocky clifl', overlooking the estate, and commanding a wide viewof ihe island. In one direction spreads a valley, interspersed with fields of sugar-cane and piovisions. In an- other stretches a range of hills, with tlieir sides clad in culture, and their tops covered with clouds. At tiie base of the rock are the sugar houses. On a neighboring- upland lies the negro village, in the rear of which are the provision grounds. Sam- uel Barnard, Esq., the manager, received us kind- ly. He said, he had been on the island forty-four years, most of the time engaged in the manage- ment of estates. He is now the manager of two estates, and the attorney for six, and has lately purchased an estate himself Mr. B. is now an aged man, grown old in the practice of slave holding. He has survived the wreck of slavery, and now stripped of a tyrant's power, he still lives among the people, who were lately his slaves, and manages an estate which was once his empire. The testimony of such a man is invaluable. Hear Rim. [7, ■ '"', ' ■'", '-'*"' ■ '■; I. 'W.'Bl^aia, that the negroes throughout the island were Very peaceable when they received theip freedom. ?&;■[' I^e said he had found no difficulty in getting hiS p^o|)le to work after they had received their freedom. Some estates had suffered tor a short time; there was a pretty general fluctation for a month or two, the people leaving one estate and going to an- other. But this, said Mr. B., was chargeable to the folly of the planters, who overbid each other in order to secure the best hands and enough of them. The negroes had a strong attachment to their homes, and they would rarely abandon them unless harsh- ly treated. 3. He thought that the assembly acted very wisely in rejecting the apprenticeship. He consid- ered it absurd. It took the chains partly from off the slave, and fastened them on the master, and en- slaved them both. It withdrew from the latter the power of compelling labor, and it supplied to the former no incentive to industry. He was opposed to the measures which many had adopted for further securing the benefits of emancipation. — He referred particularly to the system of education which now prevailed. He thought that the education of the emancipated ne- gr6es should combine industry with study even in childhood, so as not to disqualify the taught for cultivating the ground. It will be readily seen that this prejudice against education, evi- dently the remains of his attachment to slavery, gives additional weight to his testimony. The Mansion on the Rock (which from its ele- vated and almost inaccessible position, and from the rich shrubbery in perpetual foliage surround- 'ng It, very fitly takes the name of Green Castle) is memorable as the scene of the murder of the pre- sent proprietor's grandfather. He refused to give his slaves holiday on a particular occasion. They came several 'times in a body and asked for the holiday, but he obstinately refused to grant it. They rushed into his bedroom, fell upon him with their hoes, and killed him. On our return to St. John's, we received a polite note fro^n a colored lady, inviting us to attend the anniversary of the "Juvenile Association," at eleven o'clock. We found about forty children assembled, the greater part of them colored girls, but some were while. The ages of these juvenile philanthropists varied from four to four- wen. After singing and prayer, the object of the association was stated, which was to raise money by sewing, soliciting contributions, and otherwise, for charitable purposes. From the annual report it appeared that this was the twenty-Jirst anniversari/ of the society. The treasurer reported nearly £(J0 currency (or about S150) received and disbursed during tlie year. More than one hundred dollars had "been ■, given towards the erection of the new Wesleyan , chapel in St. John's. Several resolutions were presented by little misses, expressive of gratitude to God for continued blessings, which were adopt- ed unanimously — every child holding up its right hand in token of assent. After the resolutions and other business wer« despatched, the children listened to several ad- dresses from the gentlemen present. The last speaker was a member of the assembly. He said that his presence there was quite accidental; but that he had been amply repaid for coming by wit- nessing the goodly work in which this juvenile society was engaged. As thei-e was a male branch association about to be organized, lie beg- ged the privilege of enrolling his name as an hon- orary member, and promised to be a constant contributor to its funds. He concluded by saying, that though he had not before enjoyed the happi- ness of attending their anniversaries, he should never again fail to be present (with the permission of their worthy patroness) at the future meetings of this most interesting society. We give the substance of this address, as one of the signs of the times. The speaker was a wealthy merchant of St. John's. This society was organized in 1815. The^^r.";^ proposal came-from a few little colored girls, who, after hearing a sermon on the blessedness of doing good, wanted to know whether they might not have a society for raising money to give to the poor. This Juvenile Association has, since its organ ization, raised the sum of fourteen hundred, del- lars! Even this little association has experienced a great impulse from the free system. From a table of the annual receipts since 1815, we found that the amount raised the two last years, is nearly equal to that received during any three years before. ■-' DR. DANIELL WEATHERILL EST.iTE. On our return from Phibou Jarvis's estate, we called at Weatherill's ; but the manajier. Dr. Dan- iell, not being at home, we left our names, with dn intimation of the object of our visit. Dr. D. cal- led soon after at our lodgings. As authority, he is unquestionable. Before retiring from the prac- tice of medicine, he stood at the head of his profes- sion in the island. He is now a member of the council, is proprietor of an estate, manager of another, and attorney for six. The fact that such men as Dr. D., but yesterday large slaveholders, and still holding high civil and political stations, should most cheerfully fa- cilitate our anti-slavery investigations, manifest- ing a solicitude to furnish us v.-!th all the inlbrma- tion in their power, is of itsdf the highest eulogy of the new system. The testimony of Dr. D. will be found mainly in a subsequent part of the work. We state, in passing, a fe' 'ncidentals. He was satisfied that immediate emancipation was better policy than a temporary apprenticeship. The apprenticeship was a middle slate — kent the negroes in suspense — vexed and harrasscd Jicm —■fed them cii a starved hope ; and therefore tiiey ANTIGUA. t& would not be so likely, when they ultimately ob- .ained freedom, to feel grateful, and conduct them- selves properly. The reflection that they had been cheated out of their liberty lor six years would sour Ikeir minds. The planters in Anti- gua, by giving immediate freedom, had secured ihe attaciiment of their people. The Doctor said he did not expect to nKike more than two thirds of his average crop; but he assured us that this was owing solely to the want of rain. There had been no deficiency of labor. The crops were in, in season, throughout the island, and the estates were never under bet- ter cultivation than at the present time. Nothing was wanting but rain — rain. • He said that the West India planters were very anxious to letain the services of the negro popu- lation. Dr. D. made some inquiries as to the extent of slavery in the United States, and what was doing for its abolition. He thought that emancipation in our country would not be the result of a slow process. The anti-slavery feeling of the civilized world had become too strong to wait for a long course of "preparations" and "ameliorations." And besides, continued he, " tlie arbitrary control of a master can tiever be a preparation for free- dom ; — sound and wholesome legal restraints are Uie onlyp reparative." The Doctor also spoke of the absurdity and wickedness of the caste of color which prevailed in the United States. It was the offspring of slavery, and it must disappear when slavery is abolished. CONVKRSATION WITH A NEGRO. We had a conversation one morning with a boatman, while he was rowing us across the har- bor of St. John's. He was a young negro man. Said he was a slave until emancipation. We in- quired whether he heard any thing about eman- cipation betbre it took place. He said, yes — the slaves heard of it, but it was talked about so long that many of them lost all believemenl in it, got tired waiting, and bought their freedom; but he had more patience, and got his for nothing. We inquired of him, what the negroes did on the first of August, 1834. He said they all went to church and chapel. " Dare wa" more religious on dat day dan you could tiiu of." Speaking of the la^o, he said it was his / ■^?nd. If there was no law to take his part, a n.wi, who was stronger than he, might step up aiV-. knock him down. But now no one dare do so ; uil were afraid of the laio, — the law would never hurt ?>,iy body who behaved well ; but a master would slash a fellow.^ let him do his best. VISIT TO NKWFIELD. Drove out to Newfield, a Moravian station, about eight miles from St. John's. The Rev. Mr. Morrish, the missionary at that station, has under his charge two thousand people. Connect- ed with the station is a day school for children, and a night school for adults twice in each week. We looked in upon the day school, and found one hundred and fifteen children. The teacher and assistant were colored persons. Mr. M. su- Eerintenf? ./ He was just dismissing the school, y singing urnd prayer, and the children marched out to the music of one of their little songs. Du- ring the afternoon, Mr. Favey, manager of a neighboring estate, (Lavicount's,) called on us. He spoke of the tranquillity of the lat» Christ- mas holidays. Tliey ended Tuesday evening, and his people were all in the field at work on Wednesday morning — there were no stragglers. Being asked to specify the chief advantages of the new system over slavery, hu staled at once the following tilings : lsl.lt (free labor) is less c.z- pcnsivc. 2d. It costs a planter far less trouble to inaiiage free laborers, than it did to manage slaves. 3d. It had remoiied all danger of insur- rection, conjlagration, and conspiracies. ADULT SCHOOL. In the evening, Mr. Morrish's adult school for women was held. About thirty women assem- bled from difterent estates — some walking several miles. Most of them were just beginning to read. They had just begun to learn something about figures, and it was no small efibrt to add 4 and 2 together. They were incredibly ignorant about the simplest matters. W^hen they first came tc the school, they could not tell which was their right arm or their right side, and tliey had scarcely mastered that secret, after repeated showing. W* were astonished to observe that when Mr. M. asked them to point to their cheeks, they laid their finger upon their chins. They were much plea- sed with the evolutions of a dumb clock, which Mr. M. exhibited, but none of them could tell the time of day by it. Such is a specimen of the in- telligence of the Antigua negroes. Mr. M. told us that they were a pretty fair sample of the coun- try negroes generally. It surely cannot be said that they were uncommonly well prepared for freedom; yet with all their ignorance, and with the merest infantile state of intellect, they prove the peaceable subjects of law. That they have a great desire to learn, is manifest from their coming such distances, after working in the field all day. The school which they attend has been establish- ed since the abolition of slavery. The next morning, we visited the day school. It was opened with singing and prayer. The children knelt and repeated the Lord's Prayer after Mr. M. They then formed into a line and marched around the room, singing and keeping the step. A tiny little one, just beginning to walk, occasionally straggled out of the line. The next child, not a little displeased with such disor- derly movements, repeatedly seized the straggler by the frock and pulled her into the ranks ; but finally despaired of reducing her to subordination. When the children had taken their seats, Mr. M., at our request, asked all those who were free be- fore August, 1834, to rise. Only one girl arose, and she was in no way distinguishable from a white child. The first exercise, was an exami- nation of a passage of scripture. The children were then questioned on the simple rules of addi- tion and substraction, and their answers were prompt and accurate. DR. NPGENT. The hour having arrived when we were tc visit a neighboring estate, Mr. M kmdly accom- panied us to Lyon's, the estate upon which Dr. Nugent resides. In respect to general intelligence, scientific acquirements, and agricultural knowl- *edge, no man in Antigua stands higher than Dr. Nugent. He has long been speaker of the house of assembly, and is favorably known in Europe as a geolosfist and man of science. He is mana- ger of tlie tsiatc on which he resides, and proprie- tor of another. The Doctor informed us that th« crojr on hi» 16 ANTIGDA. estate had almost totally failed, on account of the drouglii— being reduced from one hundred and fifty lioffsheads, ihe average crop, lojifteen! His provision grounds had yielded almost nothing. The same soil which ordinarily produced ten cart-loads of yams to the acre — the present season barely averaged one Load to ten acres! Yams were reduced from the dimensions of a man's head, to the size of a radish. Tiie cattle ifere dying from want of water and grass. He had \i\mse\( \osl Jive oxen within the past week. Previous lo emancipation, said the Doctor, no man in the island dared to avow ami-slavery sentiments, if he wislied to maintain a respectable standmg. Planters migiit have their hopes and aspirations; but they could not make them public without incurring general odium, and being de- nounced as the enemies of their country. In allusion to the motives which prompted the legislature to reject the apprenticeship and adopt immediate emancipation, Dr. N. said, " When we saw that abolition was inevitable, we began to inquire what would be the safest course for getting Irid of slavery. We wished to let ourselves down in the easiest manner possible — therefore we CHosB iMMLDiATfi EMANCIPATION !" Tliesc Were his words. On returning to the hospitable mansion of Mr. Morrish, we had an opportunity of witnessing a custom peculiar to the IMoravians. It is called ' speaking.' All the members of the church are required to call on the missionary once a month, and particular days are appropriated to it. They come singly or in small companies, and the min- ister converses with each individual. Mr. M. manifested great faithfulness in this duty. He was affectionate in manner^entered into all the minuliaj of individual and family affairs, and advised with them as a father with his children. We had an opportunity of con- versing with some of those who came. We asked one old man what he did on the " First of August 1"* His reply was, " Massa, we went to church, and tank de Lord for make a we all free." An aged infirm woman said to us, among other things, " Since die free come de massa give me no — no, nothing to eat — gets all from my cousins." We next conversed with two men, who were masons on an estate. Being asked how they liked liberty, they replied, " O, it very comfortable. Sir — very comfortable indeed." They said, " that on the day when freedom came, they were as happy, as though they had just been going to heaven." They said, now they had got free, they never would be slaves again. They were asked if they would not be willing to sell them- selves, to a man who would treat them well. They replied immediately that they would be very willing to serve such a man, but they would not sell themselves to the best pei-son in the world ! What fine logicians a slave's experience had made these men ! Without any eftbrt they struck out a distinction, which has puzzh'd learned men in church and state, the difference between serving a man and being his propert?/. Being asked how they conducted themselves on the 1st of August, they said they had no frolick- ing, but they all went to church to " ta7ik God for ynake a we free."' They said, they were very desirous to have their children learn all they could while they were young. We asked them * By this phrase the freed people always understand fhe 1st of August, 1834, when slavery was abolished. if they did not fear that: their children woulb de- come lazy if they went to scht)ol all the time. One said, shrewdly, " Eh ! nebbei mind — dey come to by'm by — belly ^blige 'em to work." In the evening Mr. M. held a religious meeting in the chapel; the weekly meeting for exhortation. He stated to the people the object of our visit, and requested one of us to say a few words. Ac-, cordingly, a short time was occupied in stating' the number of slaves in America, and in explain- ' ing their condition, physical, moral, and spniiual ; and the congregation were lu-ged to pray lor the deliverance of the millions of our bondmen. They manifested much sympathy, and promised repeatedly to pruy that they might be " free like, we." At the close of the meeting they pressed | around us to say "howdy, massa;" and when' we left the chapel, they showered a thousand blessings upon us. Several of them, men and women, gathered about Mr. M.'s door after we went in, and wished to talk with us. The men were mechanics, foremen, and watchmen; the women were nurses. During our interview which lasted nearly an hour, these persons re- mained standing. When we asked them how tney liked freedom, and whether it was better than slavery, they answered with a significant nmph and a shrug of the shoulders, as though they would say, " Wh'>j you ask dat cpiestion, inassa 1" They said, " all the people went to chapel on the first of August, to tank God for make such poor undeserving sinners as we free ; we no nebber expect to hab it. But it please de Lord to gib we free, and we tank him good Lord for it." We asked them if they thought the wages they got (a shilling per day, or about eleven cents,) was enough for them. They said it seemed to be very small, and it was as much as they could do to get along with it; but they could not get any more, and they had to be " saiify and conten.'' As it grew late and the good peof)le had far to walk, we shook hands with them, and bade them good bye, telling them we hoped to meet them again in a world where all would be free. The next morning Mr. M. accompanied us to the resi- dence of the Rev. Mr. Jones, the rector of St. Phillip's. Mr. J. informed us that the planters in vhat, part of the island were gratified with the working of the new system. He alluded to the prejudices of some against having the children educated, lest it should foster indolence. But, said Mr. J., the planters have always been opposed to im- provements, until they were effe. ted, and their good results began to be manifest. They first insisted that the abolition of the slave-trade would ruin the colonies — next the abolition of slavery was to be the certain destruction of the islands — and now the eduction of children is deprecatad aj fraught with disastrous consequences. prey's estate — MK. HATLEY. Mr. Morrish accompanied us to a neighboring estate called Frey's, which lies on the road from Newfield to English Harbor. Mr. Hatley, the manager, showed an enthusiastic admiration of the new system. Most of his testimony will be found in Chapter III. He said, that owing to the dry weather he should not make one thiid of his average crop. Yet his peo[)le had acten their part well. He had been encouraged by their im- proved industry and efficiency, to bring into culti- vation lands that had never before been filled. ANTIGUAv n It was delightful to witness the change which had been wrought in this planter by the abohtion of slavery. Although accustomed for years to command a hundred human beings with absolute authority, he could rejoice in Ibe fact that his pnwnr was wrested from him, and when asked to specify the advantages of freedom over slavery, he named emphatically and above all others th£ abolUion ofjio^oinsr. Formerly, he said, it was "iohip—whip—whi'p--iv.cessantly," but now we re relieved from this disagreeable task. THE AMERICAN CONSUL. We called on the American Consul, Mr. Hig- f 'j^inbothom, at his coimtry residence, about four miles from St. John's. Shortly after we reached his elevated and picturesque seat, we were joined by Mr. Cranstoun, a planter, who had been invited to dine with us. Mr. C. is a colored gcnlleman. The Consul received him in such a manner as plainly showed that they were on terms of inti- macy. Mr. C. is a gentleman of intelligence and respectability, and occupies a station of trust and honor in the island. On taking leave of us, he politely requested our company at breakfast on a following morning, saying, he would send his gig for us. At the urgent request of Mr. Bourne, of Mil- lar's, we consented to address the people of his estate, on Sabbath evening. He sent in his gig for us in the afternoon, and we drove out. At the appointed hour we went to the place of meeting. The chapel was crowded with attentive listeners. Whenever allusions were made to the great blessings which God had conferred upon them in delivering them from bondage, the audi- ence heartily responded in their rough but earnest way to the sentiments expressed. At the con- clusion of the meeting, they gradually withdrew, bowing or courtesyihg as they passed us, and dropping upon our ear their gentle " good bye, massa." During slavery every estite had its dungeon for refractory slaves. Just as we were leaving Millar's, we asked Mr. B. what had become of these dungeons. He instantly replied, " ril show you one." In a few moments we stood at the door of the old prison, a small stone build- ing, strongly built, with two cells. It was a dismal looking dpn, surrounded by stables, pig- styes, and cattlepens. The door was off its hinges, and the entrance partly filled up with mason-work. The sheep and goats went in and out at pleasure. We breakfasted one morning at the Villa estate, which lies within half a mile of St. John's. The manager was less sanguine in his views of emancipation than the planters generally. We were disposed to think that, were it not for the force of public sentiment, he might declare himself against it. His feelings are easily accounted for. The estate is situated so near the town, that his people are assailed by a variety of temptations to leave their work ; from which those on other estates are exempt. The manager admitted that the danger of insurrection was removed — crime was lessened— and the moral condition of society was rapidly improving. A few days after, we went by invitation to a bazaar, or fair, which was held in the court-house in St. John's. The avails were to be appropriated to the building of a new Wesleyan chapel in the town. The council chamber and the assembly's nail were given for the purpose. The former spacious room was crowdeid with people of every class and cbrtiplexion. The fair was got xip by the colored members of the Wesleyan church; nevertheless, some of the first ladies and gentle- men in town attended it, and mingled promiscu- ously in the throng. Wealthy proprietors, law- yers, legislators, military officers in their uniform, merchants, etc. swelled the crowd. We recognised a number of ladies whom we had previously met at a fashionable dinner in St. John's. Colored ladies presided at the tables, and before them was spread a profusion of rich fancy articles. Among a small number of books exhibited for sale were several copies of a work entitled " Commemora- tive Wreath," being a collection of poetical pieces relating to the abolition of slavery in the West Indies. VISIT TO MR. ORANSTOUn's. On the following morning Mr. C.'s gig came for us, and we drove out to his residence. We were met at the door by the American Consul, who breakfasted with us. When he had taken leave, Mr. C. proposed that we should go over his grounds. To reach the estate, which lies in a beautiful valley far below Mr. C.'s mountainous residence, we were obliged to go on foot by a nar- row path that wound along the sides of the pre- cipitous hills. This estate is the property of Mr. Athill, a colored gentleman now residing in En^ land. Mr. A. is post-master general of Antigua!;' one of the first merchants in St. John's, and waS a member of the assembly until the close of 1S36, when, on account of his continued absence, he resigned his seat. A high-born white man, the Attorney General, now occupies the same chair which this colored member vacated. Mr. C. was formerly attorney for several estates, is now agent for a number of them, and also a magis- trate. He remarked, that since emancipation the noc- turnal disorders and quarrels in the negro villages, which were incessant during slavery, had nearly ceased. The people were ready and willing to work. He had frequently given his gang jo'o", instead of paying them by the day. This had proved a great stimulant' to industry, and the work of the estate was performed so much quicker by this plan that it was less expensive than daily wages. When they had jobs given them, they would sometimes go to work by three o'clock in the morning, and work by moonlight. When the moon was not shining, he had known them to kindle fires among the trash or dry cane leaves to work by. They would then continue working all day until four o'clock, stopping only for breakfast, and dispensing with the usual intermission from twelve to two. We requested him to state briefly what were in his estimation the advantages of the free system over slavery. He replied thus . 1st. The dimin- ished expense of free labor. 2d. The absence of coercion. 3d. The greater facility in managing an estate. Managers had not half the perplexity and trouble in watching, driving, &c. They could leave the affairs of the estate in the hands of the people with safety. 4th. The freedom from danger. They had now put away all fears of insurrections, robbeiy, and incendiarism. There are two reflections which the p.erusal of these items will probably suggest to most minds: 1st. The coincidence in the replies of dtTerent planters to the qu. stion— What are the ndvania- ges of freedom over slaveiy 1 These replies are almost identically the same in every case, though 18 ANTIGUA. given by men who reside in different parts of the island, and have little communication with each other. 2d. They all speak exclusively of the ad- vantages to the master, and say noihino; of the benefit accruing to the emancipated. We are at some loss to decide whetlier this arose from in- diflcrence to the interests of the emancipated, or from a conviction that the blessings of freedom to them were self-evident and needed no specifi- cation. While we were in the boiling-house we wit- nessed a scene which illustrated one of the benefits of freedom lo the -slave ; it came quite opportunely, and supplied the deficiency in the manager's enumeration of advantages. The head boiler was performing the work of 'striking off;' i. e. of removing the liquor, after it had been sufficiently boiled, from the copper to the coolers. The liquor had been taken out of the boiler by the skipper, and thence was being conducted to the coolers by a long open spout. By some means the spout became choaked, and the liquor began to run over. Mr. C. ordered the man to let down the valve, but he became confused, and instead of letting go the string which lifted the valve, he pulled on it the more. The consequence was that the liquor poured over the sidos of the spout in a torrent. The manager screamed at the top of his voice — " Let down^the valve, lei it dnum!" But the poor man, more and more frightened, hoisted it -still higher, — and the precious liquid — pure sugar — spread in a thick sheet over the earthern floor. The manager at last sprang forward, thrust aside the man, and stopped the mischief, but not until many gallons of sugar were lost. Such an acci- dent as this, occurring during slavery, would have cost the negro a severe flogging. As it was, '^owever, in the present case, although Mr. C. /ooked daggers,' and exclaimed by the workings of his countenance, ' a kingdom for a cat,'"" yet the severest thing which he could say was, " You bungling fellow — if you can't manage better than this, I shall put some other person in your place — 'hat's all." ' Tkafs auJ indeed, but it would not {lave been all, three years ago. The negro replied to his chidings in a humble way, sayinj; ' [ couldn't help it, sir, I couldn't help it ' Mr. C. finally turned to us, and said in a calmer tone, " The poor fellow got confused, and was frighten- ed half to death." VISIT TO GRACE BAY. "tve made a visit to the Moravian settlement at Grace Bay, which is on the opposite side of the island. We called, in passing, at Cedar Hall, a Moravian establishment four miles from town. Mr. Newby, one of the missionaries stationed at ihis place, is the oldest preacher of the Gospel in the island. ,He has been in Antigua for twenty- seven years. He is quite of the old way nf thinking on all subjects, especially the divine right of kings, and the scriptural sanction of slavery. Nevertheless, he was jiersuaded that emancipation had been a great blessing to the island and to all parties concerned. When he first came to Antigua in 1809, he was not suffered to teach the slaves. After some time he ventured to keep an evening school in a secret way. Now there is a day school of one hundred and twenty children connected with the station. It has been formed since emancipation. From Cedar Hail we proceeded to Grace Bay. On the way we met some negro men at work on * A species c f whip, well known in the West Indies. the road, and stopped our chaise to chat witk them. They told us that they lived on Harvey's estate, which they pointed out to us. Befoie emancipation that estate had four hundred slaves on it, but a great number had since left because of ill usage during slavery. They would not live on the estate, because the same manager remained, and they could not trust him. They told us they were Moravians, and that on the first of August they all went to the Mora- vian chapel at Grace Bay, 'to tank and praise de good Savior for make a we free.' We asked them if they still liked liberty; they said, " Yes, massa, we all quite proud to be free." The ne- groes use the word proud to express a strong feeling of delight. One man said, " One morning as I was walking along the roail all alone, 1 prayed that the Savior would make me free, for then I could be so hnnny. I don't know whfit made me pray so, foi I wasn't looking for de free; but please massA, in 07ie mont'i de free come." They declared that they worked a great deal better since emancipation, because they were paid for it. To be sure, said they, we eet very little wages, but it is better than none. They re- peated it again and again, that men could not be made to work well by Jlogging them, " it was nu use to try it." We asked one of the men, whether he would not be willing to be a slave again provided he was sureoi having a kind master. " Heigh 1 me mas- sa," said he, " me neber slave no more. A good massa a veiy good ting, hul freedom till better P They said that it was a great blessing to them to have their children go to school. After getting them to show us the way to Grace Bay, we bade them good bye. We were welcomed at Grace Bay by the mis- sionary, and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Mohne.* The place where tliese missionar><"" ,eside is a beautiful spot. Their d"":'.!ii)g-house and the chapel are situated on a high promontory, almost surrounded by the sea. A range of tall hills in the rear cuts off the view of the Island, giving to the missionary station an air of loneliness and se- clusion truly impressive. In this sequestered spot, we found Mr. and Mrs. M. living alone. They informed us that they rarely have white visiters, but their house is the constant resort of the negroes, who gather there after the toil of the day to ' speak' about their souls. Mr. and Mrs. M. are wholly engrossed in their labors of love. They find their happiness in leading their numerous flock " by the still waters and the green pastures" of salva- tion. Occupied in this delightful work, they covet not other employments, nor other company, and desire no other earthly abode than their own littlf hill-embosomed, sea-girt missionary home. There are a thousand people belonging to the church at this statio ', each of whom, the mission- aries see once every month. A day school has been lately established, and one hundred children are already in attendance. After dinner we walk- ed out accompanied by the missionaries to enjoy the beautiful sunset. It is one of the few harmless luxuries of a West India climate, to go forth after the heat of the day is spent and the sun is sinking in the sea, and enjoy the refreshing coolness of the air. The ocean stretched before us, motionless after the turmoil of the day, like a child which has rocked itself ay'ieej). yt indicating by its mighty- breathings as it heaved along the beach, that it * Pronounced Maynuh. ANTIGUA; 19 OTiy slumbered. As the sun went down, the full moon arose, only less luminous, and gradually the stars began to li^ht up their beaming fires. The work of the day now being over, the weary labo- rdrs were seen coming from different directions to hive a' speak' with the missionaries. Mr. M. Slated a fact illustrative of the influence of the missionaries over the negroes. Some time ago, the laborers on a certa'a estate bpcame dissa- tisfied with the wages they were receiving, and refused to work unless they were increased. The manager tried in vain to reconcile his people to the grievance of which they complained, and then sent to Mr. M., requesting him to visit the estate, and use his influence to persuade the negroes, most of whom belonged to his cliurch, to work at the U!5ua) terms. Mr. M. sent word to the manager that It was not his province, as minister, to inter- fere with the affairs of any estate; but he would talk with the people about it individually, when they came to 'speak.' Accordingly he snoke to each one, as he came, in a kind manner, advising him to return to his work, and live as fonnerly. In a short time peace and confidence were res- tored, and the whole gang to a man were in the field. Mr. and Mrs. M. stated that notwithstanding the very low rate of wages, which was scarcely suflicient to support life^ they had never seen a single individual who desired to return to the con- dition of a slave. Even the old and infirm, who were sometimes really in a suffering state from neglect of the planters and from inability of their relatives adequately to provide for them, express- ed the liveliest gratitude for the great blessing which the Savior had given them. They would often say to Mrs. M. " Why, Missus, old sinner just sinkin in de grave, but God let me old eyes see dis blessed sun." The missionaries affirmed that the negroes were an affectionate people — remarkably so. Any kindness shown them by a white person, was treasured up and never forgotten. On the other hand, the slightest neglect or contempt from a while person, was keenly felt. They are very fond of saying' howdy' to white people; but if the salutation 'is not returned, or noticed kindly, they are not likely to repeat it to the same individual. To shake hands with a white person is a gratifi- cation which they highly prize. Mrs. M. plea- santly remarked, that after service on Sabbath, she was usually wearied out with saying howdy, and sliaking hands. During the evening we had some conversation with two men who came to ' speak.' They spoke about the blessings of liberty, and their gratitude to God for making them free. They spoke also, vith deep feeling, of the still greater importance of being free from sin. That, they said, was better. Heaven icas the first best, and freedom was the next best. They gave us some account, in the course of the evening, of an aged saint called Grandfather Jacob, wholived on a neighboring estate. He had been a Icelper* in the Moravian church, until he became too infirm to discharge the duties connected with that station. Being for the same reason discharg- ed from labor on the estate, he now occupied him- self in givina: religious instruction to the other Bupprannuated people on the estate. Mrs. M. said it would constitute an era in tiie life of the old man, if he could have an interview with two strangers from a distant land; accord- ' An office somewhat similar to that of deacon. ingly, she sent a servant to ask him to come to the mission-house early the next morning. The old man was prompt to obey the call. He lefi home, as he said, ' before the gun fire' — about five o'clock — and came nearly three miles on foot. He was of a slender form, and had been tall, but age and slavery had bowed him down. He shook us by the hand very warmly, exclaiming, "God bless you, God bless you — me bery glad to see you." He im- mediately commenced giving us an account of his conversion. Said he, putting iiis hand on his breast, " You see old Jacob 1 de old sin/ier use to go on dHnkin' , swearin', danciii' , fightin' l No God-r no Savior — no soul ! When old England and de Merica fall out de first time, old Jacob was a man — a wicked sinner' — drink rum, fight — love to fight! Carry coffin to de grabe on me head; put dead body under ground — dance over it — den fight and knock man down— go 'way, drink rum, den take de fiddle. And so me went on, just so, til! me get sick and going to die— thought when me dicj^dat bede end of me; — den de Savior come to me! Jacob love de Savior, and been followin' de good Savior ever since." He continued his story, describing the opposition he had to contend with, and the sacrifices he made to go to church. After working on the estate till six o'clock at night, he and several others would each take a large stone, on his head and start for St. John's; nine miles over the hills. They carried the stones to aid ia building the Moravian chapel at Spring Garden, St. John's. After he had finished this account, he read to us, in a highly animated style, .some of the hymns which he taught to theold people, and then sung one of them. These exercises caused the old man's heart to burn within him, and again he ran over his past life, his early wickedness, and the grace that snatched him from ruin, while the mingled tides of gratitude burst forth from heart, and eyes, and tongue. When we turned his attention to the temporal freedom he had received, he instantly caught the word FREE, and exclaimed vehemently, " O y?fi, me Massa — dat is anoder kind blessin from Ue Savior ! Him make we all free. Can never praise him too much for dat." We inquired whether he was now provided for by the manager. He said he was not — never received any thing from him- his children supported him. We then asked him whether it was not better to be a slave if he could get food and clothing, than to be free and not have enough. He darted bis quick eye at us and said ' rader be free still.'' He had been severely flog- ged twice since his conversion, for leaving his post as watchman to bury the dead. The minister was sick, and he was applied to, in his capacity of helper, to perform funeral rites, and he left his watch to do it. He said, his heavenly Master called him, and he would go though he expected a flogging. He must serve his Savior whatever come. " Can't put we in dungeon now," said Grandfather Jacob with a triumphant look. When told that there were slaves in America, and that they were not yet emancipated, he ex- claimed, " Ah, de Savior make we free, and he will make dem free too. He come to Antigo first — he'll be in Merica soon." When the time had come for 'him to leave, he came and pressed our hands, and fervently gave us his patriarchal blessing. Our interview with Grandfather Jacob can never be forgotten. Our hearts, we trust, will long cherish his heavenly savor— well assured that if allowed a part in the resurection of the just, we shall behold his tall 20 ANTIGUA, form, erect in the vigor of immortal youth, amidst the patriarchs of past generations. After breakfast we toolt leave of the kind-heart- ed missionaries, whose singular devoiedness and delightful spirit won greatly upon our affections, and bent our way homeward by another route. MR. Scotland's estate. We called at the estate of Mr. J. Scotland, Jr., barrister, and member of the assembly. We ex- pected to meet with tlie proprietor, but the manager informed us that pressing business at court had called him to St. John's on the preceding day. The testimony of the manager concerning the dry weather, the consequent failure in the crop, the industry of the laborers, and so forth, was si- milar to that which we had iieard before. He remarked that he had not been able to introduce job-work among his people. It was a new thing with them, and they did not understand it. He had lately made a proposal to give the gang four dollars per acre for holding a certain field. They asked a little tmie to consider upon so novel a pro- position. He gave thena half a day, and at the end of that time asked them what their conclusion was. One, acting as spokesman for the rest, said, '■ We rada hab de shilling wages." That was certain ; the job might yield them more, and it might fall short — quite a common sense trans- action ! At the pressing request of Mr. Armstrong we spent a day with him at Fitch's Creek. Mr. A. received us with the most cordial hospitality, re- marking tliat he was glad to have another oppor- tunity to slate some things which he regarded as obstacles to the complete success of the experi- ment in Antigua. One was the entire want of concert among the planters. There was no dis- position to meet and compare views respecting different modes of agriculture, treatment of labor- ers, and employment of machinery. Another evil was, allowing people to live on the estates who took no part in the regular labor of cultivation. Some planters had adopted the foolish policy of encouraging such persons to remain on the es- tates, in order that they might have help at hand in cases of emergency. Mr. A. strongly con- demned this policy. It withheld laborers from the estates whicli needed them ; it was calculated to make the regular field hands discontented, and it offered a direct encouragement to the negroes to follow irregular modes of living. A tiiird obsta- cle to the successful operation of free labor, was the absence of the most influential proprietors. The consequences of absenteeism were very seri- ous. The proprietors were of all men the most deeply interested in the soil; and no attorneys, agents, or managers, whom they could employ, would feel an equal interest in it, nor make the same efforts to secure the prosperous workings of the new system. In the year 1833, when the abolition excite- ment was at its height in England, and the peo- ple were thundering at thedoors of parliament for emancipation, Mr. A. visited that country for his health. To use his own expressive words, he " got a terrible scraping wherever he went." He said he could not travel in a stage-coach, or go into a party, or attend a religious meeting, with- out beins attacked. No one the most rpmotely «onnect('d with thf- syst/'!n could have ;;rac'- itere. He said it was astonishing to see what a feeling was abroad, how mightily the mind of the whole country, peer and priest and peasant, was wroug up. The national heart seemed on fire. Mr. A. said, he became a religious man whi. the manager of a slave estate, and when he becar a Christian, he became an abolitionist. Yet tl man, while his conscience was accusing him while he was longing and praying for abolition did not daie open his mouth in public to urge on ! How many such men are there in our soul ern states — men who are inwardly cheering on t abolitionist in his devoted work, and yet send i no voice to encourage him, but perhaps are trt. ducing and denouncing him ! We received a call at our lodgings in St. Joht from the Archdeacon. He made iriteresting stai ments respecting the improvement of the negron in dress, morals, education and religion, simi emancipation. He had resided in the island sort- years previous to the abolition of slavery, ai ^ spoke from personal observation. Among many other gentlemen who honored t with a call about the same time, was the Rev. Et ward Eraser, Wesleyan missionary, and a colore gentleman. He is a native of Bermuda, and te; years ago was a slave. He received a mercantil education, and was for several years the confiden tial clerk of his master. He was treated witl much regard and general kindness. He said he was another Joseph — every thing which his mas- ter had was in his hands. Tne account books and money were all committed to him. He had servants under him, and did almost as he pleased — except becoming free. Yet he must say, as re- spected himself, kindly as he was treated, that slavery was a grievous wrong, most unjust and sinful. The very thought — and it often came over him — that he was a slave, brought with it a terrible sense of degradation. It came over the soul like a frost. His sense of degradation grew more intense in proportion as his mind became more cultivated. He said, education was a disa- greeable companion for a slave. But while he said this, Mr. F. spoke very respectfully and ten- derly of his master. He would not willingly ut- ter a word which would savor of unkindness to- wards him. Such was the spirit of one whose best days had been spent under the exactions of slavery. He was a local preacher in the Wes- leyan connection while he was a slave, and was liberated by his master, without remuneration, at the request of the British Conference, who wished to employ him as an itinerant. He is highly es- teemed both for his natural talents and general literary acquisitions and moral worth. The Con- ference have recently called him to England to act as an agent in that cotintry, to procure funds for educational and religious purposes in these islands. ' ^ ia MEETING OF WESLEYAN MISSIONARIES. ^^^ As we were present at the annual meeting of the Wesleyan missionaries for this district, we gained much information concerning the ob- ject of our mission, as there were about twenty missionaries, mostly from Dominica, Montserrat, Nevis, St. Christophers, Anguilla, and Tortola. Not a few of them were men of superior ac- quirements, who had sacrificed ease and popular applause at home, to minister to the outcast and oppressed. They are the devoted friends of the black man. It was soul-cheerinRKS0tiOTIONS OP THE MISSIONAniES. .Toward the close of the district meeting, we re- ceived a kind note from the chairman, inviting us to attend the meeting, and receive in person, a set ot i-esolutions which had been drawn up at our request, and signed by all tiie missionaries. At the hour appointed, we repaired to the chapel. The missionaries all arose as we entered, and gave us a brotherly salutation. We were invited to take our seats at the right hand of the chair- man. He then, in the presence of the meeting, read to us the subjoined resolutions; we briefly expressed, in behalf of ourselves and our cause, the high sense we had of the value of the testi- rflony, which the meeting had been pleased to give us. The venerable father Home then prayed with us, commending our cause to the blessini:: of the Head of the church, and ourselves to the pro- tection and guidance of our heavenly Father. After which we shook hands with the brethren, severally, receiving their warmest assurances of affectionate regard, and withdrew. " Rcsolntum?. passed at the meeting of the IVes- lajan Missionaries of the Antigua Hisirict, assemhled at St. John^s, Anti£;na, February M, 1837. 1. That the emancipation of the slaves of the West Indies, while it was an act of undoulited iustice to that oppressed people, has operated most favorably in furthering the triumphs of the gospel, by removing one prolific source of immerited sus- picion of religious teachers, and thus opening a door to their more extensive labors and uspfulness — by furnishing a greater portion of time for the service of the negro, and thus prevpntins; the con- tinuance of unavoidable Sabbath desecrations, in labor and neglect of the means of grace — and in its operation as a stimulus to proprietors and other influential gentlemen, to encourage religious clu- catiou, and the wide dissemination of the Scrip- • Dunn? Mr. Homo's address, wp ohsorvcd Mr. A., a planter, si-nd his uinl)rclla to a neiiro man who stood at Mic corner-stone, exposed to the sun. tures, as an incentive to industiy and good okJer, 2. That while the above stattmcnis are \nie with reference to all the islands, even whereVhe system of apprenticeship prevails, they are espe- cially applicable to Antigua, where thi> resulismf the great measure, of entire freedom, so hunuuieW and judiciously granted by the legislature, cannM be contemplated without the tnost devout thanks givings to Ahnighiy God. '. 3. That we regard with much gratification, tha great diminution among all classes in these isl- ands, of the most unchristian prejudice of color the total absence of it in the govermncnt and ordi- nances of the churches of God, with which we art connected, and the prospect of its complete remo- val, by the abolition of slavery, by the 'iicrcdsed diffusion of general knowledge, and uf 'liat reli gion which teaches to "honor aU men," and tc love our neighbor as ourselves. "'■'■'''■' 4. That we cannot but contemplate with much humiliation and distress, the existence, air.ung professing Christians in A''.ierica, of this partial, unseemly, and unchrif.ian system of c«:<-«?, so dis- tinctly prohibited in 'ae word of Gcd, and so utterly irreconciler.olc with Christian charity. 5. That regarili'ig slavery as a most inijuslifi- able infringeir rit of the rational and inalienable rights of me. I. and in its moral consequences, (from our ov n personal observation as well as other sources,) as one of the greatest curses with which the threat Governor of the nations ever suf- fered this ■world to be blighted: we cannot but deeply r't,rct the connection which so intimately exists betv,een the various churches of Christ in the United States of America, and this unchris- tian system. With much sorrow do we learn that the principle of the lawfulness of slavery has been defended by some who are ministers of Clirist, that so large a proportion of that body in Amer- ica, are exerting their influence in favor of the con- tinuance of so indefensible and monstrous a sys- tem — and that these emotions of sorrow are espe- cially occasioned with reference to our own d''/iomioation. C That while we should deprecate and con- dem'i any recourse on the part of the slaves, to me'isure'j of rebellion, as an unjustifiable mode of ohtaini'ng their freedom, we would most solemnly, and f.ffectionately, and imploringly, adjure our respected fathers and brethren in America, to en- deavor, in every legitimate way, to wipe away this reproach from their body, and thus act in perfect accordance with the deliberate and record- ed sentiments of our venerated founder on this' subject, and in harmony with the feelings and proceedings of their brethren in the United King- dom, who have had the honor to take a distin- guished part in awakening such a determined and resistless public feeling in that country, as issued in the abolition of slavery among 800,000 •)f our fellow subjects. 7. That we hail with the most lively satisfac- tion the progress in America of anti-slavery prin- ciples, the multiplication of anti-slavery societies, and the diffusion of correct views on this subject. Wo offer to the noble band of truly patriotic, and enlightened, and philanthropic men, who are coin- bating in that country with such a frarfid (■^ il, the assurance of our Most cordial and fraternal sympathy, and our earnest prayers for their com- plete success. We view wit!) pity and sorrow the vile cahminies with which they have been as- sailed. We welcome with Christian joyt'ulncss, in the success which has already attended their u ANTIGUA 116 forts, the dawn of a cloudless day of light and ory, which shall presently shine upon that vast mtinent, when the song of universal freedom lall sound in its length and breadth. S. That these sentiments have been increased id confirmed by the intercourse wiiich some of ir body have enjoyed with our beloved brethren. a Rev. James A. Thome, and Joseph Horace jmball, Esq., the deputation to these islands, dm the Anti-Slavery Society in America. We ^ard this appointment, and the nomination of |ch men to fulfil it, as most judicious. We ,ust we can appreciate the spirit of entire devo- edness to this cause, which animates our respect- jd brethren, and breathes throughout their whole Jeportment, and rejoice in such a manifestation of the fruits of that divine charity, which flow om the constraining love of Christ, and which any waters cannot quench. 9. That the assurance of the affectionate sym- ithy of the twenty-five brethren who compose lis district meeting, and our devout wishes for leir success in the objects of their mission, are ereby presented, in our collective and individual ipacity, to our endeared and Christian friends •om America. (Signed) James Cox, chairman of the district, .^nd resident in Antigua. Jonathan Cadman, St. Martin's. James Home, St. Kitts. Matthew Banks, St. Bartholomew's. E. Frazer, Antigua. Charles Bates, do. John Keightley, do. Jesse Pilcher, do. Benjamin Tre- ?askiss, do. Thomas Edwards, St. Kitts. Rob- ert Hawkins, Tortola. Thomas Pearson, Nevis, ■eorge Craft, do. W. S. Waymouth, St. Kitts. 3hn Hodge. Tortola. William Satchel, Domi- ica. John Cullingford, Dominica. J. Cameron, evis. B. Gartside, St. Kitts. John Parker, do. lilton Cheeseborough, do. Thomas Jetfery, do. /lUiam Riggjesworth, Tortola. Daniel Step- ;y, Nevis. James Walton, Montserrat." CHAPTER II. GENERAL RESULTS. Having given a general outline of our sojourn Antigua, we proceed to a more minute account the results of our investigations. We arrange 3 testimony in two general divisions, placing It which relates to the past and present condi- n of the colony in one, and that which bears ectly upon the question of slaveiy in America mother. RELIGION. 'here are three denominations of Christians in igua : the Established Church, the Moravians Wesleyans. The Moravians number fifteen isand— almost exclusively negroes. The :sleyans embrace three thousand members, and ut as many more attendants. Of the three isand members, says a Wesleyan missionary, It fifty are whites— a larger number are color- but the greater part black." " The attend- ^of^,"e negro population at the churches and dels (ot the established order,) says the Rec- ot bt. John s, " amounts to four thousand six idred and thirty-six." The whole number of cks receiving religious instruction from these nstian bodies, making allowance for the pro- ■tion of white and colored included in the three ■usand Wesleyans, is abont twentv-two thou- id— leaving a population of eight thousc.i.d ne- >es in Antigua who are unsupplied with reli- 'US instruction. The Established Church has six parish churcheg as many " chapels of ease," and nine clergymen" The Moravians have five settlements and thirteen missionaries. The Wesleyans have seven cha pels, with as many more small preaching places on estates, and twelve ministers; half of whom are itinerant missionaries, and the other half, local preachers, employed as planters, or in mercantile, and other pursuits, and preaching only occasional- ly. From the limited number of chapels and missionaries, it may be inferred that only a por- tion of the twenty-two thousand can enjoy stated weekly instruction. The superintendent of the Moravian mission, stated that their chapels could not accommodate more than one third of their members. Each of the denominations complains of the lack of men and houses. The Wesleyans are now building a large chapel in St. John's. It will accommodate two thousand persons. " Be- sides free sittings, there will be nearly two hundred pews, every one of which is now in demand." However much disposed the churches of dif- ferent denominations might have been during sla-, . very to maintain a strict discipline, they found Uj exceedingly diflrcult to do so. It seems impossi-,,-j ble to elevate a body of slaves, lemaining sv^ch, top honesty and purity. The reckings of slavery will almost inevitably taint the institutions of religion, and degrade the standard of piety. Accordingly the ministers of every denomination in Antigua, feel that in the abolition of slavery their greatest enemy has been vanquished, and they now evince a determination to assume higher ground than they ever aspired to during the reign of slavery. The motto of all creeds is, " We expect great things of freemen." A report which we obtained from the Wesleyan brethren, states, " Our own brethren preach almost daily." " We think the negroes are uncommonly punctual and regular in their attendance upon divine worship, particularly on the Sabbath." " They always show a readi- ness to contribute to the support of the gospel. With the present low wages, and the entire charge of self-maintenance, they have little to spare. Parham and Sion Hill (taken as specimens) have societies almost entirely composed of rural blacks — about thirteen hundred and fifty in number. These have contributed this year above X330 ster- ling, or sixteen hundred and fifty dollars, in little weekly subscriptions; besides giving to specisJ objects occasionally, and contributing for the sup- port of schools.* In a letter dated December 2d, 1834, but four months after emancipation, and addressed to the inissionary board in England, the Rev. B. Harvey thus speaks of the Moravian missions : " With respect to our people, I believe I may say that in ail our places here, they attend the meetings of the church more numerously than ever, and that many are now in frequent attendance wlio could very seldom appear amongst us during slavery." The same statements substantially were made to us by • Mr. H., showing that instead of any falling oflT the attendance was still on the increase. In a statement drawn up at our request by the Rector of St. John's, is the followiue: " Cases of discipline are more frequent than is usual in Eng- lish congregations, but at the same time it should be observed, that a closer oversight is maintained ' Tlic snperintenclenf of tlie Weslcvan mission informed p ti:a', the coUccthT.) m i:!- .several V>'c-l,-yan chp.pels last year, independent of occasional contributions to Sun day sctiools. Missionary objects, Ac., amounted to £8Sfi sterang, or more than S4000! f6 ANTIGUA. by the ministers, and a greater readiness to siibmit themselves (to discipline) is manifested by the late slaves here than by those who have always been a free people." " I am able to speak very favor- ahlv of the attendance at church — it is regular ana cru wiled." "The negroes on some estates have been known to contribute willingly to the Bible Society, since 1832. They are now begin- ning to pay a penny and a half currency per week for their children's instruction." MORALITY. The condition of Antigua, but a very few years previous to emancipation, is represented to have been truly revolting. It has already been stated that the Sabbath was the market day up to 1832, and this is evidence enough that the Lord's day was utterly desecrated by the mass of the popula- tion. Now there are few parts of our own coun- try, equal in population, which can vie with An- tigua in the solemn and respectful observance of the Sabbath. Christians in St. John's spoke with jn t' id gratitude of the tranquillity of the Sab- bath. They had long been shocked with its open and abounding profanation — until they had well- nigh forgot the aspect of a Christian Sabbath. At length the full-orbed blessing beamed upon them, and they rejoiced in its brightness, and thanked God for its holy repose. All persons of all professions testify to the fact theii marriages are rapidly increasing. In truth, there was scarcely such a thing as marriage before the abolition of slavery. Promiscuous intercourse of the sexes was almost universal. In a report of the Antigua Branch Association of the Society for advancing the Christian Faith in the British West Indies, (for 1836,) the following statements are made : " The number of marriages in the six parishes of the island, in the year 1835, the first entire year of freedom, was 476 ; all of which, excepting about 50, were between persons formerly slaves. The total number of marriages between slaves solemnized in the Church during the nine years ending December 31, 1832, was 157; in 1833, the last entire year of slavery, it was 61." Thus it appears that the whole number of mar- riages during ten years previous to emancipation (by far the most fovorable ten years that could have been selected) was bui half as great as the number for a single year following emancipation ! The Governor, in one of our earliest interviews with him, said, " the great crime of this island, as indeed of all the West India Colonies, has been licentiousness, but we are certainly fast im- proving in this particular." An aged Christian, who has spent many years in the island, and is now actively engaged in superintending several day schools for the negro children, informed us that there was not one third as much concubinage as formerly. This he said was owing mainly to the greater frequency of marriages, and the cessa- tion of late night work on the estates, and in the boiling houses, by which the females were con- stantly exposed during slavery. Now they may all be in their houses by dttrk. Formerly the mo- thers vvere the, betrayers of their daughters, en- couraging them to form unhallowed connections, and even seUmg them to licentious white and co- lored men, for their own gain. Now they were using great strictness, to preserve the chastity of their daughters. i A worthy planter, who has been in the island since 1800, stated, that it used to be a common ^Ti for mothers to sell their da-ugkiers to the highest bidder! — generally a manager or ove. | seer. But now," said iie, " the mothers hold then j daughters up for marriage, and take pains to \c every body know that their virtue is not to bt bought and sold any longer." He alsostat'>d thai j those who live unmarried now are uniformly ce- glected and suffer great deprivations. Faith fal- ness after marriage, exists also to a greater exteht than could have been expected from the utter loose- ness to which they had been previously accustonv ed, and with their ignorance oi tiic i-.a*"'"" ani obligations of the marriage relation. We were ni- formed both by the missionaries and the planters, that every year and month they are becoming more constant, as husband and wife, more faithful as parents, and more dutiful as children. One planter said that out of a number who left his em- ploy after 1834, nearly all had companions on other estates, and left for the purpose of being with', them. He was also of the ojnnion that the' great-. er proportion of changes of residence among the, emancipated which took place at that time, were , owing to the same cause.* In an address before ; ti'e Friendly Society in St. John's, the Archdeacon i slated that duringthe previous year (1835) several individuals had been expelled from that society^! for domestic unfaithfulness ; but he was happy to,! say that He had not heard of a single instance of . expulsion for this cause during the year then end-; ed. Much inconvenience is felt on account of thov Moravian and Wesleyan missionaries being pro- hibited from performing the marriage service, even for their own people. Efforts are now making to . obtain the repeal of the law which makes marri- ; ages performed by sectarians (as all save the estab-'j lished church are called) void. ^ That form of licentiousness which appears , among the higher classes in every slaveholdingi) country, abounded in Antigua during the reign ol'J slavery. It has yielded its redundant fruits in a population of four thousand colored people ; double jt the number of whites. The planters, with but fewS? exceptions, were unmarried and licentious. Noi \ was this vice confined to the unmarried. Men",' with large families, kept one or more mistresses ;. without any effort at concealment. We were '; told of an " Honorable" gentleman, who had his ' English wife and two concubines, a colored and a black one. The governor himself stated as an apology for the prevalence of licentiousness among the slaves, that the example was set them con-3 stantly by their masters, and it was not to be ' wondered at if they copied after their superiors, '( But it is now plain that concubinage among the>.' whites is nearly at an end. An unguarded state-'> ment of a public man revealed the conviction ; which e'xists among his class that concubinage : must soon cease. He said that the jn'esent race of colored people could not be received into the society of the whites, because of illegitimacy ; but the next generation would be fit associates for the,n whites, because they would be chicjly born imced- ' lock. The uniform testimony respecting intemperance ,,. was, that it never had, been one of the vices of the j negroes. Several planters declared that they had rarely seen a black person intoxicated. The re- \ port of the Wesleyan missionaries already referred .■■ to, says, " Intemperance is most uncommon among- * What a resurrection to domestic life was tliat, when '' lontr severed families lloclied i'rocD the four corners of' the i?land to niPet tlieir kindred UiPniliers! A.nd wliat a' glorious resurrection will tliat be in our own '■ouiiliy, when the millions of emancipated beings scat^ei"J over ' the west and south, shall seek the embraces of ^rental an(i frateiTiaU a"5f1 c ..i^.'iij teve ANTIGUA. „ ,e rural nea;i-oes. Many have joined the Tern- Years. Colonies Supplied, Bibles Test's e.-„:eSociety and many act on tee-total prin- 1823 Ancruilla o/ ,1^ .' The only ..;.r..Z person (cither blak or 2.3 De.^a U ^?« ,1 1 1>) whom we saw drunk diu-in» ;i residence 04 n„ ^^ ^^ .f;.u,e\veeks in Antigua, was a carpenter tst i' Mom ennt g ?5J ^oiuva, who as he reeled by, stared in our fl.ccs 27 Wevis ^q if^ md mumbled out his sentence of condemnation 32 Saba a Z igainsi wine bibbers,-" Gemmen-you sees I'se 33 St Bai't's n 1 J I httle bit crunk, but 'pon honor 'l only took 34 S ' Eu atius* ■' " ^ "l : ' •; \U 1$^ hfth-ree bottles of wme- that's all." It was 35 St Kits """po- ]i^ jhnstmas tmies," and doubtless the poor man g ' j&I^ ';„; ^f ' "^^i ' liught he wou d venture for once in the year to 36 To no la S lo/- *y the example of the whites. To 18^7 T^-IIa a ^r ^^^ f n conclusion, on the subject of morals in An- ^"""^'^ '^^ ^7 tua, we are warranted in stating, 1st., That Total Q-?n ~^ |';.^i?^^he continuance of slavery, immoralities lotal.... 920 x5yb ■'M T-'i » ^1 -, ^ From the last annual report we auote thp fnl ymen and missionaries, teachers and catpchists, casion of the emancipation Jf the slave7and ?L improve the character of the slaves, tailed ,0 perpetual banishme 1^0^ atry fron^ the sho^s hVt,T7 °^ ^''^V^"d profligacy. What of Antigua, on the first of Auo-us^t im by wh ch i i niT? ^'"' '^''''^ '''''' ^^'-y P'''-^'< '' «1^°'«^ P°'-^i«n of the Hol/Scr'i, tire; wa^^ a t .T/1 fi ? enormous immoralities as shame^ tnitously circulated to about^one thi d of ?t in" ^ .s and dcfian as ever, up to the very day of abo- habitants of this colony. N^ e 1 ousand tven • Z;J7^?''T'f^ ''' ""''■ '™Potence of all hundred copies of the ^ew Sb e ImnSto tempts^ to purify the slreans while the /..,•..«.-. gether with'the book of Psalms, werrthus^tS kd Tl-f tlo 1 r." ^ , at the disposal of your committee." '-^t ath blow to otn vf °^ slavery gave the * * * " Following hard upon this joyful edasit^^Sbeconlf 'r''"^^°''" ""'^ '?™^"''^- '^'"'' ^"°'^''^- S^'i^yi"? circumstance occurred stead of t- • ?^ ? Immediate emancipation, among us. The attentionof the people was rousS wpr c, ^ ' '^ flood-gates, was the only and their gratitude excited towirds the Bible s" .red tl Zf r°"^? '° ''^"^ '^•^™ ^°^^'" ' ^^ '•^- ''''y' ^"d ^l^^^y ^^i^° had freely received now free v he tSZ rlinuT "^°l?o"'^'' ^'",' '"PP^:- ^''^' "^.'^ ^^"".^ considerable sum of money w^ ^nfmn..i ! 7^ T liose great control- presented to the parent society in acknow-led^- d i? , r '"'''''''' ''f'-'f.^^t, attachmoil to law, ment of its beneficent grant." ^ ^ J^^^ZZ£:li:::^'t:^^''''yr'^i , ^^Jr^'""' ''^" ^^^'^^^ *™- ^^e annual report nil nhonf ,1! ^"^"^'^W'^'^'' '^nd now they stand for 1826. Its sentiments contrast stron-lv with e^inlf emancipated with flaming swords the congratulations of the last Teport u ?on ' t h p r ^fo3''';""'^'7^*='^'^T"-^^°-«ex- joyful eLn' of emancipation "^^P"'' "'^«" '^'' ser form?nf 'Jj^ explicit y affirmed that the " Another question of considerable delicacy and «t?J^ ^^'"■^'' y' ''^'^"^'^ in every coun- importance still remains to be discussed if it •unk hioTnn "^r'^' ^'V' '" ^"'^g"^ ^i'her advisable, under all the circumstanee" of Uie eas unk into concealment or become extinct. to circulate the Holy Scriptures, Shout note ot' B...VO... .™.o.. sp: s^&^t£xerrhStS VVe insert here a brief account of the benevo J" f.^r^ing that such a measure is not merely ex- t institutions of Antigua. Our design in ffivino- C., '™'' but one of almost indispensable necessity IS to show the effect of freedom in brinp-ino- into P^ ^'^*^''^'^ Volume is in many respects peculiarly y those chanties of social life, which" slavery "'^^P'ed to the slave. It t;nj6ins upon him pre- tormly stifles. Antigua abounds in benevo ^''^'^ ^° P'''""' ^'^^"^ *e most ignorant cannot foil t societies, all of which have been materiallv ^° understand them : ' Slaves, obey in all things wed since emancipation, and some of then y°"'' ™=Jsters, not with eye service, as men pleaV/ .'e been tormed since that event. ers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God ' It " ftirmshes him with motives the most'impressivo THE BIBLE SOCIETY. and consohng : ' Ye serve,' says the Aposfle, ' tho rhis IS the oldest society in the island It wa= ♦ , t. irist.' It promises him rewards suflirient'^-' ;anized in 1815. All denominat ons n Iho '"'''"^"'^'Vhe most indolent to exertion :' What^« md cordially unite in this cause The nrinei f ' ?°°'i /^?'"? «ny "^^n doeth, the same shall U des.-n of this society is to promote the e.e^' f T^T^i 'I''^ ^°''^' ^''^ether he be bond or free "'^ on of the Scriptures among the Sorin ' non , ,1 t' ^'°'t. ^"^'"^ 1*^ ^'"^ ^" ^^^"'P'e «° .-'""ous, 'd on ot the island. To secure this iTecUiE " '|^: / , ^^""'d /"noble ^n angels to imitate it '« : branch associations-amountino--^ to nX L^^'h^^^'^d be in yofcich was also in Christ ' Sr-have been organized throu.-hout the ?shnH ^T' \ """^^ hims^of no reputation, and ong the negroes themselves The societ; ""}' "P°", ^"™ ''^" *°'™ of a dare ." • ■ ' n enabled not only to circulate the Sci intnre! • ""^ ^''''7 }''' P'^P"' '» observe, that the pre- '« ong the people of^Antigua. 1 ut o send em n T T'%' ° r'¥ ^^°'^' ^''^'^''^ ''" ?^"eMl through- '^I ;ns.velytotheneighborfngis nds ''"'* ^''""^ °"^ V" F"-^'''' ^'^le is translated servant^ 13^'' ^he f:'!n,ving- ,al,l. , dr...M, up at our rer^u-=s' Z "^ '^'' '"^''-"^ ^^' ^'''' ^^^'^"^d it in the Uie Secretary of tiie Society, wil show thlpv^ ?-'■ ?o,n<, quot.t.o,.,. (') -.d scv ifnd r.L„< d, Jie of foreign operations ; ^' *''"^ ^''^ ^^- ^.^^'"^'^ ^^ "^e will be found to hold out to our . ., . Slaves, both by precept and example. tU ^ .^t ANTIGUA. I nail [bar; persuasive anl the most compelling motives to in- dustry, obedience, and submission." Nothing could more plainly shov/ the corrupt- ing influences of slavery, upon all within its reach, than this spectacle of a noble, religious institution, prostituted to the vile work of defending oppres- sion, and, in the zeal of its advocacy, blasphem- ously degrading the Savior into a self-made slave ! . The receipts of the Antigua Branch Society have greatly increased since emancipation. From receipts for the year 1836, in each of the British islands, it appears that the contributions from Antigua and Bermuda, the only two islands which adopted entire emancipation, are about double those from any other two islands. MISSIONARY ASSOCIATIONS. These associations are connected with the Wes- leyan mission, and have been in existence since 1820. Their object is to raise funds for the parent society in England. Although it has been in ex- istence for several years, yet it was mostly con- fined to the whites and free people of color, during slavery. The calling together assemblies of rural negroes, and addressing them on the subject of rnissions, and soliciting contributions in aid of the cause, is a new feature in the missionary opera- tions to which nothing but freedom could give birth. . b97i9d319-' TEMPERANCE SOCIETIES. The first temperance society in Antigua was formed at the beginning of 1836. We give an extract from the first annual report : " Tempe- rarrce societies have been formed in each town, and on many of the estates. A large number of persons who once used spirituous liquors mode- rately, have entirely relinquished the use. Some who wei-e once intemperate have been reclaimed, and in some instances an adoption of the princi- ples of the temperance society, has been followed by the pursuit and enjoyment of vital religion. Domestic peace and quietness have superseded discord and strife, and a very general sense of astonishment at the gross delusion which these drinks have long produced on the human species is manifest. " The numbers on the various books of the so- ciety amount to about 1700. One pleasing feature in their history, is the very small number of those who have violated their pledge. " On several estates, the usual allowance of spirits has been discontinued, and sugar or mo- lasses substituted." The temperance society in Antigua may be specially regarded as a result of emancipation. It is one of the guardian angels which hastened to the island as soon as the demon of slavery was cast out. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES. The friendly societies are designed exclusively for the benefit of the njjgro population. The general object is thus j^ffitted in the constitution of one of these societies? " The object of this society is to assist in the' purchase of articles of mourning for the dead ; to give relief in cases of unlooked for distress ; to help those who through age or infirmities are incapable of helping them- selves by marketing, or working their grounds ; to encourage sobriety and induslry, and to check disorderly and immoral conduct." These societies obtain their funds by laying a tax of on«> shilling per month on every member above eighteen years of age, and of six pence pei month on all members vmder that age and above twelve, which is the minimum of membership. The aged members are required to pay no mors than the sum last mentioned. The first society of this kind was established in St. John's by the present rector, in 1829. Sub^- quently the Moravians and Wesleyans formeid similar societies among their own people. Inde-' pendent of the pecuniary assistance which thes€! societies bestow, they encourage in a variety ol ways the good order of the community. For ex-i ample, no one is allowed to receive assistance who is " disabled by drunkenness, debauchery, or dis- orderly living;" also, " if any member of the so- ciety, male or female, is guilty of adultery or for- nication, the offending member shall be suspended for so long a time as the members shall see fit, and shall lose all claim on the society for any benefit during the suspension, and shall not be re admit- ted until clear and satisfactory evidence is given oi penitence." Furthermore, " If any member of th^ society shall be expelled from the church to wliicl^ he or she belongs, or shall commit any oft'encS punishable by a magistrate, that member forfeitji his membership in the society." Again, the societ ty directly encourages marriage, by " making a present of a young pig to every child horn in wedlock, and according as their funds will admit of it, giving rewards to those married persons living faithfully, or single persons living virtuous- ly, who take a pride in keeping their houses nea( and tidy, and their gardens flourishing." These societies have been more than doubled, both in the number of members and in the annual receipts, since emancipation. i Of the societies connected with the establish© church, the rector of St. John's thus speaks: " .A the beginning of 1834 there were eleven societiei embracing 1602 members. At the beginning ( 1835 they numbered 4197 ; and in 1836 there wei 4560 members," almost quadrvfled in tico years\ The societies connected with the Moravia church, have more than doubled, both in member and funds, since emancipation. The funds no\ amount to $10,000 per year. The Wesleyans have four Friendly societies The largest society, which contained six hundre;| and fifty members, was organized in the month ,i August, 1834. The last year it had expendt| £700 currency, and had then in its treasury £6' If currency. Now, be it remembered that the Friendly soc ties exist solely among the freed negroes, a that the moneys are raised exclusively amo them. Among whom 1 A people who are s. to be so proverbially improvident, that to eman pate them, would be to abandon them to begga nakedness, and starvation ; — a people who " c; not take care of themselves ;" who " will work when freed from the fear of the lash ;" m " would squander the earnings of the day in baucheries at night ;" who " would never prov for to-morrow for tiie wants of a family, or the infirmities of old age." Yea, among nego these things are done ;" and that, too, where wages are but one shilling per day — less tl sufilcient, one would reasonably suppose, to f vide daily food. DAILY MEAL SOCIETY. The main object of this society is denoted its name. It supplies a daily meal to those y are otherwise unprovided for. A commodi 1 ANTIGUA. i)use had just been completed in the suburbs of e town, capable of lodging a considerable num- ■r of beneficiaries. It is designed to shelter those ho are diseased, and cannot walk to and fro for eir meals. The number now fed at this house from eighty to a Jiundred. The diseased, who e at the dispensary, are mostly those who are licted with the elephantiasis, by whicli they are .idered entirely helpless. iVIedical aid is sup- ed free of expense. It is worthy of remark, .t there is no public poor-house in Antigua, — a ■of of the industry and prosperity of the eman- ated people. DISTRESSED FEMALEs' FRIEND SOCIETY. This is a society in St. John's : there is also a liar one, called tho Female Refuge Society, at jiish Harbor. Both these societies were est'ab- ed and are conducted by colored ladies. They designed to promote two objects: the support iestitute aged females of color, and the rescue oor young colored females from vice. The ne- . ;ity for special efforts for the first object, arose • of the fact, that the colored people were allowed parochial aid whatever, though they were re- red to pay their parochial taxes ; hence, the sup- •t of their own poor devolved upon themselves. le demand for vigorous action in behalf of the ang, grew out of the prevailing licentiousness slave-holding times. The society in St. John's has been in existence ce 1815. It has a large and commodious asy- n, and an annual income, by subscriptions of .50, currency. This society, and the Female fuge Society established at English Harbor, ve been instrumental in effecting a great reform the morals of females, and particularly in ex- mg reprobation against that horrid traflic— the e of girls by their mothers for purposes of lust, e were told of a number of cases in which the ;iety in St. John's had rescued young females m impending ruin. Many members of the uety itself, look to it as the guardian of their )hanage. . Among other cases related to us. s that of a lovely girl of fifteen, who was bar- id away to a planter by her mother, a disso- ; woman. The planter was to give her a intity of cloth to the value of £80 currency, I two young slaves ; he was also to give the ndmother, for her interest in the girl, one gal- of ruml The night was appointed, and a ■ in waiting to take away the victim, when a iiale friend was made acquainted with the plot, : in time to save the girl by removing her to own house. The mother was infuriated, and eavored to get her back, but the ^irl had occa- lally attended a Sabbath school, where she )ibed principles which forbade her to yield n to her mother for such an unhallowed pur- e. She was taken before a magistrate, and entured herself to a milliner for two yeaff e mother made an attempt to regain her, and 3 assisted by some whites with money tc com- ice a suit for that purpose. The lady who jnded her was accordingly prosecuted, and the Die case became notorious. The prosecutors •e foiled. At the close of her apprenticeship, young woman was married to a highly re- ntable colored gentleman, now resident in St. n s. The notoriety which was given to the ve case had a happy effect. It brought the ety and its object more fully before the public the contributions for its support greatly in- sed. Those for whose benefit the asylum : was opened, heard of it, and came begging to be received. This society is a signal evidence that the color- ed people neither lack the ability to devise, nor the hearts to cherish, nor the zeal to execute plans of enlarged benevolence and mercy. The Juvenile Association, too, of which we gave some account in describing its anniversary, originated with the colored people, and furnishes additional evidence oJ' the talents a«d charities of that class of the community. Besides the socie- ties already enumerated, there are two associations connected with the Established Church, ccHled the " Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowl- edge," and the " Branch Association of the Soci- ety for Advancing the Christian Faith in the Brit- ish West Indies, &c." These societies are also designed chiefly for the benefit of the negro popu- lation. % EDUCATION. Our inquiries under this head were directed to three principal points— first. The exTfent to which education prevailed previous to emancipation; second, The improvements introduced sii»e --and third, The comparative capacity of negroes'for receiving instruction. ' ' '''-'CS'iu Being providentially in the island at the season of the year when all the schools have their annual examinations, we enjoyed the most favorable op- portunities for procuring intelligence on the subject of education. Froij^ various quarters we riteived invitations to attend school examinations. We visited the schools at Parham, Willoughby Bay Newfield, Cedar Hall, Grace Bay, Fitch's Creek' and others : besides visiting the parochial sc^ol' the rectory school, the Moravian and WeslParl schools, in St. John's. All the schools, save those in St. John's, were almost exclusively composed of emancipated children from the estates. VISIT TO THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. At the invitation of the Governor, w§ accompa- nied him to the annual examination of the paro- chial school, in St. John's, under the superinten dance of the Episcopal church. It has increased greatly, both in scholars and efficiency, since eman- cipation, and contributions are made to its sup- poii by the parents whose children receive its ben- efits. We found one hundred and fifty cliildren, of both sexes, assembled in the society's^rooms! There was every color present, from the deepest hue of the Ethiopian, to the faintest shadowing of brown. , The boys constituting the first class, to* the number of fifty, were'iialled up. They read with much fluency and distinctness, equalling white boys of the same age anywhere. After reading, various questions were put to them by the Arch- deacon, which they answered with promptness and accuracy. Words were promiscuously se- lected from the chapter they had Mad, and every one was promptly spelled. The*catechism was the next^xercise, and they manifested a thorough acquaintance with its«guents. ^ Our attention wasp^^^larly called td iht ex-i amination in arithmetMRviany of th^ children-' solved questions readil^n the comptjhnd rules," and several of them in Practice, giving the differ- ent parts of the pound, shilling, and penny, used in that rule, and all the whys and wherefores of the thing, with great promptness. One lad, only ten years of age, whose attendance had been very irregular on account of being employed in learn- ing a trade, performed intricate examples in Prac- oO ANTIGUA. tice, Avith a facility worthy the counting-house desk. We put several inquiries on different parts of the process, in order to test their real knowl- edge, to which we always received clear answers. The girls were then examined in the same studies and exercises, except arithmetic, and dis- played the same gratifying proficiency. They also presented specimens of nc-jdlework and straw- braiding, whicli tlie ladies, on whose lietter judg- ment we depend, pronounced very creditable. We noticed several girls much older than the oth- ers, who had made much less advance in their studies, and on mquiry learned, that they had been members of the school but a short tim;:, hav- ing formerly been employed to wield the heavy hoe in tke cane field. The parents are very desirous to give their children education, and make many sa^ifices for that purpose. Manj'^ who are field- laborers in the country, receiving their shilling a day, have sent their children to reside with some relations or friends in town, for the purpose of giving them the benefits of this school. Several such cl^ldren were pointed out to us. The in- crease'df fefnale scholars during the first year of emancipation, was in this school alone, about eighty. s^For our gratification, the Governor requested that all the children emancipated on the^V.?^ of August,, might be called up and placed on our side of the room. Nearly one hundred children, of both sexes, who two years ago were slaves, now stood up before us free. We noticed one little girl among the rest, about ten years old, who bore not the least tinge of color. Her hair was straight and light, and her face had that mingling of vermilion and white, which Americans seem to consider, not only the nonpareil st:uidard of beauty, but the immaculate test of human rights. At lier side was another with the deepest hue of the native African. There were high emotions on the coun- tenances of those redeemed ones, when we spoke to them of emancipation. The undying principle of freedom living and burning in the soul of the most degraded slave, like lamps amid the darkness of eastern sepulchres, was kindling up brilliantly within them, young as they were, and flashing in smiles upon their ebon faces. The. Governor made a few remarks, in which he gave some gooiadvice, and expressed himself highly pleased with the appearance and profi- ciency of the school. His excellency remarked to us in a tone of pleas- antry, " You see, gentlemen, these children have souls." During the progi-ess of the examination, he said to us, " You perceive that it is our policy to give these children every chance to make men of themselves. We look upon them as our future citizens." He had no doubt that the rising gene- ration would assume a position in society above the contempt or opposition of the whites. INFANT SCHOOLSa^HE COUNTRY. We had the pleasiuj^Hf attending one of the infant schools in the ''^Bjty of Parham, on the east side of the island.^^aVing been invited by a planter, who kindly sent his horse and carriage for our conveyance, to call and take breakfast wi^h him on our way, we drove out early in the morn- ing. While we were walking about the estate, our attention was arrested by distant singing. As we cast our eyes up a road crossing the estate, we discovered a party of children ! They were about twenty in number, and were marching hand in -i hand to the music of their infant voices. Tl were children from a neighboring estate, on tVl' way to the examination at Parham, and w ' singing the hymns which they had learned'' school. All had their Testaments in their han" and seemed right merry-hearted. We were received at the gate of the chapel the Wesleyan missionary located in this distric highly respectable and intelligent colored m who was ten years since a slave. He gave u: cordial welcome, and conducted us to the chaj where we found the children, to the number of J Mrndred, asseml^Ied, and the examination aire: commenced. Tl.ere were six schools present, r resenting about twenty estates, and arranj under their respective teachers. The ages of' pupils were from three to ten or twelve. TI were all, with the exception of two or three children of emancipated slaves. They came up by classes to the superintendei desk, where they read and were examined. Tl read correctly; some of them too, who had b' in school only a few months, in any portion of New Testament selected for them. By request the superintendent, we put several inquiries to tl which they answered in a way which shoM that they thought. They manifested an acquai' ance with the Bible and the use of langui which was truly surprising. It was delighlfu sec so many tiny beings stand around you, drg ed in their tidy gowns and frocks, with their bri(i morning faces, and read with the self-compos of manhood, any passage chosen for them. Tl all, large and small, bore in their hands th.e chai of their freedom, the book by the influence which they received all the privileges they w enjoying. On the cover of each was stamped large capitals — " Presented by the British a Foreign Bible Socn-;Ty, in commemoration THE First of Aogust, 1834." At the close of the examination, the rewar consisting of books, work-bags, &c. &c., chic sent by a society of females in England, were d tributed. It was impossible to repress the efij vescence of the little expectants. As a little ( four years old came up for her reward, the sup intendent said to her — " Well, little Becky, w do you want 1" " Me wants a bag," said Bed "and me wants a pin-cushion, and me wa a little book." Becky's desires were lar but being a good girl, she was gratified. ( casionally the girls were left to choose betweei book and a work-bag, and although the bag mil be gaudy and tempting, they invariably took book. The teachers were all but rme blacks, and w formerly slaves. They are very devoted a faithful, but are ill-qualified for their duties, havi ob,tained all the learning they possess in Sabbath school. They are all pious, and exerl, happy influence on the morals of their pupils. The number of scholars has very greatly creased since emancipation, and their morals hS|j essentially improved. Instances of falsehood a theft, which at first were fearfully frequent a bold, have much lessened. They oegin to hav regard for character. Their sense of right a wrong is enlightened, and their power of resisti temptation, and adhering to right, manifestly ,, creased. On the whole, we know not where we ha, looked on a more delightful scene. To standi front of the pulpit and look around on a multitu| of negro children, gathered from the sordid hi info which slavery had carried ig-norance and ra ANTlGlJA. 31 f — to see them coming up, with their teachers the same proscribed hue, to hear them read the ble, answer with readiness the questions of their perintendent, and lift up togetlicr their songs of luH praise, andtiieii to remember that two years these four hundred children were dates, and 11 more to remember that in our own country, istuig its republicanism and Christian inslitu- ps, there are thousands of just such children lor the yoke and scourge, in utter heathenism, victims of tyrannic laiv or of more tyrannic jlic opinion — caused the heart to swell with otions unutterable. There were as many intel- ;nt coLintenances, and as much activity and ightliness, as we ever saw among an equal liber of children anywhere. The correctness their reading, the pertinence of their replies, general proofs of talent which they showed Dugh all the exercises, evinced that they are le inferior to the children of their white oppres- s. Ifter singing a hymn they all kneeled down, 1 the school closed with a prayer and benedic- 1. They continued singing as they retired n the house, and long after they had parted on ir different ways home, their voices swelled on breeze at a distance as the little parties from estates chanted on their way the songs of the ool room. WILLOUGHBY BAY EXAMINATION. 'hen we entered the school house at Willoughby 7, which is capable of containing a thousand sons, a low murmur, like the notes of prepa- on, ran over the multitude. One school came ifter we arrived, marching in regular file, with r teacher, a negro man, at their head, and their ukird bmrer following; next, a sable girl with ox of Testaments on her head. The whole iber of children was three hundred and fifty. : male division was first called out, and march- several times around the room, singing and sing a regular step. After several rounds, ' came to a halt, filing off and forming into lS four rows deep — in quarter-circle shape. ■ music still continuing, the girls sallied forth, t through the same evolutions, and finally led in rows corresponding with those of the 3, so as to compose with the latter a semicircle, he schools were successively examined in spel- , reading, writing, cyphering, &c., after the ner already detailed. In most respects they ved equal proficiency with the children of lam ; and in reading the Testament, their racy was even greater. In looking over the ing, several "incendiary" copies caught our • One was, ''^asters, give unto your ser- s that which is just and equal." Another, / neglect the cause of my servant, what shall I ohen I appear before my Master 1" A few •s ago, had children been permitted to wriie at one such copy as the above would have ex- ed the school, and perchance sent the teacher il for sedition. But now, thanks to God ! the children of Antigua arc taught liberty from Bibles, from their song books, and from their books too ; they read of liberty, they sing of it, they write of it; they chant to liberty in their 01 rooms, and they resume the strains on their jward way, till every rustling lime-grove, waving cane-field, is alive with their notes, ;very hillock and dell rings with " free" echoes, le girls, in their turn, pressed around us with v^liest ea§;erness to display their little pieces of needle- work. Some had samplers marked with letters and devices in vari-colored silk. Others showed specimens of stitching; while the littU ones held up their rude attempts at hemming handkerchiefs, aprons, and so on. During the exercises we spoke to several elderly women, who were present to witness the scene. They were laborers on the estates, but having children in the school, they had put on their Sun- day dresses, and " come to see." We spoke to one, of the privileges which the children were enjoying' since freedom. Her eyes filled, and she exclaimed^ " Yes, massa, we do tank de good Lord for bring de free— never can be too tankful." She said she had seven children present, and it made her feel happy to know that they were learning to read. Another woman said, when she heard the children reading so finely, she wanted to " take de word's out of da mouts and put em in her own." In the morning, when she first entered the school house, she felt quite sick, but all the pleasant things she saw and heard, had made her well, and she added, " I tell you, me massa, it do my old heart good to come here." Another aged woman, who had grand-children in the school, said, when she sawb what advantages the children enjoyed, she almost- cried to think she was not a child too. Besides these there were a number of adult men and wo- men, whom curiosity or parental solicitude had brought together, and they were thronging abouto the \yindows and doors witnessiuig the various-' exet-cises with the deepest interest. Among the rest was one old patriarch, who, anxious to bear some part however humble in the exercises of the occasion, walked to and fro among the children . with a six feet pole in his hand, to keep order. \ These schools, and those examined at Parham, are under the general supervision of Mr. Charles Thwaites, an indefatigable and long tried friend of the negroes. We here insert a valuable communication which we received from Mr. T. in reply to seve- ral queries addressed to him. It will give further^ information relative to the schools. Mr. Charles Thwaites' Replies to Queries on Ed":.- cation in Antigua. 1. What has been your business for some years past in Antigua 1 A superintendent of schools, and catechist \xA the negroes. a 2. How long have you been engaged in this business] . "* Twenty-four years. The first four years eri^'' gaged gratuitously, ten years employed by the Church Missionary Society, and since, by the^ Wesleyan Missionary Society. '■> ■ ''R "•-■ -' '; 3. How many schools have charge 1 Sunday schools, (including all belonging' to tlfe'' Wesleyan Missionary Society,) eight, with 1850 scholars ; day schools.-jgyenteen with 1250 schol- ars: night schools (M^enty-six e^tat^, 396 scholars. The total ni^^kof scholars under in- struction is about 3500. «^ 4. Are the scholars principally the children who were emancipated in August, 1^ 1 Yes, except the children in St. Jojijii's, most of whom were free beftjre. ' " ' 5. Are the teachers negroes, colored, or wliite 1 One white, four colored, ana sixteen black.* This number iacludes only uluied teacbdn. uid not the gratuitous. 32 ANTIGUA. 6. How many of the teachers were slaves prior to the fiist of August, 18341 Thirteen. 7. What were their opportunities for learning 1 The Sunday and night schools ; and they have much improved themselves since they have been in their present employment. 8. What are their qualifications for teaching, as to education, religion, zeal, per^;everance, &c. 1 The white and two of the colored teachers, I presume, are well calculated, in all respects, to carry on a school in the ablest manner. The others are deficient in education, but are zealous, and very persevering. 9. What are the wages of these teachers'! The teachers' pay is, some four, and somethioe dollars per month. Thin sum is far too small, and would be greater if the funds were sufficient. 10. How and by whom are the expenses of superintendent, teachers, and schools defrayed ] The superintendent's salary, &c., is paid by the Wesleyan Missionary Society. The ex- penses of teachers and schools are defrayed by charitable societies and friends in England, partic- ularly the Negro Education Society, which grants 501. sterling per annum towards this ob- ject, and pays the rent of the Church Missionary Society's premises in Willoughby Bay for use of the schools. About 46Z. sterling per annum is aiso raised from the children ; each child taught writing and needle-work, pays IJd- sterling per week.. 11. Is it your opinion that the negro children are as ready to receive instruction as white children 1 Yes, perfectly so. 12. Do parents manifest interest in the educa- tion of their children? They do. Some of the parents are, however, still very ignorant, and are not aware how much their children lose by irregular attendance at the schools. 13. Have there been many instances of theft among the scholars 1 Not more than among any other class of children. RESULTS. Besides an attendance upon the various schools, we procured specific infoi-mation from teachers, missionaries, planters, and others, with regard to the past and present state of education, and the weight of testimony was to the following effect : First, That education was by no means exten- sive previous to emancipation. The testimony of one planter was, that not a tenth part of the present adult population knew the letters of the alphabet. Other planters, and some missionaries, thought the proportion might be somewhat larger ; but all agreed that it was very small. The testimony of thevenerable Mr. Newby, the oldest Moravian missionary in the island, was, that such was the opposition among the planters, it was impossible to teacl^jfe slaves, excepting by night, secretly. Mr. "riRRiles informed us that the children were not an|),wed to attend day school after they were six yeaWold. All the instruction they obtained after that age, was got at night — a very unsuitable time to study, for those who worked all day under an exhausting sun. It is manifest that the instruction received under six years of age, would soon be effaced by the incessant toil of subsequent life. The account given in a 'fociaei connection of the adult school under the charge of Mr. Morrish, at Newfield, shows moi clear'y the past inattention to education. An yet Mr. M. stated that his school was a fair sp( chiien of the intelligence of the negroes generallt One more evidence in point is the acknowledge ignorance of Mr. Thwaites' teachers. Afte searching through the whole freed population to a dozen suitable teachers of children, Mr. 1 could not find even that number who could rcoi well. Many children in the schools of six year old read better than their teachers. We must not be understood to intimate that u to the period of the Emancipation, the plante utterly prohibited the education of their slave Public sentiment had undergone some chang previous to that event. When the public opmio of England began to be awakened against slavery the planters were induced, for peace sake, to tolei ate education to some extent ; though they cannc be said to have encouraged it untirafter Emanci pation. This is the substance of the statemen made to us. Hence it appears that when the ai tive opposition of the planters to educatio ceased, it was succeeded by a general indiffei ence, but little less discouraging. We of cours speak of the planters as a body ; there were sorr honorable exceptions. Second, Education has become very extensi since emancipation. There are probably not lei than six thousand children who now enjoy dai instruction. These are of all ages under twelv All classes feel an interest in knov:ledge. Whi the schools previously established are flourishin in newness of life, additional ones are springin up in every quarter. Sabbath schools, adult an infant schools, day and evening schools, are a crowded. A teacher in a Sabbath school in S John's informed us, that the increase in thi school immediately after emancipation was s( sudden and great, that he could compare it t( nothing but the rising of the mercury, when tli thermometer is removed out of the shade into tJi sun. We learned that the Bible was the principi book taught in all the schools throughout t: island. As soon as the children have learned read, the Bible is put into their hands. They m only read it, but commit to memory portions of every day ; — the first lesson in the morning is ai examination on some passage of scripture. Wi have never seen, even among Sabbath-schoo children, a better acquaintance with the charac ters and events recorded in the Old and Nei Testaments, than among the negro children j . Antigua. Those passages which inculcate oK dience to law are strongly enforced ; and th- prohibitions against stealing, lying, cheating, idh ness, &c., are reiterated day and night. Great attention is paid to singing in all ti. schools. The songs which they usually sung, embracei such topics as Love to God — the presence of Go( — obedience to parents — friendship for brother and sisters and schoolmates — love of school— the sinfulness of sloth, of lying, and of stealing. We quote the following hymn as a specimen ( the subjects which are introduced into the; songs: often were we greeted with this swe« hymn, while visiting thedifferent schools througl out the island. BROTHERLY LOVE. CHORUS. We're all brothers, sisters, brothers, We're sisters and brothers, ANTIGUA. 33 And heaven is our home. ■ We're all brothers, sisters, brothers, t We're sisters and brotliers, And lieavcii is our liouie. Tlic God of heaven is pleased to see That little children all agree ; And will not slijiht the praise they bring. When lo\ in;: children join to sing : We're all brothers', sisters, brothers, &c. f For love and kindness please him more i Than if we gave him all our store ; I And children here, who dwell in love, n Are hke his happy ones above. ' We're all brothers, sisters, brothers, : „ their escape, through actual fear, that the island wou! ' j be destroyed on the following day. Ere they set sa i they earnestly bcsouglu our informant to escape fro; | the island, as he valued his lif«. ] ANTIGUA. 37 Aiich Ciirist maketh his cliildren free. In every parter we were assured tlnit the day was like a iabbath. Work had ceased ; tiic hum of busi- ness was still, and noise and tumult were un-, hiard on the streets. Tranquillity pervaded the U)wns and country. A Sabbath indeed ! when ■,he wicked ceased iVom troubling, and the weary re at rest, and the slave was free from his ster ! The planters informed us that they nt to the chapels where their own people were sembled, greeted them, shook hands with them, d exchanged the most hearty good wishes. The churches and chapels were thronged all er the island. At Cedar Hall, a Moravian ation, the crowd was so great that the minister ivas obliged to remove the meeting from the chapel to a neighboring grove. At Grace Hill, another Moravian station, the iegroe.s went to the Missionary on the day before he" first of August, and begged that they might 1 ;i!lo\ved to have a meeting in the chapel at u'.iiiise. It is the usual practice among the Mo- .•avians to hold but one sunrise meeting during .he year, and that is on the morning of Easter: 3ut as the people besought very earnestly for this special favor on the Easter morning of their free- ioiii, it was granted to them. Earli' in the morning they assembled at the ihapel. For some time they sat in perfect silence. The missionary then proposed that they should ^neel down and sing. The whole audience fell (ipon their knees, ami sung a hymn coaunencing ivith the following verse : I " Now let us praise the Lord, With body, soul and spirit, Who doth such wondrous things, Beyond our sense and merit." The singing was frequently interrupted with he tears and sobbings of the melted people, until inally it was wholly arrested, and a tumult of amotion overwhelmed the congregation. During the day, repeated meetings were held. At eleven o'clock, the people assembled in vast lumbers. There were at least a thousand persons iround the chapel, who could not get in. For mce the house of God suflered violence, and the ."iolent took it by force. After all the services )f the day, the people went again to the mission- u'ies in a body, and petitioned to have a meeting a the evening. At Grace Bay, the people, all dressed in white, issembled in a spacious court in front of the \loravian chapel. They formed a procession md walked arm in arm into the chapel. Similar ;cenes occurred at all the chapels and at the ■hurches also. We were told by the missiona- •ies that the dress of the negroes on that occasion .vas uncommonly simple and modest. There .vas not the least disposition to gaiety. We were also informed by planters and mis- sionaries in every part of the island, that there was jiot a single dance known of, either day or night, lor so much as a fiddle played. There were no •iotous assemblies, no drunken carousals. It A'as not in such channels that the excitement of he emancipated flowed. They were as far from lissipation and debauchery, as they were from violence and carnage. Gratitude was the ab- Borbing emotion. From the hill-tops, and the Iralleys, the cry of a disenthralled people went upward like the sound of many waters, " Glory lo God, glory to God." The testimony of the planters corresponds fully with that of the missionaries. Said R. B. Eldridge, Esq., after speaking of the number emancipated, " Yet this vast body, (30,000,) glided out of slavery into freedom with the utmost tranquillity." Dr. Daniell observed, that after so prodigious a revolution in the condition of the negroes, he expected that some irregularities would ensue; but he had been entirely disappointed. He also said that he anticipated some relaxation from labor during the week following emancipation. But he found his hands in the field early on Mon- day morning, and not one missing. The same day lie received word from another estate, of which he was proprietor,* that the negroes had to a man refused to go to the field. He imme- diately rode to the estate and found the people standing with their hoes in their hands doing nothing. He accosted them in a friendly man- ner : " What does this mean, my fellows, that you are not at work this morning 1" They im- mediately replied, " It's not because we don't want to work, massa, but we wanted to see you first and foremost to know what the bargain would be." As soon as that matter was settled, the whole body of negroes turned out cheerfully, without a moment's cavil. Mr. Bourne, of Millar's, informed us that the largest gang he had ever seen in the field on his property, turned out the week after emancipation. Said Hon. N. Nugent, " Nothing could surpass the universal propriety of the negroes' conduct on the first of August, 1834 ! Never was there a more beautiful and interesting spectacle exhibited, than on that occasion." Fourth puoposition. — There has been since emancipation, not only no rebellion in fact, but NO FE-iR OF IT ill Antigua. Proof 1st. The militia were not called out dur- ing Christmas holidaj's. Before emancipation, martial inw invariably prevailed on the holidays, but the very first Christmas after emancipation, the Governor made a proclamation stating that iii, consequence of the abolition of slavery it was no longer necessary to resort to such a precaution. There has not been a parade of soldiery on any subsequent Christnias.t 2d. The uniform declaration of planters and others : " Previous to emancipation, many persons ap- prehended violence and bloodshed as the conse- * It is not unusual in the West Indies for proprietor.s to commit their own estates into the hands of managers; and be tliemselves the nianai^ers of other men's estates. t This has been followed by a measure on the part of the Legislature, wliich is further proof of tlie same thing. It is " an Act for amending and further continuing the se- veral Acts at present in force for better organizing and ordering !he militia." The prcamlile reads thus : " Whereas tlic abolition of slavery in this island ren- ders it cipodicnt to provide against an unnecessary aug- mentation of the militia, and the existing laws for better organizing and ordering that local force require amend- ment." The following military advertisement also shows the in- creasing confidence which is felt in the freed men : " Recruits Wanted. — The free men of Antigua are now called on to show their gratitude and loyalty to King William, for the benefits he has conferred on them and their families, by volunteering their services as soldiers in his First West India Regiment ; in doing which they will acquire a still higher rank in society, by being placed on a footing of perfect equality with the other troops in his Majesty's service, and receive the same bounty, pay, clothing, rations and allowances. None but young men of good character can be receiv- ed, and all such will meet with every encouragement by applying at St. John's Barracks, to H. DOWNIB, Capt. 1st W. I. Regt. September Wh, mo." 38 ANTIGUA. quence of turning the slaves all loose. But when emancipation took place, all these apprehensions vanished. The sense of personal security is uni- versal. We know not of a single instance in which the negroes have exhibited a revejigefnl spirit." S. Bounw, Esq., of Millar's. Watkins, Esq., of Donovan's. "It has always appeared to me self-evident, that if a man is peaceable while a slave, he Vv'ill be so when a free man." Dr. Ferguson. " There is no possible danger of personal vio- lence from the slaves ; should a foreign power in- vade our island, I have no doubt that the negroes would, to a man, fight for the planters. I have the utmost confidence in all the people who are under my management; they are my friends, and they consider me their friend." H. Armstrong, Esq., of FitcKs Creek. The same gentleman informed us that during slavery, he used frequently to lie sleepless on his bed, thinking about his dangerous situation — a lone white person fur away from help, and sur- rounded by hundreds of savage slaves; and he had spent hours thus, in devising plans of self-de- fence in case the house should be attacked by the negroes. " If they come," he would say to him- self, " and break down the door, and fill my bed- room, what shall I dol It will be useless to fire at them ; my only hope is to frighten the supersti- tious fellows by covering myself with a white sheet, and rushing into the midst of tliem, crying, ' ghost, ghost.' " Now Mr. A. sleeps in peace and safety, without conjuring up a ghost to keep guai-d at his bed- side. His bodyguard is a battalion of substan- tial flesh and blood, made up of those who were once the objects of his nightly terror ! " There has been no instance of personal vio- lence since freedom. Some persons pretended, prior to emancipation, to apprehend disastrous results ; but for my part I cannot say that I ever entertained such fears. I could not see any thing which was to instigate negroes to rebellion, after they had obtained their liberty. I have not heard of a single case of even meditated revenge." Dr. Daniell, Proprietor, Member of Council, Attorney of six estates, and. Manager of ■JVcatkerill's. " One of the blessings of emancipation has been, that it has banished the yea/ of insurrections, in- cendiarism, &c." Mr. Favey, Manager of Lavicotmt's. " In my extensive intercourse with the people, as missionary, I have never heard of an instance of violence or revenge on the part of tlie negroes, even where they had been ill-treated during sla- very." Rev. Mr. Morrish, Moravian Missionary. "Insurrection or revenge is in no case dreaded, not even by those planters who were most cruel in the time of slavery. My family go to sleep every night with the doors unlocked, and we fear neither violence nor robbery." Hon. N. Nugent. Again, in a written communication, the same gentleman remarks: — "There is not the slightest feeling of insecurity — quite the contrary. Pro- perty is more secure, for all idea of insurrection- in aMished forever."' " We have no cause now to fear insuiTections ; emancipation has freed us from all danger on this score." David Cranstoun, Esq. Extract of a letter from a merchant of St. John's who has resided in Antigua more than thirty years : \ " There is no sense of personal danger arising from insurrections or conspiracies among the blacks. Serious apprehensions of this nature were formerly entertained ; but they gradually died away during the first year of freedom." We quote the following from a communication addressed to us by a gentleman of long experieuct* in Antigua — now a merchant in St. John's- James Scotland, Sen., Esq. " Disturbances, insubordinations, and revelry, have greatly decreased since emancipation; and it is a remarkable fact, that on the day of aboli- tion, which v/as observed with the solemnity and services of the Sabbath, not an instance of com- mon insolence was experienced from any freed man. " There is no feeling of insecurity. A stronger proof of this cannot be given than the dispensing, within five months after emancipation, with the Christmas guards, which had been regularly and uninterruptedly kept, for nearly one hundred years — during the whole time of slavery. " The military has never been called out, but on one occasion, since the abolition, and that was when a certain planter, the most violent enemy of freedom, reported to the Governor that there were strong symptoms of insurrection among his negroes. The story was generally laughed at, and the reporter of it was quite ashamed of his weakness and fears. " My former occupation, as editor of a news- paper, rendered it necessary for me to make inces- sant inquiries into the conduct as well as the treat- ment of the emancipated, and I have never hea'rd of any instance of revenge for former injuries. The negroes have indeed qirilled managers who were harsh or cruel to them in their bondage, but they removed in a peaceable and orderly manner. " Our negroes, and I presume other negroes too, are very little less sensible to the force of those motives which lead to the peace, order, and welfare of society, than any other set of people." •' The general conduct of the negroes has been worthy of much praise, especially considering the sudden transition from slavery to unrestricted freedom. Their demeanor is peaceable and or- derly." Ralph Higinbothom, U. S. Consul. As we mingled with the missionaries, both in tov/n and country, they ail bore witness to the security of their persons and ftmiilies. They, equally with the planters, were surprised that we should make any inquiries about insurrections. A question on this subject generally excited a smile, a look of astonishvncnt, or some exclama- tion, such as " Insurrection ! my dear sirs, we do not think of such a thing;" or, " Rebellion indeed ! why, what should they rebel for now, since they have got their liberty !" Physicians informed us that they were in the habit of riding into the country at all hours of the night, and though they were constantly passmg negroes, both singly and in companies, they nevet had experienced any rudeness, nor even so muck .■\s an insolent word. They could go by night or day, into any part of tlie island where their oro- i ( i ANTIGUA, 39 ftsional duties called them, without the slightest tise of danger. ■ A residence of nine weeks in the island gave us no small opportunity of testing the reality of its boasted security. The hospitality of planters and missionaries, of which we have recorded so many instances in a previous part of this worl\,_ i^ave us free access to their liouses in every part of the island. In many cases we were constrained to spend the night with them, and thus enjoyed, if the intimacies of the domestic circle, and in the iguarded moments of social intercourse, every ^Dportunity of detecting any lurking fears of vio- lence, if such there had l)een ; but wc saw no evidence of it, either in the arrangements of the bouses or in the conduct of the inmates.* Fifth proposition. — There has been no fear of house breaking, highway robberies, and like mis- demeanors, since emancipation. Statements, si- Siilar to those adduced under the last Jiead, from planters, and other gentlemen, might be introdu- !ed here ; but as this proposition is so intimately nvolved in the foregoing, separate proof is not ne- cessary. The same causes which excite ai^pre- hensions of insurrection, produce fears of robber- ies and other acts of violence ; so also the same State of society which establishes security of per- son, insures the safety of property. Both in town jind country we heard gentlemen repeatedly speak pf the sligiit fastenings to their houses. A mere lock, or bolt, was all that secured the outside doors, 'and they might be burst open with ease, by a single pnan. In some cases, as has already been intima- Ited, the plan*";rs habitually neglect to fasten their doors — so strong is their confidence of safety. We were not a little struck with the remark of a gen- tleman in St. John's. He said he had long been desirous to remove to England, his native country, and had slavery continued much longer in Anti- gua, he certainly should have gone ; but now the sccurilij of 'property iras so much greater in Anti- giui than it was 'n England, that he thought it doubtful whether he should ever venture to take his family thither. Sixth proposition. — Ernancipation is regard- ed by all classes as a great blessing to the island. There is not a class, or party, or sect, who do not esteem the abolition of slavery as a special blessing to them. The rich, because it relieved them of " property" which was fast becoming a disgrace, as it had always been a vexation and a tax, and because it has emancipated them from the terrors of insurrection, which kept them all their life time subject to bondage. The poor whites — because it lifted from off them the yoke of civil oppression. The free colored population — because it gave the death blow to the prejudice that crushed them, and opened the prospect of so- cial, civil, and political equality with the whites. The slaves — because it broke open their dungeon, led them out to liberty, and gave them, in one munificent donation, their wives, their children, their bodies, their souls — every thing! The following extracts from the journals of the * In addition to the evidence derived from Antigua, we would mention the following fact : A planter, who is also an attorney, informed us that on the neighboring little island of Barbuda, (whicli is leas- ed from the English fjovernment by Sir Christopher Cod- drin^ton,) there are five hundred negroes and on\y rhree white men. The negroes are entirely free, yet the whites continue to live among them without any fear of having tlieir throats cut. The island is cultivated in sugar — Barbuda is under the government of Antigua, and accord- ingly the act of entire emancipation extended to that si and. of The feeling first existing is dated legislature, show the state shortly after emancipation. October 30, 183-1 : " The Speaker said, that he lookfd with exul- tation at the prospect before us. The hand of the Most High was evidently working for us. Could we regard the universal tranquillity, the respectful demeanor of the lower classes, as less than an in- terposition of Providence "? The agricultural and commercial prosperity of the island were abso- lutely on the advance ; and for his part he would not hesitate to purchase estates to-morrow." The following remark was made in the course of a speech by a member of the council, Novem- ber 12, 1834: " Colonel Brown stated, that since emancipa- tion he had never been without a sufTicient num- ber of laborers, and he was certain he could obtain as many more to-morrow as he should wish." The general confidence in the beneficial results of emancipation, has grown stronger with every succeeding year and month. It has been seeu that freedom will bear trial; that it will endure, and continue to bring forth fruits of increasing value. The Governor informed us that " it was uni- versally admitted, that emancipation had been a great blessing to the island." In a company of proprietors and planters, who met us on a certain occasion, among whom were lawyers, magistrates, and members of the coun- cil, and of the assembly, the sentiment was dis- tinctly avowed, that emancipation was highly beneficial to the island, and there was not a dis- senting opinion. " Emancipation is working most admirably, especially for the planters. It is infinitely better policy than slavery or the apprenticeship either." — Dr. Ferguson. " Our planters find that freedom answers a far better purpose than slavery ever did. A gentle- man, who is attorney for eight estates, assured me that there was no comparison between the ben- efits and advantages of the two systems." — Archdeacon Parry. " All the planters in my neighborhood (St. Philip's parish) are highly pleased with the ope- ration of the new system." — Rev. Mr. JoTies, Rector of St. Philip^ s. " I do not know of more than one or two plant- ers in the whole island, who do not consider emancipation as a decided advantage to all par- ties."' — Dr. Daniell. That emancipation should be universally re- garded as a blessing, is remarkable, when we con- sider that combination of untoward circumstances which it has been called to encounter — a combi- nation wholly unprecedented in the history of the island. In 1835, the first year of the new system, the colony was visited by one of the most desolating hurricanes which has occurred for many years. In the same year, cultivation was arrested, and the crops greatly reduced, by drought. About the same time, the yellow fever prevailed with fearful mortality. The next year the drought returned, and brooded in terror from March until January, and from January until June : not only blasting the harvest of '36, but extending its blight over the crops of '37. Nothing could be better calculated to try th« confidence in the new system. Yet we find all classes zealously exonerating emancipation, and in despite of tornado, plague, and wasting, still 40 ANTIGUA. affirming the blessings and advantages of free- dom ! Seventh proposition. — Free labor is deci- dedly LESS EXPENSIVE than slave labor. It costs the planter actually less to pay his free laborers daily wages, than it did to maintain his slaves. It will be observed in the testimony which fol- lows, that there is some difference of opinion as to the precise am,ounto{ reduction in the expenses, wiiich is owing to the various modes of manage- ment on different estates, and more particularly, to the fact that some estates raise all their provi- sions, wJiile others raise none. But as to the fact itself, there can scarcely be said to be any dispute among the planters. There was one class of planters whose expenses seemed to be some- what increased, viz. those who raised all their provisions before emancipation, and ceased to raise any after that event. But in the opinion of the most intelligent planters, even these did not really sustain any loss, for originally it was bad policy to raise provisions, since it engrossed that labor which would have been more profitably directed to the cultivation of sugar; and hence they would ultimately be gainers by the change. S. Bourne, Esq. stated that the expenses on Millar's estate, of which he is manager, had di- minished about Oiic third. Mr. Barnard, of Green Castle, thought his ex- penses were about the same that they were form- erly. Mr. Favey, of Lavicount's estate, enumerated, among the advantages of freedom over slavery, "the diminished expense." Dr. Nugent also stated, that " the expenses of cultivation wera greatly diminished." Mr. Hatley, manager of Fry's estate, said that the expenses on his estate had been greatly re- duced since emancipation. He showed us the account of his expenditures for the last year of slavery, and the first full year of freedom, 1835. The expenses during the last year of slavery were ]31ll. Qs.iid. : the expenses for 1835 were 821Z. 165. Ihd. : showing a reduction of more than one third. D. Cranstoun, Esq., informedus that his weekly expenses during slavery, on the estate which he managed, were, on an average, 45Z. ; the average expenses now do not exceed 20^. Extract of a letter from Hon. N. Nugent : " The expenses of cultivating sugar estates have in no instance, I believe, been found greater than before. As far as my experience goes, they are certainly less, particularly as regards those properties which were overhanded before, when proprietors were compelled to support more de- pendents than they required. In some cases, the present cost is less by one third. I have not time to furnish you with any detailed statements, but the elements of the calculation are simple enougli." It is not difficult to account for the diminiition in the cost of cultivation. In the first place, for those estates that bought their provision previous to emancipation, it cost more money to purchase their stores than they now pay out in wages. This was especially true in dry seasons, when home provisions failed, and the island was mainly dependent upon foioign supijlies. But the chief souix." of the diminution lies in the reduced number of people to be supported by the planter. During slavery, the planter was re- quired by law to maintain all the slaves belong- ing to the estate ; the superannuated, the infirm, the pregnant, the nurseg, the young children, and the infants, as well as the working slaves, i.ow n only the latter class, tlie effective laborers, (wit the addition of such as were superannuated or ii firm at the period of emancipation,) who are df pendent upon the planter. These are general! not more than one half, frequently less than third, of the whole number of negroes resident o the estate; consequently a very considerabl burthen has been removed from the planter. The reader may form some estimate of the re duced expense to the planter, resulting from thes causes combined, by considering the statemen made to us by Hon. N. Nugent^ and repeatedb by proprietors and managers, that had slaver- been in existence during the present droughi many of the smaller estates must hare been inevii ably ruined ; on account of the high price of im. ported provisions, (home provisions having fallen short) and the number of slaves to be' fed. V Eighth proposition. — The negroes work nio'} cheerfully, and do their work better than they di during slavery. VvT'ages are found to be an am:: pie substitute for the lash — they never fail to seie cure the amount of labor desired. This is pai ij ticularly true where task work is tried, which i li done occasionally in cases of a pressing nature? when considerable eftbrt is required. We hean i of no complaints on the score of idleness, but oi \ the contrary, the negroes were highly commend i ed for the punctuality and cheerfulness witl which they performed the work assigned them. ij; The Governor stated, that " he was assured b\ planters, from every part of the island, that thf : negroes were very industriously disposed." I s "My people have become much more industri- ous since they were emancipated. I have been induced to extend the sugar cultivation over a number of acres more than have ever been culti^j vated before." — Mr. Watkins, of T)onovan's. "Fearing the consequences of cmancipaUon, reduced my cultivation in the year '34; but sooi finding that my people would work as well as ever, I brougiit up the cultivation the next year to the customary extent, and this year ('36) 1 have added fifteen acres of new land." — S. Bourne, of Millar's. " Throughout tlie island the estates were never in a more advanced state than they now are. The failure in the crops is not in the slightest degree chargeable to a deficiency of labor. I have fre- quently adopted the job system for short periods j the results have always been gratifying — the ne- groes accomplished twice as much as when they worked for daily wages, because they made mor«; money. On some days 'they would make threi shillings — three times the ordinary wages." — Dr Daniell. " They are as a body more industrious thai when slaves, for the obvious reason tliat they are working for themsehes." — Ealpli Higinbothom U. S. Consul. " I have no hesitation in saying that on nT\ estate cultivation is more forward than ever i has been at the same season. The failure of th( crops is not in the least degree the fault of the la borers. They have done well." — 3Ir. Pavey oj LavicounVs estate. " The most general apprehension prior t emancipation was, tliat the negroes would nc work after they were made free — that they woul be indolent, buy small parcels of land, an ' squat' on them to the neglect of sugar cultivo tion. Time, however, has proved that there wa no foundation for this npprehension. The estate ANTIGUA. 4r ire never in better order than they are at pres- et. If you are interrogated on your return ime concerning the cultivaiion of Antigua, you n say that every thing depends upon the 7(;ca- 'jicr. If vve have sufficient rain, you may he jertain that we shall realize ahundant crops. If [\'t have no rain, the crops must intvilubhj fail. Dative can always depend upon the laborers. On "count of the stimulus to industry which wages ford, there is far less feigned sickness than there fas during slavery. When slaves, the negroes tere glad to find any excuse for desertuig then- .bor, and they were incessantly feigning sick- jss. The sick-house was thronged with real [nd pretended invalids. After "oi, it was wholly ieserted. The negroes would not go near it; and, In truth, I have lately used it for a stable."— //ort. N. Nugent. " Though the laborers on both the estates under ly management have been considerably reduced nee freedom, yet the grounds have never been in finer state of cultivation, than they are at pres- nt. When my work is backward, I give it out n jobs, and it is always done in half ihe usual " Emancipation has almost wholly put an ena the practice of skulkin.!:, or pretending to be Ick. That was a thing which caused the planter vast deal of trouble during slavery. Every Monday morning regularly, when I awoke, I KUid ten or a dozen, or perhaps twenty men and /omen, standing around my door, waitmg for me ) make my first appearance, and beggnig that I vould let them off from ^V2'•1^ that day on account . f sickness. It was seldom the case that one )urth of the applicants were really unwell ; but / very one would' maintain that he was very sick, nd as it was hard to contend with them about it, :iey were all sent off to the sick-house. Now this ,'9 entirely done away, and my sick-house is con- verted into a chapel for religious worship."— /ames Howell, Esq. " I find my people much more disposed to work 'han they formerly were. The habit of feigning ickness to get rid of going to the field, is com- iletely broken up. This practice was very com- aon 'during slavery. It was often amusing to lear their complaints. One would come carrying ,in arm in one hand, and declaring that it had a -nighty pain in it, and he could not use the hoe no vay; another would make his appearance with lOth hands on his breast, and with a rueful look omplain of a great pain in the stomach ; a third .amc limping along, with a dreadful rheumaliz n his knees; and so on for a dozen or more. It ,vas vain to dispute with them, although it was )fien manifest that nothing earthly was ailing hem. They would sav, ' Ah ! me massa, you 10 tink how bad me "feel— it's deep in, massa.' But all this trouble is passed. We have no sick- nouse now ; no feigned sickness, and really much less actual illness than formerly. My people say, they have not time to be sick now.' My cultiva- ion has never been so far advanced at the same leason, or in finer order than it is at the present ime. I have been encouraged by the increasing ndustry of my people to bring several additional icres under cultivation."— 3f/. Hatky, Fry's es- ate. " I get my work done better than formerly, and with incomparably more cheerfulness. My estate was never in a finer state of cultivation than it is low, though I employ /c7«cr laborers than during ilavery. I have occasionally used job, or task • work, and with great success. When I give out a job, it is accomplished in about half ihe time that it would have required by giving the cus- tomary wages. The people will do as much in one week at job work, as they will in two, work- ing for a shilling a day. I have known them, when they had a job to do, turn out before three o'clock in the morning, and work by moonlight." — D. Cransloun, Esq. " My people work very well for the ordinary wages; I have no fault to find wiili ihem in this respect." — Manager of Scotland's estate. E.xiract from the Superintendent's Report to the Commander in Chief. Superintendent's Office, June 6/7(, 1836. "During tiie last month I have visited the country in almost every direction, with the ex- press object of paying' a strict attention to all branches of agricultural operations at that period progressing. The result of my observations is decidedly favorable, as regards proprietors and laborers. The manufacture of sugar has advanced as far as the lon Ardigua, Jamuinj it.k, 1837. J " Sir — It is with feelings of the most lively gratification that I report for your notice the quiet and peaceable termination of Clirislmas vaca- tion, and the last year, which were concluded without a single serious violation of the governing laws. " I cannot refrain from cordially congratula- ting your Excellency on the regular and steady behavior, maintained by all ranks of society, at this particular period of the year. " Not one species of crime which can be con- sidered of an heinous nature, has yet been dis- covered ; and I proudly venture to declare my opinion, that in no part of his Majesty's domin- ions, has a population of thirty thousand con- ducted themselves with more strict propriety, at this annual festivity, or been more peaceably obedient to the laws of their country."' Signed, ^c. In connection with the above quotation from the monthly reports, we present an extract of a letter from the superintendent of the police, addressed to us. St. John's, 9th Febritary, 1837. " Mr DFAR SIRS — In compliance with your re- quest, I have not any hesitation in affording you any information on the subject of the free system adopted in this island, which my public situation has naturally provided me with. " The opinion which I have formed has been, and yet remains, in favor of the emancipation ; and I feel very confident that the system has and continues to work well, in almost all instances. The laborers have conducted themselves generally in a highly satisfactory manner to all the authori- ties, and strikingly so when we reflect that the greater portion of the population of the island were at once removed from a state of long exist- ing slavery, to one of unrestricted freedom. Unac- quainted as they are with the laws newly enacted for their future government and guidance, and having been led in their ignorance to expect in- calculable wonders and benefits arising from free- dom, I cannot but reflect with amazement on the peace and good order which have been so fortu- nately maintained throughout the island popula- tion of thirty thousand subjects. "Some trifling difficulties sprang up on the commencement of the new system among the laborers, but even these, on strict investigation, proved to originate more from an ignorance of \th£ir actual position, tha.x\ from any "bad feeling, or improper motives, and consequently were of shoH duration. In general the laborers are peacea- ble, orderly, and civil, not only to those who move in higher spheres of life than themselves, but also to each other. " The crimts they are generally guilty of, arc petty thefts, and other minor offences against the local acts ; but crimes of any heinous nature are very rare among them ; and 1 may venture to say, that petty thefts, breaking sugar-canes to eat, and offences of the like description, principally swell the calendars of our quarterly courts of sessions. Murder has been a stranger to this island for many years; no execution has occurred among the island population for a very long period ; the only two instances were two Irish soldiers. " Tiie lower class having become more acquaint- ed with their governing laws, have also be- come infinitely more obedient to them, and i have observed t\\a.\. particular care is taken among most of them to explain to each other l/ie nature of the laws, and to point out in their usual style the ill consequences attending any violation of them. ^^ A due fear of , and a prompt obedience to, tlie authority of the magistrates, is a prominent fea- ture of the loiver orders, and to this I mainly at- tribute the successful maintenance of rural tran- quillity. " Since emancipation, the agricultural laborer has had to contend Vv'ith two of the most obstinate droughts experienced for many years in the island, which has decreased the supply of his accustomed vegetables and ground provisions, and consequent- ly subjected him and family to very great priva- tions; but this even, I liunk, has been submitted to with becoming resignation. " To judge of the past and present state of so- ciety throughout the island, I presume that the lives and properties of all classes are as secure in this, as in any other portion of his Majesty's do- minions ; and I sincerely hope that the "future be- havior of all, will more clearly manifest the cor- rectness of my views of this highly important subject. " I remain, dear sirs, yours faithfully, "Richard S. Wickham, Superintendent of police." This testimony is pointed and emphatic ; and it comes from one whose official business it is to knoxo the things whereof he here affirms. We have presented iiot- merely the opinions of Mr. W., relative to the subordination of the emanci- pated negroes in Antigua, but likewise the Jacis upon which he founded his opinion. On a point of such paramount importance wo cannot be too explicit. We therefore add the tes- timony of planters as to the actual state of crime compared with that previous to emancipation. Said J. Howell, Esq., of T. Jarvis's estate, " I do not think that aggressions on property, and crime in general, have increased since emancipa- tion, but rather decreased. They appear to be more frequent, because they are made more public. During slavery, all petty thefts, insubordination, insolence, neglect of work, and so forth, were punished summarily on the estate, by order of the manager, and not even so much as the rumor of them ever reached beyond the confines of the prop- erty. Now all offences, whether great or trifling, are to be. taken cognizance of by the magistrate or jury, and hence they become notorious. Form- erly each planter knew only of those crimes which occurred on his own property; now every one knows something about the crimes committed on every other estate, as well as his own." It will be remembered that Mr. H. is a man of thorough and long experience in the condition of the island, having lived in it since the year 1800, and being most of that time engaged directly ia the management of estates. 46 ANTIGUA, " Aggression on private property, such as break- ing into houses, cutting canes, &c., are decidedly fewer than formerly. It is true that crime is made more public now, than during slavery, when the master was his own magistrate."— i)r. Daniell. " I am of the opinion that crime in the island has diminished rather than increased since the abolition of slavery. There is an apparent in- crease of crime, because every misdemeanor, however petty, floats to the surface." — Hon. N. Nugent. We might multiply testimony on this point ; but suffice it to say that, with very few exceptions, the planters, many of whom are also civil magistrates, concur in these two statements; that the amount of crime is actually less than it was during slave- ry; and that it appears to be greater he money paid to their children, especially their daughters, and this, in order to teach them proper subordination, and to provide against casualties, sickness, and the infirmities of age. 7ih. The fiict that the negroes are able to sup- port their aged parents, is further proof As it regards the second specification, viz., con- stitutional indolence, we may refer generally to the evidence on this subject under a former prop- osition. We will merely state here two facts. 1st. Although the negroes are not obliged to work on Saturday, yet they are in the habit of go- ing to estates that are weak-handed, and hiring themselves out on that day. 2d. It is customary throughout the island to give two hours (from 12 to 2) recess from labor. We were told that in many cases this time is spent in woi-king on their private provision grounds, or in some active employment by which a pittance may be added to their scanty earnings. What are the facts respecting the natural infe- riority of the negro race, and their incompetency to manage their own affairs 1 ' . Said Mr. Armstrong — " The negroes are ex-ll ceedingly quick to turn a thought. They show p a great deal of shrewdness in every thing which! concerns their own interests. To a stranger it| must be utterly incredible how they can manage! to live on such small wages. They are very ex- act in ]>:eeping their accounts with the manager." " The negroes are very acute in making bar-: ..gains. A difficulty once arose on an estate under my charge, between the manager and the people, in settling for a job which the laborers had done. The latter complained that the manager did not give them as much as was stipulated in the ori- ginal agreement. The manager contended that he had paid the whole amount. The people brought their complaint before me, as attorneyi and maintained tliat there was one shilling andl six-pence (about nineteen cents) due each of them. 1 examined the accounts and found that they were right, and that the manager had really made a mis- ! take to the very amount specified." — Dr. Daniell. " The emancipated people manifest as much cunning and address in business, as any class of persons." — Mr. J. Howell. " The capabilities of the blacks for education are conspicuous ; so also as to mental acquire- ments and trades." — Hon. N. Ntigent. It is a little remarkable that while Americans fear that the negroes, if emancipated, could not take care of themselves, the West Indians fear lest they should take care of themselves ; hence they discourage them from buying lands, from learning trades, and from all employments which might render them independent of sugar cultivation. SixTKENTH PROPOSITION. — Emancipation has operated at once to elevate and improve the ne- groes. It introduced them into the midst of all relations, human and divine. It was the first formal acknowledgment that they were men — per- sonally interested in the operations of law, and the requirements of God. It laid the corner-stone in the fabric of their moral and intellectual im- provement. " The negroes have a growing self-respect and regard for character. This was a feeling which was scarcely known by them during slavery." — Mr. J. Howell. " The negroes pay a great deal more attention to their personal appearance, than they were ac- customed to while slaves. The women in particu- lar have improved astonishingly in their dress and manners." — Dr. Daniell. Abundant proof of this proposition may be found in the statements already made respecting the decrease of licentiousness, the increased at- tention paid to marriage, the abandonment by the mothers of the horrible practice of selling their daughters to vile white men, the reverence for the Sabbath, the attendance upon divine worship, the exemplary subordination to law, the avoidance of riotous conduct, insolence, and intemperance. Seventeenth proposition. — Emancipation pro- mises a vast improvement in the condition of woman. What could more effectually force wo- man from her sphere, than slavery has done by dragging her to the field, subjecting her to the ob- scene remarks, and to the vile abominations of li- centious drivers and overseers ; by compelling her to wield the heavy hoe, until advancing preg- nancy rendered her useless then at the earliest possible period driving her back to the field with ANTIGUA. 49 her infant swung at her back, or torn from her and committed to a stranger. Some of these evils still exist in Antigua, but there has already been a great abatement of them, and the humane plant- ers look forward to their complete removal, and to the ultimate restoration of woman to the quiet and purity of domestic life. Samuel Bourne, Esq., stated, that there had heen a great improvement in the treatment of mo- thers on his estate. " Under the old system, mo- thi IS were required to work half the time after th< ir children were six weeks old ; but now we do flot call them out for nine months after their con- iiieineat, until their children are entirely weaned." " In those cases where womei\ have husbands in the field, they do not turn out while they are nuising their children. In many instances the husbands prefer to have their wives engaged in other work, and I do not require them to go to the field."— Mr. J Howell. Much is already beginning to he said of the probability that the women will withdraw from agricultural labor. A conviction of the impro- priety of females engaging in such employments IS gradually forming in the minds of enlightened »nd influential planters. A short time previous to emancipation, the Hon. N. Nugent, speaker of the assembly, made the fol- lowing remarks before the house: — " At the close of the debate, he uttered his fervent hope, that the day would come when the principal part of the agriculture of the island would be performed by males, and that the women would be occupied in keeping their cottages in order, and in increasing their domestic comforts. The desire of improve- ment is strong among them ; they are looking anxiously forward to the instruction and ad- vancement of their children, and even of them- selves." — Antigua Herald, of March, 1834. In a written communication to us, dated Jan- nary 17, 1837, the Speaker says : " Emancipation will, I doubt not, improve the condition of the fe- males. There can be no doubt that they will ultimately leave the field, (except in times of emer- gency,) and confine themselves to their appropri- ate domestic employments." Eighteenth proposition. — Real estate has risen in value since emancipation ; mercantile and me- chanical occupations have received a fresh im- pulse ; and the general condition of the colony is de- cidedly more flourishing than at any former period. " The credit of the island has decidedly im- proved. The internal prosperity of the island is advancing in an increased ratio. More buildings have been erected since emancipation, than for twenty years before. Stores and shops have mul- tiplied astonishingly ; I can safely say that their number has more than quintupled since the aboli- tion of slavery." — Dr. Ferguson. "Emancipation has very greatly increased the value of, and consequently the demand for, real estate. That which three years ago was a drug ahogether unsaleable by private bargain, has now many inquirers after it, and ready purchasers at good prices. The importation of British manu- factured goods has been considerably augmented, probably one fourth. " The credit of the planters who have been chiefly affected by the change, has been much im- proved. And the great reduction of expense in mavagins. the estates, has made them men of more real wealth, and consequently raised their credit both with the English merchants and our own." — James Scotland, Sen., Esq. " The effect of emancipation upon the com- merce of the island must needs have been bene- ficial, as the laborers indulge in more wheaten flour, rice, mackerel, dry fish, and salt-pork, than formerly. More lumber is used in the superior cottages now built for their habitations. More dry goods — manufactiu'es of wool, cotton, linen, silk, leather, &c., are also used, now tl-.at the la- borers can better afford to indulge their propensity for gay clothing." — Statejiient of a merchant and agent for estates. ■' Real estate has risen in value, and mercantile business has greatly improved." — //. Armstrong, Esq. A merchant of St. John's informed us, that real estate had increased in value at least fifty per cent. He mentioned the fact, that an estate which pre- vious to emancipation could not be sold for £600 current, lately brouglu £2000 current. Nineteenth proposition.— Emancipation has been followed by the introduction of labor-saving machinery. " Various expedients for saving manual labor have already been introduced, and we anticipate still greater improvements. Very little was thought of this subjett previous to emancipation." — iS. Bourne, Esq. " Planters are beginning to cast about for im- provements in labor. My own mind has been greatly turned to this subject since emancipation." — H. Armstrong, Esq. " The plough is beginning to be very exten- sively used." — Mr. Hatley. " There has been considerable simplification in agricultural labor already, which would have been more conspicuous, had it not been for the ex- cessive drought which has prevailed since 1834. The plough is more used, and the expedieiJls for manuring land are less laborious." — Extract of a letter from Hon. N. Nugent. Twentieth proposition. — Emancipation has produced the most decided change in the views of the planters. " Before emancipation took place, there was the bitterest opposition to it among the planters. But after freedom came, they were delighted with the change. I felt strong opposition myself, being ex- ceedingly unwilling to give up my power of com- mand. But I shall never forget how differently I felt when freedom took place. I arflse from my bed on the first of August, exclaiming with joy, ' I am free, I am free ; I was the greatest slave on the estate, but now I am free.' " — Mr. J. Howell. " We all resisted violently the measure of aboli- tion, when it first began to be agitated in Eng- land. We regarded it as an outrageous inter- ference with our rights, with our property. But we- are now rejoiced that slavery is abolished." — Dr. Daniell. " I have already seen such decided benefits growing out of the free labor system, that for my part I wish never to see the face of slavery again." — Mr. Hatley. " I do not know of a single planter who would be willing to return to slavery. We all feel that it was a great curse." — D. Cranstoun, Esq. The speaker of the assembly was requested to state especially the advantages of freedom both to the master and the slave; and he kindly commu- nicated the following reply : " The benefits to the master are conspicuous — he has got rid of the cark and care, the anxiety and incessant worry of managing slaves; all the trouble and responsibility of rearing them from 30 ANTIGUA. infancy, of their proper maintenance in health, and sickness, and decrepitude, of coercing them to labor, restraining, correcting, and punishing their faults and crimes — settling all their grievances and disputes. He is now entirely free from all apprehension of injury, revenge, or insurrection, however transient and momentary such impres- sion may liave formerly been. He has no longer the reproach of being a slaveholder; his property has lost all the taint of slavery, and is placed on as secure a footing, in a moral and political point of view, as that m any other part of the British dominions. " As regards the other party, it seems almost nnnecessary to point out the advantages of being a free man rather than a slave. He is no longer liable to personal trespass of any sort ; he has a right of self-control, and all the immunities enjoy- ed by other classes of his fellow subjects — he is enabled to belter his condition as he thinks prop- er—he can make what arrangements he likes best, as regards his kindred, and all his domestic relations — he takes to his o%on use and behoof, all the wages and profits of his own labor; he re- ceives money wages instead of weekly allowances, and can purchase such particular food and neces- saries as he prefers — and so on! It would be ENDLESS TO ATTZMPT TO ENUMERATE ALL THE SUPERIOR ADVANTAGES OF A STATE OF FREEDOM TO ONE OF SLAVERY !" The writer says, at the close of his invaluable letter, "I was born in Antigua, and have resided here with little interruption since 1809. Since 1814, I have taken an active concern in plantation affairs." He was born heir to a large slave prop- erty, and retained it up to the hour of emancipa- tion. He is now the proprietor of an estate. We have another witness to introduce to the reader, Ralph Higinbothom, Esq., the United States Consul ! — Hear him! — " Whatever may have been the dissatisfaction as regards emancipation among the planters at its commencement, there are few, indeed, if any, who are not now well satisfied that under the present system, their properties are better w^orked, and their laborers more contented and cheerful, than in the time of slavery." In order that the reader may see the revolution that has taken place since emancipation in the views of th^ highest class of society in Antigua, we make a few extracts. " There was the most violent opposition in the legislature, and throughout the island, to the anti- slavery proceedings in Parliament. The anti- slavery party in England were detested here for their fan-atical and reckless course. Such was the state of feeling previous to emancipation, that it would have been certain disgrace for any planter to have avowed the least sympathy with anti- slavery sentiments. The humane might have their hopes and aspirations, and they might se- cretly long to see slavery ultimately terminated ; but they did not dare to make such feelings pub- lic. Theij xvould at once have been branded as the enemies of their country !" — Hon. N. Njigent. " There cannot be said to have been any anti- sla,vcry party in the island before emancipation. There were some individuals in St. John's, and a very few planters, who favored the anti-slavery views, but they dared not open their mouths, be- cause of the bitter hostility which prevailed." — S. Bourne, Esq. " The opinions of the clergymen and mission- arieSj with the exception of, I believe, a few cler- gymen, were favorable to emancipation ; but neil ther in their conduct, preaching, or prayers, dicK they declare themselves openly, until the measur^ of abolition was determined on. The missiona-; ries felt restrained by their instructions from home,' and the clergymen thought that it did not com- port with their order ' to take part in politics !' I never heard of a single planter who was favora- ble, until about three months before the emancipa- tion took place; when some few of them began to perceive that it would be advantageous to their interests. Whoever was known, or suspected of) being an advocate for freedom, became the object] of vengeance, and was sure to suffer, if in" noj other way, by a loss of part of his business. My! son-in-law,* my son,t and myself, were perhaps' the chief marks for calumny and resentment. Tliel first was twice elected a member of the Assembly,] and as often put out by scrutinies conducted by^ the House, in the most flagrantly dishonest man4 ner. Every attempt was made to deprive the sec-] ond of his business, as a lawyer. With regard! to myself, I was thrown into prison, without any! semblance of justice, without any form of trial,,] but in the most summary manner, simply upon \ the complaint of one of the justices, and without \ any opportunity being allowed me of saying one j word in my defence. I remained in jail until dis- i charged by ?. peremptory order from the Colonial ' Secretary, to whom I appealed." — James Scotland, Sen., Esq. Another gentleman, a white man, was arrest- ed on the charge of being in the interest of the ' English Anti-Slavery party, and in a manner ' equally summary and. illegal, was cast into prison, j and confined there for one year. From the foregoing statements we obtain the j following comparative view of the past and pres- ent state of sentiment in Antigua. , Views and conduct of the planters previous to j emancipation : i 1st. rhey regarded the negroes as an inferior | race, fit only for slaves. r- 2d. They regarded them as their rightful prop- 1 erty. ,, 3d. They took it for granted that negroes could i never be made to work without the use of the : whip ; hence, I 4th. They supposed that emancipation would ,1 annihilate sugar cultivation ; and, \ 5th. That it would lead to bloodshed and gen- ' eral rebellion. I, 6th. Those therefore who favored it, were con- |i sidered the " enemies of their country" — " trai- tors" — and were accordingly persecuted in vari- ous ways, not excepting imprisonment in the common jail. 7th. So popular was slavery among the higher classes, that its morality or justice could not be questioned by a missionary — an editor — or a planter even, without endangering tlie safety of the individual. 8th. The anti-slavery people in England were considered detestable men, intermeddling with matters which they did not understand, and which at any rate did not concern them. They were accused of being influenced by selfish mo- tives, and of designing to further their own in- terests by the ruin of the planters. They were denounced &s fanatics, incendiaries, knaves, relv- sious enthusiasts, * T>r. Ferguson, physician in St. John's. t James Scotland, Jan., Esq., barrister, proprietor, and member of Assembly. ANTIGUA. 51 9t> The abolition rneasures of the English Government were considered a gross outrage on the rights of private property, a violation of their multiplied pledges of countenance and support, and a flagrant usurpation of power over the weak. Views and conduct of the planters subsequent to emancipation : 1st. The negroes are regarded as men — equals standing on the same footing as fellow-citizens. 2d. Slavery is considered a foolish, impolitic, ^and wicked system. 3d. Slaves are regarded as an unsafe species of property, and to hold them disgraceful. 4th. The planters have become the decided enemies of slavery. The worst thing they could say against the apprenticeship, was, that "it was only another name for slavery." 5th. Tlic abolition of slavery is applauded by the planters as one of the most noble and mag- nanimous triumphs ever achieved by the British government. 6th. Distinguished abolitionists are spoken of in terms of respect and admiration. The English Anti-slavery Delegation* spent a fortnight in the island, and left it the same day we arrived. Wherever we went we heard of them as " the respectable gentlemen from England," " the wor- thy and intelligent members of the Society of Friends," &c. A distinguished agent of the English anti-slavery society now resides in St. John's, and keeps a bookstore, well slocked with anti-slavery books and pamphlets. The bust of George Thompson stands conspicuously upon the counter of the bookstore, looking forth upon the public street. Till. The planters affirm that the abolition of slavery put an end to all danger from insurrection, rebellion, privy conspiracy, and sedition, on the part of the slaves. 8th. Emancipation is deemed an incalculable blessing, because it released the planters from an endless complication of responsibilities, perplexi- ties, temptations and anxieties, and because it emancipated them from the bondage of the vjhip. 9(li. Slavery — emancipation — freedom — are the universal topics of conversation in Antigua. Anti-slavery is tlie popular doctrine among all classes. He is considered an enemy to his coun- try who opposes the principles of liberty. The planters look with astonishment on the continu- ance of slavery in the United States, and express their strong belief that it must soon terminate here and throughout the world. They hailed the arrival of French and American visitors on tours of inquiry as a bright omen. In publishing our arrival, one of the St. John's papers remarks, " We regard this as a pleasing indication that the American public have their eyes turned upon our experiment, with a view, we may hope, of ultimately following our excellent example."(!) All classes showed the same readiness to aid us in what the Governor was pleased to call " the objects of our philanthropic mission." Such are the views now entertained among the planters of Antigua. What a complete changet * Messrs. Sturge and Harvey. i The following little story will further wonderful revolution which has taken jilac Uc sentiment of this colony. The facts h occurred while wo were in Antigua, and them from a vnriety of authentic sources. indeed publicly known and talked of, and little excitement throughout the island. w- ■< a respectable and fntelligent planter r illustrate the e in the pub- ere stated all we procured They wore produced no Mr. Corbett esidingon an — and all in less than three years, and effected by the abolition of slavery and a trial of freedom ! Most certainly, if the former views of the Antigua planters resemble those held by pro-slavery men in this country, their present sentiments are a fac simile of those entertained by the immediate abolitionists. Twenty-first proposition. — Emancipation has been followed by a manifest diminution oi^^ pre- judice against color" and has opened the prospect of its speedy extirpation. Some thirty years ago, the president of tlie island. Sir Edward Byam, issued an order for- bidding the great bell in the cathedral of St. John's being tolled at the funeral of a colored person; and directing a smaller bell to be hung up in the same belfry, and used on such occasions. For twenty years this distinction was strictly main- tained. When a white person, however vile, was buried, the great bell was tolled; when a colored person, whatever his moral worth, intelli- gence, or station, was carried to his grave, the little bell was tinkled. It was not until the arri- val of the present excellent Rector, that this " pre- judice bell" was silenced. The Rev. Mr. Cox informed us that prejudice had greatly decreased since emancipation. It was very common for white and colored gentlemen to be seen walking arm in arm on the streets of St. John's. " Prejudice against color is fast disappearing. The colored people have themselves contributea to prolong this feeling, by keeping aloof from the society of the whites." — James Howell, of T. Jar- vis's. How utterly at variance is this with the com- monly received opinion, that the colored people are disposed to thrust themselves into the society of the whites ! "Prejudice against color exists in this com- munity only to a limited extent, and that chiefly among those who could never bring themselves to believe that emancipation would really take place. Policy dictates to them the propriety of confining any expression of their feelings to those estate near Johnson's Point. Several months previous to the time of which we now speak, a few colored families (emancipated negroes) bought of a white man some small parcels of land lying adjacent lo Mr. C.'s estate. They planted their lands in provisions, and also built them houses thereon, and moved inlo them. After they had become actively engaged in cultivating their provi sions, Mr. Corbett laid claim to the lands, and ordered the negroes to leave them forthwith. They of course refused to do so. Mr. C. then flew into a violent rage, and stormed and swore, and threaten- ed to burn their houses down over their heads. The terrified negroes forsook their property and fled. Mr. C. then ordered his negroes to tear down their huts and burn up the materials — which was accordingly done. He also turned in his cattle upon the provision grounds, and destroyed thein. The negroes made a complaint against Mr. C, and he was arrested and committed tojail in St. John's for trial on the charge oi arson. We heard of tliis circumstance on the day of Mr. C.'s commitment, and we were told that it would probably -^o very hard witli him on his trial, and that he would be very fortunate if he escaped the gallows or truvsportation. A few days after this we were surprised to hear that Mr. C. hr.d died in prison. Upon inquiry, we learned that he died literally from rage and murtificatlon. His case de- fied the skill and power of the physicians. They could detect the presence of no disease whatever, even on a minute posl-mortem examination. They pronounced it as their opinion that he had died Irnm the violence of his pas.sions— excited by being imprisoned, together with his apprehensions of the fatal issue of the trial. Not long before emancipation, Mr. Scotland was impris- oned for l,efric7ulivg the negroes. After emancipation, Mr. Corbett was imiirisoned for u-rruiging ihcm. Mr. Corbett was a resjiectable planter, of good family and moved in the lirst cjrcles in the island. 52 ANTIGUA. of the same opinions. Nothing is shown of this prejudice in their intercourse with the colored class — it is ' kept behind the scenes' " — Ralph Hig- iv^olhom, U. S. Consul. Mr. H. was not the only individual standing in " high places" who insinuated that the whites that still entertained prejudice were ashamed of it. His excellency the Governor intimated as much, by his repeated assurances for himself and his compeers of the first circles, that there was no such feeling in the island as prejudice against color. The reasons for excluding the colored people from their society, he said, were wholly diflerent from that. It was chiefly because of their illcgiiimac:/, and also because they were not sufficiently i-efinod, and because their occwpations were of an inferior kind, suQh as mechanical trades, small shop keeping, &c. Said he, " You would not wish to ask your tailor, or your shoe- maker, to dine with youl" However, we were too unsophisticated to coincide in his Excellency's notions of social propriety. Twenty-second proposition. — The progress of the anti-slavery discussions in England did not cause the masters to treat their slaves worse, but on the contrary restrained them from outrage. " The treatment of the slaves during the dis- cussions in England, was manifestly milder than before." — Dr. Daniell. " The effect of the proceedings in parliament was to make the planters treat their slaves better. Milder laws were passed by the assembly, and the general condition of the slave was greatly ameliorated." — H. Arinstrong, Esq. " The planters did not increase the rigor of their discipline because of the anti-slavery discussions ; but as a general thing, were more lenient than formerly." — S. Bourne, Esq. " We pursued a much milder policy toward our slaves after the agitation began in England." —Mr. Jas. Hov-ell. " The planters did not treat their slaves worse on account of the discussions; but were more lenient and circumspect.'" — Letter of Hon. N. Nu- gent. " There was far less cruelty exes-cised by the planters during the anti-slavery excitement in Ens-land. They were always on their guard to escape the notice of the abolitionists. They did not ivish to have their names published abroad, and to be exposed as monsters of cnielty !" — David Cranstoun, Esq. We have now completed our observations upon Antigua. It has been our single object in the foregoing account to give an accurate statement of the results of immediate em.^ncipation. We have not taken a single step beyond the limits of testimony, and we are persuaded that testimony materially conflicting with this, cannot be pro- cured from respectable sources in Antigua. We now leave it to our readers to decide, whether emancipation in Antigua has been to all classes in that island a blessing or a curse. We cannot pass from this part of our repori without recording the kindness and hospitality which we everywhere experienced during our so- journ in Antigua. Whatever may have been oui apprehensions of a cool reception from a commu- nity of ex-slaveholders, none of our forebodings were realized. It rarely falls to the lot of stran- gers visiting a distant land, with none of the con- "tingencies of birth, fortune, or fame, to herald their arrival, and without the imposing circumstance of a popular mission to recommend them, to meet with a warmer reception, or to enjoy a more hearty confidence, than that with which we were honored in the interesting island of Antigua. The very object of our visit, humble, and even odious as it may appear in the eyes of many of our own countrymen, was our passport to the consideration and attention of the higher classes in that free colony. We hold in grateful remem- brance the interest which all — not excepting those most deeply implicated in the late system of slavery — manifested in our investigations. To his excellency the Governor, to officers both civil and military, to legislators and judges, to propri- etors and planters, to physicians, barristers, and mercliants, to clergymen, missionaries, and teach- ers, we are indebted for their uniform readiness in furthering our objects, and for the mass of in- formation with which they were pleased to fur- nish us. To the free colored population, also, we are lasting debtors for their hearty co-operation and assistance. To the emancipated, we recog- nise our obligations as the friends of the slave, for their simple-hearted and reiterated assurances that they should remember the oppressed of our land in their prayers to God. In the name of the multiplying hosts of freedom's friends, and in behalf of the millions of speechless but grateful- hearted slaves, we tender to our acquaintances of every class in Antigua our warmest thanks for their cordial sympathy with the cause of emanci- pation in America. We left Antigua with re- gret. The natural advantages of that lovely island; its climate, situation, and scenery; the intelligence and hospitality of the higher orders, and the simplicity and sobriety of the poor ; the prevalence of education, morality, and religion ; its solemn Sabbaths and thronged sanctuaries; and above all, its rising institutions of liberty- flourishing so vigorously, — conspire to make An- tigua one of the fairest portions of the earth. Formerly it was in our eyes but a speck on the world's map, and little had we recked if an earth- quake had sunk, or the ocean had overwhelmed it; but now, the minute circumstances in its con- dition, or little incidents in its history, are to our minds invested with grave interest. None, who are alive to the cause of religious freedom in the world, can be indifferent to the movemenis and destiny of this little colony. Henceforth, Antigua is the morning star of our nation, and though it glimmers faintly through a lurid sky, yet we hail it, and catch at every ray as the token of a bright sun which may yet burst gloriously upon us. BARBADOES. CHAPTER I. PASSAGE. Barbadoes was the next island which we vis- ted. Having failed of a passage in the steam- r,* (on account of her leaving Antigua on the labbath,) we were reduced to the necessity of sail- ng in a small schooner, a vessel of only seventeen ons burthen, with no cabin but a mere hole, carcely large enough to receiye our baggage. The berths, for there were two, had but one'inat- •ess between them ; however, a foresail folded nade up the complement. The wind being for the most part directly iguinstus, we were seven days in reaching Barba- loes. Our aversion to the sepulchre-like cabin obliged us to spend, not the days only, but the aights mostly on the open deck. Wrapping our cloaks about us, and drawing our fur caps over our faces, we slept securely in the soft air of a tropical clime, undisturbed save by the hoarse voice of the black captain crying '■ ready, bout " and the flapping of tlie sails, and the creaking of the cordage, in the frequent tackings of our staunch little sea-boat. On our way we passed under thelee of Guadaloupeandtothe windward of Dominica, Martinique, and St. Lucia, in. passing Guada- loupe, we were obliged to keep at a league's dis- tance from the land, in obedience to an express regulation of that colony prohibiting small English vessels from approaching any nearer. This is a precautionary measure against the escape of slaves to the English islands. Numerous sm'^Il vessels, called guarda castas, are stationed around the coast to warn off vessels and seize upon all slaves attempting to make their escape. We were informed that the eagerness of the French negroes to taste the sweets of liberty, which they hear to e.vi.st in the surrounding English islands, is so great, that notwithstanding all the vigilance by land and sea, they are escaping in vast numbers. They steal to the shores by ni|ht, and seizing upon any sort of vessel within their rcacn, launch forth and make for Dominica Moiitserrat, or Antigua. They have been known to venture out in skiffs, canoes, and such like haz- ardous conveyances, and make a voyage of fifty or si.\ty miles ; and it is not without reason sup- posed, tliat very many have been lost in these ea- ger darings for freedom. Such is their defiance of dangers when librrtv IS to be won, that old ocean, with its wild storms and fierce monsters, and its yawning deep and even the superadded terrors of armed vessels ever ho^•enng around ihe island, are barriers altogether ineffectual to prevent escape. The western side ot bruadrdoupe, along which we passed, is hilly and httle cultivated. It is mostly occupied in pasturage. The sugar estates are on the opposite Side of the island, which stretches out eastward m a low sloping country, beautifully situated for sugar cultivation. The hills were covered with n-ee.s with here and there small patches of cul i- Tfj'^'-'f" V' '^^' "'Sroes raise provisions. A deep rich verdure covered all that portion of the .ntennediateaid .urrouncling islands, a^d'c^an^l"^' [Li island which we saw. We were a day and night in passing the long island of Guadaloupe. An- other day and night were spent in beating through the channel between Guadaloupe and Do- minica: another day in passing the latter island, and then we stood for Martinique. This is the queen island of the French West Indies. It is fertile and healthful, and though not so large as Guadaloupe, produces a larger revenue It has large streams of water, and many of the sugar mills are worked by them. Martinique and Do- minica are both very mountainous. Their highest peaks are constantly covered with clouds, which in their varied shiftings, now wheeling around, then rising or falling, give the hills the appearance of smoking volcanoes. It was not until the eighth day of the voyage, that we landed at Bar- badoes. The passage from Barbadoes to Antigua seldom occupies more than three days, the wind being mostly in that direction. In approaching Barbadoes, it presented an en- tirely different appearance from that of the islands we had passed on the way. It is low and level, almost wholly destitute of trees. As we drew nearer we discovered in every direction the marks of its extraordinary cultivation. The cane fields and provision grounds in alternate patches cover the island with one continuous mantle of green. The mansions of the planters, and the clusters of negro houses, appear at short intervals dotting the face of the island, and giving to it the appear- ance of a vast village interspersed with verdant gardens. We " rounded up" in the bay, off Bridgetown, the principal place in Barbadoes, where we un- derwent a searching examination by the health oflSicer; who, after some demurring, concluded that we might pass muster. We took lodgings in Bridgetown with Mrs. M., a colored lady. The houses are mostly built of brick or stone, or wood plastered. They are seldom more than two stories high, with flat roofs, and huge win- dow shutters and doors — the structures of a hur- ricane country. The streets are narrow and crooked, and formed of white marie, which re- flects the sun with a brilliancy half blinding to the eyes. Most of the buildings are occupied as stores below and dwelling houses above, with piazzas to the upper story, which jut over the nar- row streets, and aflford a shade for the side walks. The population of Bridgetown is about 30,n00. The population of tlie island is about 140 000 of whom nearly 90,000 are apprentices, tlie re- mainder are free colored and white in the pro- portion of 30,000 free colored and 20,000 whites. This large population exisis on' an island not more than twenty miles long bv fif- teen broad. The whole island is under the 'most vigorous and systematic culture. There is scarcely a foot of productive land that is not brought into requisition. There is no such Iliin°- as a forest of any extent in the island. It is ihut that, notwithstanding the insignificance of its size, Barbadoes ranks among the British islands next to Jamaica in value and importance It was on account of its conspicuous standing amon- the i^njiish colonies, that we were indu^^ed to visit it and there investigate the operations of the appren- ticeship system. ^^ 54 BARBADOES. Our principal object in the following pages is to give an account of the working of the appren- ticeship system, and to present it in contrast with that of entire freedom, which has been described minutely in our account of Antigua. The ap- prenticeship was designed as a sort of preparation for freedom. A statement of its results will, therefore, afford no small data for deciding upon the general principle o^ gradualism ! We shall pursue a plan less labored and pro- lix than that which it seemed necessary to adopt in treating of Antigua. As that part of the testi- mony which respects the abolition of slavery, and the sentiments of the planters is substantially the same with what is recorded in the foregoing pages, we shall be content with presenting it in the sketch of our travels throughout the island, and our interviews with various classes of men. The testimony respecting the nature and opera- tions of the apprenticeship system, will be embo- died in a more regular form. VISIT TO THE GOVERNOR. At an early day after our arrival we called on the Governor, in pursuance of the etiquette of the island, and in order to obtain the assistance of his Excellency in our inquiries. The present Governor is Sir Evan John Murray McGregor, a Scotchman of high reputation. He is the pres- ent chieftain of the McGregor clan, which figures so illustriously in the history of Scotland. Sir Evan has been distinguished for his bravery in war, and he now bears the title of Knight, for his achievements in the British service. He is Governor-General of the windward islands, which include Barbadoes, Grenada, St. Vincent's, and Tobago. The government house, at which he re- sides, is about two miles from town. The road leading to it is a delightful one, lined with cane fields, and pasture grounds, alt verdant with the luxuriance of midsummer. It passes by the cathe- dral, the king 's house, the noble residence of the Archdeacon, and many other fine mansions. The government house is situated on a pleasant emi- nence, and surrounded with a large garden, park, and entrance yard. At the large outer gate, which gives admittance to the avenue leading to the house, stood a black sentinel in his military d^-'^s. and with a gun on his shoulder, pacing to .■ ■ ■ fro. At the door of the house we found an- oiiier black soldier on guard. We were ushered into the dining hall, wliich seems to serve as ante- chamber when not otiierwise used. It is a spa- cious airy room, overhung with chandeliers and lamps in profusion, and bears the marks of many scenes of mirth and wassail. The eastern win- dows, which extend from the ceiling to the floor, look out upon a garden filled with shrubs and flowers, among which we recognised a rare va- riety of the floral family in full bloom. Every thing around — the extent of the buildings, the garden, the park, with deer browsing amid the tangled shrubbery — all bespoke the old English style and dignity. After waiting a few minutes, we were intro- duced to his Excellency, who received us very kindly. He conversed freely on the subject of emancipation, and gave his opinion decidedly in favor of unconditional freedom. He has been in the West Indies five years, and resided at Antigua and Dominica before he received his present ap- pointment ; he has visited several other islands besides. In no island that he has visited have affairs gone on so quietly and satisfactorily to all parties as in Antigua. He remarked that he was ignorant of the character of the black population of the United States, but from what he knew of their character in the West Indies, he could not avoid the conclusion that immediate emancipation was entirely safe. He expressed his views of the apprenticeship system with great freedom. He said it was vexatious to all parties. He remarked that he was so well satisfied that emancipation was safe and proper, and that un- conditional freedom was better than apprentice- ship, that had he the power, he would emancipate every apprentice to-morrow. It would be better both for the planter and the laborer. He thought the negroes in Barbadoes, and in the windward isla^ids generally, were as luell pre- pared for freedom as the slaves of Antigua. The Governor is a dignified but plain man, of sound sense and judgment, and of remarkable liberality. He promised to give us every assist- ance, and said, as we arose to leave him, that he would mention the object of our visit to a number of influential gentlemen, and that we should shortly hear from him again. A few days after our visit to the Governor's, we called on the Rev. Edward Elliott, the Archdea- con at Barbadoes, to whom we had been previ- ously introduced at the house of a friend in Bridgetown. He is a liberal-minded man. In 1832, he delivered a series of lectures in the ca- thedral on the subject of slavery. The planters be- came alarmed — declared that such discourses would lead to insurrection, and demanded that they should be abandoned. He received anony- mous letters threatening him with violence unless he discontinued them. Nothing daunted, how- ever, he went through the course, and afterwards published the lectures in a volume. The Archdeacon infonned us that the nimiber of churches and clergymen had increased since emancipation ; religious meetings were more fully attended, and the instructions given had manifestly a greater influence. Increased atten- tion was paid to education also. Before emanci- pation the planters opposed education, and as far as possible, prevented the teachers from coming to the estates. Now they encourage it in many instances, and where they do not directly encour- age, they make no opposition. He said that the number of marriages had very much increased since the abolition of slavery. He had resided in Barbadoes for twelve years, during which time he had repeatedly visited many of the neigh- boring islands. He thought the negroes of Barba- does were as well prepared for freedom in 1834, as those of Antigua, and that there would have been no bad results had entire emancipation been granted at that time. He did not think there was the least danger of insurrection. On this subject he spoke the sentiments of the inhabitants gene- rally. He did not suppose there were five plant- ers on the island, who entertained any fears on this score now. On one other point the Archdeacon expressed himself substantially thus : The planters undoubt- edly treated their slaves better during the anti- slavery discussions in England. The condition of the slaves was very much mitigated by the efforts which were made for their entire freedom. The planters soflened down the system of slavery as much as possible. They were exceedingly anxious to put a stop to discus- sion and investigation. Having obtained a letter of introduction from UARB ADOES. nn American merchant here to a planter residing about four miles from town, we drove out to his estate. His mansion is pleasantly situated on a small eminence, in one of the coolest and most in- vitin<^ retreats which is to be seen in this hot clime^ and we were received by its master with all the cordiality and frankness for which Barba- does is famed. He introduced us to his family, consisting of three daughters and two sons, and invited us to slop to dinner. One of his daugh- ters, nov/ here on a visit, is married to an Ameri- ,n, a native of New York, but now a merchant in e'of the southern states, and our connection as ffl- w countrymen with one dear to them, was an ditional claim to their kindness and hospitality. He conducted us through all the works and out- buildings, the mill, boiling-house, curing-house, hospital, store-houses, &c. The people were at work in the mill and boiling-house, and as we passed, bowed and bade us " good mornin', mas- sa," with the utmost respect and cheerfulness. A white overseer was regulating the work, but wanted the insignia of slaveholding authority, which he had borne for many years, the whip. As we came out, we saw in a neighboring field a gang of seventy apprentices, of both sexes, en- gaged in cutting up the cane, while others were throwing it into carts to be carried to the mill. Tiiey were all as quietly and industriously at work as any body of our own farmers or me- chanics. As we were looking at them, Mr. C, the planter, remarked, " those people give me more work than when slaves. This estate was never under so good cultivation as at the present time." He took us to the building used as the mechan- ics' shop. Several of the apprentices were at work in it, some setting up the casks for sugar, others repairing utensils. Mr. C. says all the work of the estate is done by the apprentices. His carts are made, his mill kept in order, his coopering and blacksmithing are all done by them. '• All these buildings," said he, " even to the dwelling-house, were built after the great storm of 1831, by the slaves." As we were passing through the hospital, or sick-house, as it is called by the blacks, Mr. C. told us h° had very little use for it now. There is no skulking to it as there was under the old system. Just as we were entering the door of the house, on our return, there was an outcry among a small party of the apprentices v/ho were working near by. Mr. C. went to them and inquired the cause, ft appeared that the overseer had struck one of the lads with a stick. Mr. C. reproved him se- verely for the act, and assured him if he did such a thing ao-ain he would take him before a magistrate. During the day we gathered the following in- formation : — Mr. C. had been a planter for thirty-six years. He has had charge of the estate on which he now resides ten years. He is the attorney for two other large estates a ?ew miles from this, and has under his superintendence, in all, more than a thousand apprenticed laborers. This estate con- sists of si.K hundred and sixty-six acres of land, most of which is under cultivation either in cane or provisions, and has on it three hundred appren- tices and ninety-two free children. The average amount of sugar raised on it is two hundred hogs- heads of a ton each, but this year it will amount to at least two hundred and fifty hogsheads — the largest crop ever taken ofi' since he has been con- nected with it. He has planted thirty acres addi- tional this year. The island has never been un- der so good cultivation, and is becoming better every year. During our walk round the works, and during the day, he spoke several times in general terms of the great blessings of emancipation. ' Emancipation is as great a blessing to the master as to the slave. " Why," exclaimed Mr. C, "it was emancipation to me. I assure you the first of August brought a great, great relief to me. I felt myself, for the first tinn', a freeman on that day. You cannot imagine the responsibili- ties and anxieties which were swept away with the extinction of slavery." There were many unpleasant and annoying circumstances attending slavery, which had a most pernicious effect on the master. There was continual jealousy and suspicion between him and those under him. They looked on each other as sworn enemies, and there was kept up a continual system of plotting and counterplotting. Then there was the flogging, which was a matter of course through the island. To strike a slave was as common as to strike a horse — then the punish- ments were inflicted so unjustly, in innumerable instances, that the poor victims knew no more why they were punished than the dead in their graves. The master would be a little ill — he had taken a cold, perhaps, and felt irritable — some- thing went wrong — his passion was up, and away went some poor fellow to the whipping-post. The slightest offence at such a moment, though it might have passed unnoticed at another time, would meet with the severest punishment. He said he himself had more than once ordered his slaves to be flogged in a passion, and after he became cool he would have given guineas not to have done it. Many a night had he" been kept awake in think- ing of some poor fellow whom -he had shut up in the dungeon, and had rejoiced when daylight came. He feared lest tlie slave might die before morning; either cut his throat or dash his head against the wall in his desperation. He has known such cases to occur. The apprenticeship will not have so beneficial an effect as he hoped it would, on account of an indisposition on the part of many of the planters to abide by its regulations. The planters gene- rally are doing very little to prepare the appren- tices for freedom, but some are doing very much to unprepare them. They are driving the people from them by their conduct. Mr. C. said he often wished for emancipation- There were several other planters among his ac- quaintance who had the same feelings, but did not dare express them. Most of the planters, how- ever, were violently opposed. Many of them de- clared that emancipation could not and should not take place. So obstinate were they, that they would have sworn on the 31st of July, 1834, that emancipation could not happen. These very men ?ww see and acknoioledge the bsiiejits which have resulted from the new system. The first of August passed off very quietly. The people laboredon that day as usual, and had a stranger gone over the island, he would not have suspected any change had taken place. Mr. C. did not expect his people would go to work that day. He told them what the conditions of the new system were, and that after the first of Au- gust, they would be required to turn out to work at six o'clock instead of five o'clock, as before. At the appointed hour every man was at his post in the field. Not one individual was missing. 56 BARBADOES. The apprentices do more work in the nine hours required by law, than in twelve hours during slavery. His apprentices are perfectly willing to work for him during their own time. He pays them at the rate of twenty-five cents a day. The people are less quarrelsome than when they were slaves. About eight o'clock in the eveniuic, Mr. C. in- vited us to step out into the piazza. Pointing to the houses of the laborers, which were crowded thickly together, and almost concealed by the cocoanut and calabash trees around them, he said, " there are probably more than four hundred people in that village. All my own laborers, with their free children, are retired for the night, and with them arc many from the neighboring estates." We listened, but all was still, save here and there a low whistle from some of the watchmen. He said that night was a specimen of every night now. But it had not always been so. During slavery these villages were oftentimes a scene of bickering, revelry, and contention. One might hear the in- mates reveling and shouting till midnight. Some- times it would be kept up till morning. Such scenes have much decreased, and instead of the obscene and heathen songs which they used to sing, they are learning hymns from the lips of their children. Th3 apprentices are more trusty. They are more faithful in work which is given them to do. They take more interest in the prosperity of the estate generally, in seeing that things are kept in order, and that the property is not destroyed. They are more open-hearted. Formerly they used to shrink before the eyes of the master, and appear afraid to meet him. They would go out of their way to avoid him, and never were willing to talk with him. They never liked to have him visit their houses ;' they looked on him as a spy, and always expected a reprimand, or perhaps a flogging. Now they look up cheerfully when they meet him, and a visit to their homes is es- teemed a favor. Mr. C. nas more confidence in his people than he ever had before. There is less theft than during slavery. This is caused by greater respect for character, and the protection afforded to property by law. For a slave to steal from his master was never consid- ,.,-d wrong, but rather a meritorious act. He who . ^;d rob the most without being detected was the best fellow.- The blacks in .several of the islands have a proverb, that for a thief to steal from a thief makes God laugh. The blacks have a great respect for, and even fear of law. Mr. C. Relieves no people on earth are more influenced by it. They regard the same punishment, inflicted by a magistrate, much more than when inflicted by their master. Law is a kind of deity to them, and they regai'd it with great reverence and awe. There is no insecurity now. Before emancipa- tion there was a continual fear of insurrection. Mr. C. said he had lain down in bed many a night fearing that his throat would be cut before morning. He has started up often from a dream in which he thought his room was filled with armed slaves. But when the abolition bill passed, his fears all passed away. He felt assured there would be no trouble then. The motive to insur- rection was taken away. As for the cutting of throats, or insult and violence in any way, he never suspects it. He never thinks of fastening his door at night now. As we were retiring to Ted he looked round the room in which we had been sitting, where every thing spoke of serenity and confidence— doors and windows open, and books and plate scattered about on the tables and sideboards. "You see things now," he said, 'just as we leave them every night, but you would have seen quite a different scene had you come here a few years ago." Mr. C. thinks the slaves of Barbadoes mish: have been entirely and immediatehi emancipateiSi as well as those of Antigua. The results, he doubts not, would have been the same. He has no fear of disturbance or insubordina- tion in 1840. He has no doubt that the people will work. That there may be a little unsettled, excited, experimenting feeling for a short time, he thinks probable— but feels confident that things generally will move on peaceably and pn^sperous- ly. He looks with much more anxiety to the em- ancipation of the non-predials in 1838. ' There is no disposition among the apprentices to revenge their wrongs. Mr. C. feels the utmost security both of person and property. The slaves were very much excited by the dis- cussions in England. They were well acquainted with them, and looked and longed for the result. They watched every arrival of the packet with great anxiety. The people on his estate often knew Its arrival before he did. One of his daugh- ters remarked, that she could see their hopes flash- ing from their eyes. They manifested, however, no disposition to rebel, waiting in anxious but quiet hope for their release. Yet Mr. C. had no doubt, that if parliament, had thrown out the emancipation bill, and all measures had ceased for their relief, there would have been a general insur- rection. — While there was hope they remained peaceable, but had hope been destroyed it would have been buried in blood. There was some dissatisfaction among the blacks with the apprenticeship. They thought they ought to be entirely free, and that their mas- ters were deceiving them. They could not at first understand the conditions of the new system — there was some murmuring among them, but they thought it better, however, to wait six years for the boon, than to run the risk of losing it altogeth- er by revolt. The expenses of the apprenticeship are about the same as during slaveiy. But under the free system, Mr. C. has no doubt they will be much less. He has made a calculation of the expenses of cultivating the estate on which he resides for one year during slavery, and what they will prob- ably be for one year under the free system. He finds the latter are less by about ^3,000. Real estate has increased in value more than thirty per cent. There is' greater confidence in the security of property. Instances were related to us of estates that could not be sold at any price before emancipation, that within the last two years have been disposed of at great prices. The complaints to the magistrates, on the part of the planters, were very numerous at first, but have greatly diminished. They are of the most trivial and even ludicrous character. One of the magistrates says the greater part of the cases that come before him are from old women who cannot get their coffee early enough in the morn- ing ! and for offences of equal importance. Prejudice has much diminished since emancipa- tion. The discussions in England prior to that period had done much to soften it down, but the abolition of slavery has given it its death blow. Such is a rapid sketch of tb ft various topicB BARBADOES. 57 tOBclied upon during our interview with Mr. C. sBid his family. Before we left the hospitable mansion of Leai^s, we had the plea-.ure of meeting a company of gen- tli .lien at dinner. With the exception of one, who was provost-marshal, they were merchants of Bridgetown. These gentlemen expressed their full concurrence in the statements of Mr. C, and -avo additional testimony equally valuable. Mr. W., the provost-marshaf, stated that he had the supervision of thepublic jail, and enjoyed the best opportunity of knowing the state of crime, ajid he was confident that there was a less amount ajf crime since emancipation than before He also «)oke of the increasing attention which the ne- |roes paid to neatness of dress and personal ap- pearance. The company broke up about nine o'clock, but not until we had seen ample evidence of the friend- ly feelings of all the gentlemen toward our object. There was not a single dissenting voice to any of the siatements made, or any of the sentiments ex- pressed. This fact shows that the prevailing feel- ing is in fovor of freedom, and that too on the score of policy and self-interest. Dinner parties are in one sense a very safe pulse in all matters of general intei-est. They rarely beat faster than the heart of the community. No subject is likely to be introduced amid the festivi- ties of a fashionable circle, until it is fully endor- sed by public sentiment. Through the urgency of Mr. C, we were in- luced to remain all night. Early the next morn- ing, jie proposed a ride befure breakfast to Scotland. Scotland is the name given to an abrupt, hilly sec- tion, in the north of'the island. It is about five iiilesfiom Mr. C.'s, and nine from Bridgetown. In approaching, the prospect bursts suddenly upon he eye, extorting an involuntary exclamation of Hirprise. After riding for miles, through a coun- ry which gradually swells into sliglit elevations, or sweeps away in rolling plains, covered with cane, /•ams, potatoes, eddoes, corn, and grass, alternate- y, and laid out with the regularity of a garden ; ifter admiring the cultivation, beauty, and skill exhibited on every hand, until almost wearied vith viewing the creations of art ; the eye at once alls upon a scene in which is crowded all the wildness and abruptness of nature in one of her nost freakish moods— a scene which seems to defy he. hand of cultivation and the graces of art. We ascended a hill on the border of this section' vhich aflforded us a complete view. To describe t in one sentence, it is an immense basin, from ^vo to three miles in diameter at the top, the'edges )f which are composed of ragged hills, and the lides and bottom of which arc diversified with nyriads of little hillocks and corresponding in- lentations. Here and there is a small sugar es- ate in the bottom, and cultivation extends some listance up the sides, though this is at consider- ible risk, tor not unfrequently, large tracts of soil, covered with cane or provisions, slide down, over- ipreading the crops below, and destroying' those which they carry wuhthem. Mr. C. pointed to the opposite side of the basin ;o a small group of stunted trees, which he said were the last remains of the Barbadoes forests. In the midst of them there is a boiling sprino- of considerable notoriety. "^ In another direction, amid the rugged precipices, Mr. C. pointed out the residences of a number of poor white families, whom he described as the most degraded, vicious, and abandoned people in the island — " very far below the negroes." They live promiscuously, are drunken, licentious, and poverty-stricken, — a body of most squalid and miserable human beings. From the height on which we stood, we could see the ocean nearly around the island, and on our right and left, overlooking the basin belov.- us, rose the two highest points of land of which Bar- badoes can boast. The white marl about their naked tops gives them a bleak and desolate ap- pearance, which contrasts gloomily with the ver- dure of the surrounding cultivation. After we had fully gratified ourselves with viewing the miniature representation of old Sco- tia, we descended again into the road, and return- ed to Lear's. We passed numbers of men and women going towards town with loads of various kinds of provisions on their heads. Some were black, and others were white — of the same class whose huts had just been shown us amid the hills and ravines of Scotland. We observed that the latter were barefoot, and carried their loads on their heads precisely like the former. As we pass- ed these busy pedestrians, the blacks almost uni- formly courtesied or spoke; but the whites did not appear to notice us. Mr. C. inquired whether we were not struck with this difference in the conduct of the two people, remarking that he had always observed it. It is very seldom, said he, that I meet a negro who does not speak to me politely ;■ but this class of whites either pass along without looking up, or cast a half vacant, rude stare into one's face, without opening their mouths. Yet this people, he added, veriest raggamuffins as they arc, despise the negroes, and consider it quite degra- ding to put themselves on terms of equality with them. They will beg of blacks more provident and industrious than themselves, or they will steal their poultry and rob their provision grounds at night ; but they would disdain to associate Vi'itli them. Doubtless these sa'ns culottes swell in their dangling rags with the haughty consciousness that they possess ^chite skins. What proud reflections they must have, as they pursue their barefoot way, thinking on their high lineage, and running back through the long line of their illustrious ancestry, whose notable badge was a v:hitc skin! INo wonder thej' cannot stop to bow to the passing stranger. These sprouts of the Caucasian race are known among the Barbadians by tlie rather ungracious name of Red t'lmnls. They are con- sidered the pest of the island, and are far more troublesome to the police, in proportion to their numbers, than the apprentices. They are esti- mated at about eight thousand. The origin of Ihis population we learned was the following: It has long been a law in Barba- does, that each proprietor should provide a while man for every sixty slaves in his possession, and give him an acre of land, a house, and arms re- quisite for defence of the island in case of insur- rection. This caused an importation of poor whites from Ireland and England, and their num- ber has been gradually increasing until the present time. During our stay of nearly two days with Mr. C, there was nothing to which he so often alluded as to the security from danc'er which was now enjoyed by the planters. As he sat in his parlor, surrounded by his affectionate family, the sense of personal and domestic security appeared to be a luxury to him. He repeatedly expressed him- self substantially thus: " During the existence of slavery, iiow often have I retired to bed fearing 58 BARBADOES, that I should have my throat cut before morning, but noil) the clanger is all over." We took leave of Lear's, after a protracted visit, not without a pressing invitation from Mr. C. to call again. SECOND VISIT TO LEAR S. The following week, on Saturday afternoon, Ave received a note from Mr. C, inviting us to spend the Sabbath at Lear's, where we might attend service at a neighboring chapel, and see a congregation composed chiefly of apprentices. On our arrival, we received a welcome from the residents, which reassured us of their sympathy in our object. "We joined the family circle around the centre table, and spent the evening in free con- versation on the .subject of slavery. During the evening Mr. C. stated, that he had lately met with a planter who, for some years pre- vious to emancipation, and indeed up to the very event, maintained that it was utterly impossible for such a thing ever to take place. The mother country, he said, could not be so mad as to take a step which must inevitably ruin the colonies. NoK, said Mr. C, this planter would be one of the last in the island to vote for a restoration of slavery ; nay, he even wishes to have the appren- ticeship terminated at once, and entire freedom given to the people. Such changes as this were very common. Mr. C. remarked that during slavery, if the ne- gro ventured to express an opinion about any point of management, he was met at once with a reprimand. If one should say, " I think such a course would be best," or, " Sucli a field of cane is fit for cutting," the reply would be, " Think! you have no right to think any thing about it. Do as Ibid you." Mr. C. confessed frankly, tliat he had often used such language himself. Yet at the same time that he affected such contempt for the opinions of the slaves, he used to go around se- cretly among the negro houses at night to over- hear their conversation, and ascertain their views. Sometimes he received very valuable suggestions from them, which he was glad to avail himself of, though he was cax-eful not to acknowledge their origin. Soon after supper. Miss E., one of Mr. C.'s daughters, retired for the purpose of teaching a class of colored children which came to her on Wednesday and Saturday nights. A sis- ter of Miss E. has a class on the same days at noon. During the evening we requested the favor of seeing Miss E.'s .school. We were conducted by a flight of stairs into the basement story, where we found her sitting in a small recess, and sur- rounded by a dozen negro girls, from the ages of eight to fifteen. She was instructing them from the Testament, which most of them could read fluently. She afterwards heard them recite some passages which they had committed to memory, and interspersed the recitations with appropriate remarks of advice and exhortation. It is to be remarked that MissE. commenced in- structing after the abolition ; before that event the idea of such an employment would have been re- jected as degrading. At ten o'clock on Sabbath morning, we drove to the chapel of the parish, which is a mile and a half from Lear's. It contains seats for five hun- dred persons. The body of tlie house is appro- priated to the apprentices. There were upwards «f four handred pe;rsons, mostly apprentices, pres- ent, and a more quiet and attentive congregatior we Lave seldom seen. The people were neatly dressed. A great number of the men wore black or blue cloth. The females were generally dress- ed in white. Tiie choir was composed entirely of blacks, and sung with characteristic excellence. There was so much intelligence in the counte- nances of the people, that we could scarcely be- lieve we were looking on a congregation of latelyi emancipated slaves. ' " I We returned to Lear's. Mr. C. noticed the change which has taken place in the observance of the Sabbath since emancipation. Formerly the smoke would be often seen at this time of day pouring from the chimneys of the boiling-houses ; but such a sight has not been seen since slavery disappeared. Sunday used to be the day for the negroes to work on their grounds ; now it is a rare thing for > them to do so. Sunday markets also prevailed > throughout the island, until the abolition of slavery.] Mr. C. continued to speak of slavery. " I some- times wonder," said he, '' at myself, when I think! how long I was connected with slavery ; but self- interest and custom blinded me to its enormities." Taking a short walk towards sunset, we found ourselves on the margin of a beautiful pond, in which myriads of small gold fishes were di.sport- ing — now circling about in rapid evolutions, and anon leaping above the surface, and displaying their brilliant sides in the rays of the setting sun. When we had watched for some moments thrir happy gambols, Mr. C. turned around and broke a twig from a bush that stood behind us; "there. is a bush" sviiA he, '^ which has conwiitted viamj\ a 7iiurder." On requesting him to explain, he said, that the root of it was a most deadly poison, and that the slave women used to make a decoc- tion of it and give to their infants to destroy them ; many a child had been murdered in this way Mothers v/ould kill their children, rather than se ihem grow lip lobe slaves. " Ah," he continued, in a solemn tone, pausing a moment and looking at us in a most earnest manner, " I could write a book about the evils of slavery. I could wiiie a book' about these things." What a volume of blackness and blood !* When we arose on Monday morning, the day- light had scarcely broken. On looking out of the window, we saw the mill slowly moving in the wind, and the field gang were going out to their daily work. Surely, we thought, this does not look m.uch like the laziness and insubordination of freed negroes. After dressing, we walked dowij to the mill, to have some conversation with the people. They all bade us a cordial" good morn-' in'." The tender of the mill was an old man, v/hose despised locks were gray and thin, and on whose brow the hands of time and sorrow had written many effaceless lines. He appeared hale and cheerful, and answered our questions in dis- tinct intelligible language. We asked him how they were all getting along under the new system. " Very well, inassa," said he, " very well, thanl: God. All peaceable and good." " Do you like • We are here reminded of a fact stated by Mr. C. on another occasion. He said, that he once attended at the- death of a planter who had been noted for his severity fo' his slaves. It was the most horrid scene he ever wit- nessed. For hours before his death he was in ths e.xtre- mest agony, and the only words which he utiered were, "Africa. O Africa!" These words he repeated every few minutes, till he died. And such a ghastly counte- nance, such distortions of the muscles, such a hellishglare of the eye, and such convulsions of the body — it mude him shudder to think of them. ; / B ARBADOES. ihe r.pprenticeship better then slavery V " Great deal belter, massa ; we is doina; well now." " You like the apprenticeship as well as freedom, don t you V " O no me massa, freedom till belter." !" What will you do when you arc entirely free 1" " We must work ; fill have to work wlicn de free corae, white and bhick." "You are old, and will not, enjoy freedom long; why do you wish for ficedom, then V " Me want to die free, massa— it good ting to die free, and mo want to see child- oen free too." We continued at Lear's during Monday, to he i), readiness for a tour to the windward of the idnnd, which Mr. C. had projected for us, and on which we were to set out early the next morning. In the course of the day we liad opportunities of seeing the apprentices in almost every situation — in the field, at the mill, in the boiling-house, mov- ing to and from work, and at rest. In every as- pect in which wo viewed them, they appeared cheerful, amiable, and easy of control. It was admirable to see with what ease and regularity every thing moved. An estate of nearly seven hundred acres, with extensive agriculture, and a large manufactory and distillery, employing three hundred apprentices, and supporting twenty-five horses, one hundred and thirty head of horned cattle, and hogs, sheep, and poultry in proportion, is manifestly a most complicated machinery. No wonder it should have been difficult to manage during slavery, when the main spring was absent, and every wheel out of gear. We saw the apprentices assembled after twelve o'clock, to receive their allowances of yams. iThese provisions are distributed to them twice every week — on Monday and Thursday. They were strewed along the yard in heaps of fifteen pounds each. The apprentices came with baskets to get their allowances. It resembled a market scene, much chattering and talking, but no anger. Each man, woman, and child, as they got their baskets filled, placed them on their heads, and marched oft' to their several huts. On Tuesday morning, at an early hour, Mr. C. took us in his'phaeton on our projected excursion. It was a beautiful morning. There was a full breeze from the east, which had already started Ihe ponderous wings of the wind-mills in every direction. The sun was shaded by light clouds, which rendered the air quite cool. Crossing the rich valley in which the Belle estate and other noble properties are situated, we ascended the cliffs of St. John's — a high ridge extending through the parish of that name — and as we rode along its top, eastward, we had adelightfLd view of sea and land. Below us on either hand lay vast estates glowing in the verdure of summer, and on three sides in the distance stretched the ocean. Rich swells of land, cultivated and blooming like a vast garden, extended to the north as far as the eye could reach, and on every other side down to the water's edge. One who has been accustomed to the wildness of American scenery, and to the im- perfect cultivation, intercepted with woodland, which yet characterizes even the oldest portions of the United States, might revel for a time amid the sunny meadows, the waving cane fields, the ver- dant provision grounds, the acres of rich black soil without a blade of grass, and divided into holes two feet square for the cane plants with the pre- cision almost of the cells of a honey comb ; and v/ithal he might be charmed with the luxurious mansions — more luxurious than superb—surround- ed with the white cedar, the cocoa-nut tree, and the tall, rich mountain cabbage— the most beautiful of all tropical trees ; but perchance it would not require a very Ivng excursion to weary him with the artificiality of the scenery, and cause him to sigh for tfte ""woods and wilds," the " banks and bmes," of his own majestic country. After an hour and a half's drive, we reached CoUiton estate, where we were engaged to break- fast. We met a hearty welcome from the mana- ger, Samuel Hinkston, Esq. We were soon join- ed by several gentlemen whom Mr. H. had invited to take breakfast with us ; these were the Rev. Mr.Gitteus, rector of St. Philip's parish, (in which CoUiton estate is situated,) and member of the co- lonial council ; Mr. Thomas, an extensive attor- ney of Barbadoes; and Dr. Bell, a planter of Demerara — then on a visit to the island. We conversed with each of the gentlemen separately, and obtained their individual views respecting emancipation. Mr. Hinkston has been a planter for thirty-six years, and is highly esteemed throughout the isl- and. 'The estate which he manages, ranks among the first in the island. It comprises six hundred acres of superior land, has a population of two hundred apprentices, and yields an average crop of one hundred and eighty hogsheads. Together with his long experience and standing as a plant- er, Mr. H. has been for many years local magis- trate for the parish in which he resides. From these circumstances combined, we are induced to give his opinions on a variety of points. 1. He remarked that the planters were getting along infinitely better under the new system than they ever did under the old. Instead of regretting that the change had taken place, he is looking for- ward with pleasure to a better change in 1840, and he only regrets that it is not to come sooner. 2. Mr. fl. said it was generally conceded that the island was never under better cultivation than at the present time. The crops for this year will exceed the average by several thousand hogsheads. The canes were planted in good season, and well attended to afterwards. 3. Real estate has risen very much since eman- cipation. Mr. H. stated that he had lately pur- chased a small sugar estate, for which he was obliged to give several hundred pounds more tlian it would have cost him before 1834. 4. There is not the least sense of insecurity now. Before emancipation there was much fear of in- surrection, but that fear passed away with sla- very. 5. The prospect for 1840 is good. That people have no fear of ruin after emancipation, is proved by the building of sugar works on estates which never had any before, and which were obliged to cart their canes to neighboring estates to have them ground and manufactured. There are also numerous improvements making on the larger estates. Mr. H. is preparing to make a new mill and boiling-house on CoUiton, and other planters are doing the same. Arrangements are making too in various directions to build new negro villa- ges on a more commodious plan. G. Mr. H. says he finds his apprentices perfect- ly ready to work for wages during their own time. Whenever he needs their labor on Saturday, he has only to ask them, and they are ready to go to the mill, or the field at once. There has not been an instance on CoUiton estate in which the ap- prentices have refused to work, cither during the hours required by law, or during their own time. When he does not need their services on Satur- 60 B A R B A D.O E S. day, they either hire tliemselves to other estates or work on their ov/n grounds. 7. Mr. H. was ready to say, both as a planter and a magistrate, that vice and crime «igenerally had decreased, and were still on the decrease. Petty thefts are the principal offences. He has not had occasion to send a single apprentice to the court of sessions for the last six months. 8. He has no difficulty in managing his people — far less than he did when they were slaves. It is very seldom that he finds it necessary to call in the aid of the special magistrate. Conciliatory treatment is generally sufficient to maintain order and industry among the apprentices. 9. He affirms that the negroes have no dispo- sition to be revengeful. He has never seen any thing like revenge. 10. His people are as far removed from inso- lence as from vindictiveness. They have been uniformly civil. 11. His apprentices have more interest in the affairs of the estate, and he puts more confidence in them than he ever did before. 12. He declares that the working of the appren- ticeship, as also that of entire freedom, depends entirely on the planters. If they act with common humanity and reason, there is no fear but that the apprentices will be peaceable. JVIr. Thomas is attorney for fifteen estates, on which there are upwards of two thousand five hundred apprentices. We were informed that he had been distinguished as a severe disciplinarian under the old reign, or in plain terms, had been a criicl man and a hard, driver ; but he was one of those who. since emancipation, have turned about and conformed their mode of treatment to the new system. In reply to our inquiry hov/ the present system was working, he said, " infinitely better (such was his language) than slavery. I succeed better on all the estates under my charge than I did formerly. I have far less difficulty with the peo- ple. I have no reason to complain of their con- duct. However, I think they will do still better after 1810." We made some inquiries of Dr. Bell concerning the results of abolition in Demerara. He gave a decidedly flattering account of the working of the apprenticeship system. No fears are entertained that Demerara will be ruined after 1840. On the contrary it will be greatly benefited by emanci- pation. It is now suffering from a want of la- borers, and after 1840 there will be an increased emigration to that colony from the older and less productive colonies. The planters of Demerara are making arrangements for cultivating sugar on a larger scale than ever before. Estates are sell- ing at very high prices. Every thing indicates the fullest confidence on the part of the planters that the prosperity of the colony will not only be permanent, but progressive. After breakfast we proceeded to the Society's estate. We were glad to see this estate, as its history is peculiar. In 1728 it was bequeathed by General Coddrington to a society in England, call- ed " The Society for the promotion of Christian Knowledge." The proceeds of the estate were to be applied to the support of an institution in Bar- badoes, for educating missionaries of the establish- ed order. Some of the provisions of the will were that the estate should always have three hundred slaves upon it ; that it should support a school for the education of the negro children, who were to be taught a portion of every day until they were twelve years old, when they were to go into the field ; and that there should be a chapel built upoi it. The negroes belonging to the estate have fo. upwards of a hundred years been under this kindl of instruction. They have all been taught to read,| though in many instances they have forgotten all:' they learned, having no opportunity to improve after they left school. They enjoy some other comforts peculiar to the Society's estate. They have neat cottages built apart — each on a half-acre lot, which belongs to the apprentice, and for the cultivation of which he is allowed one day out of the five working days. Another peculiarity is, that the men and women work in separate gangs. At this estate we procured horses to ride to the College. We rode by the chapel and school-house belonging to the Society's estate, which are situ- ated on the brow of a high hill. From the same hill_ we caught a view of Coddrington college, which is situatvas for the most part general, we were enabled to gather at the same time the opinions of all the iiiM-sons present. There was, for aught wc heard ■.ri'ould see to the contrary, an entire unanimity I if sentiment. In the course of the evening we >(uhered the following facts and testimony : I. All the company testified to the benefits of abolition. It was atiirmcd that tlie island was never in so prosperous a condition as at present. , '2. The estates generally are better cultivated than they were during slavery. Said one of the magistrates : '' If, gentlemen, you would see for yourselves the jevidences of our successful cultivation, you need Ijut to travel in any part of the country, and view [the superabundant crops whicli arc now being pkcii off; and if you would satisfy yourselves p.hat emancipation has not been ruinous to Bar- badocs, only cast your eyes over the land in any direction, and see the flourishing condition both of houses and fields : every thinir is startins: into new !ife." It was also stated that more work was done fiuring the nine hours required by law, than was ione during slavery in twelve or fifteen hours, witli all the driving and goading which were then Dractised. 3. Offences have not increased, but rather essened. The Solicitor-General remarked, that he comparative state of crime could not be ascer- ained by a mere reference to statistical records, since previous to emancipation all offences were Summarily punished by the planters. Each estate ivas a little despotism, and the manager took ;ognizance of all the misdemeanors committed imong his slaves — inflicting such punishment as le tliought proper. The public knew nothing tbout the offences of the slaves, unless something l^ery atrocious was committed. But since emanci- jalion has taken place, all offences, however rivial, come to the light and are recorded. He iould only give a judgment founded on observa- ion. It was his opinion, that there were fewer )etty offences, such as thefts, larcenies, &c., than luring slavery. As for serious crime, it was lardly known in the island. The whites enjoy ar greater safety of person and property than hey did formerly. Maj. Colthurst, who is an Irishman, rem.irked, hat he had long been a magistrate or justice of he peace in Ireland, and he was certain that at he present ratio of crime in Barbadoes, tliere ,vould not be as much perpetrated in si.K years to ;ome, as there is in Ireland among an equal pop- ilation in six months. For his part, he had never bund in any part of the world so peaceable and noffensive a community. 4. It was the unanimous testimony that there vas no disposition among the apprentices to re- venge injuries committed against them. They are lot a revengeful people, but on the contrary are ■emarkable for forgetting wrongs, particularly vhen they are succeeded by kindness. 5. The apprentices were described as being ■encrally civil and respectful toward their em- loyers. They were said to manifest more inde- pendence of feeling and action than they did when slaves ; but were seldom known to be insolent unless grossly insulted or very harshly used. G. Ample testimony was given to the law- abiding character of the negroes. When the ap- prenticeship system was first introduced, they did not fully comprehend its provisions, and as they had anticipated entire freedom, they were disap- pointed and dissatisfied. But in a little while they became reconciled to the operations of the new system, and have since manifested a due subordination to tiie laws and authorities. 7. There is great desire manifested among them to purchase their freedom. Not a week passes witjiout a number of appraisements. Those who have purchased their freedom have generally conducted well, and in many instances are labor- ing on the same estates on which thev were slaves. 8. There is no difficulty in inducing the ap- prentices to work on Saturday. They are usually willing to work if pro]ier wages arc given them. If they are not needed on the estates, they either work on their own grounds, or on some neighbor- ing estate. 9. The special magistrates were all of the opinion that it would have been entirely safr to haveeraanciimted the slaves of Barbadoes in 1834. They did not believe that any preparation was needed ; but that entire emancipation would have been decidedly better than the apprenticeship. 10. The magistrates also stated that the num- ber of complaints brought before them was com- paratively small, and it was gradually diminish- ing. The offences were of a very trivial nature, mostly cases of slight insubordination, such as impertinent replies and disobedience of orders. il. They stated that they had more trouble with petty overseers and managers and small proprietors than with the entire black population. 12. The special magistrates further testified that wherever tlie planters have exercised common kindness and humanity, the apprentices have generally conducted peaceably. Whenever there are many complaints from one estate, it is pre- sumable that the manager is a bad man. 13. Real estate is much higher throughout the island than it has been for many years. A magistrate said that he had heard of an estate which had been in market for ten years before abolition and could not find a purchaser. In 1835, the year following abolition, it was sold for one third more than was asked for it two years before. 14. It was stated that there was not a pro- prietor in the island, whose opinion was of any worth, who would wish to have slavery restored. Those who were mostly bitterly opposed to aboli- tion, have become reconciled, and are satisfied that the change has been beneficial. The Solici- tor-General was candid enough to own that he himself was openly opposed to emancipation. He had declared publicly and repeatedly while the measure was pending in Parliament, that .abo- lition would ruin the colonies. But tjic results had proved so different that he was ashamed of his former forebodings. He had no desire ever to see slavery re-established. 1.5. The first of August, 1834, was described as a day of remarkable quiet and tranquillity. The Solicitor-General remarked, that there were many fears for the results of that first day of abolition. He said he arose early that morning, o6 BiiRBADOES. and before eight o'clock rode through the most populous part of the island, over an extent of twelve miles. The negroes were all engaged in their work as on other days. A stranger riding through the island, and ignorant of the event which had taken place that morning, would have observed no indications of so extraordinary a change. He returned home satisfied that all would work well. 16. The change in 1840 was spoken of as being associated with the most sanguine expecta- tions. It was thought that there was more danger to be apprehended from the change in 1838. It was stated that there were about fifteen thousand non-praedials, who would then be emancipated in Barbadoes. This will most likely prove the oc- casion of much excitement and uneasiness, though it is not supposed that any thing serious will arise. The hope was expressed that the legisla- ture would effect the emancipation of the whole population at that time. One of the magistrates informed us that he knew quite a number of planters in his district who were willing to libe- rate their apprentices immediately, but they were waiting for a general movement. It was thought that this state of feeling was somewhat extensive. 17. The magistrates represented the negroes as natvirally confiding and docile, yielding readily to the authority of those who are placed over them. Maj. Colthursl presides over a district of 9, 000 ap- prentices; Capt. Hamilton over a district of 13,000, and Mr. Galloway over the same number. There are but three days in the week devoted to hearing and settling complaints. It is very evident that in so short a time it would be utterly impossible for one man to control and keep in order such a number, unless the subjects were of themselves disposed to be peaceable and submissive. The magistrates informed us that notwithstanding the extent of their districts, they often did not have more than from a dozen to fifteen complaints in a week. We were highly gratified with the liberal spirit and the intelligence of the special magistrates. Major C-i.f. hurst is a gentleman of far more than ordinary pretensions to refinement and general information. He was in early life a justice of the peace in Ireland, he was afterwards a major in his Majesty's service, and withal, has been an extensive traveller. Fifteen years ago he trav- elled in the United States, and passed through several of the slaveholding states, where he was shocked with the abominations of slavery. He was persuaded that slavery was worse in our country, than it has been for many years in the West Indies. Captain Hamilton was formerly an officer in the British navy. He seems quite devoted to his business, and attached to the interests of the apprentices. Mr. Galloway is a colored gentleman, highly respected for his talents. Mv. G. informed us that prejudice against color was rapidly diminishing — and that the present Governor was doing all in his power to discoun- tenance it. The company spoke repeatedly of the noble a'ct of abolition, by vjhich Great Britain had immor- talized her name more than by all the achievements of her armies and navies. The warmest wishes were expressed for the abolition of slavery in the United States. All said they should rejoice when the descendants of Great Britain should adopt the noble example ot] their mother country. They hailed the present nnti-slavery movements. Said the Solicitor-Gen- pral, " We were once strangely opposed to the English anti-slavery party, but now we sympali thize with you. Since slavery is abolished ir our own colonies, and we see the good which re suits from the measure, we go for abolitior throughout the world. Go on, gentlemen, we an with you ; we are all sailing in the same vessel.' Being kindly invited by Captain Hamilton during our interview with him at the governmeni house, to call on him and attend his court, wi availed ourselves of his invitation a few days afterwards. We left Bridgetown after breakfast and as it chanced to be Saturday, we had a fine opportunity of seeing the people coming into mar ket. They were strung all along the road fo: six miles, so closely that there was scarcely £ minute at any time in which we did not pasi: them. As far as the eye could reach there werer files of men and women, moving peaceably for) ward. From the cross paths leading through th(i estates, the busy marketers were pouring into thd high way. To their heads as usual was -com milled the safe conveyance of the various commoi dities. It was amusing to observe the almos infinite diversity of products which loaded them There were sweet potatoes, yams, eddoes, Guine; and Indian corn, various fruits and berries, vege tables, nuts, cakes, bottled beer and empty bottles bundles of sugar cane, bundles of fire wood, &c &c. Here was one woman (the majority wen. females, as usual with the marketers in these ish ands) with a small black pig doubled, up undei her arm. Another girl had a brood of younj: chickens, with nest, coop, and all, on her head Further along the road we were specially attractec by a woman who was trudging with an immensi turkey elevated on her head. He quite filled thi tray ; head and tail projecting beyond its bounds He advanced, as was very proper, head foremost and it was irresistibly laughable to see him eve and anon stretch out his neck and peep under tin tray, as though he would discover by what man ner of locomotive it was that he got along so fas while his own legs were tied together. Of the hundreds whom we past, there were verj few who were not well dressed, healthy, and ap parently in good spirits. We saw nothing inde*" orous, heard no vile language, and witnessed n( violence. About four miles from town, we observed on tb side of the road a small grove of shade trees. Num bers of the marketers were seated there, or lyin< in the cool shade with their trays beside them. I seemed to be a sort of rendezvous place, wher those going to, and those returning from town, occasionally halt for a time for the purpose oi resting, and to tell and hear news concerning the state of the market. And why should not thes( travelling merchants have an exchange as wel as the stationary ones of Bridgetown 1 On reaching the station-house, which is abou six miles from town, we learned that Saturdaj was not one of the court days. We accordingly drove to Captain Hamilton's residence. Hi stated that during the week he had only six cas§. of complaint among the thirteen thousand apprr'i, tices C7nbraced in his district. Saturday is l)i( day set apart for the apprentices to visit him ' a , his house for advice on any points connected with their duties. He had several calls while wi were with him. One was from the mother of ar apprentice girl who had been committed for in, juring the master's son. She came to inforn' Captain H. that the girl had been whipped t\\lc(i contrary to law, before her commitment. Cat> BARBADOES. 67 tain H. stated that the girl had said nothing about this ft the time of her trial; if she had, she would ill all probability have been set free, instead of being committed to prison. He remarked that he had no question but there were numerous cases of flogging on the estates which never came to light. The sufferers were afraid to inform against' cheir masters, lest they should be treated still worse. The opportunity which he gave them of coining to him one day in the week for private advice, was the means of exposing many outrages ^«^lich would otherwise be unheard of. He ob- sn-ved that there were not a few whom lie had IpM-ated on account of the cruelty of their masters. I Captain H. stated that the apprentices were irJuch disposed to purchase their freedom. To obtain money to pay for themselves they practice the most severe economy and selfdenial in the very few indulgences which the law grants them. They sometimes resort to deception to depreciate their value with the appraisers. He mentioned an instance of a man who had for many years been an overseer on a large estate. Wishing to purchase himself, and knowing that his master iralued him very highly, he permitted his beard :o grow, gave his face a wrinkled and haggard ippearance, and bound a handkerchief about his lead. His clothes were suffered to become rag- ged and dirty, and he began to feign great weak- less in his limbs, and to complain of a " misery ill down his back." He soon appeared marked vith all the signs of old age and decrepitude. In his plight, and leaning on a stick, he hobbled up the station-house one day, and requested to be ippraised. He was appraised at £10, which le immediately paid. A short time afterwards, le engaged himself to a proprietor to manage 1 small estate at £30 per year in cash and his )wn maintenance, all at once grew vigorous igain, and is prospering finely. Many of the nasters in turn practice deception to prevent he apprentices from buying themselves, or to nake them pay the very highest sum for their i-eedom. They extol their virtues— they are very thing that is excellent and valuable— their ervices on the estate are indispensable no one an fill their places. By such misrepresentations hey often get an exorbitant price for the remain- ler of the term — more, sometimes, than they could lave obtained for them for life while they were llaves. ; From Captain H.'s we returned to the station- louse, the keeper of which conducted us over the i'Uildings, and showed us the ceils of the prison, rhe house contains the office and private room f the magistrate, and the guard-room, below, and hambers for the police men above. There are ixteen solitary cells, and two large rooms for |hose condemned to hard labor— one for females ,nd the other for males. There were at that time even in the solitary cells, and twenty-four em- iloyed in labor on the roads. This is more than .isual. The average number is twenty in all. 'r ''hen it is considered that most of the commit- ntnts are for trivial offences, and that the district ontains thirteen thousand apprentices, certainly Ve have grounds to conclude that the state of nbrals in Barbadoes is decidedly superior to that n our own country. The whole police force for this district is com- fosed of seventeen horsemen, four footmen, a ser- vant, and the keeper. It was formerly greater, lut has been reduced within the past year. : The keeper informed us that he found the ap- prentices, placed under his care, very easily con- trolled. Th"y sometimes attempt to escape ; but there has been no instance of revolt or insybor dination. The island, he said, was peaceable, and were it not for the petty complaints of th overseers, nearly the whole police force might be disbanded. As for insurnction, he laughed at the idea of it. It was feared before abolition, but now no one thought of it. All but two or three of the policemen at this station are black and colored men. STATION-HOUSE AT DISTRICT A. Being disappointed in our expectations of wit- nessing some trials at the station-house in Cap- tain Hamilton's district (B,) we visited the court in district A, where Major Colthurst presides. Major C. was in the midst of a trial when we entered, and we did not learn fully the nature of the case then pending. We were immediately invited within the bar,''whence we had a fair view of all that passed. There were several complaints made and tried, during our stay. We give a brief account of them, as they will serve as specimens of the cases usually brought before the special magistrates. I. The first was a complaint made by a colored lady, apparently not more than twenty, againsv a colored girl — her domestic apprentice. The charge was insolence, and disobedience of orders. The complainant said that the girl was exceed- ingly insolent— no one could imagine how inso lent she had been — it was beyond endurance. She seemed wholly unable to find words enough to express the superlative insolence of her servant. The justice requested her to particularize. Upoii this, she brought out several specific charges, such as, first, That the girl brought a candle t& her one evening, and wiped her ^reasy fingers on her (the girl's) gown ; second. That one morning she refused to bring some warm water, as com- manded, to pour on a piece of flannel, until she had finished some other work that she was doing at the time ; third. That the same morning sho delayed coming into her chamber as usual to dress her, and when siie did come, she sung, and on being told to shut her mouth, she replied that her mouth was her own, and that she would sing when she pleased ; and fourth. That she had said in her mistress's hearing that she would be glad when she was freed. These several charges being sworn to, the girl was sentenced to four days' solitary confinement, but at ihe request of her mistress, she was discharged on promise of amendment. II. The second complaint was against an ap- prentice-man by his master, for absence from work. He had leave to go to the funeral of his mother, and he did not return until after the time allowed him by his master. The man was sen- tenced to imprisonment. III. The third complaint was against a woman for singing and making a disturbance in the field. Sentenced to six days' solitary confinement. IV. An apprentice was brought up for not doing his work well. He was a mason, and was employed iri erecting an -srch on one of the public roads. This case excite^.; considerable interest. The apprentice was represented by his master to be apraedial — the master testified on oath that he was registered as a praedial ; but in the course of the examination it was proved that he had always been a mason ; that he had labored at that trade from his boyhood, and that he knew ' nothing S8 BARBADOES. about the hoe,' having never worked an hour in the field. This was sufficient to prove that he was a non-pratdial, and of course eiiuiled to lib- 3ny two years sooner than Jie would liave been IS a praedial. As this matter came up incidcnt- a.lly, it enraged the master exceedingly. He fiercely reiterated his charge against the appren- Lice, who, on his part, averred that he did his work as well as he could. The master manitested ;he greatest excitement and fury during the trial At one time, because the apprentice disputed one jf his assertions, he raised his clenched fist oyer liim, and threatened, with an oath, to knock him iown. The magistrate was obliged to threaten liini severely before he would keep quiet. The defendant was ordered to prison to be tried ;he next day, time being given to make further in- quiries about his being a praedial. V. The next case was a complaint against an apprentice, for leaving his place in the boiling iiouse without asking permission. It appeared ,hat he had been unwell during the evenmg, and it half past ten o'clock at night, being attacked nore severely, he left for a few moments, expecting .0 return. He, however, was soon taken so ill hat he could not go back, but was obliged to lie iown on the ground, where he remained until welve o'clock, when he recovered sufficiently to ;reep home. His sickness was proved by a fellow ipprentice, and indeed his appearance at the bar clearly evinced it. He was punished by several lays imprisonment. With no little astonishment m view of such a decision, we inquired of Maj. D. whether the planters had the power to require their people to work as late as half past ten at night. He replied, " Certainly, the crops must be iccu-rdatany rate, and if they are suffering, the peopoc must he pressed the harder.''^* VI. The last case was a complaint against a man for not keeping up good fires under the boil- ers. He stoutly denied the charge; said he built as good fires as he could. He kept stuffing in the trash, and if it would not burn he could not help it. He was sentenced to imprisonment. Maj. C. said that these complaints were a fair specimen of the cases that came up daily, save that there were many more frivolous and ridicu- lous. By the trials which we witnessed we were painfully impressed with two things: 1st. That the magistrate, with all his regard for the rights and welfare of the apprentices, showed a great and inexcusable partiality for the masters. The patience and consideration with which he heard the complaints of the latter, the levi- ty with which he regarded the defence of the former, the summary manner in which he despatch- ed the cases, and the character of some of his deci- sions, manifested no small degree of favoritism. 2d That tlie whole proceedings of the special magistrates' courts are eminently calculated to perpetuate bad feeling between the masters and apprentices. The court-room is a constant scene of angry dispute between these parties. The master"exhausts his store of abuse and violence upon the apprentice, and the apprentice, embolden- ed by the place, and provoked by the abuse, retorts in language which he would never think of using ' We learned subsequently from various authentic sources, that the master has not the power to compel his apprentices to labor more than nine hours per day on any condition, except in case of a fire, or some smular emeroency. If the call for labor in crop-time was to be set do"wn as an emergency similar to a "fire," and if in official decisions he took equal latitude, alas for the poor aoixentices! on the estate, and thus, whatever may be the deci- , sion of the magistrate, the parties return home," with feelings more embittered than ever. There were twenty-six persons imprisoned at the station-house, twenty-four were at hard labor, and two were in solitary confinement. The keep- er of the prison said, he had no difficulty in man- aging the prisoners. The keeper is a coloredS man, and so also is the sergeant and most of thei policemen. |i We visited one other station-house, in a distant part of the island, situated in the district over which Captain Cuppage presides. We witnessed several trials there which were similar in frivolity and meanness to those detailed above. We werej shocked with the mockery of justice, and the indif- ference to the interests of the negro apparent ir the course of the magistrate. It seemed that littl more was necessary than for the manager or over seer to make his complaint and swear to it, anc the apprentice was forthwith condemned to pun ishment. We never saw a set of men in whose counte- nances fierce passions of every name were s( strongly marked as in the overseers and manager who were assembled at the station-houses. Train ed up to use the whip and to tyrannize over thi slaves, their grim and evil expression accordef with their hateful occupation. Through the kindness of a friend inBridegtow we were favored with an interview with iMr. Jonef the superintendent of the rur-.l police— the whol body of police excepting those stationed m th town. Mr. J. has been connected with the polic since its first establishme..t in 1834. He assurec us that there was nothing in the local peculiar ties of the island, nor in the character of its popu lation, which forbade immediate emancipation i>- August, 1834. He had no doubt it would be pe: fectTy safe and decidedly profitable to the colony 2. The good or bad working of the apprentic( ship depends mainly on the conduct of the ma ters. He was well acquainted with the characte and disposition of the negroes throughout th island, and he was ready to say, that if distu bances should arise either before or after 1840, would be because the people were goaded on t desperation by the planters, and not because the sought disturbance themselves ^. Mr. J. declared unhesitatingly that crini had not increased since abolition, but rather th contrary. 4. He represented the special magistrates as ti friends of the planters. They loved the dinw which they got at the planters' houses. The aj prentices had no sumptuous dinners to give them The magistrates felt under very little obligation o any kind to assert the cause of the apprentice ant secure him justice, while they were under ver] strong temptations to favor the master. 5. Real estate had increased in value nearly fif ty percent, since abolition. There is such entir security of property, and the crops since 183 have been so flattering, that capitalists from abroai are desirous of investing their funds in estate or merchandise. All are making high calculation for the future. 6 Mr. J. testified that marriages had greati] increased since abolition. He had seen a dozei couples standing at one time on the church floor There had, he believed, been more marnagei within the last three years among the negro popu lation, than have occurred before smce the settle" ment of the island. BARB ADOES. » "We f include this chapter by subjoining two liiphly Jnieresting documents from special magis- trales. They were kindly furnished us by tlie authors in pursuance of an order from his excel- lency the Governor, authorizing the special ma- e;istrates to give us any official statements which we might desire. Being made acquainted with tliese instructions from the Governor, we address- ed written queries to Major Colthurst and Cap- tain Hamilton. We insert their replies at length. C iMMUNICATION FROM MAJOR COLTHURST, SPECIAL I MAGISTRATE. f The following fourteen questions on the work- fig of the apprenticeship system in this colony frere submitted to me on the 30th of March, 1837, requesting answers thereto. 1. What is the number of apprenticed laborers in your district, and what is their character com- pared with other districts ? The number of apprenticed laborers, of all ages, in my district, is nine thousand four hundred and eighty, spread over two hundred and ninety-seven estates of various descriptions — some very large, and others again very small — much the greater number consisting of small lots in the near neigh- borhood of Bridgetown. Perhaps my district, in consequence of this minute subdivision of prop- erty, and its contact with the town, is the most troublesome district in the island ; and the charac- ter of the apprentices differs consequently from thi t in the more rural districts, where not above half the complaints are made. I attribute this to their ahnost daily intercourse with Bridgetown. •2. What is the state of agriculture in the island 1 When the planters themselves admit that gen- iral cultivation was never in a better state, and ;he plantations extremely clean, it is more than ^resumptive proof that agriculture generally is in 1 most prosperous condition. The vast crop of ianes grown this year proves this fact. Other crops ire also luxuriant. 3. Is there any difficulty occasioned by the ap- )rentices refusing to work? No difficulty whatever has been experienced by he refusal of the apprentices to work. This is lone manfully and cheerfully, when they are treat- d with humanity and consideration by the mas- srs or managers. I have never known an instance o tlie contrary. 4. Are the apprentices willing to work in their wn timel The apprentices are most willing to work in iieir own time. 5. What is the number and character of the omplaints brought before you— are they increas- ig or otherwise ] The number of complaints brought before me, uring the last quarter, are much fewer than durin<^ ne corresponding quarter of the last year. Theit- haracter is also greatly improved. Nine com- laints out of ten made lately to me are for small npertmences or saucy answers, which, consider- \g the former and present position of the parties ; naturally to be expected. The number of such jmplaints is much diminished. 6 What is the state of crime among the an- rentices 1 a f What is usually denominated crime in the old Ountnes, is by no means frequent amono- the acks or colored persons. It is aniazmg how fjw mtenal breaches of the law occur in so extraor- inary a community. Some few cases of crime occasionally arise;— but when it is considered that the population of this island is nearly as dense as that of any part of China, and wholly uneducated, either by precept or example, this ab- sence of frequent crime excites our wonder, and is highly creditable to the negroes. 1 sincerely believe there is po such person, of that class culled at home, an accomplished villain, to be found in the whole island. — Having discharged the duties of a general justice of the peace in Ireland, for above twenty-four years, where crimes of a very aggravated nature were perpetrated almost daily. I cannot help contrasting the situation of that couu' try with this colony, where I do not hesitate to say perfect tranquillity exists. 7. Have the apprentices much respect for law "? It is, perhaps, difficult to answer this question satisfactorily, as it has been so short a time since they enjoyed the blessing of equal laws. To ap- preciate just laws, time, and the experience of the benefit arising from them must be felt. That the apprentices do not, to any material extent, outrage the law, is certain ; and hence it may be inferred that they respect it. 8. Do you find a spirit of revenge among the negroes 1 From my general knowledge of the negro cha- racter in other countries, as well as the study of it here, I do not consider them by any means a re- vengeful people. Petty dislikes are frequent, but any thing like a deep spirit of revenge for former injuries does not exist, nor is it for one moment to be dreaded. 9. Is there any sense of insecurity arising from emancipation 1 Not the most remote feeling of insecurity exists arising from emancipation ; far the contrary. All sensible and reasonable men think the pros- pects before them most cheering, and would not go back to the old systora on any account what- ever. There are some, however, who croak and forebode evil ; but they are few in number, and of no intelligence, — such as are to be found in every community. 10. What is the prospect for 1840 ?— for 1838 % This question is answered I hope satisfac- torily above. On the termination of the two pe- riods no evil is to be reasonably anticipated, with the exception of a few days' idleness. 11. Are the planters generally satisfied with the apprenticeship, or would they return back to the old system 1 The whole body of respectable planters are ful ly satisfied with the apprenticeship, and would no< go back to the old system on any account what- ever. A few young managers, whose opinions are utterly worthless, would perhaps have no ob jection to be put again into their puny authority. Iw. Do you think it would have been danger ous for the slaves in this island to have been en- tirely emancipated in 1834 1 I do not think it would have been productive oJ danger, had the slaves of this island been fully emancipated in 1834 ; which is proved by what has taken place in another colony. 13. Has emancipation been a decided blessing to this island, or has it been otherwise 1 Emancipation has been, under God, the greatest blessing ever conferred upon this island. All good and respectable men fully admit it. This is manifest tiiroughout the whole progress of this mighty change. Whatever may be said of ih* vast benefit conferred upon the slaves, in right judgment the slave owner was the greatest gainer afler all. , 70 BARBADOES. 14. Arc the apprentices disposed to purchase their freedom 1 How have those conducted them- selves who have purchased it 1 The apprentices are inclined to purchase their discharge, particularly when misunderstandings occur with their masters. When they obtain their discharge they generally labor in the trades and occupations they were previously accustomed to, and conduct themselves well. The discharged apprentices seldom take to drinking. Indeed the negro and colored population are the most tem- perate persons I ever knew of their class. The experience of nearly forty years in various public situations, confirms me in this very important fact. The answers I have had the honor to give to the questions submitted to me, have been given most conscientiously, and to the best of my judgment are a faithful picture of the working of the appren- ticeship in this island, as far as relates to the in- quiries made.— John B. CoUhurst, SpexialJustice of the Peace, District A, Rural Division. COMMUNICATION FROM C.\PT. HAMILTON. Barbadoes, April 4th, 1837. Gentlemen, Presuming that you have kept a copy of the questions* you sent me, I shall therefore only send the answers. 1. There are at present five thousand nine hun- dred and thirty male, and six thousand six hun- dred and eighty-nine female apprentices in my district, (B,) which comprises a part of the par- ishes of Christ Church and St. George. Their conduct, compared with the neighboring districts, is good. '2. The state of agriculture is very flourishing. Experienced planters acknowledge that it is gen- erally far superior to what it was during slavery. 3. Where the managers are kind and temper- ate, they have not any'trouble with the laborers. 4. The apprentices are generally willing to work for wages in their own time. 5. The average number of complaints tried by me, last year, ending December, was one thousand nine hundred and thirty-two. The average num- ber of apprentices in the district during that time was twelve thousand seven hundred. Offences, pnerally speaking, are not of any magnitude, rhey do not increase, but fluctuate according to the season of the year. 6. The state of crime is not so bad by any means as we might have expected among the negroes — just released from such a degrading bondage. Considering the state of ignorance in which they have been kept, and the immoral examples set them by the lower class of whites, it is matter of astonishment that they should behave so well. 7. The apprentices would have a great respect for law, were it not for the erroneous proceedings of the managers, overseers, &c., in taking them before the magistrates for every petty offence, and often abusing the magistrate in the presence of the apprentices, when his decision does not please them. The consequence is, that the apprentices too often get indifferent to law, and have been known to say that they cared not about going to prison, and that they' would do just as "they did before as soon as they were released. 8. The apprentices in this colony are generally considered a peaceable race. All acts of revenge committed by them originate in jealousy, as, for instance, between husband and wife. * The same intpn-osalories were propomirled to Capt. namilton which have been already inserted in Major Col- 'h irst's coinmunicat'on. 9. Not the slightest sense of insecurity. As i proof of this, property has, since the commencf ment of the apprenticeship, increased in valu considerably — at least one third. 10. The change which will take place in 183& in my opinion, will occasion a great deal of dis content among those called praedials— which wil not subside for some months. They ought ti have been all emancipated at the same period, cannot foresee any bad eflects that will ensue fron the change in 1840, except those mentioned here after. 11. The most prejudiced planters would no return to the old system if they possibly could They admit that they get more work from th( laborers now than they formerly did, and they arii relieved from a great responsibility. ' 12. It is my opinion, that if entire emancipa; tion had taken place in 1834, no more difficultj would have followed beyond what we may nat urally expect in 1840. It will then take two o- three months before the emancipated people finall} settle themselves. I -"o not consider the appren, tice more fit or better prepared for entire freedoiTL now than he was in 1834. 13. I consider, most undoubtedly, that emanci pation has been a decided blessing to the colony. 14. They are much disposed to purchase thd' remainder of the apprenticeship term. Their con/ duct after they become free is good. I hope the foregoing answers and informatior may be of service to you in your laudable par] suits, for which I wish you every success. I am, gentlemen, your ob't serv't, Jos. Hamilton, Special Justice. TESTIMONY OP CLERGYMEN AND MISSIONARIES. There are three religious denominations at thi present time in Barbadoes — Episcopalians, Wes leyans, and Moravians. The former have abou twenty clergymen, including the bishop rnd arch deacon. The bishop was absent during our visit and we did not see him ; but as far as we coulc ; learn, while in some of his political measures, ai' a member of the council, he has benefited the col ored population, his general influence has beer unfavorable to tlieir moral and spiritual welfare He has discountenanced and defeated several at tempts made by his rectors and curates to abolisl the odious distmctions of color in their churches. We were led to form an unfavorable opinion o the Bisbr- " .ourse, from observing among the in telligenl ,>(^'f? well-disposed classes' of colored pec pie, the current use of the phrase, " bishop's man,' and " no bishop's man," applied to different rec( tors and curates. Those that they were averse to, either as pro-slavery or pro-prejudice charac ters, they usually branded as " bishop's men,' while those whom they esteemed their friends they designated as " no bishop's men." The archdeacon has already been introduced t( the reader. We enjoyed several interviews wit! him, and were constrained to admire him for his integrity, independence and piety. He spoke ir terms of strong condemnation of slavery, and of the apprenticeship system. He was a determines advocate of entire and immediate emancipation: both from principle and policy. He also discoun tenanced prejudice, both in the church and in thd social circle. The first time we had the pleasure of meeting him was at the house of a colored gen- tleman in Bridgetown where we were breakfast- ing. He called in incidentally, while we wen sitting at table, and exhibited all the familiariij of \ frequent visitant. L> AKbAUUES. 71 I One of the most worthy and devoted men whom ' we met in Barbadoes was the Rev. Mr. Cummins, curate of St. Paul's church, in Bridgetown. The nrsl Sabbath after our arrival at the island we at- .tended his church. It is emphatically a free cliurch. Distinctions of color are nowhere re- cognized. There is the most complete intermin- gling of colors throughout the house. In one pew were seen a family of whites, in the next a family of colored people, and in the next perhaps a family of blacks. In the same pews white and colored persons sat side by side. The floor and gallery presented the same promiscuous blending qf hues and shades. We sat in a pew with white and colored people. In the pew before and m that behind us the sitting was equally indiscrim- inate. The audience were kneeling in their morn- mg devotions when we entered, and we were .struck with the different colors bowing side by side as we passed down the aisles. There is probably no clergyman in the island who has se- icured so perfectly the affections of iiis people as iMr. C. He IS of course ", no bishop's man." He ^:3 constpntl)'^ employed iri promoting the spiritual and mrral good of his people, of whatever com- iplexion. The annual examinatio:i of the Sabbath isc'iiool connected with St. Paul's occurred while iwe were in the island, and we were favored with *he privilege of attending it. There were about jthree hundred pupils present, of all ages, from fifty |down to three years. There were all colors- white, tawny, and ebon black. The white child- ren were classed with the colored and black, in Utter violation of those principles of classification in vogue throughout the Sabbath schools of our own country. The examination was chiefly con- ducted by Mr. Cummins. At the close of the ex- amination about fifty of the girls, and among them the daughter of Mr. Cummins, were ar- ranged in front of the altar, with the female teach- ers in the rear of them, and all united in singing ft hymn written for the occasion. Part of the teachers were colored and part white, as were also the scholars, and they stood side by side, mingled promiscuously together. This is altogether the best Sabbath school in the island. After the exei-cises were closed, we were inti-o- duced, by a colored gentleman who accompanied us to the examination, to Mr. Cummins, the Rev. Mr. Packer, and the Rev. Mr. Rowe, master of the public school in Bridgetown. By request of Mr. C, we accompanied him to hi. -.e, where we enjoyed an interview with him . ..^ the other gentlemen just mentioned. Mr. C. informed us that his Sabbath school was commenced in 1833; but was quite small and inefficient until after 1834. It now numbers more than four hundred scholars. Mr. C. spoke of prejudice. It had wonderfully decreased within the last three years. He said ^e could scarcely credit the testimony of his own jsenses, when he looked around on the change [which had taken place. Many now associate with colored persons, and sit with them in the church, who once would have scorned to be found near them. Mr. C. and the other clergymen Stated, that there had been an increase of places if worship and of clergymen smce abolition. All •he churches are now crowded, and there is a grdwing demand for more. The negroes mani- fest an increasing desire for religious Instruction. In respect to morals, they represent the people as oeing greatly improved. They spoke of the gen- eral respect which was now paid to the institution of marriage among the negroes. Mr. C. said, he was convinced that the blacks had as much natu- ral talent and capacity for learning as the whites:. He does not know any difference. Mr. Packer,who was formerly rector of St. Thomas' parish, and has been a public teacher of children of all colors, expressed the same opniion. Mr. Rowe said, that before he took charge of the white school, he was the teacher of one of the free schools for blacks, and he testified that the latter had just as much ca- pacity for acquiring any kind of knowledge, as much inquisltivencss, and ingenuity, as the former. Accompanied by an intelligent gentleman of Bridgetown, we visited two tlourishing schools for colored children, connected with the Episcopal church, and under the care of the Bishop. lu the male school, there were one hundred and ninety-five scholars, under the superintendence of one master, who is himself a black man, and was educated and trained up in the sam.e school. He is assisted by several of his scholars, as monitors and teach- ers. It was, altogether, the best specimen of a well- regulated scliool which we saw in the West Indies. The present instructor has had charge of the school two years. It has increased considerably since abolition. Before the first of August, 1834, the whole number of names on the catalogue was a little above one hundred, and the average at- tendance was seventy-five. The number imme- diately increased, and now the average attendance is above two hundred. Of this number at least sixty are the children of apprentices. We visited also the infant school, established but two weeks previous. Mr. S. the teacher, who has been for many years an instructor, says he finds them as apt to learn as any children he ever taught. He said he was surprised to see how soon the instructions of the school-room were car- ried to the homes of the children, and caught up by their parents. The very first night after the school closed, in passing through the streets, he heard the children repeating what they had been taught, and the pa- rents learning the songs from their children's lips. Mr. S. has a hundred children already in his school, and additions were making daily. He found among the negro parents much interest in the school. WESI.EYAN MISSI0N.4RIES. We called on the Rev. Mr. Fidler, the superin- tendent of the Wesleyan missions in Barbadoes. Mr. P. resides in Bridgetown, and preaches mostly in the chapel in town. He has been in the West Indies twelve years, and in Barbadoes about two years. Mr. F. informed us that there were three Wesleyan missionaries in the island, JDesides four or five local preachers, one of whom is a black man. There are about one thousand membei-s belonging to their body, the greater part of whom live in town. Two hundred and thirty- five were added during the year 1836, being by far the largest number added in any one year since they be2;an their operations in the island. A brief review of the history of the Wesleyan Methodists in Barbadoes, will serve to show the great change which has been taking place in public sentiment respecting the labors of missionaries. In the year 18-23, not long after the establishment of the Wesleyan church in the island, the chapel in Bridgetown was destroyed by a mob. Not one stone was left upon another. They carried the fragments for miles away from the site, and scattered them about in every direction, so that the chapel might never be rebuilt. Some ■: •' '^ 72 BARBADOES. instigators and chief actors in this outrage, were " g-entlemen of property and standing," residents of Biidgetown. The first morning after the out- rage began, the mob sought for the Rev. Mr. Shrewsbury, the missionary, tiireatening liis life, and Ire was obliged to flee precipitately from the island, with his wife. He was hunted like a wild beast, and it is thought that he would have been torn in pieces if he had been found. Not an effort or a movement was made to quell the mob, during their assault upon tlie chapel. The first men of the island connived at the violence — se- cretly rejoicing in what they supposed would be the extermination of Methodism from the coun- try. The governor, Sir Henry Ward, utterly re- fused to interfere, and would not suffer the militia to repair to the spot, though a mere handful of sol- diers could have instantaneously routed the whole assemblage. The occasion of this riot was partly the efforts made by the Wesleyans to instruct the negroes, and still more the circumstance of a letter being written by Mr. Shrewsbury, and published in an English paper, which contained some severe strictures on the morals of the Barbadians. A planter informed us that the riot grew out of a suspicion that Mr. S. Avas " leagued with the Wilberforce party in England." Since the re-establishment of Wesleyanism in this island, it has continued to struggle against the opposition of the Bishop, and most of the clergy, and against the inveterate prejudices of nearly the whole of the white community. The missiona- ries have been discouraged, and in many in- stances absolutely prohibited from preaching on the estates. These circumstances have greatly re- tarded the progress of religious instruction through their means. But this state of things had been very much altered since the abolition of slavery. There are several estates now open to the mission- aries. Mr. P. mentioned several places in the country, where he was then purchasing land, and erecting chapels. He also stated, that one man, who aided in pulling down the chapel in 18'23, had offered ground for a new chapel, and proffer- ed the free use of a building near by, for I'eligious meetings and a school, till it could be erected. The Wesleyan chapel in Bridgetown is a spa- cious building, well filled with worshippers every Sabbath. We attended service there frequently, and observed the same indiscriminate sitting of the various colors, which is described in the ac- count of St. Paul's church. The Wesleyan missionaries have stimulated the clergy to greater diligence and faithfulness, and have especially induced them to turn their at- tention to the negro population more than they did formerly. There are several local preachers connected with the Wesleyan mission in Barbadoes, who have been actively laboring to promote religion among the apprentices. Two of these are con- verted soldiers in his Majesty's service — acting sergeants of the troops stationed in the island. While we were in Barbadoes, these pious men ap- plied for a discharge from the army, intending to devote themselves exclusively to the work of teach- ing and preaching. Another of the local preach- ers is a negro man, of ronsiderable talent and ex- alted piety, highly esteemed among his mission- ary brethren for his labors of love. THE MORAVIAN MISSION. Oi the Moravians, we learned but little. Cir- cumstances unavoidably prevented us from visit ing any of the stations, and also from calling o: any of the missionaries. We were informed tha tiiere were three stations in the island, one ii Bridgetown, and two in the country, and wn learned in general terms, that the few missions ries there, were laboring with their chai-acteristi devoted ness, assiduity, and self-denial, for th spiritual welfare of the negro population. CHAPTER III. COLORED POPULATION. The colored, or as they were termed previoui to abolition, by way of distinction, the free color ed population, amount in Barbadoes to nearM thirty thousand. They are composed chiefly op the mixed race, whose paternal connection, ihoug!,' illegitimate, secured to them freedom at thei birth, and subsequently the advantages of an edvi cation more or less extensive. There are sonii blacks among them, however, who were free bortli or obtained their freedom at an early period, an< have since, by great assiduity, attained an honon able standing. During our stay in Barbadoes, we had mani) invitations to the houses of colored gentlemen, oi which we were glad to avail ourselves whenever i was possible. At an early period after our ar rival, we were invited to dine with Thomas. Ha: ris, Esq. He politely sent his chaise for us, as'i resided about a mile from our residence. At hi table, we met two other colored gentlemen, N.i Thorne of Bridgetown, and Mr. Prescod, a youii; gentleman of much intelligence and ability There was also at the table a niece o^'Mr. Harr, a modest and highly interesting young lady. 1 the luxuries and delicacies of a tropical din. loaded the board — an epicurean variety of meat , flesh, fowl, and fish — of vegetables, pastries, frui' and nuts, and that invariable accompaniment I a West India dinner, wine. ,, The dinner was enlivened by an interest! i; and well sustained conversation respecting the i ii olition of slavery, the present state of the color y and its prospects for the future. Lively disci s, sions were maintained on points where th which the fence might be repair'^, ihose werv surely very dainty-mouthed cattle that would con sume those roots only whicii were so sr.iall tha» several months would be requisite for their matu- rity. The report concluded with a recommenda- tion to his Excellency to take summary ven- geance upon a few of the gang as soon as they could be arrested, since they had set such an example to the surrounding apprentices. He could not see how order and subordination could be preserved in his district unless such a punishment was in- flicted as would be a warning to all evil doers. He further suggested the propriety of sending tha maroons* after them, to hunt them out of their hiding places and bring them to justice. We chanced to obtain a different version of this affair, which, as it was confirmed by differ- ent persons in Bath, both white and colored, who had no connection with each other, we cannot help thinking it the true one. The apprentices on Thornton, are what is termed a jobbing gang, that is, they are hired out by their master to any planter who may want their services. Jobbing is universally regarded by the negroes as the worst kind of service, for many reasons — principally because it often takes them many miles from their homes, and they are still required to supply themselves with food from their own provision grounds. They are allowed to return home every Friday evening or Satur- day, and stay till Monday morning. The own- er of the gang in question lately died — to whom it is said they were greatly attached — and they passed into the hands of a Mr. Jocken, the pres- ent overseer. Jocken is a notoriously cruel man. It was scarcely a twelvemonth ago, that he was * The maroons are free negroes, inhabiting the moun- tains of the interior, who were formerly hired by the au- thorities, or by planters, to hunt up runaway slaves, and return them to their masters. Unfortunately our own country is not without its maroons. JAMAICA. 95 fired merous offices would admit of The overseer, (manager,) Mr. Duncan, is an intelligent, active, business man, and on any other estate than Gold- en Grove, would doubtless be a personage of con- siderable distinction. He conducted us through the numerous buildings, from the boiling-house to the pig-stye. The principal complaint of the overseer, was that he could not make the people work to any good purpose. They were not at all refractory or disobedient ; there was no diffi- culty in getting them on to the field ; but when they were there, they moved without any life or energy. They took no interest in their work, and he was obliged to be watching and scolding them all the time, or else they would do nothing. We had not gone many steps after this observation, before we met with a practical illustration of it. A number of the apprentices had been ordered that moi'ning to cart away some dirt to a particu- lar place. When we approached them, Mr. D. found that one of the " wains" was standing idle. He inquired of the driver why he was keeping the team idle. The reply was, that there was nothing there for it to do; there wei'e enough other wains to carry away all the dirt. " Then," inquired the overseer with an ill-concealed irrita- tion, " why did you not go to some other work 1" The overseer then turned to us and said, " You see, sir, what lazy dogs the apprentices are — this is the way they do every day, if they are not closely watched." It was not long after this little incident, before the overseer remarked that the apprentices worked very well during their own time, when they were paid for it. When we went into the hospital, Mr. D. directed our atten- tion to one fact, which to him was very provoking. A great portion of the patients that come in during the week, unable to work, are in the habit of get- ting well on Friday evening, so that they can go out on Saturday and Sunday ; but on Monday morning they are sure to be sick again, then they return to the hospital and remain very poorly till Friday evening, when they get well all at once, and ask permission to go out. The overseer saw , into the trick ; but he could find no medicine that could cure the negroes of that intermittent sick- ness. The Antigua planters discovered the remedy for it, and doubtless Mr. D. will make ih* grand discovery in 1840. On returning to the " great house," we found the custos sitting in state, ready to communicate any official information which might be called for. He expressed similar sentiments in the main, with those of Mr. Barclay. He feared for JAMAICA. 37 the consequences of complete emancipation ; the nesiroes would to a great extent abandon the sugar cultivation and retire to the woods, there to live in idleness, planting; merely yams enough to keep them alive, and in the process of time, retro- grading into African barbarism. The attorney did not see how it was possible to prevent this. "When asked whether he expected that such would the case with the negroes on Golden Grove, he plied that he did not think it would, except witli very few persons. His people had been so well eated, and had so raany comforts, that they Ivouid not be at all likely to abandon the estate ! Mark that!] Whose are the people that will esert after 18401 Not Thomas McCornock's, Esq. ! TAe?/ are too well situated. Whose then will desert 1 Mr. Joden's, or in other words, those who are ill-treated, who are cruelly driven, whose fences are broken down, and whose pro- vision grounds are exposed to the cattle. They, and I hey alone, will retire to the woods who can't get food any where else! The custos thought the apprentices were be- having very ill. On being asked if he had any trouble with his, ho said, O, no ! his apprentices did quite well, and so did the apprentices gener- ally, in the Plantain Garden River Valley. But in far off parislies, he heard that they were very refractory and troublesome. The custos testified that the negroes were very easily managed. He said he had often thought that lie would rather have the charge of six hun- dred negroes, than of two hundred English sailors. He spoke also of the temperate habits of the ne- groes. He had been in the island twenty-two years, and he had never seen a negro woman drunk, on the estate. It was very seldom that the men got drunk. There were not more than ten men on Golden Grove, out of a population of five hundred, who were in the habit of occasionally getting intoxicated. He also remarked that the negroes were a remarkable people for their atten- tion to the old and infirm among them ; they sel- dom suffered thern to want, if it was in their power to supply them. Among other remarks of the custos, was this sweeping declaration — " No man in his senses can pret^eiid to defend slarerij." After spending a day at Golden Grove, we pro- ceeded to the adjacent estate of Amity Hall. On enterihs: the residence of the manager, Mr. Kirk- land, we were most gratefully surprised to find him engaged in family prayers. It was the first time and the last that we heard the voice of prayer in a Jamaica planter's house. We were no less gratefully surprised to see a white lady, to whom we were introduced as Mrs. Kirkland, and several modest and lovely little children. It was the first and the last family circle that we were permitted to see among the planters of that licentious col- ony. The motley groups of colored children — of every age from tender infancy — which we found on other estates, revealed the state of do- mestic manners among the planters. Mr. K. regarded the abolition of slavery as a great blessing to the colony ; it was true that the apprenticeship was a wretchedly bad system, but notwithstanding, things moved smoothly on his estate. He informed us that the negroes on Ami- ty Hall had formerly borne the character of being the tuorst ffans; in the parish ; and when he first came to the estate, he found that half the truth had not been told of them ; but they had become remarkalily peaceable and subordinate. It was bis policy to give them every comfort that he possibly could. Mr. K. made the same declara* tion, which has been so often rept..ted in tlie course of this narrative, i. e., that if any of the estates were abandoned, it would be owing to the harsh treatment of the people. He knew many overseers and book-keepers who were cruel dri- ving men, and he should not be surprised i{ they lostapart, or all, of tlie'r laborers. He made one re- mark which we had not heard before. There were some estates, he said, which would probably be abandoned, for the same reason that they ought never to have been cultivated, because they re- quire almost double labor ; — such are the moun- tainous estates, and barren, worn-out properties, which nothing but a system of forced labor could possibly retain in cultivation. But the idea that the negroes generally would leave their comforta- ble homes, and various privileges on the estates, and retire to tlie wild woods, he ridiculed as pre- posterous in the extreme. Mr. K. declared re- peatedly that he could not look forward to 1840, but with the most sanguine hopes ; he confidently believed that the introduction of complete free^ dom woi\\d he the regeneration of the island. He alluded to the memorable declaration of Lord Bel- more, (made memorable by the excitement which it caused among the colonists,) in his valedictory address to the assembly, on the eve of his depart- ure for England.* " Gentlemen," said he, " the resources of- this noble island will never be fully developed until slavery is abolishei !" For this manly avowal the assembly ignobly refused him the usual marks of respect and honor at his de- parture. Mr. K. expected to see Jamaica become a new world under the enterprise and energies of freedom. There were a few disaffected planters, who would probably remain so, and leave the island after emancipation. It would be a blessing to the country if such men left it, for as long as they were disaffected, they were the enemies of its prosperity. Mr. K. conducted us through the negro quarters, which are situated on the hill side, nearly a mile from his residence. We went into several of the houses ; which were of a better style somewhat than the huts in Antigua and Barbadoes — larger, better finished and furnished. Some few of them had verandahs or porches on one or more sides, after the West India fashion, closed in with jal- ousies. In each of the houses to which we were admitted, there was one apartment fitted up in a very neat manner, with waxed floor, a good bed- stead, and snow white coverings, a few good chairs, a mahogany sideboard, ornamented with dishes, decanters, etc. From Amity Hall, we drove to Manchioneal, a small village ten miles north of the Plantain Gar- den River Valley. We had a letter to the special magistrate for that district, R. Chamberlain, Esq., a colored gentleman, and the first magistrate we found in the parish of St. Thomas in the East, who was faithful to the interests of the appren- tices. He was a boarder at the public house, where we were directed for lodgings, and as we spent a few days in the village, we had opportu- nities of obtainingmuch information from hirn,as well as of attending some of his courts. Mr. C, had been only five months in the district of Man- chioneal, having been removed thither from a dis- tant district. Being a friend of the apprentices, he is hated and persecuted by the planters. He gave us a gloomy picture of the oppressions and cruelties of the planters. Tlwir complaints ' Lord Belmore left the government of Jamaica, a short time before the abolition act pasped in parliament. 98 JAMAICA. brought before him nre often of the most trivial Icind ; yet because he does not condemn the ap- prentices to re<-eive a punishment which the most serious oifences alone could justify him in inflict- ing, they revile and denounce him as unfit for his :>Statioa. He represents the planters as not having 'the most distant idea that it is the province of the special magistrate to secure justice to ilie appren- tice ; but they regard it as his sole duty to help ihciii. in getting from the laborers as much work .IS Vvfhips, and chains, and tread-wheels cai ex- tort. His predecessor, in the Manchioneal dis- trict, answered perfectly to the planters' beau ideal. He ordered a cat to be kept on every estate in his district, to be ready for use as he went around on his weekly visits. ' Every week he inspected the cats, and when they became too much worn to do good execution, he condemned them, and ordered new ones to be made. Mr. C. said the most frequent complaints made by the planters are for insolence. He gave a few specimens of what were regarded by the planters as serious offences. An overseer will say to his apprentice, " Work along there faster, you lazy villain,: or I'll strike you;*^ the apprentice will re- ■/ply, "Yon can't strike me now," and for this he life taken before the magistrate on the complaint of {insolence. An overseer, in passing the gang on the field, will hear them singing; he will order 'tbem, in a peremptory tone to stop instantly, and if they corttinue singing, they are complained of for insubordiimtion. An apprentice has been confined to the hospital with disease,— when he gets able to walk, tired of the filthy sick house, he hobbles to his hut, where he may' have the atten- tioi s of his wife until he gets well. That is call- ed absconding from lahor ! Where the magis- trate does not happen to be an independent man, the complaint is sustained, and the poor invalid is sentenced to the treadmill for absenting himself from work. It is easy to conjecture the dreadful consequence. The apprentice, debilitat'>d by sickness, dragged off twenty-five miles on foot to Morant Bay, mounted on the wheel, is unable to keep the step with the strongpr ones, slips ofl^and hangs by the wrists, and his flesh is mangled and for violently bpating him. A gash was cut in his head, and the blood had flowed freely. He fled from his master, and came to Mr. C. for refuge. He belonged to A. Ross, Esq., of Mulatto Run estate. We retnembered that we had a letter of introduction to that planter, and we had designed visiUng him, but after witnessing this scenr-, we rpsolvod not to go near a monster who could' in- flict such a,wound. with his own hand, upon a child. We were highly eratifi^d with the kind and sympathizing mannpr in which Mr. C. spoke with the unfortunate beings who, in the extremity >;^flf their wrongs, ventured to h^s door. At the request of the magistrate we accompa- nied him, on one occasion, to the station-house, where he h-ld a v/eekly court. We had there a good opportunity to observe the hostile feelings of the planters tow-rds this fHitlifnI oflicer— "faithful among the faithless," (though we are giad that we cannot quite add, " only he.") A number of managers, overseers, and bcc " keepers, assembled ; some with complaints, a some to have their apprentices classified. Th > all set upon the magistrate like bloo.lhoundsup. a lone stag. They strove together wiiii one t, cord, to subdue his independent spirit by taum' jeers, msults, intimidations and buUyings. l' was obliged to threaten one of the overseers wii arrest, on account of his abusive conduct. ^^ were actually amazed at the intrepidity of tl magistrate. We were convinced from what \< saw that day, that only the most fearless and co scientious men could be faithful magistrates Jamaica. Mr. C. assured us that he met wi; similar indignities every time he held his court and on most of the estates that he visited. It w,Ir. B. was hailed by a hoary-headed man, sitting at the side of his house. He said that he was lame and sick, and could not work, and complained that his master did not give him any food. All he had to eat was given him by a relative. As the master was not at home, Mr. B. could not attend to the complaint at that time, but promised to write the master about it in the course of the day. He informed us that the aged and disabled were very much neglected under the apprenticeship. When the working days are over, the profit days are over, and how few in any country are willing to support an animal which is past labor 1 If these complaints are numerous under the new system, when magis- trates are all abroad to remedy them, what must it have been during slavery, when ma^t,er, , and magistrate were the same ! ■[■ ' ,^,,f,r,„>;. On one of the plantations we called at the house of an emigrant, of whicli some hvmdreds have been imported from different parts of Europe, since emancipation. He had been in the island eighteen months, and v/as much dissatisfied with his situation. The experiment of importing whites to Jamaica as laborers, has proved disas- trous — an unfortunate speculation to all parties, and all parties wish them back again. We had some conversation with several ap- prentices, who called on Mr. Bourne for advice and aid. They all thought the apprenticeship very hard, but still, on the whole, liked it better than .slavery. They '.' were killed too bad," — that was their expression — during slavery — were work- ed hard and terribly flogged. They were up ever so early and late — went out in the mountains to work, when so cold busha would have to cover himself up on the ground. Had little time to eat, or go to meeting. 'Twas all slash, slash ! Now they couldn't be flogged, unless the magistrate said so. Still the busha was very hard to them, and many of the apprentices run away to the woods, they are so badly used. The next plantation which we visited was Dublin Castle. It lies in a deep valley, quite en- closed by mountains. The present attorney has been in the island nine year% and is attorney for several other properties. In England he was a religious man, and intimately acquainted with the eccemric Irving. For a while after he came out he preached t(8«the slaves, but having taken a black concubine, and treating those under his charge oppressively, he sooi7 obtained a bad cha- racter among the blacks, and his meetings were deserted. He is now a most passionate and wick- ed man, having cast off even the showof leligioii. Mr. B. visited Dublin Castle a few weeks since, and spent two days in hearing complaints brought against the manager and book-keeper by the ap- prentices. He fined the manager, for different acts of oppression, one hundred and eight dollars. The attorney was present during tiie whole time. Near the close of the second day he requested per- mission to say a few words, which was granted. He raised his hands and eyes in the most agonized manner, as though passion was writhing within, and burst forth — " O, my God I my God ! koA it 102 JAMAICA indeed come to this ! Am I to be arraigned in this way ■? Is my conduct to be questioned by these people 1 Is my authority to be destroyed by the interference of strangers'! O, my God !" And he fell back into the arms of his book-keeper, and was carried out of the room in convulsions. The next morning we started on another excur- sion, for the purpose of attending the appraise- ment of an apprentice belonging to Silver Hill, a plantation about ten miles distant from Grecian Regale. We rode but a short distance in the town road, wlien we struck off into a narrow de- file by a mule-path, and pushed into the very heart of the mountains. We felt somewhat timid at the commencement of our excursion among these minor Andes, but we gained confidence as we proceeded, and finding our horse sure-footed and quite familiar with moun. tain paths, we soon learned to gallop, without fear, along the highest cliffs, and through the most dangerous passes. We were once put in some jeopardy by a drove of mules, laden with coffee. We fortunately saw them, as they came round the point of a hill, at some distance, in season to se- cure ourselves in a little recess v.l;ere the path widened. On they came, cheered by the loud cries of their drivers, and passed rapidly forward, one after another, with the headlong stupidity which animals, claiming more wisdom than quadrupeds, not unfrequently manifest. When they came up to us, however, they showed that they were not unaccustomed to such encounters, and, although the space between us and the brow of the preci- pice, was not three feet wide, they all contrived to sway their bodies and heavy sacks in such a man- ner as to pass us safely, except one. He, more stupid or more unlucky than the rest, struck us a full broad-side as he went by jolting us hard against the hill, and well-nigh jolting himself down the craggy descent into the abyss below. One leg hung a moment over the precipice, but the poor beast suddenly threw his whole weight forward, and by a desperate leap, obtained sure foothold in the path, and again trudged along with his coffee-bags. On our way we called at two plantations, but found no complaints. At one of them we had some conversation with the overseer. He has on it one hundred and thirty apprentices, and pro- duces annually thirty thousand pounds of coffee. He informed us that he was getting along well. His people are industrious and obedient, as much so, to say the least, as under the o'd system. The crop this year is not so great as usual, on account of the severe drought. His plantation was never better cultivated. Besides the one> hundred and thirty apprentices, there are forty free •children, who are supported by their Jiferents. INone of them will work for hire, crt^n any way put them- selves under his corttrol, as the parents fear there is some plot laid for making them~apprentices, and through that process reducing them to slavery. He tlnnks this f-eling will cominue till the ap- prenticeship is entirely broken up, and the people feegin to feel assured of complete freedom, when it will disinpfar. We readied Silver Hill about noon. This plantation contains one hundred and ten appren- tices, and is under the management of a colored man, who has had charge of it seven years. He informed us that it was under as :^ood cultivation flow as it was before einancipation. His people are easily controlled. Very much depends on the conduct of the overseer. If he is disposed to be just and kind, tne apprentices are sure tc betiave well ; if he is harsh and severe, and attempts to drive them, they will lake no pains lo jilease him, but on the contrary, will be sulky and obstinate. There were three overseers from other estates present. One of them had been an overseer for forty years, and he possessed the looks and feel- ings which we suppose a man who has been thu.s long in a school of despotism, must possess. He had a giant form, which seemed to be breakn.c down with luxury and sensualism. His ordina- ry voice was hoarse and gusty, and his smiie dia- bolical. Emancipation had swept away his power while it left the love of it ravaging his heart. He could not speak of the new system with compo- sure. His contempt and hatred of the negro was unadulterated. He spoke of the apprentices with great bitternesi, They were excessively lazy and impudent, and were becoming more and more so every dSy. They did not do half the work now that they did before emancipation. It was the character of the negro never to work unless com- pelled. His people would not labor tor him an hour in their own time, although he had offered to pay them for it. They have not the least grati- tude. They will leave him in the midst of his crop, and help others, because they can get a little more. They spend all their half Fridays and their Saturdays on other plantations where they receive forty cents a day. Twenty-five cents is enough for them, and is as much as he will give. Mr. B. requested the Overseer to bring forward his complaints. He had only two. One was against a boy of ten for stealing a gill of goat's milk. The charge was disproved. The other was against a boy of twelve for neglecting the cattle, and permitting them to trespass on the lands of a neighbor. He was sentenced to receive a good switching — that is, to be beaten with a small stick by the constable of the plantation. Several apprentices then appeared and made a few trivial complaints against ' buslia.' They were quickly adjusted. These were all the com- plaints that had accumulated in five weeks. I'he principal business which called Mr. Bourne to the plantation, as we have already remarked, was the appraisement of an apprentice. The appraisers were himself and a local magistrate. The apprentice was a native born African, and was stolen from his country when a boy. He had al- ways resided on this plantation, and had always been a faithful laborer. He was now the con- stable, or driver, as the office was called in slaveiy times, of the second gang. The overseer testified lo his honesty and industry, and said he regretted much to have him leave. He was, as appeared by the plantation books, fifty-four years old, but was evidently above sixty. After examining several witnesses as to the old man's ability and general health, and making calculations by the rule of three, with the cold accuracy of a yankec horse-bargain, it was decided that his servicer were worth to the plantation forty-eight dollars ; year, and for the remaining time of the apprer ticeship, consequently, at that rate, one hundre<' and fifty-six dollars. One third of this was dc ■ ducted as an allowance for the probabilities (,.' death, and sickness, having one hundred and fou dollars as the price of his redemption. The oi man objected strongly and earnestly to the price he said, it was too much ; he had not money enough to pay it ; and begged them, with tears ir his eyes, not to make him pay so much " for hi? JAMAICA, 103 old bones ;" but they would not remit a cent. They could not. T'ley w^re the stern ministers of the British eaiancipatiaii law, tlie piais-s of which have been sliouied through the earth ! Of the three overseers who where present, not one could be called a respectable man. Their countenances were the mirrors of all lustful and desperate passions. They .were continually drink- ing rum and water, andoneof them was half drunk. Our next visit svas to an elevated plantation called Peter's Rock. The path to it was, in one place, so steep, that we liad to dismount and ])er- mil our horses to work their way up as they could, while we followed on foot. We then wound alonj among provision grounds and coffee fields, tiirou!i:h forests wiiere iiardiy a track was to be seen, and over hedges, wincli the horses were obhged to leap, till we issued on the great path which leads from the plantation to Kingston. Peter's Rock has one hundred apprentices, and is under the management, as Mr. Bourne informed us, of a very humane man. During the two years and a half of the apprenticeship, there had ■ been only six complaints. As we approached the plantation we saw the apprentices at the side of the road, eating their breakfast. They had been tit work some distance froin their houses, and could not spend time to go home. They saluted us with great civility, most of them rising and uncovering their heads. In answer to our ques- tions, they said they were getting along very well. They said their master was kind to them, and they appeared in fine spirits. The overseer met us as we rode up to the door, and received us very courteously. He had no com- plaints. He informed us that the plantation was as well cultivated as it had been for many years, md the people were perfectly obedient and indus- trious. From Peter's Rock we rode to " Hall's Pros- pect," a plantation on which there are sixty ap- prentices under the charge of a black overseer, who, two years ago, was a slave. It was five weeks since Mr. B. had been there, and yet he liad only ime complaint, and that against a woman for being late at work on Monday morning. The reason she gave for this was, that she went to an estate some miles distant to spend the Sabbath with ''er husband. M'-. Boucne, by the aid of funds left in his banrin by Mr. Siurge, is about to establish a scho'il on this plantation. Mr. B., at a previous vi?i', hid informed the people of what he intended to do, a, i ou.s other occasions, many of the apprentices with hoes, baskets, &.C., going to their pro vision grounds. We had »Oiiie con v ■..•,■.-,,>; i^^ii v.';iii l;i, ru as We i'wuo along. 1'hey said they hud been iij luc holds picking coffee since half past five o'clock. They were now going, as they always did after "horn- blow" in tiie afternoon, (four o'clock,) to their grounds, where they should stay till dai'k. Some of their grounds were four, others six miles from home. Tliey all liked the apprenticeship better than slavery. They were not flogged so much now, and had more time to themselves. Bui they should like freedom much better, and should be glad when it came. We met a brown young woman driving an ass laden with a great variety of articles. She said she hud been io Kingston (fifteen miles off) with a load of provisions, and had purchased some tilings to sell to the apprentices. We asked her what she did with her money. " Give it tu my husband," said siie. " Do you keep none for yourself 1" She smiled and replied : " What for him for me." After we had passed, Mr. B. informed us that she had been an apprentice, but purchased her freedom a few months previous, and was now engaged as a kind of country merchant,^ She purchases i^rovisions of the negroes, and carries them to Kingston, where she exchanges them, for pins, needles, thread, dry goods, and such articles as the apprentices need, which she again ex- changes for provisions and money. Mr. Bourne informed us that real estate is much higher than before emancipation. He mentioned one " pen" which was purchased for eighteen hundred dollars a few years since. The owner had received nine hundred dollars as ' compensa- tion' for freedom. It Inis lately been leas^d for seven years by the owner, for nine hundred dol- lars per year. A gentleman who owns a plantation in Mr. B.'s district, sold parcels of land to the negroes before emancipation at five shillings per acre. He now obtains twenty-seven shillings per acre. The house in which Mr. B. resides was rented in 1833 for one hundred and fifty dollars. Mr. B, engaged it on his arrival for three years, at two hundred and forty dollars per year. His land- lord informed him a few days since, that on the expiration of his present lease, he should raise the rent to three hundred and thirty dollars. Mr. B. is acquainted with a gentleman of wealtli, who has been endeavoring for the last twelve months to purchase an estate in this island. He has offered high prices, but has as yet been un- able to obtain one. Landholders have so much confidence in the value and security of real estate, that they do not wish to part with it< After our visit to Silver Hill, our attention was particularly turned to the conditioa of the negi-o grounds. Most of them were very clean and flourisliing. Large plats of the onion, of cocoa, plantain, banana, yam, potatoc, and other tropic vegetables, were scattered all around within five or six miles of a plantation. We were much pleased with the appearance of tliem during a ride on a Friday. In the forenooD, ihey had all been vacant; not a person was to be seen in them ; but after one o'cloiik, they began gradually lo be occupied, till, at t,he end of an hour, where- ever we went, we saw me», women, and enildien laboring industriously in their little gardens. Ii some places, the hiils to their very summits wciij spotted with cultivation. Till Monday morning 101 JAMAICA. the apprentices were free, and they certainly mani- fested a stron» disposition to spend that time in taking care of themselves. The testimony of the numerous apprentices with whom we conversed, was to the same effect as our observation. They all testified that they were paying as much atten- tion to their grounds as they ever did, but that their provisions had been cut short by the drought. They had their land all prepared for a new crop, and were only waiting for rain to put in the seed. Mr. Bourne corroborated their statement, and re- marked, that he never found the least difficulty in procuring laborers. Could he have the possession of the largest plantation in the island to-day, he had no doubt that, within a week, he could pro- cure free laborers enough to cultivate every acre. On one occasion, while among the mountains, we were impressed on a jury to sit in inquest on the body of a negro woman found dead on the high i-oad. She was, as appeared in evidence, on her return from the house of correction, at Half- Way- Tree, where she had been sentenced for fourteen days, and been put on the treadmill. She had complained to some of her acquaintances of harsh treatment there, and said they had killed her, and that if she ever lived to reach home, she should tell ail her massa's negroes never to cross the threshold of Half-Way-Tree, as it would kill them. The evidence, however, was not clear that she died in consequence of such treatment, and the jury, accordingly, decided that she came to her death by some cause unknown to them. Nine of the jury were overseers, and if they, collected together indiscriminately on this occa- sion, were a specimen of those who have charge of the apprentices in this island, they must be most degraded and brutal men. They appeared more under the influence of low passions, more degraded by sensuality, and but little more intel- ligent, than the negroes themselves. Instead of possessing irresponsible power over their fellows, they ought themselves to be under the power of the most strict and energetic laws. Our visits to the plantations, and inquiries on this point, con- firmed this opinion. They are the ' feculum' of Europeaii society — ignorant, passionate, licen- tious. We do them no injustice when we say this, nor when we further add, that the appren- tices suffer in a hundred ways which the law cannot reach, gross insults and oppression from their excessive rapaciousness and lust. What must it have been during slavery 1 We had some conversation with Clieny Hamil- ton, Esq., one of the special magistrates for Port Royal. He is a colored man, and has held his office about eighteen months. There are three thousand apprentices in his district, which em- braces sugar and coffee estates. The complaints are few and of a very trivial nature They mostly originate with the planters. Most of the cases brought before him are for petty tteft and absence from work. In his district, cultivation was never better. The negroes are willing to w jrk during their own time. His father-in-law is clearing up some mountain land for a coffee plant ition, by the labor of apprentices from neighboring estates. The seasons since emancipation ha-e been bad. The blacks cultivate their own grounds on their half Fridays and Saturdays, unless they can obtain employment from others. Nothing is doing by the planters for the educa- tion of the apprentices. Their only object is to get as much work out of them as possible. The blacks, so far as he has had opportunity to observe, are in every respect as quiet and in- dustrious as they were before freedom. He said if we would compare the character of the com- plaints brought by the overseers and apprentices against each other, we should see for ourselves which party was the most peaceable and law- abiding. To these views we may here add those of another gentleman, with whom we had consider- able conversation about the same time. He is a proprietor and local magistrate, and was repre- sented to us as a kind and humane man. Mr. Bourne stated to us that he had not had six cases of complaint on his plantation for the last twelve months. We give his most important statements in the following brief items: 1. He has had charge of estates in Jamaica since 1804. At one time he had twelve hundred negroes under his control. He now owns a coffee plantation, on which there are one hundred and ten apprentices, and is also attorney for several others, the owners of which reside out of the island. 2. His plantation is well cultivated and clean, and his people are as industrious and civil as they ever were. He employs them during their own time, and always finds them willing to work for him, unless their own grounds require their attend- ance. Cultivation generally, through the island, is as good as it ever was. Many of the planters, at the commencement of the apprenticeship, re- duced the quantity of land cultivated ; he did not do so, but on the contrary is extending his planta- tion. 3. The crops this year are not so good as usual. This is no fault of the apprentices, but is owing to the bad season. 4. The conduct of the apprentices depends very much on the conduct of those who have charge of them. If you find a plantation on which the overseer is kind, and does common justice to the laborer, you will find things going on well — if otherwise, the reverse. Those estates and planta- tions on which the proprietor himself resides, are most peaceable and prosperous. ' 5. Real estate is more valuable than before emancipation. Property is more secure, and capitalists are more ready to invest their funds. 6. The result of 1840 is as yet doubtful. For his part, he has no fears. He doubts not he can cultivate his plantation as easily after that period as before. He is confident he can do it cheaper. He thinks it not only likely, but certain, that many of the plantations on which the people have been ill used, while slaves and apprentices, will be abandoned by the present laborers, and that they will never be worked until overseers are put over them who, instead of doing all they can to harass them, will soothe and conciliate them. The ap- prenticeship has done much harm instead of good in the way of preparing the blacks to work after 1840. A few days after our return from the moun- tains, we rode to Spanishtown, which is about , twelve miles west of Kingston. Spanishtown is the seat of government, containing the various buildings for the residence of the governor, the meeting of the legislature, the session of the courts, and rooms for the several officers of the crown. They are all strong and massive structures, but display little architectural magnificence or beauty. We spent nearly a day with Richard Hill, Esq., the secretary of the special majjistrates' deparf- 1 J A M A I C A . 105 ment of whom we have already spoken. He is a colored gentleman, and in every respect the no- blest man, white or black, whom we met m 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 intimately ac- tem, full of blunders and absurdities, and directly calculated to set master and slave at war. 2. The complaints against the apprentices are 'decreasing every month, except, pcrliaps, com- plaints against molJiers for absence from uwrk, which he thinks are increasing. Tho apprentice- ship law makes no provision for the free children, .u^l^t^ wUh Eng^ and French'au; W-^ ^.A ^ on most of the plantations and estates no al- 2as studied thoroughly the history and character lowancc is given them, but they are thrown en- has stuaieu 11 oriu y ,/.,,„, ,,^, ^^„. tirelv for suDDort on their parents, who arc obliged of the people with whom the tie of color has con nected him. He travelled two years iu Hayti, and his letters, written in a flowing and luxuri- ant stylo, as a son of the tropics should write, giving an account of his observations and inqui- ries in that interesting island, were published ex- tensively in England, and have been copied into the anti-slavery journals in this country. His journal will be given to the public as soon as his official duties will permit him to prepare it. He is at the head of the special magistrates, (of which there are sixty in the island,) and all the corres- pondence between them and the governor is car- ried on through him. The station he holds is a very important one, and the business connected with it is of a character and an extent that, were he not a man of superior abilities, he could not sus- tain. He is highly respected by the government in the island, and at home, and possesses the es- teem of his fellow-citizens of all colors. He asso- ciates with persons of the highest rank, dining and attending parties at the government-house with all the aristocracy of Jamaica. We had the pleas- ure of spending an evening with him at the so- licitor-general's. Though an African sun has burnt a deep tinge on him, he is truly one of na- ture's noblemen. His demeanor is such, so digni- fied, yet bland and amiable, that no one can help respecting him.* He spoke in the warmest terms of Lord Sligo,* the predecessor of Sir Lionel Smith, who was driven from the islttnd by the machinations of the planters and the enemies of the blacks. Lord Slisro was remarkable for his statistical accuracy. Reports were made to him by the special magis- trates every week. No act of injustice or oppres- sion could escape his indefatigable inquiries. He was accessible, and lent an open ear to the low- est person in the island. The planters left no means untried to remove him, and unhappily suc- ceeded. The following items contain the principal in- formation received from Mr. Hill : L The apprenticeship is a most vicious sys- * When Lord SUgo visited the United States in the sum- mer of 1S.36, he spoke with gieat respect of Mr. Hill to Elizur Wright, Esq., Corresponding Secretary of the American Anti-Slavery Society. Mr. Wright has fur- nished us witli the following statement: — "Just before his lordsliip left this city for England, he bore testimony to us substantially as follows : — ' Wlicn I went to Jamaica, Mr. Hill was a special magistrate. In a certain case he refused to comply with my directions, differing from me in his interpretation of the law. 1 informed him that his continued non-compUance must result in hisremoval from olfice. He replied that his mind was made up as to the law, and he would not violate his reason to save his bread. Being satisfied of the correctness of my own interpreta- tion, I w.as obliged, of course, to remove him ; but I was so forcibly struck with his manly independence, that I applied to the government for power to employ him as my secretary, which was granted. And having had him as an inmate of my faint hj (or se\era\ montli.s, I can most ' cordially bear my testimony to his trustworthiness, abil- ity, and gentlemanly deportment.' Lord Sligo also added, that Mr. Hili was treated in his family in all respects as if he had not hern colorefl. and that with no gentleman in the West hidles w\s he, in iiocial life, on terms of more •ntimate friendship. tirely for support on their parents to work tlie most and best part of their time tor their masters unrewarded. The nurseries are broken up, and frequently the mothers are obliged to work in the fields wi'.h their infants at their backs, or else to leave them at some distance un- der the shade of a hedge or tree. Every year is making their condition worse and worse. The number of children is increasing, and yet the mothers are required, after their youngest child has attained the age of a few weeks, to be at work ine same number of hours as the men. Very littk time is given them to take care of their household. When they are tardy they are brought before the magistrate. A woman was brought before Mr. Hill a few days before we were there, charged with not being in the field till one hour after the rest of the ^ang. She had twins, and appeared before him with a child hanging on each arm. What an eloquent defence! He dismissed the complaint,'^''" ' - He mentioned another case, of a woman -verbose master resided in Spanishtown, but who was hired out by him to some person in the country. Her child became sick, but her employer refused any assistance. With it in her arms, she entreat- ed aid of her master. The monster drove her ^ nd her dying little one into the street at night, and she sought shelter with Mr. Hill, where her child expired before morning. For such horrid cruelly as this, the apprenticeship law provides no remedy. The woman had no claim for the support of her child, on the man who was receiving the wages of her daily toil. That child was not worth a farthing to him, because it was no longer his chattel; and while the law gives him power to rob the mother, it has no compulsion to make him support the child. 3. The complaints are generally of the most trivial and frivolous natitre. They are mostly against mothers for neglect of duty, and vague charges of insolence. There is no provision in the law to prevent the master from using abusive language to the apprentice; any insult short of a blow, he is free to commit ; but the slightest word of incivility, a look, smile, or grin, is pun- ished in the apprentice, even though it were pro- voked. 4. There is still much flogging by the overseers. Last week a girl came to Mr. H. terribly scarred and " slashed," and complained that her master had beaten her. It appeared that this was the seventh offence, for neither of which she could ob- tain a hearing from the special magistrate in her district. While Mr. H. was relating to me this fact, a girl came in with a little babe in her arms. He called my attention to a large bruise near her eye. He said her master knocked her down a few days since, and made that wound by kicking her. Frequently when complaints of insolence are made, on investigation, it is found that the of- fence was the result of a quarrel commenced by the master, during which he either cuffed or kick- ed the offender. The special magistrates also frequently resort 106 JAMAICA. to flogging. Many of them, as has been men- tioned ah-eady, have been connected with the army or navy, where corporal punishment is prac- tised, and flogging; is not only in consonance with their f.-t-lings and habits, but is a punishment more briefly inflicted and more grateful to the plaiUirs, as it does j;iot dppi^ive tlaem of the ap- prentice's time. .,^,_ ;V-(fioir; /, -II ..'!-. -Hi-.i;' , 5. Mr. H. says that the apprentices wfio'have *' -f^urchased their freedom behave well. He has not known one of them to be brought before the po- lice. (). Many of tlie special magistrates require much looking after. Their salaries are not suflicient to support them independently. Some of them leave their homes on Monday morniny, and make the wiiole circuit of their district before returning, living and lodging meanwhile, free of expense, with the planters. If they are not inclined to lis- ten to the complaints of the apprentices, they soon find that the apprentices are not inclined to make complaints to them, and that they consequently have much more leisure time, and get through their district much easier. Of the sixty magis- trates in Jamaica, but few can be said to dis- charge their duties faithfully. The governor is often required to interfere. A few weeks since he discharged two magistrates for putting iron col- lars on two women, in direct violation of the law, uiu.l tiien sending him false reports. 7. The negro grounds are often at a great dis- tance fivi^ or six miles, and some of them fifteen miles, from the plantation. Of course much time, which would otherwise be spent in cultivating them, is necessarily consumed in going to them and ret""".ing. Yet for all that, and though in many ( ases the planters have withdrawn the watchmen who used to protect them, and have left them en- tirely exposed to thieves and cattle, they are gen- erally well cultivated — on the whole, better than during slavery. When there is inattention to them, it is caused either by some planters hiring them daring their own time, or because their mas- ter permits his CHttle t) trespass on them, and the people feel an insecurity. When you find a kind planter, in whom the apprentices have confidence, there you will find beautiful gardens. In not a few instances, where the overseer is particularly harsh and cruel, the negroes have thrown up their old grounds, and taken new ones on other planta- tions, where the overseer is better liked, or gone into the depths of the mountain forests, where no human foot has been before them, and there cleared up small plats. This was also done to some ex- tent during slavery. Many of the people, against whom the planters are declaiming as lazy and worthless, have rich grounds of which those planters little dream. 8. There is no feeling of insecurity, either of life or property. One may travel through the whole island without the least fear of violence. If there is any danger, it is from the emigrants, who have been .guilty of several outrages. So far from the planteiig fearing violence from the apprentices, when an assault or theft is committed, they refer jt, almost as a matter of course, to some one else. A few weeks ago one of the island mails was robbed. As soon as it became known, it was at once said, " Some of those villanous emigrants did it," and so indeed it proved. People in the country, in the midst of the moun- tains, where the whites are few and isolated, sleep with their doors and windows open, without a thought of being molested. In the towns there are no watchmen, and but a small police, and yet the streets are quiet and property safe. 9. The apprentices understand the great pro- visions of the new system, such as the number of hours they must work for their master, and that their masters have no right to flog them, &c., but its details are inexplicable mysteries. The mas- teio have done much injury by deceiving them on points of which they were ignorant. 10. The apprentices almost to a man are ready to work for wages during their own time. When the overseer is severe towards them, they prefei working on other plantations, even for less wages, as is very natural. 11. Almost all the evils of the apprenticeship arise from the obstinacy and oppressive conduct of the overseers. They are constantly taking ad- vantage of the defects of the system, which are many, and while they demand to the last grain's weight " the pound of flesh," they are utterly unwilling to yield the requirements which the law makes of them. Where you find an overseer endeavoring in every way to overreach the ap- prentices, taking away the privileges which they enjoyed during slavery, and exacting from them the utmost minute and mite of labor, there you will find abundant complaints both against the master and the apprentice. And the reverse. The cruel overseers are complaining of idleness, in- subordination, and ruin, while the kind master is moving on peaceably and prosperously. 12. The domestic apprentices have either one day, or fifty cents cash, each week, as an allow- ance for food and clothing. This is quite insuflii- cient. Many of the females seem obliged to resort to theft or to prostitution to obtain a support. Two girls were brought before Mr. Hill while we were with him, cha.ged with neglect of duty and night-walking. One of them said her allowance was too small, and she must get food in some other way or starve. 13. The apprentices on many plantations have been deprived of several privileges which they enjoyed under the old system. Nurseries have been abolished, water-carriers have been taken away, keeping stock is restricted, if not entirely forbidden, watchmen are no longer provided to guard the negro grounds, &c. — petty aggiessicns in our eyes, perhaps, but severe to them. Another instance is still more hard. By the custom of slavery, women who had reared up seven children were permitted to " sit down," as it was termed; that is, were not obliged to go into the field to work. Now no such distinction is made, but alii are driven into the field. hf 14. One reason why the crops were smaller in 1835 and 1836 than in former years, was, that the planters in the preceding seasons, either fearful that the negroes would not take oft' the crops after emancipation, and acting on their baseless pre- dictions instead of facts, or determined to make the results of emancipation appear as disastrous as possible, neglected to put in the usual amount of cane, and to clean the coffee fields. As they refused to sow, of course they could not reap. 1.5. The complaints against the apprentices generally are becoming fewer every week, but the complaints against the masters are increasing both in number and severity. One reason of this is, that the apprentices, on the one hand, are be- coming better acquainted with the new system, and therefore better able to avoid a violation of its provisions, and are also learning that they cannot violate these provisions with impunity ; and, on JAMAICA. 107 the other nand, they are gaining courage to com- plain against their masters, to whom they have hitherto been subjected by a fear created by the whips and dungeons, and nameless tortures of slavery. Another reason is, that the masters, as the term of the apprenticeship shortens, and the end of the> authority approaches nearer, are pressing their poor\ictims harder and harder, determined to extort from them all they can, before complete emancipation rescues them tor ever from their grasp. While we were in conversation with Mr. Hill, Mr. Ramsay, one of the special magistrates for this parish, called in. He is a native of Jamaica, and has been educated under all the influences of West India society, but has held fast his integrity, and is considered the firm friend of the apprentices. He confirmed every fact and opinion which Mr. Hill had given. He was even stronger than Mr. H. in his expressions of disappi'obation of the apprenticeship. The day which we spent with Mr. Hill was one of those on which he holds a special justice's court. There were only three cases of complaint brought before him. Tlie first was brought by a woman, attended by her husband, against her servant girl, for " impertinence and insubordination." She took the oath and commenced her testimony with an abundance of vague charges. " She is the most msolent girl I ever saw. She'll do nothing that she is told to do — she never thinks of minding what is said to her — she is sulky and saucy," etc. Mr. H. told her she must be specific — he could not convict the girl on such general charges — some particular acts must be proved. She became specific. Her charges were as fol- lows : 1. On the previous Thursday the defendant was plaiting a shirt. The complainant went up to her and asked her why she did not plait it as she ought, and not hold it in her hand as she did. Defendant replied, that it was easier, and she pre- ferred that way to the other. The complainant I'emonstrated, but, despite all she could say, the obstinate girl persisted, and did it as she chose. The complainant granted that the work was done well, only it was not done in the way she desired. 2. The same day she ordered the defendant to wipe up some tracks in the hall. She did so. While she was doing it, the mistress told her the room was very dusty, and reproved her for it. The girl replied, " Is it morning'?" (It is custo- mary to clean the rooms early in the morning, and the girl made this reply late in the afternoon, when sufficient time had elapsed for the room to become dusty again.) 3. The girl did not wash a cloth clean which the complainant gave her, and the complainant was obliged to wash it herself 4. Several times when the complainant and her daughter have been conversing together, this girl had burst into laughter — whether at them or their conversation, complainant did not know. 5. When the complainant has reproved the de- fendant for not doing her work well, she has re- plied, " Can't you let me alone to my work, and not worry my life out." A black man, a constable on the same property, was brought up to confirm the charges. He knew nothing about the case, only that he often heard the parties quarrelling, and sometimes had told the girl not to say any thing, as she knew what her mistress was. It appeared in the course of the evidence, that the complainant and her husband had both been in the habit of speaking disrespectfully of the special magistrate, stationed in their district, and that many of the contentions arose out of that, as ihe girl sometimes defended him. While the accused was making her defence, which she did in a modest way, her mistress was highly enraged, and interrupted her several times, by calling her a liar and a jade. The magistrate was two or three times obliged to reprove her, and command her to be silent, and, so passionate did she become, that her husband, ashamed of her, put his hand on her shoulder, and entreated her to be calm. Mr. Hill dismissed the complaint by giving some good advice to both parties, much to the an- noyance of the mistress. The second complaint was brought by a man against a servant girl, for disobedience of orders, and insolence. It appears that she was ordered, at ten o'clock at night, to do some work. She was just leaving the house to call on some friends, as she said, and refused. On being told by her mistress that she only wanted to go out for bad purposes, she replied, that " It was no matter — the allowance they gave her was not sufficient to support her, and if they would not give her more, she must get a living any way she could, so she did not steal." She was sentenced to the house of correction for one week. The third case was a complaint against a boy for taking every alternate Friday and Saturday, instead of every Saturday, for allowance. He was ordered to take every Saturday, or to receive in lieu of it half a dollar. Mr. Hill said these were a fair specimen of the character of the complaints that came before him. We were much pleased with the maimer in which he presided in his court, the ease, dignity, and impartiality which he exhibited, and the respect which was shown him by all parties. In company with Mr. Hill, we called on Rev. Mr. Phillips, the Baptist missionary, stationed at Spanishtown. Mr. P. has been in the island thirteen years. He regards the apprenticeship as a great amelioration of the old system of slavery, but as coming far short of the full privileges and rights of freedom, and of what it was expected to be. It is beneficial to the missionaries, as it gives them access to the plantations, while before, in many instances, they were entirely excluded from them, and in all cases were much shackled in their operations. Mr. P. has enlarged his chapel within the last fifteen months, so that it admits several hundreds more than formerly. But it is now too small. The apprentices are much more anxious to receive religious instruction, and much more open to con- viction, than when slaves. He finds a great dif- ference now on different plantations. Where severity is used, as it still is on many estates, and the new system is moulded as nearly as possible: on the old, the minds of the apprentices are ap- parently closed against all impressions, — but where they are treated with kindness, they are warm in their affections, and solicitous to be taught. In connection with his church, Mr. P. has charge of a large school. The number present, when we visited it, was about two hundred. There was, to say the least, as much manifestation of intellect and sprightliness as we ever saw in white )nipi!s of the same age. Most of the childrep- 108 JAMAICA. were slaves previous to 1834, and their parents are still apprentices. Several vvere pointed out to us who were not yet free, and attend only by per- mission, sometimes purchased, of their master. The greater part live from three to five miles distant. Mr. P. says he finds no lack of interest among the apprentices about education. He can find scholars for as many schools as he can estab- lish, if he keeps himself unconnected with the planters. The apprentices are opposed to all schools established by, or in any way allied to, their masters. Mr. P. says the planters are doing nothing to prepare the apprentices for freedom in 1840. They do not regard the apprenticeship as intermediate time for preparation, but as part of the compensa- tion. Every day is counted, not as worth so much for education and moral instruction, but as worth so much for digging cane-holes, and clear- ing coffee fields. Mr. P.'s cliurch escaped destruction during the persecution of the Baptists. The wives and con- nections of many of tlie colored soldiers had taken refuge in it, and had given out word that they would defend it even against their own husbands and brothers, who in turn informed their officers that if ordered to destroy it, they should refuse at all peril. :S' 'Chapter hi. if ."iJfiO KESDLTS OF ABOLITION. The actual working of the apprenticeship in Jamaica, was the specific object of our investiga- tions in that island. That it had not operated so happily as in Barbadoes, and in most of the other colonies, was admitted by all parties. As to the degree of its failure, we were satisfied it was not so great as had been represented. There has been nothing of an insurrectionary character since the abolition of slavery. The affair on Thorn- ton's estate, of which an account is given in the preceding chapter, is the most serious disturbance which has occurred during the apprenticeship. The/e«r of insurrection is as effectually dead in Jamaica, as in Barbadoes — so long as the appren- ticeship lasts. There has been no increase of crime. The character of the negro population has been gradually improving in morals and in- telligence. Marriage has increased, the Sabbath is more generally observed, and religious worship is better attended. Again, the apprentices of Ja- maica have not manifested any peculiar defiance of law. The most illiberal magistrates testified that the people respected the law, when they un- derstood it. As it respects the industry of the apprentices, there are different opinions among the planters themselves. Some admitted that they were as industrious as before, and did as mucli work inpropnrtion to the time they loere em- ploijci!.. Olhers complained that they lacked the power 10 colTipel industry, and that hence there was a falling off of Vv-ork. The prominent evils complained of in Jamaica are, absconding from work, and insolence to masters. From the state- ments in the preceding chapter, it may be inferred that many things are called by these names, and severely punished, which are really innocent or imavoidable ; however, it would not be won- derful if there were numerous instances of both. Insolnnc^. is the legitimate fruit of the appren- ♦iccsliip, wliich holds out to the apprenJici', that iie possesses the rights of a man, and still au- thorizes the master to treat him Jts though he were ■ little better than a dog. The result must often be that the apprentice will repay insult with inso- lence. This will continue to exist until either the former system of absoiute force is restored, or a system of free compensated labor,with its powerful checks and balances on both parties, is substituted. The prevalence and causes of the other offence — absconding from labor — will be noticed hereafter. The atrocities which ai-e practised by the mas- ters and magistrates, are appalling enough. It is probable that the actual condition of the ne- groes in Jamaica, is but little if any better than it was during slavery. The amount of punishment inflicted by the special magistrates, cannot fall much short of that usually perpetrated by the drivers. In addition to this, the apprentices are robbed of the time allowed them by law, at the will of the magistrate, who often deprives them of it on the slightest complaint of the overseer. The situation of the /rec children* is often very deplorable. The master feels none of that inter- est in them which he formerly felt in the children that were his property, and consequently, makes no provision for them. They are thrown entirely upon their parents, who are unable to take proper care of them, from tlie almost constant demands which the master makes upon their time. The condition of pregnant women, and nursing moth- ers, is decidedly vjorse than it was during slavery. The privileges which the planter felt it for hi.s in- terest to grant these formerly, for the sake of their children, are now withheld. The former are ex- posed to the inclemencies of the weather, and the hardships of toil — the latter are cruelly dragged away from their infants, that the master may not lose the smallest portion of time, — and both are liable at any moment to be incarcerated in the dungeon, or strung up on the treadwheel. In consequence of the cruelties which are practised, the apprentices are in a disaffected state through- out the island. In assigning the causes of the ill-working of the apprenticeship in Jamaica, we would say in the commencenrent, that nearly all of them are em- bodied in the intrinsic defects of the system itself. These defects have been exposed in a former chapter, and we need not repeat them here. The reason why the system has not produced as much mischief in all the colonies as it has in Jamaica, is that the local circumstances in the other islands were not so adapted to develop its legitimate results. It is not without the most careful investigation of facts, that we have allowed ourselves to enter- tain the views which we are now about to ex- press, respecting the conduct of the planters and special justices — for it is to them that we must ascribe the evils which exist in Jamaica. We cheerfully accede to them all of palliation Avhich may be found in the provocations incident to the wretched system of apprenticeship. The causes of the difficulties rest chiefly with the planters. They were originally implicated, and by their wily schemes they soon involved the special magistrates. The Jamaica planters, as a body, always violently opposed the abolition of slavery. Unlike the planters in most of the colo- nies, they cherished their hostility after the act of abolition. It would seem that they had agreed with one accord, never to become reconciled to the measures of the English government, and had ' All children under s/x J/ears of age at the tuiie o) abo- lition, were iiade entirely free. JAMAICA. 109 of sworn eternal hostility to every scheme of eman- cipation. Whether this resulted most from love for slavery or hatred of English intcrfercnoa, it. is difficult to determine. If we were to believe the planters themselves, who are of the opposition, we should conclude that they were far from being in favor of slavery— that they were " as much opposed to slavery, as any one can be."* Not- withstanding this avowal, the tenacity with which the planters cliii^ to the remnant of their pow er, shows an affection for it, of the stren which they are not probably themselves aware. When public men have endeavored to be faith- ful and upright, they have uniformly been abused, and even persecuted, by the planters. The fol- lov.'in^ facts will show that the latter have not scrupled to resort to the most dishonest and unman- ly intrigues to effect the removal or to circumvent the influence of such men. Neglect, ridicule, vulgar abuse, slander, threats, intimidation, misrepresent- ation, and legal prosecutions, have been the mild- est weapons employed against those who in the discharge of their sworn duties dared to befriend the oppressed. The shameful treatment of the late governor, Lord Sligo, illusti-ates this. His Lordship was appointed to the government about the period of abolition. Being himself a proprietor of estates in the island, and formerly chairman of the West India Body, he was received at first with the greatest cordiality; but it was soon perceived that he was disposed to secure justice to the ap- prentices. From the accounts we received, we have been led to entertain an exalted opinion of his integrity and friendship for the poor. It was his custom (unprecedeiUed in the West Indies,) to give a patient hearing to the poorest negro who might carry his grievances to the government- house. After hearing the complaint, he would despatch an order to the special magistrate of the district in which the complainant lived, directing him to inquire into the case. By this means he kept the magistrates employed, and secured re- dress to the' apprentices in many cases where they would otherwise have been neglected. The governor soon rendered himself exceeding- ly obnoxious to the planters, and they began to manoeuvre for his removal, which, in a short time, was effected by a most flagitious procedure. The home government, disposed to humor their unruly colony, sent them a governor in whom they are not likely to tind any fault. The present govern- or, Sir Lionel Smith, is the antipode of his prede- cessor in every worthy respect. When the ap- prentices come to him with their complaints, he sends them back unheard, with curses on their heads. A distinguished gentleman in the colony remarked of bim "that he icas a heartless militariu^ chieftain, who ruled wilhout regard to mercy. Or * It seems to be the order of the day, with the opposi- tion partv in .Jamaica, to disclaim all friendship with sla- vevv. Wo noticed several instances of tliis in the island pnpers, which have been most hostile to abolition. We quote the loUowintr sample from the Royal Gazette, (Kingston) for May 6, 1S37. The editor, in an article re- specting Cuba, says : "In writing this, one chief object is to arouse the attention of our own fellow-subjects, in this colony, to the situation— the danfccrous situation— in which they stand, and to implore them to lend all their et.ersies to avert tlie ruin that is likely to visit them, should America get the domination of Cuba. "The neiroes of this and of all the British W. I. colo- nies have been ' emancipated.' Cuba on the other hand is still a slavf country, (l.ct not our readm:" imagine for one moment that we advocate the continuancs qf sla- very,") &t. .9311 ViajiiHS soaii: course the planters are full of his praise. His late lonr of the island was a triumphal procession, amid liie sycop!i^.ntic greetings of opi re.-,60rs. Several special magistraics have Ijeen sttspend- ed because of the faitiiful discharge of their duties. Among these was Dr. Palmer, an independent and courageous man. Repeated complaints were urged against him by the planters, until finally Sir Lionel Smith appointed a commission to in- quire into the grounds of the difficulty. '• This commission consisted of two local magis- trates, both of them planters or managers of es- tates, and two stipendiary magistrates, the bias of one of w*liom, at least, was believed to be against Dr. Palmer. At the conclusion of their inquiry they summed up their report by saying that Dr. Palmer had administered the abolition law in the spirit of the English abolition act, and in his administration of the law he had adapted it more to the comprehension of freemen than to the understandings of apprenticed laborers. Not only did Sir Lionel Smith suspend Dr. Palmer on this report, but the colonial office at home have dismissed him from his situation." The following facts respecting the persecution of Special Justice Bourne, illustrate the same thing. ■-, ,. " A book-keeper of the name of Maijleanj on the estate of the Rev. M. Hamilton, an Irish cler- gyman, committed .a brutal assault upon an old African. The attorney on the property refused to hear the complaint of the negro, who went to Stephen Bourne, a special magistrate. When Maclean was brought before him, he did not deny the fact; but said as the old man was not a Christian, his oath could not be taken ! The magistrate not being able to ascertain the amount of injury inflicted upon the negro (whose head was dreadfully cut,) but feeling that it was a case which required a greater penalty than three pounds sterling, the amount of punishment to which he waslimited by the local acts, detained Maclean, and afterwards committed him to jail, and wrote the next day to the chief justice upon the subject. He was discharged as soon as a doctor's certificate was procured of the state of the wounded man, and bail was given for his appear- ance at the assizes. Maclean's trial came on at the assizes, and he was found guilty by a Jamaica Jury ; he was severely reprimanded for his inhu- man conduct, and fined thirty pounds. The poor apprentice however got no remuneration for the severe injury inflicted upon him, and the special justice was prosecuted for false iiuprisonment, dragged from court to court, represented as an oppressor and a tyrant, subjected to four hundred pounds expenses in defending himself, and actu- ally had judgment given against him for on& hundred and fifty pounds damages. " Thus hove the planters succeeded in pulling down every magistrate who ventures to do more than fine them three pounds sterling for any act of cruelty of which they may be guilty. On the other hand, there were two magistrates who were lately dismissed, through, I believe, the represen- tation of Lord Sligo, fo^- flagrant violations of the law in inflicting punishment; and in order to evince their sympathy for those men, the planters save them a farewell dinner, and had actually set on foot a subscription, as a tribute of gratitude for their " Impartial" conduct in administering the laws, as special justices. Thus were two men, notoriously guilty of violations of law and hu- manity, publicly encouraged and protected, while 110 RESULTS OP ABOLITION. Stephen Bourne, who according to the testimony of the present and late attorney-general had acted not only justly but legally, was suffering every species of persecution and iVidignity for so doing." Probably nothing could demonstrate the mean- ness of the artifices to which the planters resort to get rid of troublesome magistrates better than the following fact. When the present governor, in making his tour of the island, came into St. Thomas in the East, some of the planters of Manchioneal district hired a negro constable on one of the estates to go to the governor and com- plain to him that Mr. Chamberlain encouraged the apprentices to be disorderly and idle. The negro went accordingly, but like another Balaam, he prophesied against his emplmjers. He stated to the governor that the apprentices on the estate where he lived were lazy and wouldn't do right, but he declared that it ivas not Mr. C.'s fault, for that he was not alloioed to come on the estate ! Having given such an unfavorable description of the mass of planters, it is but just to add that there are a few honorable exceptions. There are some attorneys and overseers, who if they dared to face the allied powers of oppression, would act a noble part. But they are trammelled by an overpowering public sentiment, and are induced to fall in very much with the prevailing practices. One of this class, an attorney of considerable in- fluence, di^clined giving us his views in writing, stating that his situation and the state of public sentiment must be his apology. An overseer who was disposed to manifest the most liberal bearing towards his appi-entices, and who had directions from the absentee proprietor to that effect, was yet effectually prevented by his attorney, who having several other estates under his charge, was fearful of losing them, if he did not maintain the same severe discipline on all. The special magistrates are also deeply impli- cated in causing the difficulties existing under the apprenticeship. They are incessantly exposed to multiplied and powerful temptations. The per- secution which they are sure to incur by a faith- ful discharge of their duties, has already been no- ticed. It would require men of unusual sternness of principle to face so fierce an array. Instead of being independent of the planters, their situation is in every respect totally the reverse. Instead of having a central office or station-house to hold their courts at, as is the case in Barbadoes, they are required to visit each estate in their districts. They have a circuit from forty to sixty miles to compass every fortnight, or in some cases three times every month. On these tours they are ab- solutely dependent upon the hospitality of the planters. None but men of the " sterner stuff" could escape, (to use the negro's phrase) being poisoned by niassah turtle soup. The character of the men who are acting as magistrates is thus described by a colonial magistrate of high stand- ing and experience. " The special magistracy department is filled with the most worthless men, both domestic and jmported. It was a necessary qualification of die former to possess no property ; hence the most •worthless vagabonds on the island were appoint- ed. The latter Vv'ere worn out officers and dissi- pated rakes, whom the English government sent ,off here in order to get rid of them." As a speci- men of the latter kind, this gentleman mentioned one (special Justice Light) who died lately from •excessive dissipation. He was constantly drunk, and :the only way in which he could be got to do any business was to take him on to an estate ii the evening so that he might »leep off his intoxi cation, and then the business was brought befor him early the next morning, before he had tiim to get to his cups. It is well known that many of tlie special ma gistrates are totally unprincipled men, monsten of cruelty, lust, and despotism. As a result o natural character m many cases, and of depend- ence upon planters in many more, the great mass of the special justices are a disgrace to their office and to the government which commissioned them Out of sixty, the number of special justices in Ja- maica, there are not more than fifteen, or twenty at farthest, who are not the merest tools of the at torneys and overseers. Their servility was graph ically hit off by the apprentice. " If busha say flog em, he flog em ; if busha say send them to the treadmill, he send em." If an apprentice laughs or sings, and the busha represents it to the magistrate as insolence, he feels it his duty ta make an example of the offender! The following fact will illustrate the mjustice of the magistrates. It was stated in writing by a missionary. We conceal all names, in compli- ance with the request of the writer. " An appren- tice belonging to in the was sent to the treadmill by special justice G. He was or- dered to go out and couni the sheep, as he was able to count higher than some of the field people, although a house servant from his youth — I may say childhood. Instead of bringing in the tally cut upon a piece of board, as usual, he wrote the number eighty upon a piece of paper. When the overseer saw it, he would scarcely believe that any of his people could write, and ordered a piece of coal to be brought and made him write it over again; the next day he turned him into the field, but unable to perform the task, (to hoe and weed one hundred coffee roots daily) with those who had been accustomed to field work all their lives, he was tried for neglect of duty, and sentenced to fourteen days on the treadmill !" We quote the following heart-rending account from the Telegraph,(Spanishtown,) April 28, 1837. It is from a Baptist missionary. " I see something is doing in England to shorten the apprenticeship system. I pray God it may soon follow its predecessor — slavery, for it is in- deed slavery under a less disgusting name. Bu- siness i itely (December 23) called me to Rodney Hall ; and while I was there, a poor old negro was brought in for punishment. I heard the fear- ful vociferation, 'twenty stripes.' 'Very well; here , put this man down.' I felt as I cannot describe ; yet I thought, as the supervisor was disposed to be civil, my presence might tend jto make the punishment less severe than it usu- ally is — but I was disappointed. I inquired into the crime for which such an old man could be so severely punished, and heard various accounts. I wrote to the magistrate who sentenced him to receive it ; and after many days I got the follow ing reply. " ' Logan Castle, Jan. 9, 1836. " ' Sir — In answer to your note of the 4th in- stant, I beg leave to state, that , an ap prentice belonging to , was brought be- fore me by Mr. , his late overseer, charged upon oath with continual neglect of duty and dis- obedience of orders as eattle-man, and also for stealing milk — was coi-victed, and sentenced t*^ receive twenty stripes. So far from the punish- JAMAICA. Ill mom of the ofTender being severe, he was not or- dered one half the number of stripes provided for Kuch cases by the abolition act — if he received moie than that number, or if those were inflicted with undue severity, I shall feel happy in making every inquiry amongst the authorities at Rodney Hall institution. " ' I remain, sir, yours, truly, " T. W. Jones, S. M. '" Rev. J. Clarke, &c., &c."' From Mr. Clarke's reply, we make the follow- ing extract : " Jericho, January 19, 183G. " Sir — I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 9th instant. " Respecting the punishment of , I still adhere to the opinion I before expressed, that, for an old man of about sixty years of age, the punishment was severe. To see a venerable old man tied as if to be broken on the wheel, and cut to the bone by the lash of an athletic driver — writhing and yelling under the most exquisite torture, were certainly circumstances sufficiently strong to touch the heart of anv one possessed of the smallest degree of common humanity. The usual preparations being made, the old man quiet- ly stripped off his upper garments, and lay down upon the board — he was then tied by his legs, middle, above the elbows, and at each wrist. Mr. then called out to the driver, ' I hope you will do your duty — he is not sent here for noth- ing.' At the first lash the skin started up; and at the third, the blood began to flow; ere the dri- ver had given ten, the cat was covered with gore; and he stopped to change it tor a dry one, which ap- peared to nie somewhat longer than the first. When the poor tortured creature had received sixteen, his violent struggles enabled him to get one of his hands loose, which he put instantly to his back — the driver stopped to retie him, and then proceed- ed to give the remaining four. The struggles of the poor old man from the first lash bespoke the most extreme torture; and his cries were to me most distressing. 'Oh! oh! mercy! mercy! mercy ! oh ! massa ! massa ! dat enough — crough ! oh, enough ! O, massa, have pity ! O, massa ! massa! dat enough — enough! Oh, never do de like again — only pity me — forgive me disonce! oh ! pity ! mercy ! mercy ! oh ! oh !' were the cries lie perpetually uttered. I shall remember them while I live; and would not for ten thousand worlds have been the cause of producing them. It was some minutes after he was loosed ere he could rise to his feet, and as he attempted to rise, he continued calling out, ' My back! oh! my back! my back is broken.' A long time he re- mained half-doubled, the blood flowing round his body ; ' I serve my master,' said the aged sufferer, ' at all times; get no Saturday, no Sunday; yet this isde way dem use me.' " With such planters, and such magistrates to play into their hands, is it to be wondered at that the apprentices do badly 1 Enough has been said, we think, to satisfy any candid person as to the causes of the evils in Jamaica. If any thing further were needed, we might speak of the pe- culiar facilities which these "men have for perpe- trating acts of cruelty and injustice. The major part of the island is exceedingly mountainous, and a lare;e portion of the sugar estates, and most of the coflee plantations, are among the mountains. These estates are scattered over a wide extent of country, and separated by dense forests and moun- tains, which conceal each plantation from the pub- lic view almost as etfcctually as though it were the only property on the island. The only mode of access to many of the estates in the mountain- ous districts, is by mule paths winding about, amid fastnesses, precipices, and frightful solitudes. In those lone retirements, on the mountain to]), or in the deep glen by the side of the rocky rivers, the traveller occasionally meets with an estate. Strangers but rarely intrude upon those little do- mains. They are left to the solitary sway of the overseers dwelling amid their " gangs," and un- disturbed, save by the weekly visitations of the special magistrates. While the traveller is struck with the facilities for the perpetration of tiiose J enormities which must have existed there during slavery ; he is painfully impressed also with tlie numerous opportunities which are sliU aftovded lor oppressing the apprentices, particularly where the special magistrates are not honest men.* In view of the local situation of Jamaica — the violent character of its planters — and the inevit- able dependency of the magistrates, it is very manifest that immcdiale emancipaLioii was imper- ' atively demanderi there. In no other colony did the negroes require to be more entirely released from, the tyranimi of the overseers, or more tho- roughly shielded by the power of equal law. Thi« is a principle which must hold good always — that where slavery has been most rigorous and abso- lute, there emancipation needs to be most unqual- ified ; and where the sway of the master has been 7nost despotic, cvdcl, and long continued, there the protection of law should be most speedily ex- tended and most impartially applied."^ ' From the nature of the ca^, it must be impossible to know how much actual flogc;m2 is perpetrated by the overseers. We iriiarht safely conjecture that there must be a vast deal of it that never coinesto the light. Such is the decided belief of many of the first men in the island. The planters, say they, floa; their apprentices, and then, to prevent their complaining to the magistrate, threaten them witli severe punishment, or bribe them to silence by giv- iniz them a few shillings. Tlieattoniey-iifueial mentioned an in.stnnce of the latter jiolicy. A planter got angry with one of bis head men, who was a constable, ?.\m\ kriocUod him down. The man started oif to complain to the ■;ppcial magistrate. The master called liim back, and told him he need not go to the magistrate— that he was constable, and had a right to tine him himself " Well, massa." Si.id the negro, "I fine yon five shillings on despot." The master was glad to get oflF with that— the magistrate would probably have fined hiia £b currency. \ Since the above was written we have seen a copy ol a message sent by Sir Lionel Suiith, to the house of assei \- bly of Jamaica, on the 3d November, 1837, in which a statement of the deprivations of the apprentices, is offi- ciallv laid before the house. We make the following ex- tract from it, which contains, to use his E.xccllency's lan- guage, "the principal causes, as has been found by the records of the special magistrates, of complaints among the apprentices; and of consequent colUsions between the planters and magistrates." " Prudent and humane planters have already adopted what is rccoaunended, and their properties present the good working of this system in peace and industry, with- out their resorting to the authority of the special magis- trates , but there are other properties where neither the law of the apprenticeship nor the usages of slavery have been found sufficient tognard the rights of the appt entices. "First, tlje magistrates' reports show that on some estates the apprentices have been deprived of cooks and water-carriers while at work in the field — thus, the time allowed lor breakfast, instead of being a period of rest, is one of continual labor, as they have to seek lor fuel and to cook. The depriving them of water-carriers is still more injurious, as the \vorkmen are not allowed to quit their rows to obtain it. Both these privations are detri- mental to the planter's work. Second, a law seems want- ing to supply the estates' hospitals with sufficient attend- ants on tlie sick apprentices, as well as for the supply of proper food, as they cannot depend on their own grounds, whilst unable to leave the hospitals. The first clause of tne abolition law nas not beea (pund strong enough to }12 JAM AlC A. We heard frequent complaints in Jamaica re- maica, of the working of the apprenticeship. The spectins the falling off of the crops since abolition, overseer of Belvidere estate declared that he knew 111 order that the reader may know the extent of of many cases in which part of the land usually the failure in the aggregate island crops, we have planted in canes was thrown up, owing to the inserted in the appendix a table showing the " ex- general expectation that much less -work would be por s for fifty-three years, ending 31st December, done after abolition. He also mentioned one at- r. ' °°"'^«"^£.'i ''■«'", the journals of the House." torney who ordered all the estoies under his charse Jiy the disaffected planters, the diminished crops to be thrown out of cultivatiun ni 1834, so con- were hailed as 'an evident token of perdition." fident was he that the negroes would not work. 1 liey had foretold that abolition would be the rum The name of this attorney was White Mr of cultivation, they had maintained that sugar, Gordon, of WiUiamsfield, stated, that the quanti- cottee, rum, &c., could not be produced extensive- ty of land planted in cane, in 1834, was consider- ly without the ^chlp of slavery, and, now they ably less than the usual amount : on some estates exulting y point to the short crops and say, " See it was less by twenty, and on others by forty acres, the results of abohtion !" We say exultingly. Now if such were the fact in the Parish of St, lor a portion of -the planters do really seem to re- Thomas in the East, where greater confidence joice in imy indication of rum. Having staked was felt probably than in any other parish we their reputation as prophets against their credit as have a clue by which we may conjecture (iif in- coionists and their interests as men, they seem deed we were left to conjecture) to what extent happy in the establishment of the former, even the cultivation was diminished in the island gen- though It be by the sacrifice of the latter. Said erally. This of itself would satisfactorily ac- an intelligent gentleman in St. Thomas in the count for the falling off in the crops— which at East, " The planters have set their hearts upon most is not above one third. Nor would this ex- ruin and they will be sorely disappointed if it plain the decrease in '34 only, for it is well known should not come." among sugar planters that a neglect of planting, Hearing so much said concerning the diminu- either total or partial, for one year, will affect tho tion of the crops, we spared no pains to ascertain crops for two or three successive years. the true causes. We satisfied ourselves that the The other cause of short crops has been the 1 305; ?06 ?07 509 510 ?lll ^121 13 1 ill )lo 51-. !i7 !19 eo !2i: ;22 ,23 ■24 !2o ',26 27 -23 331 bo o X n fi9,451 9,936 270 72,996; ll,453i 849 09,079; 9,250; 278 75,291 9,090j 425 83,036 84,167 8i.741 85,447 77,575 89,532! 88,851 ; 89,219 78,373; 87,^9?; 101.457( 96,317; 123.251 129,544; 107,3371 1' 13.352: 137,9061 133.996' 12^175; 121,441 104,457; 10=1,703 127,751 1 10.5,2=3! 97,-54^ i 101,^46 118.767 93.831 116,012 1)3,818 10=1,305 11.5,0;5 111.512 88,.551 94,905 99,225 73.^13 99.978 82.09;j 91.912 91, 304 93.832 8=.409 91,153 78,375 77,801 71,017 61,6441 9,256' 1,063 10,078; 1,077 9,2=4: 1,599 8,037j 1,718 6,722' 642 11,158; 1,224 9,537; 1,225 10.700; 858 9,963 1 753 11,725 1.163 13,538 1,321 13,549 1,631 18,701; 2,692 15,403 2,403 11,825 1,797 12,302 2.207 17,977; 3;639 18,237! 3;.579 17,-344' 3,716 1.5,836: 2,625 14,59j 3,.534 4.5,';0 3.710 15,235 3;046 11.3.57: 2,558 10,029; 2,304 10.485, 2,.575 12,224 2,sl7 9,332 2,236 11,094 2. =6= 11,3=8 2,786 11,450 3,'2}4 11,322| 2,474 11, '03 1,972 8,705: 1,292 9,179 1,947 9.651 ; 2.791 7,3=0 2,'^58l 9,.514 3,126; 7.435; 2.770, 9.42-' 3.024! 9.193i 3,20411 8,739! 3.645 ; 9,053 3.492!; 9.937 4.600 9.325! 4^074' 9, -=60 3.0.55' 8,840: 8,455'; 7.707; 2,497:1 RUM. 3 0. 34,'/;k> 39,'=43 .37,6^ 40,810 2=.014 40,823 37,022 37,166 48,879 45,632 43.29= 42,207 53,211 .5,8,191 51.812 52,409 43,492 42.3.53 54.093 43..346 44.618 43.436 52,99; .35.736 47.949 50:i95 43,946 45,361 46,802 28,728 35,242 37,121 27,630 35,610 31,^0 36,58.- 36,2=5 33,355 34.743; 32.060: .3.3,215, 30,495 26,433i 19.933; O 879 1,570 1,475 1,364 1,463 2,234 1,981 1,350 1,514 2.073 1,416 913 1,3-28 1,178 1,998 2,196 2,717 1,964 2,011 1,.531 1,345 1,.551 1,465 769 1.094 1,10s 1,695 1.7 1,793 1.124 1.935 3.261 2,077 3,093 2,672 2.79? 2,1 IK*' 2,6."i7 2, =46 2.570 3,034 2,583 1,S20 874 473 133 3,32 202 574 281 203 121 602 106 153 9 20 5 101 1,852 1,.573 1.013 563 1,367 982 1,362 977 1.233 ■747 646 MO. LAS SES. 205 167 874 1,146 1,.393 903 916 191 1,558 460 534 442 IH 64 215 366 461 429 471 499 699 379 230 293 446 151 20=i 145 242 166 2.54 407 253 252 167 144 614 910 894; 549, 204 189,' 66; 154' 230 799* 755 486 300 182 GINOER. 62 121 426 ';^o 259 119 221 444 12 23 51 1,094 315 485 512 436 2,-321 520 1,110 804 816 834 1,493 2,-354 3,361 2,526 1,714 1,1-59 981 891 1,041 2,230 3,947 5,724 4,871 5,-382 4,101 -3,494 3.224 4,702 4,818 5,925 3,985 5,224 8,605 10,305 14,861 20.275 29,098 18,454 10,358 3,586 239 2,079 3,287 1,854 2,123 1,818 1,411 1,470 572 1,881 2,072 1,235 1,428 1,668 1,667 1,118 1,196 1,067 718 31b 271 72 60 52 348 517 240 279 168 1 22 38 23 116 486 69 PIMBNTO. as o 420 554 95 136 328 1.181 1,766 610 648 591 867 1,417 288 1.094 525 225 24,022 4,276 6.38 598 1,124 394 844 851 946 941 882 673 1,224 699 1,894 599 537 522 3,236 4,003 3,7.33 5.609 2,84-1 3,736 7,741 496 1,115 227 n 9,108 22,153 20,451 9,s20 2,9:!5 8,961 28.273 12,7.59 14,034 7,793 14,,875 19,572 7,157 19,.534 19,224 6,529 1,177 21,163 22,074 7,778 14,361 10,711 27,3=6 23.0-17 15,^=17 21.071 24,500 12,.'=80 24.82:^ 18;672 21,4^!1 33,;^0B 20.979 16,4.33 26,691 25,352 48,933 37.925 22,170 27,936; 58,581 29,301 59,033| 46,779, COFFEB. •a a 3 o PL, 841,558 779,.303 739,039 493,981 1,035,368 1,493,2.32 1,7,33,740 2,299,874 RBMARKS. of Bourbon cane ced. Mb • "lo introdu- August — destruction Saint Domingo. 3,983,576 4,911,549 6,318,812 7,203,539 7,869,1-33 ' 894,306 11,745,425 11,116,474 13,401,468 17,961,923 15,866,291 22,063,P,'=0 24,137,393 29,298,0.36 26,761.1,38 29,528,273 25,5-=6,668 25,,=l^5,2.'=5 17,460,068 18.481.9^6 24,623,572 34,045,585 27,362,742 17,a39,.393 14,793,706 25,329,456 14.091,9,83 22,127,444 16,819,761 19,773,912 20,326,445 27,677,2.39 21,254,6.56 20,352,,386 Severe drought in 18^, 25,741,5;0 the previous year. 22,216,780 22,2-34.640 22.256,950 14,055,350 19,815,010! 9,866,060, Emancipation act passed 17,725,73l!Seasons favorable. 10,593,018 do. 13,446,0531 do. Largest sugar crop. March 25th, abolition of African slave trade. Storm in October, 1812. Largest coffee crop. Storm in October, 181S. Extreme drought. Mr. Canning's resolu- tions relative to slavery. The following are the remarks of the editor of ie Jamaica Watchman, on the foregoing, in his iperofAprilS, 1837:— A sjpneral return of exports from the island ,x fifty-thrp-e years, ending the 31st December [St, and purporting to be extracted from the jour- ^Is of the assembly, has been published, and as gpal, the decrease in the crops of the respective _^ars has been attributed to the resolutions passed . ;tlie British House of Commons in 1323, and ibohtion of slavery in 1833. It is remarkable ,ij I" preparnig this table, a manifest disposition rf( ^ ^vinced to account for the falling off of the ^•ps in certain years anterior, and subsequent to .€ passing of Mr. Canning's memorable resolu- tions, whilst opposite to the years 1834 and 1835, IS written " seasons favorable." In 1813, the sugar crop fell off 8,000 hhds. compared with the previous year, and we are told in reference to this circumstance, that there was a storm in Oc- tober, 1812. This remark is evidently made to account for the decrease, and perhaps the storm at the close of the previous year was the cause of it. But it is astonishing-, and the circumstance is worthy of notice, that whilst the sugar crop fell off nearly 8,000 hhds. the coffee crop increased nearly six millions of pounds. We should have supposed that the coffee trees would have suffered more from the effects of a storm, than the canes. However, the effect wa? as we have staud it, 120 APPENDIX. whatever might have been the cause. In 1814, the largest coffee crop was made. Again, in 1816, there was a decrease in the sugar crop compared with the year immediately preceding it of nearly 'ibftOO hhds. And here we have the storm of October, 1815, assigned as a reason. The coffee crop in this instance also fell off nearly ten mil- lions of pounds. In 1822, the sugar crop was reduced 2:^,000 hhds., and the coffee crop increased three millions of pounds. The reason now as- signed is an " extreme drought." The celebrated resolutions relative to slavery now appear to begin to exercise their baneful influence on the seasons and the soil of our island. In the year in which they were passed, 1823, 94,900 hogsheads of su- gar were made, and twenty millions of pounds of coffee gathered. 1824 came, and the crop, instead of being reduced, was increased from nearly 95,000 hogsheads to upwards of 99,000 hogsheads. The coffee crop was also p'realer by seven millions of pounds. In 1825, they fell off to 73,800 hogs- heads and twenty-one millions. In 1826, the su- gar crop rather exceeded that of 1824, but the coffee crop was seven millions less. In 1827, from causes not known to us, for none were as- "Signed, there was a difference of 16,000 hhds. of "Sugar, and an increase of five millions of pounds ""i^ coffee. 1828, 29, and 30, were pretty nearly alike in sna:ar and coffee crops, and about equal to 1823. The crops of 1831 fell off from 93 to 88,000 hogsheads of sugar, and from 22 to 14 mil- lions of pounds of coffee. No reason is assigned for this reduction. It was during the continuance of tlie driving system, and therefore noblamecan attach to the managers. In 1832, the crop rose to 91,000 hogsheads of sugar, and nearly twenty millions of pounds of coffee. But 1833 comes, and, with it, fresh troubles for the planters. In that ill-fated year, there was a decrease of 13,000 hogsheads sugar, and of ten millions of pounds of coffee. Its sugar crop was tlie smallest made, with the exception of that of 1825, since 1793, and its coffee crop since that of 1798. But if this de- termination be alarming, what must be that of the succeeding years. Can we be blamed, if, in a strain truly lachrymal, we allude to the deductions which have annually been made from the misera- ble return v/hich 1833 gave to the unfoi-tunate proprietors of estates ?• What boots it to tell us that we have fingered thousands of pounds ster- ling, in the shape of compensation; and what consolation is it to know, that a hogshead of su- "• gar will now bring thirty pounds, which, a short *time ago, was only worth twelve. Let any unpreju- diced individual look at the return now before us, and say whether our prospects are not deplorably dull and obscure. If we take the four years im- mediately preceding the passing of Mr. Canning's resolutions, say 1819, 20, 21, and 22, we will find the average to be 105,858 hogsheads, and if from this we even deduct one fourth for the time now lost, there will be an average crop of 79,394 hhds., being 7,185 hogsheads more than the average of 1833, 34, 35, and 36 ; and no one will deny that this falling off of one tenth, (supposing that the hogsheads made during the last four years are not larger than those of 1819 to 1822) is nearly, if not qui Le equal to the increase of price, from twelve to thirty pounds, or one hundred and fifty per cent. It is true some persons may be disposed to take the four yeai-s subsequent to the passing of Mr. Canning's resolutions, say 1823, 4, 5, and 6, and eompavo them with the four years ending 31st December last. Should this be done, it will found that the average crop of the previous f( years is 91,980 hhds., and if from it is deduc one fourth, there will remain 68,985 hhds., wh the average of the other four years is 72,200 hh Such a mode of comparison must, however, obviously incorrect; because, in the first pla Mr. Canning's resolutions had reduced the crc of those years considerably below the average the years immediately preceding them, and ne because it would show the advantage to be the side of freedom in the ratio of seventy-two sixty-nine, which cannot be correct. Besides, 1824, there was a severe drought, whereas 1834 and 35, the seasons are reported as bei favorable. Again, it is necessary, in instituti: such an inquiry, to go back more than fourtt; years ; nor is it a valid objection to this to se that even during that period a number of estai have been thrown out of cultivation, in conn quence of being worn out and unprofitah " Deplorable," however, as is the " falling off' the yearly amounts of our staple productioi which have decreased," gentle reader, accordil to the despatch, " in an accelerated ratio witll the last few years, till in the year 1836, wll they do not average one half the returns of form years preceding that of 1823, the year that I'. Canning's resolutions for the ultimate abolitt of slavery in the British colonies passed House of Commons," still it is a matter of sincii gratification to know, that the sugar planters ; better off now than they have been for the I fourteen or fifteen years. With the compensati money a great many of them have been enab! to pay off their English debts, and the remain'i very considerably to reduce them, whilst the red lion in the quantity of sugar produced, has oc sioned .such a rise in the price of that article as a^ place the former in easy circumstances, and ena the latter entirely to free themselves from the trs mels of English mortgagees, and the tender rri cies of English mortgagees before the 1st Augv 1840, arrives. And ought these parties not tO' thankful ? Unquestionably they ought. Ingr itude, we arc told, is as the sin of withcraft, . although the table of exports exhibits our 1 island as hastening to a state of ruin, and despatch tells us that " by the united influencf mock philanthropy, religious cant, and humbu a reformed parliament was forced " to precipili the slavery spoliation act under the specious j: text of promoting the industry and impro" the condition of the manumitted slaves," stil , maintain, and the reasonable will agree with I that we are much better off now than we h. ' been for a long time, and that Jamaica's brighi and happiest days have not yet dawned, the croakers remember the remarkable words the Tory Lord, Belmore, the planter's friend, f be silent — " The resources of this fine island v never be fully developed until slavery ccns' The happiness and prosperity of the inhabitf of Jamaica are not contingent, nor need they upon the number of hogsheads of sugar annut' exported from her shores. To the foregoing we add the remarks of' editor of the " Spanishtown Telegraph," on present state of the colonj', made in his pape May 9, 1837 ;— " When it was understood that the islan( Jamaica and the other British West Indian c*. APPENDIX m Jies were to undergo the blessed transition from lavny to freedom, it was the hourly cry of the iro-slavery party and press, that tlie ruin of Ja- Biaica would, as a natural consequence, follow liberty ! Commerce, said they, will cease ; hordes of barbarians will come upon us and drive us from cm- own properties : agriculture will be comi.letely paralyzf'd, and Jamaica, in the space of a flnv tliovt months, will be seen buried in ashes— n-re- t: u vably ruined. Such were the awful predic- ti.Mis of an unjust, illiberal faction!! Such the <^rsi fruits that wore to follow the incomparable hlrssings of liberty ! The staple productions of the island, it was vainly surmised, could never be cuUivated without the name of slavery ; rebellions, massacres, starvation, rapine and blood-shed, danced through the columns of the liberty-hating papers, in mazes of metaphorical confusion. In short, the name of freedom was, according to their assertions, directly calculated to overthrow our beautiful island, and involve it in one mass of ruin, unequalled in the annals of history ! ! But Avhal has been the result 1 AH their fearful fore- }Dodings and horrible predictions have been en- tirely disproved, and instead of liberty proving a curse, she has, on the contrary, unfolded her ban- ners, 'and, ere long, is likely to reign triumphant in our land. Banks, steam companies, railroads, ckarilil schools, etc., seem all to have remained ^dormant until the time arrived when Jamaica was [to be enveloped in smoke ! No man thought of haz- arding his capital in an extensive banking estab- lishinent untW Jamaica's ruin, by the introduction of freedom, had been accomplished ! ! No person was found possessed of sufficient energy to speak of navigation companies in Jamaica's brightest days oAlavery ; but now that ruin stares every one in the face— now that we have no longer the power to treat our peasantry as we please, they have taken it into their heads to establish so ex- cellent an undertaking. Railroads were not dreamt of until darling slavery had {in a great measure) departed, and now, when we thought of throwing up our estates, and flying from the dangers of . emancipation,, the best projects are being set on foot, and what is worst, ar& likely to succeed! This is the way that our Jamaica folks, no doubt, reason with themselves. But the reasons for the delay which have taken place in the establish- ment of all these valuable undertakings, are too evident to require elucidation. We behold the Despatch and Chronicle, asserting the ruin of our island ; the overthrow of all order and society ; and with the knowledge of all this, they speak of the profits likely to result from steam navigation, banking establishments, and railroads ! What, in the name of conscience, can be the use of steam- vessels when Jamaica's ruin is so fast approach- ing] What are the planters and merchants to ship in steamers when the apprentices will not work, and there is nothing doing 1 How is the bank expected to advance money to the planters, when their total destruction has been accomplish- ed by the abolition of slavery 1 What, in the name of reason, can be the use of railroads, when commerce and agriculture have been nipped in the bud, by that baneful weed. Freedom. ? Let the un- just panderors of discord, the haters of liberty, an- swer. Let them consider what has all this time retarded the development of Jamaica's resources, and they will find that it was slavery; yes, it was its '-ery name which prevented the idea of undertakings such as are being brought about. Had it not been fov the ijitroducrion of freedom in our land ; had the cruel monster, Slavery, not partially disappeared, when would we have seen banks, steamers, or railroads 1 No man thought of hazarding his capital in the days of slavery, but now that a new era has burst upon us, a com- plete change has taken possession of the hearts of all just men, and they think of improving the blessing of freedom by the introduction of other things which must ever prove beneficial to the country. , " The vast improvements that are every day being effected in this i.sland, and throughout the other colonies, stamp the assertions of the pro- slavery party as the vilest falsehoods. They glory in the introduction of banks, steam-vessels and railroads, with the knowledge (as they would have us believe) that the island is fast vergin| into destrtiction. They speak of the utility and success of railroads, when, according to their showing, there is no produce to be sent to market, when agriculture has been paralyzed, and Jamaica swept to destruction." The following copious extracts from a speecn of Lord Brougham, on the workings of the ap- prenticeship, and on the immediate emancipation substituted therefor in Antigua and the Bermu- das, are specially commended to the notice of the reader The speech was delivered in the House of Lords, Feb. 20, 1838. We take it from the published report of the speech in the London Times, of Feb. 25 :— I now must approach that subject which has some time excited almost universal anxiety. Al- low me, however, first to remind your lordships— because that goes to the root of the evil— allow me first to remind you of the anxiety that existed pre- vious to the Emancipation Act. which was passed in January, 1833, coming into operation in Au- gust 1834. My lords, there was much to appre- hend from the character of the masters of the slaves. I know the nature of man. * * * * I know that he who has abused power clings to it with a yet more convulsive grasp. I know his revenge against those who have been rescued from his ty'rannous fangs ; I know that he never for- gives those whom he has injured, whether white or black. I have never yet met with an unfor- o-iving enemy, except in the person of one of whose injustice I had a right to complain. On the part of the slaves, my lords, I was not without anxiety; for I know the corrupt nature of the de- gradino-'system under which they groaned. * * * it was! therefore, I confess, my lords, with some anxipty that I looked forward to the 1st of Au- gust, 1834; and I yielded, though reluctantly, to the plan of an intermediate state before what was called the full enjoyment of freedom— the transi- tion condition of indentured apprenticeship. The first of August arrived— that day so con- fidently and jovously anticipated by the poor slaves, and so' sorely dreaded by their hard task- masters—and if ever there was a picture interest- inn- to look upon— if ever there was a passage in the history of a people redounding to their eternal l,(,nor— if ever there was a complete refutation of all the scandalous calumnies which had been heaped upon them for ages, as if in justification of the wrongs which we had done them— (Hear, lipar)— that picture and that passage are to be found in the uniform and unvarying history of that people throughout the whole o( the West In- dia islands. Instead of the fires of rebellion, lit 122 APPENDIX. by a feeling of lawless revenge and resistance to oppression, tlie whole of those islands were, like an Arabian sr.ene, illuminated by tlie li^ht of cun- tentment, joy, peace, and good-will towards all men. No civilized people, after gaining an un- expected victory, could have shown more delicacy a-.d forbearance than was exhibited by the slaves at the great moral consummation which they had attained. There was not a look or a gesture which could gall the eyes of their masters. Not a sound escaped from negro lips which could wound the ears of the most" feverish planter in the islands. All was joy, mutual congratulation, and hope. * * * * This peaceful joy, this delicacy towards the feelings of others, was all that was to be seen, heard, or "felt, on that occasion, through- out the West India islands. * * * ♦ It was held that the day of emancipation would be one of riot and debauchery, and that even the lives of the planters would be endangered. So far from this proving the case, the whole of the negro popu- lation kept it as a most sacred festival, and in this light I am convinced it will ever be viewed. * * * * In one island, where the bounty of nature seems to provoke the appetite to indulgence, and to scatter with a profuse hand all the means of excitement, I state the fact when I say not one drunken negro was found during the whole of the day. No less than 800,000 slaves were liberated in that one day, and their peaceful festivity was disturbed only on one estate, in one parish, by an irregularity which three or four persons sufficed to putdown.'J ock Keepers, 9. St. Thomas in the East, 92. [103, gturge & Harvey, Messrs , 51, SD, gt. Vm cent's, 84. ; Subordination, 41, 64, 93, 97, lis! Sugar Crop, z:-,, 59. cultivation hard for tha slave, 61. ^ Sugar Mill, 10, 58. Sunday Markets, 58. Superintendent of Police, 43, 68 Suspension of faithful magis trates, 109. Task-work, 62. Teacher, Black, 71, 75. Teachers, 30, 33. "Telegraph," Remarks of the, \2C Temperance in Antigua, 10, 12, 26 of negroes, 92. [26 Society, 21. Testimony of Managers, 11, 12, IS 14, 15, 17,20, 34. ' ' •♦ Testimony of clergymen and mii sionaries, 16, 20, 24, 70. Testimony of Governors, 7, 54. \\ of magistraies, 43, 64 rru r J of physicians, 11. Iheft, decrease of, 56. Thibou Jarvis's estate, 12. Thomas, Mr., 59, 60, 62. Thompson, George, Bust of, 51. 1 homson, Thomas, Esq,, 92, 93 Thorne, Mr., 72, 73, 74. Thwaites, Mr. Charles, 31, 'jz. Tinson, Rev. Mr., 86. [tion, flf Toast to Immediate Emancii.a Toriola, 21, 84. Traffic in Slaves, 7S. Transition from slavery to free doin, 16, 36, 55, 65. Treatment of slaves ameliorated by discussion, 52, 54. Treadmill, 91, 93, 100, 110. Trinidad, 84. Trustworthiness, 62. Unwilling witness, 63. Vagrancy, 46. Value of an apprentice, 81. (ftei Appraisement.) Villa Estate, 17. Wages, 9, 14, 17, 18, 33, 40. 56, 59. 63, 65, 70, 74, 86 93, 96, 9S, LOU. 102, 106, 116, 117. Walton, Rev. Mr., 21. Watchman, Jamaica, 88. Remarks of the, 119, Watkins, Mr., 9, 11, 38, 40, 42, 46, Ward, Sir Henry, 72. [47 Weatherill's Estate, 14. Wesleyan Chapel, Antigua, 5 :; :' .^'e«-. ■" 23 Missionary Societv, 22 . Wesleyans in Antigua, 25. " in Barbadoes, 71. " in Jamaica, 86. Whip banished, 9, 17, 64. Whippingpost, 11. White lady, 97. Wilberforce, opinion of, 02, 80. Wickham, Richard S., 41, 43. Willis, George, Esq., 94. Wilioughby Bay, Examination,31 Wolmer Free School, 87. Women abandon the field, 63 ', " condition of, 48. : Wooldridge, Rev. Mr., 86. Wright. Andrew, Esq., 92. i