Part 88 (2/2)

Schools. Scholars.

2 Wolmer's, 403 1 National, 270 34 Gentlemen's private, 1368 40 Ladies' do. 1005 8 Sunday, 1042 ---- ---- 85 Total, 4088

1832.

Schools. Scholars.

2 Wolmer's, 472 1 National, 260 31 Gentlemen's private, 1169 41 Ladies' do. 856 8 Sunday, 981 ---- ---- 83 Total, 3738

1836.

Schools. Scholars.

2 Wolmer's, 527 3 National, 1136 3 Mico, 590 1 Baptist, 250 1 Jamaica Union, 120 31 Gentlemen's private, 1137 59 Ladies' do. 1339 9 Sunday, 1108 By itinerant teachers and children. 1500 ---- ---- 109 Total, 7707

1837.

Schools. Scholars.

2 Wolmer's, 502 3 National, 1238 4 Mico, 611 1 Baptist 260 1 Jamaica Union, 200 34 Gentlemen's private, 1476 63 Ladies' do. 1525 10 Sunday, 1316 By itinerant teachers and children, 1625 ---- ---- 118Total, 8753

We also visited the Union school, which has been established for some years in Kingston. All the children connected with it, about one hundred and fifty, are, with two exceptions, black or colored. The school is conducted generally on the Lancasterian plan. We examined several of the boys in arithmetic. We put a variety of questions to them, to be worked out on the slate, and the reasons of the process to be explained as they went along; all which they executed with great expertness. There was a jet black boy, whom we selected for a special trial. We commenced with the simple rules, and went through them one by one, together with the compound rules and Reduction, to Practice, propounding questions and examples in each of them, which were entirely new to him, and to all of them he gave prompt and correct replies. He was only thirteen years old, and we can aver we never saw a boy of that age in any of our common schools, that exhibited a fuller and clearer knowledge of the science of numbers.

In general, our opinion of this school was similar to that already expressed concerning the others. It is supported by the pupils, aided by six hundred dollars granted by the a.s.sembly.

In connection with this subject, there is one fact of much interest.

However strong and exclusive was the prejudice of color a few years since in the schools of Jamaica, we could not, during our stay in that island, learn of more than two or three places of education, and those private ones, from which colored children were excluded, and among the numerous schools in Kingston, there is not one of this kind.

We called on several colored gentlemen of Kingston, from whom we received much valuable information. The colored population are opposed to the apprentices.h.i.+p, and all the influence which they have, both in the colony and with the home government, (which is not small,) is exerted against it. They are a festering thorn in the sides of the planters, among whom they maintain a fearless espionage, exposing by pen and tongue their iniquitous proceedings. It is to be regretted that their influence in this respect is so sadly weakened by their _holding apprentices themselves_.

We had repeated invitations to breakfast and dine with colored gentlemen, which we accepted as often as our engagements would permit.

On such occasions we generally met a company of gentlemen and ladies of superior social and intellectual accomplishments. We must say, that it is a great self-denial to refrain from a description of some of the animated, and we must add splendid, parties of colored people which we attended. The conversation on these occasions mostly turned on the political and civil disabilities under which the colored population formerly labored, and the various straggles by which they ultimately obtained their rights. The following are a few items of their history.

The colored people of Jamaica, though very numerous, and to some extent wealthy and intelligent, were long kept by the white colonists in a state of abject political bondage. Not only were offices withheld from them, and the right of suffrage denied, but they were not even allowed the privilege of an oath in court, in defense of their property or their persons. They might be violently a.s.saulted, their limbs broken, their wives and daughters might be outraged before their eyes by villains having white skins; yet they had no legal redress unless another white man chanced to see the deed. It was not until 1824 that this oppressive enactment was repealed, and the protection of an oath extended to the colored people; nor was it then effected without a long struggle on their part.

Another law, equally worthy of a slaveholding legislature, prohibited any white man, however wealthy, bequeathing, or in any manner giving his colored son or daughter more than 2000 currency, or six thousand dollars. The design of this law was to keep the colored people poor and dependent upon the whites. Further to secure the same object, every effort, both legislative and private, was made to debar them from schools, and sink them in the lowest ignorance. Their young men of talent were glad to get situations as clerks in the stores of white merchants. Their young ladies of beauty and accomplishments were fortune-made if they got a place in the white man's harem. These were the highest stations to which the flower of their youth aspired. The rest sank beneath the discouragements, and grovelled in vice and debas.e.m.e.nt. If a colored person had any business with a white gentleman, and should call at his house, ”he must take off his hat, and wait at the door, and be _as polite as a dog_.”

These insults and oppressions the colored people in Jamaica bore, until they could bear them no longer. By secret correspondence they formed a union throughout the island, for the purpose of resistance. This, however, was not effected for a long time, and while in process, the correspondence was detected, and the most vigorous means were used by the whites to crush the growing conspiracy--for such it was virtually.

Persuasions and intimations were used privately, and when these failed, public persecutions were resorted to, under the form of judicial procedures. Among the milder means was the dismission of clerks, agents, &c., from the employ of a white men. As soon as a merchant discovered that his clerk was implicated in the correspondence, he first threatened to discharge him unless he would promise to desert his brethren: if he could not extort this promise, he immediately put his threat in execution. Edward Jordon, Esq., the talented editor of the Watchman, then first clerk in the store of a Mr. Briden, was prominently concerned in the correspondence, and was summarily dismissed.

White men drove their colored sons from their houses, and subjected them to every indignity and suffering, in order to deter them from prosecuting an enterprise which was seen by the terrified oppressors to be fraught with danger to themselves. Then followed more violent measures. Persons suspected of being the projectors of the disaffection, were dragged before incensed judges, and after mock trials, were sentenced to imprisonment in the city jail. Messrs. Jordon and Osborne, (after they had established the Watchman paper,) were both imprisoned; the former twice, for five months each time. At the close of the second term of imprisonment, Mr. Jordon was _tried for his life_, on the charge of having published _seditious matter_ in the Watchman.

The paragraph which was denominated '_seditious matter_' was this--

”Now that the member for Westmoreland (Mr. Beaumont) has come over to our side, we will, by a long pull, a strong pull, and a pull altogether, bring down the system by the run, knock off the fetters, and let the oppressed go free.”

On the day of Mr. J.'s trial, the court-room was thronged with colored men, who had armed themselves, and were determined, if the sentence of death were p.r.o.nounced upon Mr. Jordon, to rescue him at whatever hazard.

It is supposed that their purpose was conjectured by the judges--at any rate, they saw fit to acquit Mr. J. and give him his enlargement. The Watchman continued as fearless and _seditious_ as ever, until the a.s.sembly were ultimately provoked to threaten some extreme measure which should effectually silence the agitators. _Then_ Mr. Jordon issued a spirited circular, in which he stated the extent of the coalition among the colored people, and in a tone of defiance demanded the instant repeal of every restrictive law, the removal of every disability, and the extension of complete political equality; declaring, that if the demand were not complied with, the whole colored population would rise in arms, would proclaim freedom to their own slaves, instigate the slaves generally to rebellion, and then shout war and wage it, until _the streets of Kingston should run blood_. This bold piece of generals.h.i.+p succeeded. The terrified legislators huddled together in their a.s.sembly-room, and swept away, at one blow, all restrictions, and gave the colored people entire enfranchis.e.m.e.nt. These occurrences took place in 1831; since which time the colored cla.s.s have been politically free, and have been marching forward with rapid step in every species of improvement, and are now on a higher footing than in any other colony.

All offices are open to them; they are aldermen of the city, justices of the peace, inspectors of public inst.i.tutions, trustees of schools, etc.

There are, at least, then colored special magistrates, natives of the island. There are four colored members of the a.s.sembly, including Messrs. Jordon and Osborne. Mr. Jordon now sits in the same a.s.sembly, side by side, with the man who, a few years ago, ejected him disdainfully from his clerks.h.i.+p. He is a member of the a.s.sembly for the city of Kingston, where not long since he was imprisoned, and tried for his life. He is also alderman of the city, and one of its local magistrates. He is now inspector of the same prison in which he was formerly immured as a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition.

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