The daily union., 1854-03-07
The Work Of Philanthropy on the Island OF st
ThOmaa

The world is familiar with the fruits OF British phlsn.
iropy in jamaica |, would be an unnecessary task 10
sketch them Ruined estates, and miserable, naked,
starving free negroes. stand out in bold reef-loom up
TO the gaze and contemplation OF civilized man.
We have been led TO these remarks by the perusa OF
letter in the New York Tribune from the island OF
81. Thomas West Indies. Hear the writer:
"Unt the appearan Of cholera island OF ST.
Thomas had population OF between 1900 and a. 900
while its production would be inadequate to sustain
fourth thar number. There twentys1 the
island Formerly, when the peculiar institution in
successful operation in the Danish West Indies each
these estates consisted Of extensive tracts, under high
degree of cultivation and productiveness this volcanic
structure Of SOIL stony and poor is susceptible But long
since the wild vegetation OF the mountain encroached
the plantations and the extinction OF slavery few years
since have quite disheartened these imbece
Danes and terminated their struggle with, II must be
essed stingy and unpropiious Tiisge OF the
soil has been almost wholly abandoned the have
been suffered 70 waste, and present only few
scattered patches Of Indifferent sugarcane yamf, poatoes
pigeon and other unimp vegetables The resi-
dences OF the proprieors dapidsted and weather.
worn"
Such are the effects OF emancipation upon the interests
Of the master. Let the condition Of the ib-
eraied African The picture is drawn by The same cor
respondent;
s'The settlements OF the negro laborers attached to the
"
in the extreme These consist Of fifteen twenty hus hud
died closely together sometimes Of wood, covered with
shingles instead OF clapboerds, and raised posts
fec from the ground protection Gom moisture and the
oyeuunnnR vermin Of these islands. Usually however,
they are constructed Of sort OF hurdle work Of sticks filed
in with aud and matched with the leaves Of the and
the long grass The Of these formerly slaves
on tho estates; but they paid for ihelr labor
eording scale Of price. established for the Danish
islands by government The entire relation ofempoyer
and laborer to the most uiing minu s regulated by the
government The average OF wages the estates Is hi
teen cents In addition this Is the Of their huts,
which they are obliged keep In repair and thirty feet
squafe Of ground for the use Of each family.
Small as the remuneration OF labor the ay
eem not unjust keeps tho negroes and their ami
lies alive and their labor does but ule for the
owner while is depreciatipg year by year the value of
his estate. Inefficient sinking, insubordinae,
and unskul Of laborer the does shine upon.
The ground cultivated estate, and to which
women and children Of Of families contribute, Is
not than and his boy OF years old in New
England would keep in style Of garden cultivation Bo,
both sborers and employers mbecie, easy, and sats
fed which would furnish source Of
surprise and your calculating driving Yam
kee farmcrn
II is old observation that one fact is worth hun
dred arguments II So what melancholy lessons have
been taught BY West India emancipation Who but a
fanatic desires to witness the enactment OF similar
in The southern States Yet, just effect fol-
lows cause, will be produced by the consummaiion Of
the labors undertaken by the aboionsts. To prevent
such consummation or dissolution of the Union our
main reliance is upon the democracy OF the North But,
without intending it, we Gud ourselves entering upon
wide field of discussion and we make abrupt close.
Oar only object to give few items OF news TO the
general reader.