Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-06-27

of masters, there is apPointed VIZ"
in the Jurisdiction Of every governor an at'or-
neg, commonly Oled the poor's attorney, w"o
is charged with all the proceedings necessa!
10 yipdicate the'causc of such slaves as Apply
for redress. That institution alone affords SUI.
ficient proof of the foresight and wisdom Oh Inc
It appears that there was also another rev,
,,,;on in at least some of the other Spanish CO.
lonies, which afforded the slave sun iuf'her IT'S,
c;l;ties for effecting his emancipation. ne
slaves were allowed one day IN the week 10 WORK
for themselves, besides the numerous hoiyaays,
which in Catholic countries amount 10 aoou'
thirty-fiye DAYS in the year. All the properly
they could acquire by the use OF this time, inc!
were permitted to keep until they couia h'ake
M the sum fixed by law, or whateSer Va'ua'io"
might be placed upon them.
Ills probable that they could, IN mos' ihs'a"-
ces purchase another day in the week LOT tne'n.
selves as soon as they were able TO pay aoou'
one fifth or sixth part Of their value, and ny t"'s
means they might accelerate their progress 10
freedom, by pure asing one day at Tune TIL
every day in the week should become their own
Humboldt, in his travels through South
America, saw whole villages OF emanc'pa'eo
negroes, who had achieved, their freedom IN lhe
way here delineated." And this method OF e'-
feeling the object, bcsidesslts not infringing on
the legal rights OF slave holders, has the TURNER
advantage, that it prepares the slaves 1or ''oer'
ty, by melting them 10 industry and economy
and prevents those from gaining their ireeuom
who are unworthy Of it.
1t is, we presume, principally owIrg 10 inc
operation ofthese mild and beneticent laws, that
so large proportion Of the negroes IN Spanish
America had become free, even before the re-
Ill he m
ment Of that country.
1t is stated by Depohs, that in the year 80
the population Of the Captain Generalship OF
Caracas was computed at seven hundred ana
twenty eight thousand; oil which the whites
composed TWO tenths, the slaves three, the des-
cendents of freedmen four, and The ln'iians the
remainder.
I, is, therefore, not surprising that the new
governments of South America have been able
to give immediate freedom 10 allthe remaining
slaves, when nearly one half OF the population
was composed Of people of color already free.
Nor do we find tina, this act ofjus,ice and sound
policy has in any-wise impaired the public
pros peri,y-it has, on the contrary, converted
those into friends who would otherwise have
been their most dangerous enemies-it has en-
abled them to bring the whole united strength
for liberty. and il has given US brigh, exam
pie Of magnanimity and consistency, by prov
ing, that while they are contending for their
own rights, they are not insensible 10 the rights
of others 1t is said, that General Bolivar be.
gauIne grea, work hinISeif, by enfranc hisng
his own slasfs&q the number of between seven
and'eight hundred. Bat he was not sas;efsoa-
with this;sor believing as he did, thatto -hotd'
persons in slavery at all, was not only morally
wrong, but utterly inconsistent with the charac-
ter of men fighting for their own liberty; he
brought the subject before the Congress oil We
nezuela The Congress there, after having du-
" considered it, drew up resolutions according.
ly. which it recommended 10 the first general
Congress Of Colombia, when it should be as
sembled
This last Congress which met at the time ex-
pected, passed decree for emancipation on
the 10Th Of July, 1921. All slaves who had as
sisted in military capacity in achieving the in
dependence Of the republic, were at once de-
clared free
All children of slaves born after the said l9,h
of JULY were to De free in succession as they
attained the eighteenth year Of their age.
fund was established al the same time by &c
neral tax upon property, TO pay the owners OF
sue young slaves The expense of bringing them
up, and Tor putting thenl afterwards to traoes
and useful professions; and The same fund was
made applicable 10 the purchase the freedom
Of adults in each distric' every year, during the
three national festivals, in December, as far as
The Distro, funds would permit. Care howe.
yer was to be taken to select those of the best
character. 1t may be proper TO observe that
emancipation. as above explained, has been pro.
ceeding regularly from the 9th Of July, 1921,
according TO the terms Of the decree, and also
according TO the ancient Spanish code, which
still exists, and which is made 10 go hand in
hand with it They who attain their eighteenth
year are not,a allowed to go at large after their
liberation, but are pu, under the charge OF spe-
cial juntas for a useful education. The adults
may have land if they desire it, or they may go
where they please.
The State has lately purchased freedom for
many of the latter, who had liking 10 the ar
my. Their Freedom is secured to Them whether
they remain soldiers or are discharged
Ills particularly agreeable 10 me, fsays Clark
SON, from whose essay we have extracted this
informa,ion), TO be able to say that all who have
been hitherto emaneipated, have conducted
since that time, with PROPHECY
Y k,o IL. 4.