Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1839-09-04

destitute of any shelter to cali their ow,
Tor seven and twelve years together. III
oer circumstances like these, everv ma
must perceive that an enactment like tbi
i contract law was a most nefarion
piece ofoppression. Then there was an
o'hef like unto it, the "vagrant law
passed at the same time. 1t enacted tba
any negro found wandering abroad. }
Wi'nout having committed any overt Of
fence whatever, should forthe first offence
on view ola planter justice, be commute,
70 jan Tor 30 days. to work on the tread
fiilil, or at hard labor during that time =
iof .he second offence, the like nenallv ex
'eruea 10 three months; and for the tbirf
oiiehce, extended 10 six months. So. j
Tue negro was found off the D plantation. he
wa, was wandering abroad !" and many q
olaek man, passing from one plantation to
another on lawful and necessary business
mas been taken up and punished under this
statute. And if he remained in his hpt
then he bound himself to labor for wear
AS soon as these acts reached the british
shores, they were instantly repealed bv
the Queen in council, and Other provis-
IONS OF wiser and more equitable char
acter, were made by Proclamation, and
tnereby Obtained the force OF law IN the
lslands-so that now the pool negro is le-
gally free,a ain the true sense of that word
The planters, finding themselves thus
likely to be defeated in their schemes
next determined upon not giving the ne.
gro the wages he demanded for his labor.
ne contest was long carried on, especial
~ IN the Island of Jamaica; but | am
happy to say, that in the issue the laborer
has triumphed. -(Applause.) From the
beginning he has had justice ON his side
1t must De understood, that during the ne.
rlod OF the apprenticeship law, the negro
was permitted, whenever he could, to pur.
chase out from his master the residue Of
his time, and dearly as they had to nav
for II, number of them did so. Within
the space of two years, not less than nine
hundred and forty-four apprentices had
their time appraised, and purchased Them
selves at an aggregate sum of 35,OOOL
sterling. The principle of the appraise-
ment was this; the owner of the black
nan and justice of the peace appointed
he appraisers, and Judge the Umpire
Ihe appraisers were sworn, and the labor
IF the slaves was rated: for those oftbe
lrst class, three shillings and sixpence
Ind for those of the second, two and six
'ence, per day. But, when the first Of
August came, and the apprentices were
III TO be freemen, it was ali at once found
ut that three and sixpence dav was bv
ar too high, and the planters wanted 10 |
educe the three and sixpence to one and
hreepence. and the two and sixpence to !
enpence. The contest was on this point.
ne negro said that his time was not less
aluable as free man, than as a slave
rs reply was this, "Why, massa, YOU
AID and made oath, that me worth three
nd slxpence day; now me worth only
fteenpence; how dis only give what
amoo was forced to pay, when he bot
eself free, and me satisfied" This was
God sense and sound logic; hecerlainIv
ould not appeal to better authority to SET.
e his value, than to his own master. Az
n the contest had continued for same
me, the negro began to listen to the coun.
els OF his friends, who advised him not 10
lsist upon enforcing all his rights at
nee, but recommended him 10 take some
ing less by way of compromise. This
mas consented to do, and it is now set.
ed that the planter shall allow him in
amalca, one and eightpence per day
Brush Guiana, the value of a slaves
Dor had been one dollar, the free negro
'nsents to take one shilling and four
snce ha'penny. In Trinidad, where the
alua:ion had also been at dollar. he
DIV takes from fifteenpence to twenty
snce, according to fixed rates; but in ,
he is content with tenpence.
In all the colonies | have mentioned. ,
e negroes occupy huts. rent free. On
me of the estates, medical attendance
as provided for actual laborers but the !
'lue OF this humane provision may be ,
tlmated from the fact that it can be bro. ,
'red Tor one year at six shillings head !
nnd from the returns that, In Jamaica. !
't"Ithstanding the long contest about
ages, and the alleged ruin of the plana- !.
'ns from the refusal of the negroes 10 /
ork' up to the first of September, 1888, ;
ere had been one hundred and fiitv thou.
nd cwts. more of sugar sent to Great :
rltain than during the year before; and !,
regard to the whole West Indies, / find !;
at the average amount of sugar export :,
TO Great Britain, from 1884 to 1897
as 4,569,774 cwt.; in 1888, the amount :
as Al 47,038 cwts., being 222,736 less, .
hIch is trifing difference indeed [ ;
I'VE not heard of a single ship rouing at :
e wharves, nor of single seamen ;
rown out of employment, nor of any /,
mlnution in the revenue. On the con- :
airy. know that the importation into the = =
Test India colonies has in some cases in ;,
eased one-half, and has been in every
Sc one-third more since the epoch Of !;