The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-08-05
THE. NATIONAL ERA: WASHINGTON, D. C, AUGUST s. 1865

the British West Indies had cause to complain
it would be in this island; and it may be oh.
served that they can emigrate in few hours,
and st very little expense, 10 colonies where
land is both abundant and cheap, and where
higher wages prevail.
shall now proceed to notice few points
referred to in your printed queries, which
have not had occasion to touch on. It is i'm
possible to compare the present statistics of
crime with those during Slavery, when the great
bulk of our ordinary offences, petty thefts and
assaults. were summsrily punished by the man.
ayers and overseers of estates You have had
an opportunity to satisfy yourself that the Of
fences in this island are not of an aggravated
character. That there is much greater secu.
rity for person and property now than there
was during Slavery, does not admit of doubt
In Barbados, there is complete separation
between rent and wages, which is clearly the
wisest policy; but 1 fear that this island ia an
exception to the colonies generally. Elsewhere
as l have already explained, it was deemed ex.
pedient to lease small allotments, from half an
acre to one or even two acres, on sufferance
no rent being charged, if continuous labor
were given. Rent was made sort of fine for
not laboring and in case of dispute, summary
ejectnent followed, the laborer having to move
his house and crops, or sell them at great dis
advantage. This wretched system, l firmly
believe, has led to the abandonment of the
estates in those colonies where land could be
obtained on different tenure; and, generally
speaking, there is no difficulty in obtaining it.
In all colonies, the laborers have abundant
time to cultivate their own grounds. Indeed,
there is no such thing as hard work performed
by any class Of the population, from the high
est to the lowest.
There are no taxes peculiarly affecting Ia
borers. The elective franchise is generally
high, but there are no class distinctions The
preludices regarding color are, l think, fast
dying away. Strangers are apt to exaggerate
the social distinctions and to attribute to preiu
dicesregarding race or color, that which proceeds
from entirely different causes. The classes of
society are more marked in the West Indies
than they are in America. AS in England,
there has been in the West Indies a wealthy
class of landed proprietors, on which the
masses, who are mere laborers, depend for EN-.
ployment There is also, as in England, a
middle class, consisting of the smaller proprie.
tors, traders, and mechanics. This last.named
class in Barbados is intelligent and active. and
is striving to attain political power and advance.
ment. You will find that the higher class in
Barbados is generally white, the middle class
colored, and the laboriDg class black. There
are, OF course, exceptions to this remark. There
are very poor whites, and wealthy men of color.
and of unmixed African descent, and many of
all shades, in the middle class. In some of the
other colonies, the higher class has almost dis.
appeared, owing to absenteeism and other
causes; and you will therefore find more per.
sons of color in high social position in those
colonies than in Barbados
The opinions which have expressed in this
letter have been formed after patient and inn
partial inquiry, and are sincerely held. l am
bound, however, to add, that few of the plant
ers would admit that have assigned correct
reasons for the abandonment of the estates by
the laborers. L wish very much that the exper
iment could be tried of cultivating an estate in
accordance with the principles which 1 have
laid down.
Meantime, it is sufficient for me further to OBJ
serve, that it is generally admitted that the me-
gro understands his own interest and if, as all
agree, the most profitable cultivation in these
islands is that of the sugar cane, it must follow
that the creole would pursue that branch of in
dustry, if sufficient inducements were held cut
to him. l maintain that wherever those induce
ments are offered, he invariably does labor at
cane cultivation.
Believe me, my dear cir, yours, very truly,
+. HINCKs.
Charles Tdppan, Esq.