The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-07-21
NH. CAREY ON SLAVERY IN THE BRIIIsE
COLONIES AND IN THE UNITED STATES


The History of Slavery in the British West
Indies the condition of the slaves there pre-
vous to the Emancipation Act, the results Of
that Act, with the teachings of the history,
are given in the second and fourth chapters
of the work and the parallel points in the
Slave system of the United States are treated
in the third chapter, in such fashion as to in
duce comparison, and suggest conclusions upon
the policy and utility of immediate emancipa-
ton.
We will give the facts and implications fur
nshed, 80 far as they seem necessary to cor
rect judgment of the authors differences, and
add our own reflections.
From calculations given, which are appa-
rently correct and reliable, both in data and
deductions, Mr.. Carey puts down the number Of
slaves imported into the British West Indies, and
retained for consumption in those colonies at
100000. The whole number emancipated
in 1894, 100000. THE slaves in all the British
possessions at that time amounted to 7s0 99a
Making the due deductions for manumissions
s-nar persons II imported from Africa to one
emancipated in 1884; to which must be add
ed besides, the natural increase of this multi.
tude in the current two hundred years since
the introduction Of slaves into the islands The
actual importation was probably greater than
the registers show, and it may have amounted
to full two millions; which would give three
immigrants for one survivor in 1894 The fact
Of such enormous waste of life is otherwise
established by the register of births and
deaths. A few instances: In Jamaica, from
1926 to 1929, there were rs, 1877 Deaths 81, 1928
births; in st. Vincent's in 1891, 2,26s deaths,
1871 births in Dominica, 1929 to 1926, /, 493
deaths, 1909 births; in Guiana, 1929 to 1892
1915 deaths, 4,0s6 births; in Grenada in the
year 1918, 1910 deaths, 657 births.
We have given here only the most recent
dates. At the earlier periods of the history
the account was much worse The tables
show that Or a very long period the birth,
steadily diminished. At the earlier period,
the figures are of terrible import. In I764
the slaves in St. vincent's numbered 7,4l4 Ii
1887, twenty.three years after, they wer'
1883, having increased 4439; whereas il
four only Of these twenty-three years--l7s4
1887, the net import of negroes had been n,
less than 500. If we take 900 as the an
nual net import, twenty three years would give
without the natural increase, an addition I,
the slave population of $4,000, instead O
4,43s, or loss of 10000, and the natural in
crease upon principal of $4,000! In Do
minica there were 1000 slaves in 1863. Tn
net importation in four gears, 1884 to 1887
was 23,22l yet the population in 1888 wa
but l4,s67. Here there must have been fv,
imported for every one remaining on the island
Per contra, as to the United States, the i'm
portations are fixed upon such data as the au
thor could find, at about 333 500, all told, from
the beginning Of the system to the abolition
of the slave trade. These have swollen from
one-third Of million up to $500 900, accord
ing to the census of 1880, and the ratio afford.
ed by it for the increase since afording ten
persons surviving for every one imported OF
the contrast Of thirty to one in favor of Sla-
very in the United States, as against the re-
suits measured by the vital statistics in the
West India Colonies of England II is not
necessary TO verify 80 much Of this statement
as rests in calculation. 1t is clear thst the ne.
groes, free and enslaved, of this Union, were
about 1929 in 1890; in 1900, 1901, 436 ;
IN 1910, 1898 500 before which date the for
eign supply by the slave trade had ceased. and
that in the interval of forty.two years, they
have increased to 3,s000oo These facts an.
swer the purpose of MIR. Carey's contrast be-
tween the system in the British Colonies and
the United States sufficiently for all the signi-
6cance there is in it.
In the five years Immediately previous to
the Emancipation Act he estimates the ,rasts
Of life in the British Colonies at one per cent.
per annum. In the United States, tho increase
for the decennial period from 1910 to 1920, 80
per cent. from 1920 TO 1890, sO.s per cent.
from 1880 to 1910, "a per cent. from 1910 10
1850, rs per cent. And he further infers that
had the slaves in the British islands been fed,
clothed, lodged, and otherwise cared for, as
they were in these Provinces and States their
numbers would have reached nearly 90, 900 900,
instead Of 100000 And had their numbers in
this country been reduced by the same process,
instead Of 100000, we should have but
100000, or about to every "a of the existing
number.