Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-06-28
From The New York Journal Of Commerce.
EFFECTS OF EMANCIPATIoN-EX
PLIES or HAYTI, JAMAICA. &C

From The New York Journal OF Commerce
EFFECTS OH EMANCIPATIoN-Ex
PIES on HAYTI, JAMAICA, &c.
Why is il that our Abolitionsts and would-b
thought phlanthropists Of the North are APP
| parenty so ignorant Of the practical effects of
emancipation, and the misery that has resulted
thereirom by unwise legislation and blind fanat-
cism
Why do they not, instead of standing afar off
from these ''benighted people" advocating Chi
merical dogmts, 20 among them, and by teaching
prepare themto occupy more exalted position,
if they are really capable Of so doing, as they
would have us believer Is there not field enough
for them in Liberia, in jamaica and the Danish
islands, instead of creating discord at home; and
above all, in Hayti, once the ''Queen Of the
Antilles" and now mass Of corruption, abound
ing in all that is revolving to civilized and refined
minds both morally and intellectually
inns island has, since the revolt of the blacks
IN 1872, been steadily retrograding, with the ex-
cepion of during Boyer's administration, and
even then IT made no advancement, no progress
There is not parallel in the annals Of his
tory where people starting, the blacks did
| IN Hayu, by conquerng country the richest
and most productive in the world of its size, that
has sunk IN so short time into absolute poverty
In llS9 there We're, according to reliable statis
tics, exported al 100000 pounds of sugar, and
the export of coffee vas 76,s35,2l9 pounds;
| OF cotton 7,004,274 pounds; of indigo 75S,62S
! pounds; and the abundance of Injuries produced
enabled the inhabitants TO live in style unequal
| led elsewhere even in the Tropics
Before speak OF the present condition of the
Island let me repeat an anecdote in illustration,
related to me while there not long since by an'old
| resident, an American by birth, who has lived
| long enough among them to become impoverished
| like the rest.
He was formerly merchant, having frequently
as many as n dozen vessels in pes. tn his con-
signment. Some twenty years since, at dinner
party given by him the anniversary of our
independence to the American merchants and
shlpmasters in port he spoke of the changes that
| had already taken place, and among other things,
remarked that he expected to see the day when,
instead of sweetening their coffee with the sugar
produced on the island, rs they were then doing,
it would be done with sugar imported from the
United States. The remark was received with
loud acclamatons as good Joke, for my friend
had the reputation in those days Of being some
what OF humorist. Let see how his words
have been verified.
At this moment there is not one pound of sugar
exported from the island, and all that is used
is imported from the United States. Some friends
of mine have made the attempt 10 make sugar
in small way within few years past, but for
with loss. There is not raised at the very most,
have been credibly informed by those en-
ployed in the custom-houses, more than 40 900
pounds of coffee, and the amount decreases
yearly. With the exception of Gonaives, there
is not a pound of cotton produced, and only
very limited quantity there, barely sufficient for
consumption; and instead of exporting, as for
merly, indigo, they import all they use from the
United States. The people this moment exist
mot live) under the most tyrannical and corrupt
Government known among so-called civilized
nations.
| speak from knowledge of facts, having
| resided formerly some time in the island, and
some of the many circumstances that came to my
knowledge then | snail hereafter speak of.
| | am, as ever have been, opposed to slavery
| in the abstract, and believe it not only moral
wrong, but greater misfortune to the master
than the slave; but am opposed TO the still
greater wrong, both moral and social, that must
inevitably mise from immediate emancipation.
How has resulted in the English colonies I
Was the mere nominal sum paid TO the master
for his slaves hy tho English Government all that
was required, all that was due to him! Was the
liberty given to the slave all he had right to
ask | think not; for ii seems almost a dream
when one compares the beautiful estates that for
merly adorned those islands TO the few and mis-
erably cultivated ones that are now in existence.
| The negro was formerly as happy and contented
as nature designed he should be, with all of his
physical wants supplied, supported and protected
| by master, upon whom the laws imposed an
| obligation 10 protect and support him in return
| for his labor, and INDUCED and encouraged in his
| innocent holyday amusements. lie became in
| toxicated at finding himself Free and under no
obligations TO himself and master, soon lost all
desire Of sef-cultivation, if he ever had any, or
to cultivate the soil; and he has year by year de-
generated, until now he is lower in the scale of
humanity than those Of his own people who roam
| the deserts Of Africa; for heu 'know not what
they dc" whereas the negro Of jamaica has sys-
| tematlcally learned vice and become too ready
pupil, and is now untitled for any position above
the lowest sensualist, and is even looked upon
with contempt, to my personal knowledge and
observation, by the degenerate natives of Hayti.
NoRTHERNER.
In coordination Of the above, we have the
evidence Of one who resides in the Island of ia
maicn, Of the deep distress brought on the in
habtants Of that island BY the unwiso policy of
the British Government, and which would MS
surely befall this beautiful land, were the slaves
Of the South, now 50 happy, cmancipatcd. Fa-
natics Of the North, see what degradation and
misery your insane course would bring upon
those you profess % lore 50 dearly
"DsTREss ~ JtnMcA-The Kingston ia
maica) Journal speaks as follows of the great
distress prevailing in that island:
| The inhabitants Of Jamaica are stepped in
poverty-a large portion, pinched by want, arc
stepped IN misery; thousands are crying for as
sstance OF food; and in several districts distant
from market places, hundreds have TO subsist
upon tho young bamboos, and TO dig up and
| clutch any wild root or other spontaneous pro-
duction, TO support life This may appear an
exaggerated, but nevertheless, il is a true pic.