Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1837-07-11

on this account, and sill less need il be feared
that the people who have for the past two years
nanifcsted their willingness TO work for wages,
and have acquired artificial wants, and desire
for those comforts which money can only pro-
cure, will at length iorsake the field and de-
generate into hopeless barbarism.
The advantages which the negroes Of Anti.
qua have derived from emancipation, would
perhaps be estimated by considering the evils
to which they were subjected by slavery. or
these evils the physical suffering of the slave
from cruelty, and the grinding oppression TO
which his body is frequently subjected, are the
least worthy of notice. The consideration of
them is superseded by that of The moral desro-
dation TO which he is reduced.
So far as system can degrade man TO the
level of the brute creation, he is so degraded
and anlmalized by slavery, and all the efforts
OF missionaries or teachers, and Of humane
proprietors, cannot entirely obvate the neces-
sary & unavoidable evils OF the system.
A body OF negroes, generally from so TO 200
in number, are located on an estate. Their
labor in the fields is degraded in their eyes, be-
cause it is extorted by coercion under the awe
of the lash and because it is often punish
ment for discarded domestics. They are en-
ployed without distinction of sex. As they
work without hope oil reward, it is not snrpn-
sing that that their movements are indoent and
much retarded, and their abors wastelully APP
piled.
Hush lnds and wives seldom reside in the
same hut, or labor on the same estate, for the
negro can no more be expected 10 choose his
partner from his own estate, than a European
from the single street OF square in which he
lives. They are not, therefore, helpmotes TO
one another; they acquire no domestic char.
acter; and it is not surprising, therefore, that
thew degenerate almost into state Of plon:;s-
cuous intercourse.
A slave is q berg without either public or
private responsibilities. As citizen, he has
no existence, and, therefore, neither rights nor
duties. AS private individual thcleis no call
upon MIN TO provide against sickness and old
age; he has no duties to perform towards his
near rclatives-even his children entail not the
slightest responsibility upon him. They arc
the property Of The estate and are cared for as
such. The single feature Of the system which
tends to stimulate the dormant intellect, is the
inducemenr to cunning and deception, in order
10 escape labor and punishment, and 10 commis
petty thens without being detected.
Many years before emancipation, the bless
ings of religion and education began to be DIFF
fused among the negroes OF Antigua, but still
the natural fruits Of slavery continue to be pro-
duced, and il cannot be expected that evils oil
go long standing and so inveterate a descrip-
ton should ut once disappear.
Their removal, however, has commenced.
Marriage is becoming more general, and the
wife rsually leaves her own home and goes to
reside with her husband. Many Of the women
work only three quarters of day, devotine
the time before breakfast to the preparation Of
the meal Of their husbands &. children. The
germ OF the domestic character is one OF the
most encouraging promises Of future advance
ment.
The people are beginning 10 feel their res.
possibilities az relations and parents, and are
acquiring habits Of providing against sickness
and old age.
Some Of them have formed themselves into
benefit and friendly societies, from which, by
paying into a common fund small week i
sum, they receive an allowance to support then
when unable 10 work.
The returns of the societies for The past wear
show a large increase Of subscribers. The,
have begun 10 display taste Tor dress, and OF
the Sabbath many adorn themselves with gren
care and expense, which shows that they ar,
anxious to better their condition by imiiaiin.
those above them-a desire ioi other comforts
| for furniture, household goods, will speedil,
/ follow.
| As they receive money wages, they pnrchas
the food which they prefer. In case Of disput
between themselves and their master, if the
think themselves aggrieved, they give thiri
/ days notice to leave, and then seek new EN-
ployer. This is peaceable mode of adjuslin
many differences, which is equally satisfaction
10 both parties, and leaves no room for the dis
play OF malignant passions.
These amelioratIons, and others too numer
Gus TO detail, have resulted 10 the laboring pop
ulaton Of Antigua from the abolition Of sla
very.
! The state of the colony, so far as regards III
public peace and external order and decorum
compared with what it was before emancipation
will appear in disadvantageous light, il cor
illusions be drawn from mere statistical con
parison of the criminal calendar and police re
cords. The apparent increase Of offences
easily explained by the fact that the ma gis
trate now takes cognizance Of crimes whic
were formerly summarily punished by the en-
ployer. 1t must be borne in mind, that the AZ
Of emancipation gave nearly 10000 citizens
the state, and il is not surprising that among
so large body, some should be found to fin
employment for the police. The law of slave
ry did not take cognzance of the offences
slaves, unless of great magnitude, or commit
ted against the public peace.
All Offences against the estate, or against on
!, another, were punished by the master, and ma
ny crimes even Of Il henous description, wei
entirely unnoliced, whilst imaginary crimes
lriiling offences, were often punished with ca
PRECIOUS severity.
The offences of the predal class of laborer
as will appear from an inspection Ct the polio
records in the remote districts, consist almo,
entirely of petty thefs of canes and provisions
Of lrespass, neglect Of duty, and breaches {
contract and police laws. The three first be
ing of the class of offences which they were i
the habit of committing during slavery, aud fc
which they were punished by their owners, an
the last being breaches OF laws which have bee
passed since the abolition, and which it may h
supposed that the laborers do not yet Away
understand. In the town and its vicinity crime