Part 76 (1/2)

It is by no means strange that the negroes should feel little grat.i.tude toward their late masters, since they knew their opposition to the benevolent intentions of the English government. We were informed by Dr.

Daniell and many others, that for several months before emanc.i.p.ation took place, the negroes had an idea that the king had sent them 'their free papers,' and that _their masters were keeping them back._ Besides, it was but two years before that period, that they had come into fierce and open hostility with the planters for abolis.h.i.+ng the Sunday market, and giving them no market-day instead thereof. In this thing their masters had shown themselves to be their enemies.

That any good thing could come from such persons the slaves were doubtless slow to believe. However, it is an undeniable fact, that since emanc.i.p.ation, kind treatment on the part of the masters, has never failed to excite grat.i.tude in the negroes. The planters understand fully how they may secure the attachment and confidence of their people. A _grateful_ and _contented_ spirit certainly characterizes the negroes of Antigua. They do not lightly esteem what they have got, and murmur because they have no more. They do not complain of small wages, and strike for higher. They do not grumble about their simple food and their coa.r.s.e clothes, and flaunt about, saying '_freemen ought to live better_.' They do not become dissatisfied with their lowly, cane-thatched huts, and say we ought to have as good houses as ma.s.sa.

They do not look with an evil eye upon the political privileges of the whites, and say we have the majority, and we'll rule. It is the common saying with them, when speaking of the inconveniences which they sometimes suffer, ”Well, we must be satify and conten.”

FIFTEENTH PROPOSITION.--The freed negroes of Antigua have proved that _they are able to take care of themselves_. It is affirmed by the opponents of emanc.i.p.ation in the United States, that if the slaves were liberated, they could not take care of themselves. Some of the reasons a.s.signed for entertaining this view are--1st, ”The negro is naturally improvident.” 2d, ”He is const.i.tutionally indolent.” 3d, ”Being of an inferior race, he is deficient in that shrewdness and management necessary to prevent his being imposed upon, and which are indispensable to enable him to conduct any business with success.” 4th, ”All these natural defects have been aggravated by slavery. The slave never provides for himself, but looks to his master for everything he needs.

So likewise he becomes increasingly averse to labor, by being driven to it daily, and flogged for neglecting it. Furthermore, whatever of mind he had originally has been extinguished by slavery.” Thus by nature and by habit the negro is utterly unqualified to take care of himself. So much for theory; now for testimony. First, what is the evidence with regard to the _improvidence_ of the negroes?

”During slavery, the negroes squandered every cent of money they got, because they were sure of food and clothing. Since their freedom, they have begun to cultivate habits of carefulness and economy”.--_Mr.

James Howell_.

Facts--1st. The low wages of the laborers is proof of their providence.

Did they not observe the strictest economy, they could not live on fifty cents per week.

2d. That they buy small parcels of land to cultivate, is proof of economy and foresight. The planters have to resort to every means in their power to induce their laborers not to purchase land.

3d. The Friendly Societies are an evidence of the same thing. How can we account for the number of these societies, and for the large sums of money annually contributed in them? And how is it that these societies have trebled, both in members and means since emanc.i.p.ation, if it be true that the negroes are thus improvident, and that freedom brings starvation?

4th. The weekly and monthly contributions to the churches, to benevolent societies, and to the schools, demonstrate the economy of the negroes; and the _great increase_ of these contributions since August, 1834, proves that emanc.i.p.ation has not made them less economical.

5th. The increasing attention paid to the cultivation of their private provision grounds is further proof of their foresight. For some time subsequent to emanc.i.p.ation, as long as the people were in an unsettled state, they partially neglected their grounds. The reason was, they did not know whether they should remain on the same estate long enough to reap their provisions, should they plant any. This state of uncertainty very naturally paralyzed all industry and enterprise; and their neglecting the cultivation of their provision grounds, _under such circ.u.mstances_, evinced foresight rather than improvidence. Since they have become more permanently established on the estates, they are resuming the cultivation of their grounds with renewed vigor.

Said Dr. Daniell--”There is an increasing attention paid by the negroes to cultivating their private lands, since they have become more permanently settled.”

6th. The fact that the parents take care of the wages which their children earn, shows their provident disposition. We were informed that the mothers usually take charge of the 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.

7th. The fact that the negroes are able to support their aged parents, is further proof.

As it regards the second specification, viz., _const.i.tutional indolence_, we may refer generally to the evidence on this subject under a former proposition. We will merely state here two facts.

1st. Although the negroes are not obliged to work on Sat.u.r.day, yet they are in the habit of going 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 working 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 _inferiority_ of the negro race, and their incompetency to manage their own affairs?

Said Mr. Armstrong--”The negroes are exceedingly quick _to turn a thought_. They show 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 exact in keeping their accounts with the manager.”

”The negroes are very acute in making bargains. 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 original agreement. The manager contended that he had paid the whole amount. The people brought their complaint before me, as attorney, and maintained that there was one s.h.i.+lling and six-pence (about nineteen cents) due each of them. I examined the accounts and found that they were right, and that the manager had really made a mistake to the very amount specified.”--_Dr. Daniell_.

”The emanc.i.p.ated people manifest as much cunning and address in business, as any cla.s.s of persons.”--_Mr. J. Howell_.

”The capabilities of the blacks for education are conspicuous; so also as to mental acquirements and trades.”--_Hon. N. Nugent_.

It is a little remarkable that while Americans fear that the negroes, if emanc.i.p.ated, 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.

SIXTEENTH PROPOSITION.--Emanc.i.p.ation has operated at once to elevate and improve the negroes. It introduced them into the midst of all relations, human and divine. It was the first formal acknowledgment that they were MEN--personally interested in the operations of law, and the requirements of G.o.d. It laid the corner-stone in the fabric of their moral and intellectual improvement.