Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-05-10
SLAVERY AND EMANCIPATION.
WEST INDIES.
JOURNAL OF REV. JAMES A. THOME.
ST. THOMAS.

ST. THOMAS.
The following infol nation, regarding
the present aspect ofthings in St. Thomas
mas been gathered, not from a single in
dlvldual, nor from particular class Of
men, but from men Of all classes and pro-
LESSONS; from ministers, mere hants, clerks
tradesmen and shareholders
STAT1sTlCs.-The Island of St. Thorn
as is IL miles from east to west, and
about from north to south. 1t Is ex-
tremeI y mountainous, and on this account
but a small portion of the land can be cuI-
tivated. There are not more than 80
estates on the Island. These are sugar
estates, and they average about SO slaves
each. The population of the Island is
1000. OF these about 500 are whites.
Ofthe remainder nearly one half are free
the rest are slaves. The town of ST.
Thomas contains about 1000 inhabitants
REL1GIoN.-1n the Dutch Reformed
church there are 200 communicates, and
400 confirmed. There is also a Lutheran
church ofnearly the same number, and
Catholic church which is considerably
larger. The Moravians have two estab-
lIShments-one two miles east of the
toWn-the other about mile west of the
town. These societies embrace large
number of the slaves. | did design visit
ING both these establishments, but was
providentially prevented. The Wesleyan
missionaries, who have been so eminently
useful in the English colonies, have been
excluded from this Island. The only
reason for this arbitrary measure was,
that those missionaries had too much con-
tact with the slaves, and their influence
over them was dreaded.
EDUCAT1oN-There is Lancasterian
! school, in which the free colored people
principally are taught. The slaves in
town are in some instances allowed to go,
when their masters are so disposed
The Moravians have schools at their es-
adjustments. The Sabbath school con-
nected with the Dutch Reformed church
contains $50 scholars. There is no OBJ
stacle to instructing the slavesIin Sabbath
schools, but l understand that they did
not attend much; and the reason signed
was, that, being slares, they did not appre-
ciate the blessings of education.
All, yes why should the prisoner de-
sire light, when it would only reveal the
strength of his dungeon, and the bitterness
Of his bondage?
PREJUD1CE.-Prejudice against color
is scarcely known in St. Thomas. There
are distinctions here as elsewhere, but
they are distinctions of wealth and rank
almost exclusively. CoIored and white
sit promiscuousl v in church. This is the
case in all churches l witnessed it my
self in two Of the largest congregations
[ was informed, however, that there was
some little complaint about it in one
church. thought | might safely guar
anty that the complainants in this case
were Americans.
CoIored and white people meet freely at
parties, balls, &c. They are also united
in business of every kind. The wife of
one OF the most wealthy colored gentle
men lately died, and her funeral was at
tended by the first inhabitants of the town.
In another case, the child of a wealthy
colored man, aged only four months, was
followed 10 the church yard by large
procession Of the most respectable mer-
chants &c.
NEGRO INTELLECT AND WEALTH.
As might be expected in a community
where intelligence and property are the
passport at least to partial responsibility
no small efforts will be made to secure
them. The best evidence of intellect
among the coIored population of St. Thorn
as, is the variety of responsible pursuits
in which they are engaged, and this is the
common standard of capacity in every
: country. In passing along the streets l
discovered colored people conducting
every kind of business. They were in
hat shops, shoe and tailor shops, cigar
shops and factories, clothing establish
ments, fancy stores, mlliner and mantua
shops, drug stores, groceries, and every
line of mercantile business. They were
proprietors ofhotels, cabinet shops, saddle
shops, &c. They were book-keepers,
clerks, commanders of vessels, soldiers,
silversmiths, bakers, brick layers, carpen-
ters, &c. Having some business in one
of the princip pal mercantile houses in the
place, was referred by one Of the firm to
the book-kee2er, coIored man, He was
the first clerk in the establishment and a
noble looking man he was too, with a
head which, despite its woody covering, it
would thrill phrenologists fingers even
to touch. A gentleman Of high standing
In St. Thomas said of this coored man,
ne is one of our most worthy citizens"
COLoRED SHAREHOLDERS.
Instances of wealth are not unfrequent
among the free colored people. The
wealthiest man in the Island is a negro
He is supposed to be worth a million.
This man amused his wealth by mer-
chandise. He is now aid-de-camp to the
Governor General, i. e. the Governor OF