State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1831-1836, 1836-11-22

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land, Two weeks since, fully prepared with
funds, and every other requisite to build up
free infant schools in all the Islands.
might 90 OH to speak of marriages
among the black and colored; of the oh.
servation of the Sabbath of improvements
in their dress; greater domestic comforts,
&c, in regard to all which, the greatness
of the change for the better, is in this cOun-
try, quite evident and undisputed, however |
much the desolations which freedom las
occasoncd in the w. Indies,lna be mourn |
ed over by our American patriots
There is one other subject, which think |
bears strongly upon the policy of the A |
mcrican Colonization Society. / believe
the main pillar of that society at the North
is the idea that the blacks cannot live in
peace and on terms of equality in the same
community with the whites, How mis-
taken this idea u.s. may 1 think appear by
what is now going oil in the West Indies.
And here let it be remembered, that the
| people of this country have entertained the
very same prejudiccs against color that now
prevail in the United States. You are
! doubtless aware that the colony of Dcmar-
ara, is comparatively new, and that there is
great call for laborers to snbdue and
/ bring under cultivation that great and fer
]
| Demarara was OH all hands, said to be ell
iirely ruined by emancipation, but see how
/ false the notion.) The same thing there is
now taking place, us we in America have
always been accustomed to see, viz. Cni-
grafton from tho old colonies to the new.
! In this way Demarara is 10 be supplied
with an abundance of free lahorcrs, and
thereby immensely benefited, a supply
which but for emancipation, she could new
er have obtained in any way short OF II re-
yiyal of the African slave trade. But that
which wish to have particularly remarked,
is this: The Legislature of st. Kits, and
more recently, Of this Island, have become
alarmed at the numbers of emigrants who
are leaving them, all of whom are black,
and have passed various laws to restrain it,
openly and avowedly with the purpose of
keeping their laborers among them The
policy of these laws is condemned by many
there who contend that labor must be left
to find its own market, and discussion is
now actually going on in the new spapers,
one party insisting that there must he laws
TO check emigration, and tho other contend
ing that the object may DO more cflectualy
accomplished by raising the wages, pro-
viding better houses for their laborers, &c,
the whole dispute being hoe they shat lest
J be able 10 keep among them their liberated
SldUesi
That very thing which the philantliropic
colonzaionists OF America, are spending
their strength and wealth to bring about
the people of the West Indies are laborng
with all their might to prevent on the one
side we hear the cry "begone fiom among
us, for we can not tolerate your existence
here, as a free people"-On the other "leave
q m hpSppoh will huill
houses, we will clothe and feed you, we
will pay you good wages, only leave us not"
BE it Remembered, too, that the pretended
necessity for the expectation Of the blacks
from the United States, has a heOraicai
foundation only, whereas the people of
this country are acting from thorough
experience, both Of slavery and emancipa-
ton.
will mention one other circumstance.
Sir Lionel Smith, who has been for some
years residing here as Governor General
of the windward Islands, has been trans.
ferred 10 Jamaica, and his place is TO he
supplied by Sir Evan J. McGregor, now
governor of Dominica. One of the private
secretaries Of Gov. McGregor, is coLored
man, very capable, and in fact n truly re-
4 gOus mnn-of course we expect for the
first time in the West Indies. colored peo-
pie, who are in respectable standing, will
be invited TO the Government House, and
placed in all departments upon footing
with other citizens.
spent last evening at an estate about
four miles from town. 1t is one of the finest
properties in the Island, and the resident
manager is reputed TO be one of the most
skillul planters in the country. Such is
tho character Of the estate, that when the
French Admiral visited the Island last year,
the Governor made visit with him for
the especial purpose of showing spcci-
men of Barbados cultivation, and sugar
manufacture. There are on the plantation
2S0 apprentices, besides children, the whole
number amounting to $50.
The conversation turned upon cmanci-
patton, and sir, assure YOU, it was enough
TO affect the stoutesl heart, TO hear the OK
presslons of gratitude and satisfaction with
which the new order of things was spoken
Of believe this gentleman to have been
always noted for Kindness TO his slaves,
yet his language was to this effect. Point
ing to the long arms of the cane MILL he
sald--"l rejoice that the power and the
temptation 10 Cypress these poor people is
taken away. How many times When the
crop pressed, have | kept those arms flv-
ing till 3 O'Clock at night, when they ought
TO have been chained at & and how many
times have set them agoing at in the
morning, when | ought not to have done it
until 6; and this taken out of the strength
of those poor people. In how many in
stances have / made myself miserable by
giving way to anger, and inflicting unjust
punishment; whereas now we have the
satisfaction of knowing that we can not
iniure them if we would"
AS we walked along the noble gallery