Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1838-09-14

Abolition in the West Indies. The fol-
lowing letter, from a well known pbilanthro
pist and emancipation, gives a very aa,,erino
account oil the first effects of abolition in the
Island Of Barbadoes. Quite a millennium
relgns there, according 10 his representation
ana there can be no doubt of its correctness
as lar as 1t goes but we apprehend that a
little experience will give an entirely diE
lerent aspect to the present Stale of things
though It's continuance is most deyoutlv To
be- hoped. There are letters in town from
other OF the West India isles. which give n
very different account of the state and dis.
position OF The black population lately eman-
cipated. In the Island of FIST. Kits, we are
informed, the freed men were extremely
refractory and exorbitant in their demands.
and scarcely a contract had been made for
working the estates between the proprietors
and the laborers, in consequence of which
every thing was at a stand. We are prom
lsed an extract, which we shall give when
received. If however, emancipation sue.
ceeds so well in Barbados, we see no rea.
son why 1t may not succeed every where
else, and no friend of liberty, humanity, and
equal rights, can fail TO bid it "God speed"
Extract of letter from a gentleman con.
nected with a mercantile house in this city,
TO a friend, dated
Barbados, Aug. 2, 1888.
Yesterdays sun rose upon eight hundred
thousand freemen, on whom and their ances.
tors, the badge Of slavery had rested for two
hundred years. Ii was a solemn, delight.
full, and most memorable day. look upon
II as a matter Of exceeding thanklulness, that
| have been permitted to be a witness to it,
and to be able 10 speak from experience and
from observation, of the happiness to which
that day has given birth. The day had
previously been set apart by proclamation of
the Governor, "asa day OF deyout thanks
giving aud praise to Almighty God, for the
happy termination of slavery" The thanks
giving and praise were most truly sincere.
patton, not merely of the slave, but of the
proprietor. 1t was felt as such openly
acknowledged and rejoiced in as such.
Never have | witnessed more apparently
unfeigned expressions of satisfaction, than
were made on that day by the former own
ers Of slaves, at the load of which they had
been relieved.
The spirit that seemed 10 fill the entire
population was eminenlly the spirit OF peace,
good will, thankfulness. and of JOY too deep,
loo solemn, to allow of any loud or noisy
demonstration of il. OF course, all stores,
shops, and Offices of every kind. were closed.
So, also, were all places Of amusement. No
sound of revelry, no evidence of nightly ex-
cess, were to be heard or seen. do no, cay
too much, when | assert that the reign of
order, peace and sobriety, was complete.
The close Of the day was not less auspic-
ious than It's commencement In company
with Mrs. H., | drove through several Of the
principle streets, and thence through the
the most public thoroughiare into the coun-
try and no where could aught be seen TO
mar the decent and truly impressive solemn
ity of the day, There were no dances, no
merry.making of any sort not a solitary
drunkard, not a gun fred, nor even was a
shout heard to welcome in the new bora
The only groups we saw were
going to or returning from The different
and churches. except in few instan-
ces. where families might be seen reading
or singing hymns at their own dwellings.
Yours truly, VIM. r. HAYES.
p. S. August 9th-All is quiet, and the
utmost good order every where prevails.