The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-01-06


sPectog and starvation. or hunger, for ar
length OF time, was unknown among then
SO, also, were the unnatural modes Of pul
Ishment sometimes resorted to at the soulI
as murders, maimings, brandings, gun-sh'
wounds. &c, &c. Yet they were subje'
10 stripes, and stocks, and tread.mills, an
bore yoke that throttled them at ever
step.
Their social and moral state was frigh
ful. There is nothing at the south TO con
pare with IT,, except il may be found on il
dividual and isolated plantations. The nj
groes were thrown together on the estate
TO the number. often OF FIVE or six hundred
without any other elevating Influences thai
hose exeried by the overseer; they learne,
from him only the vices Of civilisation
whilst the heathenism Of the original Aft
cans was transmitted to their children.
The emancipation opened before TIL
masses. whom il delivered, a new and un
explored world. |, took them from among
the beasts Of the field, sad restoring L
sheal their humanity, insde lhem sstrivs.i--
They have striven, many Of them nobly
and though then progress has been married
by the deep, dark degradation Of their brute
life, and BY external, adverse circumstan,
ces, II has yet been more rapid. more ell
coucagng, and more profoundly peaceful
than the most sanguine could reasonably
have antics pated.
The city OF Kingston is the commercial
centre of the island; and the most vicious
and idle portion of the peasanlry--those
who, during slavery. were distributed upon
the estates, and their crimes punished by the
divers Mechanically determine TO it,
these are found in The lower part Of the
city, lounging about the wharves, seeking
employment or petty plumber They often
assume ais of independence and insoence
towards those who employ them, and live,
no one knows how, nor where. The same
class Of persons are found in the same To-
calities, in all maritime cities, though not
so abundantly in the higher latitudes as
within the tropics. They fill one with shame
Tor his race. and with wonder. at the depth
Of human degradation. Captains of vessels
come in contact with these persons, and
often employ them-sometimes to their
cost. They are the only specimens they
see OF the peasantry, and they regard them
as fair representatives Of the agricultural Ia
borers, with whom their complexion asso-
cales them. On their return, they CON-
municate their disgust TO the news-boat, or
TO an enquiring editor. and another, perhaps,
well-meant testimony Of an eyewitness is
given to the world.
The whole rural population have homes.
For the mos! part, they live in the same
places, and, perhaps, in the same huts. in
which slavery left Them. These are very
low, small, rude tenements, of from ten
feet square, divided into two looms, to four
teen feet by twenty, four, divided into three
or four The posts Of the house are iasten-
ed into the earth, which is slightly raised.
and haAten hard for q floor the sides are
made of bamboo, Gu, and split to the NE
of laths, which is daubed or plastered with
mud, OH one side or both, and rubbed I'LL
smooth and hard; and by successive rubbings,
and filling up the cracks, this process makes
a neat, firm wall. The roof is thatched
with long grass, or with the leaves OF the
cocoanut tree: it is often foot thick,
reaching nearly down to the ground. The
under surface is smoked TO glossy black,
to protect il from the vermin with which
the island abounds.
Many thousand huis have been built
since emancipation. snd they are uniformly
better than the slave huts higher, larger,
better ventilated. A few are boarded up,
more are shingled, and many are foored.
All manifes, an improved taste, style, and
manner OF living. About twenty thousand
of the peasantry have become freeholders.
Not only have the people homes, they have
the means of a comfortable subsistence
Every man and woman, and half grown
child. has provision ground, in which
they cultivate yaIns, cocoas, "a root some
what resembling beet, but Of much inner
and firrner texture,) plantains, sugarcane.
cassada, coffee, corn. beans. &c, &e.,
which they sell, or barter for bread. biscuit,
butter, sugar, cheese, lard, fish, meats, soap,
candles, &c. The importatlons oil these
articles, since the emancipation. has incfess-
ed from four to fifty fold. Besides their
provision grounds, which they cultivate in
the afternoon at o'clock, and on Satur-
days, the bulk OF the lsborers, when they
can obtain work. labor upon the estates,
from three to five days in the week, for
which they receive from twenty-five to thir-
ty-seven and half cents per diem oil ten
hours, from 6 A. NJ, till 2. M, with an
intermisson OF one hour at noon. This
enables them to procure lands, horses.
mules, donkeys, tables, chairs, bedsteads,
bedding, trunks, little crockery ware, of
various sizes and pstterns--for they love
varety-and occasionally good wardrobe,
to say nothing Of several changes of decent
white apparel to put into it, the best OF
which is only seen at marriages, commu'
Mon seasons, and such special occasions.
These new gettings, are all in humble
way; yet they are so general, that nearly
every family has beast, many have sever
al; and nearly every hut in the island is
more or less adorned with some OF these
indications Of ncipient civilisation. This
superior manner Of living, is only an aP-
Proclamation towards that found among the
colored population Of the free States, it the
squalid misery Of our cities may be except
ed.
The inferior artisans are all Of the eman.