Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-08-22
THE EMANCIpATEp WEST INDIANS.

DR.. Rock a talented eolored citizen Of Boston, said
at the First Of August celebration at Abingdon,
Nass.
Those islands are now ia \ hopeful condition,
and active measures are on foot to induce the la
boring classes to cultivate the sell. 1t is believed
by many that those islands are in n worse cOnoi-
ton now than they were before the slaves were
emancipated. This is not true OF those islands as
n whole, though it is true with regard to many of
the estates. The planters would have the enamel
pated slaves work for q triie-th;s they refused to
do, preferring to play for nothing sooner than
work for nothing. This oversight OF the planters
in refusing to pay o reasonable price for labor
caused many Of their estates to 60 to ruin, aud oil
Of their property to depreciaie, IL they had paid
fair wages, a sirgle year would have shown them.
in the increase of their crops, the advantage OF
free over slave labor. But they held the pence so
near their eyes that they could not see the pounds
q little distance before them. Thetr failures, they
unhappilv call the failures of emancipation
England, generous to the planters, paid them
we'll for the flesh and life-blood Of the slave. But
the poor outraged and injured slaves themselves,
many Of whom had become aged, infrm and worn
out, in serving their masters, and making then
rich-these she gave nothing but a fair chance tC
test the charities of an unfriendly world. Now, >
q slave was worth an hundred pounds to his mas
ter, he was worth at least twice as much to himself
And if England could afford to give the master
FIVE hundred dollars, who mover worked an hour &c
promote the interests of her colonies, certainly che
could afford to have given tie man one thousand
who had been her slave for life, This, however
she did not do, and she did not even offer a stimu
lus to make him Industrious by protecting hi;
labor. The English system of free trade uufOr
tunatoly forces the British free laborers in Jamai
Gu to compete with the Spanish slaves of Cuba.
Being without means to enter into business Of
agriculture, and with 70 fair compensation Offered
for labor, their condition even as free men was ia
from enviable. But they have been and are con
tinually surmounting it. Many have commence
by picking fruits for the markets, then buying
small patch Of land and hlling it, and gradual.
adding to it year by year as the crops are sold
In this manner, many who were once under tn
drivers lash have now become quite wealthy, an
have not been whipped when they 90 to church
nor had their teeth knocked out when they sue
the sugar-cane.
The moral condition of those Islands is nue.
improved; and though it is not so good as we coul
wish, yet it is far better than that of France o
Italy.
Education is highly encouraged. All Offices ar
open to them, and there are in Jamaica, Editors
Barristers, Justices of the Peace, Special Magi'
trates, Aldermen, Assemblym men and Judges an
Mr.. Jordan, a colOIed gentleman, is Mayor {
Kingston, the largest city in the British West Ii
dies.
l rejoice, to day, to be able to thank England fC
what she has done. | hope she will do more
Those people have a heavy claim upon her. Al
loyal subjects, and worthy of her kindest care ar
consideration.
The condition of the masses is continually il
proving, and the wonderful progress which the
have made under very adverse circumstances shov
us at least that the Anti-Slavery movemement
aot a failure, and that the blacks know how
take care of themselves.
The Shareholders understand this very well, an
whenever they think their slaves have got the iMe
of freedom in their minds, they are almost frigh
ened out of their wits.
In this connection, DR.. Rock referred to the in
aginary instruction in Tennessee, last winter, an
paid an eloquent tribute to the negro martyr VIII
refused to reveal what he knew of the plot, thong
tortured to death by the whip of his cruel and vii
dicative master. lie also referred to Hayti with
good deal of pride, as proving the capacity of tt
blacks for elf-government. half a century ag
Hayti was a vast slave plantation now she is Il
eighth nation Of the world with regard to reven'
and numbers among her population men OF gre
scientific and professional requirements, eminent
successful in every department of business.
Dr. r. said he would not monopolize the tim
and concluded by remarking that the only que
ton in this country was, whether we had backbol
to meet the enemy face to face. Everything taug
us that the Slave Oligarchy intended, not merely
make Kansas a slave State, and New England {
hunting ground for slave stealers, but to place +
whole country under the iron rule of the slay
holders.