Part 102 (1/2)
These facts come down upon the question of the safety of an _immediate_ emanc.i.p.ation with an _a fortiori_, a _much more then_. For it is admitted on all hands that the apprentices.h.i.+p had ”alienated the affections of the people;” they were in a state less favorable to a quiet sequel, than they were before the first of August, 1834, yet the danger was not thought of. The _safety_ was an argument _in favor_ of emanc.i.p.ation, not _against_ it. The raw head and b.l.o.o.d.y bones had vanished. The following is a fair exhibition of the feeling of the most influential planters, in regard to the _safety_ of the step.
From the Barbadian, May 9, 1838.
AT A MEETING OF THE BOARD OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, IN THE NEW COURT HOUSE, APRIL 24TH, 1838.
The Lord Bishop rose and spoke as follows:
”_Mr. President, and Gentlemen of the Council_,
'I was informed yesterday that, during my absence from this island, the members recorded their opinion as to the expediency of absolutely abolis.h.i.+ng the apprentices.h.i.+p in August, 1838. I am most anxious to record my entire concurrence in this resolution, but I wish it to be understood that I do not consider the measure as called for by any hards.h.i.+ps, under which the laborers in this island are suffering--nor from the want of any essential comfort--nor from the deprivation of any thing, which a laborer can fairly claim from his master; still I do express my concurrence in the resolution of the board, and I do so on these grounds: that I am satisfied the measure can be safely carried in this island, and if safely, then I feel justly; for I consider the very important interests which are involved in the measure. I must confess, too, that I am unwilling the Barbados should be behind any other island, especially in a measure which may be carried both safely and justly, and where its example may be of such beneficial consequence. I am just returned from visiting the Northern Islands of the Diocese. I have gone over every part of Tortola, and though it is far more fertile than the Off Islands, yet even these are sufficiently productive for the laborer to raise the lesser and necessary provision of life,--and yet with these islands in their very face, the Legislature of Tortola has pa.s.sed the act of abolition. Some of the proprietors were opposed to it, but they have now given up their opposition; and I heard, whilst in Antigua, not only that the act had pa.s.sed, but that on the day of its pa.s.sing, or the following day, some of the leading proprietors rode through the island, and were met by the people with expressions of the utmost grat.i.tude, regarding the act as a boon granted to them by their masters. At Nevis the act has pa.s.sed. At St. Christopher's the council are in favor of its pa.s.sing, and with Nevis emanc.i.p.ated in its vicinity, there is little doubt but the Act must pa.s.s. At Montserrat also it has pa.s.sed. At Antigua, which I visited last year, I found that every thing was proceeding quietly and regularly. I found too, the planters in high spirits, and some estates, which had been given up, restored; and the small patches and tenements of the free people, commencing last year, now in a very satisfactory state of cultivation. It is possible, indeed, that these last mentioned, unless the population is proportionably increased, may affect the cultivation of the larger estates, but there they are, and flouris.h.i.+ng, as I have described, whilst I was in the island. A contiguous, though abandoned estate was purchased by Sir Henry Martin for about 9,500 _l._ currency, being 3,000 _l._ more than he had offered a few years previously. To compare Barbados with any other island, either as to population, wealth, or state of agriculture, is unnecessary. I have seen nothing like the commercial activity which I saw in the streets yesterday, except at St. Thomas; and I feel, therefore, on all these grounds, that the act may be pa.s.sed safely and justly. At the same time I am not unmindful or insensible to the state of public opinion in the mother country, nor to the many new and hara.s.sing annoyances to which the proprietors may be exposed during a protracted continuance of the apprentices.h.i.+p. I request that my full concurrence in the resolution of the council, may be accorded on the minutes of this day's proceedings.'”
Such is the testimony of a witness in no wise warped by prejudice in favor of the anti-slavery party.
The debates which took place in the legislatures of both Barbados and Jamaica, are full of similar testimony, uttered by men every way qualified to bear witness, and under influences which relieve their testimony from every taint of suspicion.
In the legislature of Jamaica, on the question of a Committee to bring in a Bill, Mr. GOOD remarked, ”He could say that the negroes from their general good conduct were deserving of the boon. Then why not give in with a good heart? why exhibit any bad feelings about the matter? There were many honorable gentlemen who had benefitted by the pressure from without, who owed their rank in society and their seats in that house to the industry of the negroes. Why should they now show a bad heart in the matter?--Nine tenths of the proprietors of this island had determined upon giving up the apprentices.h.i.+p. Hundreds of thousands were to be benefited--were to take their stations as men of society, and he hoped the boon would not be r.e.t.a.r.ded by a handful of men who owed their all to slavery.”
Mr. Dallas said,--”_The abolition of the remaining term of apprentices.h.i.+p must take place; let them then join hand and heart in doing it well, and with such grace as we now could. Let it have the appearance of a boon from ourselves, and not in downright submission to the coercive measures adopted by the British Parliament_.”
After a committee had been appointed to prepare and bring in a Bill for the abolition of the apprentices.h.i.+p, a member rose and proposed that the 28th of June should be its termination. We give his speech as reported in the Jamaica papers, to show how fanatical even a slaveholder may become.
”On the members resuming their seats, Mr. HART proposed that it be an instruction to the committee appointed to bring in the bill or abolis.h.i.+ng the remainder of the apprentices.h.i.+p, to insert a clause in it, that the operation of that bill should commence on the 28th of June, that being the day appointed for the coronation of the Queen. _He felt proud in telling the house that he was the representative of the black population. He was sent there by the blacks and his other friends_. The white Christians had their representatives, the people of color had their representatives, and _he hoped shortly to see the day when the blacks would send in their own representatives_. He wanted the thing done at once, Sir, said the honorable member waxing warm. It was nonsense to delay it. It could be done in three lines as he said before, dele 1840 and put in 1838. That was all that they had to do. If it were possible, let the thing be done in two words. He went there to do his duty to his const.i.tuents, and he was determined to do so. His black friends looked up to him to protect them--and he would press his motion that all the apprentices in the island should be _crowned_ on the 28th of June. (Thundering roars of laughter.) He was as independent as any honorable member, and would deliver his sentiment, without caring who were and who were not pleased. He was possessed of property in apprentices--_he had an estate with nearly two hundred negroes, that he was determined to crown on the 28th of June_. (Increased roars of laughter in the house, and at the bar.) He would not be laughed down.
His properties were not enc.u.mbered. He would not owe anything on them after they were paid for, and that he could do. (Loud laughter.) He was determined to have his opinion. As he had said before, the 28th day of June being fixed for the coronation of all the negroes in the island, that is the day they ought to be released from the apprentices.h.i.+p.
(Thundering and deafening roars of laughter). (Here the honorable member was told that the Queen was to be crowned on that day.) Ah, well, he had made a mistake, but he would tell the house the truth, _he had made up his mind to give his apprentices freedom on that day, but he did not wish to do it without his neighbors doing the same, lest they should say he was setting a bad example_. He would press his motion to a division.
It had been seconded by his honorable friend on his right.--(Aside, ”Good, didn't you promise to second it?”) The honorable member then read his motion, and handed it up to the clerk.”
The ”mistake” of this liberal descendant of Israel, which excited so much merriment was, after all, not a very unfortunate one, _if_ the ”crown” of manhood is more important than that of monarchy. The members objected to so near an approach to _immediatism_, not, however, be it remarked, on account of the unfitness of the apprentices, (slaves) but their own convenience. Among those who replied to Mr. Hart, was Mr.
Osborn, of unmingled African blood, born a slave, and who, we are informed, was a successful compet.i.tor for the seat he now occupies against the very man who formerly claimed him as property. Mr. Osborn and his partner Mr. Jordon were editors of the Jamaica Watchman, and had contended manfully for liberty when it was a dangerous word. Mr. Osborn said:--”He was astonished at the galloping liberality which seemed to have seized some honorable members, now there was nothing to contend for. Their liberality seemed to have outrun all prudence. Where were they and their liberality when it was almost death to breach the question of slavery? What had become of their philanthropy? But no, it was not convenient then. The stream was too strong for them to resist.
Now, however, when the question was finally settled, when nothing remained for them to do, it was the time that some honorable gentlemen began to clamor their liberality, and began a race who should be the first, or who should have the honor of first terminating the apprentices.h.i.+p. He hoped the motion would be withdrawn, and the discussion put an end to.”
What had become of the visions of blood and slaughter? Could there be more impressive testimony to the safety of Emanc.i.p.ation in all, even the worst cases?
We might add to this testimony that of the universal newspaper press of the British West India colonies. We have room, however, to select only from a few of the well known opponents of freedom.
”We seriously call upon our representatives to consider well all the bearings of the question, and if they cannot resist effectually these encroachments of the Imperial Government, adopt the remaining alternative of saving themselves from an infliction, by giving up at once and entirely, the bone of contention between us. Thus only shall we disarm, if anything in reason or in nature can, our enemies of their slanderous weapons of offence, and secure in as far as possible, a speedy and safe return of peace and prosperity to the ”distracted”
colony.--Without this sacrifice on our parts, we see no shelter from our sufferings--no amelioration of present wrongs--no hope for the future; but on the contrary, a systematic and remorseless train laid for the ultimate ruin of every proprietor in the country. With this sacrifice which can only be to any extent to a few and which the wisdom of our legislature may possibly find out some means or other of compensation, we have the hope that the suns.h.i.+ne of Jamaica's prosperity shall not receive any farther diminution; but shall rather dawn again with renewed vigor; when all shall be alike free under the protection of the same law, and the same law-givers; and all shall be alike amenable to the powers that punish without favor and without affection.”--_Jamaica Standard_.
”There is great reason to expect that many Jamaica proprietors will antic.i.p.ate the period established by the Slavery Abolition Act for the termination of the apprentices.h.i.+p. They will, as an act of grace, and with a view to their future arrangements with their negroes, terminate the apprentices.h.i.+p either of all at once, or by giving immediate freedom to the most deserving; try the effect of this gift, and of the example afforded to the apprentices when they see those who have been discharged from the apprentices.h.i.+p working on the estates for wages. If such a course is adopted, it will afford an additional motive for inducing the Legislature to consider whether the good feeling of the laboring population, and their future connection with their former employers, may not be promoted by permitting them to owe to the grace of their own Legislature the termination of the apprentices.h.i.+p as soon as the requisite legislation for the new state of things has been adopted.”--_Jamaica Despatch_.
Of such sort as this is the testimony from all the Colonies, most abundantly published in the Emanc.i.p.ator and other abolition papers, to the point of the _safety_ of entire Emanc.i.p.ation. At the time when the step was taken, it was universally concluded that so far from being dangerous it promised the greatest safety. It would not only put an end to the danger apprehended from the foreign interference of the abolitionists, but it would _conciliate the negroes_! And we are not able to find any one who professes to be disappointed with the result thus far. The only evil now complained of, is the new freemen do not in some instances choose _to work_ on the _terms_ offered by the planters.
They have shed no man's blood. They have committed no depredation. They peaceably obey the laws. All this, up to the latest date, is universally admitted. Neither does any one _now_ presume to prophesy anything different for the future.
INDUSTRY.
On the one topic of the industry of the Emanc.i.p.ated people, the West Indian papers give the most conflicting accounts. Some represent them as laboring with alacrity, diligence and effect wherever anything like an adequate compensation is offered. It is a.s.serted by some, and not denied by any authorities that we have seen, that the emanc.i.p.ated are industriously at work on those estates where the masters voluntarily relinquished the apprentices.h.i.+p before the first of August and met their freed people in good faith. But most of the papers, especially in Jamaica, complain grievously that the freed people will work on no reasonable terms. We give a fair specimen from one of the Jamaica papers, on which our political editors choose most to rely for their information:--