New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-07-16


tie cp'n;ou If 81 cd native rssile-t o. Jaua'ca
ia worth much more than spy judgment olsy hsye
formed during feH months residence there, upon
tie sres. suhjtc. Of resro tmauo.Patcc; al send
ycu tcr publication the fCloTins Letter "lica
have iu.. .ece;yt1 from hr. S B. Slacs.
CHARLES rAPPAH
A. ST Msy -. 1873.
So. D-,;rr ~ passage from Kingston. Jsmscs
~ PtUa5elp,s tne Rev. L,r:n Thompson. OF TIE
Kchno1c Iu6ustrsl Itst,Ciio1. ps;isa OF aeseste'
,Iama.cs, under tie auspices OF tie Ainen'an az
sioua.v y ctty, who was fellow passenger, pisced
IN II hsncs ,he fchc wirg nine questions, ~oicn you
had ubnii,,ito hin during !cuE soioutn C Jsmaoa
with Request tbs, would furnish n'n "'A anS"ei''
Hereto.
Accordingly perned tie following, as vel as the
roliirs ad pchifg Il the vessel during hesvy saces
Of g;ii would allow ne. And S. l an doubtful
whether will be able to meet Mr.. Thompson, tsAe
the Liberty OF ccnuEn,o ati.g directly with you.
In Furnishing YOU with answers 20 your nre impor-
tart ousgtors eten /, necessary TO Inform you that
| sm s net.ye q jamaica where | nave Aved Tor
thirty vesrf: ttst sm tie son Ct sugaT.f isnIer
late # tae Parish Of Tte.vpy, the principal scgsr
growing district Of the islarc that am sIiSe we.I
ACQUAINTED with planters and the laoorng sn1 otner
classss and ii Cor the last ten years hsTe oeen
coLrs with tie press o. Jamaica Literary ana pc
H,icsl both in the Town Of Falmouth, tue oapisa OF
T.lssrv SD IN the CITY OF Kingston my last appoint
eIt In the latter place being ransger Of the literary
GepartueL. CT q daily newspaper called me Aorh'Ey
J.yral, which appointment l held for exscny four
years. | n;icu these facts IN order 70 snow you
that en- IeY!ecty acquainted with the suolsct MAKER
ylioh has cccasored tie present Communication.
Before proceeding TO answer ycur questions, con-
s,oer il GUe 10 myself TO explain tost, IN doug co.
desire 10. to interfere with the institutions oil 'nis
C, ultry in WI ich sm a stranger and where nave
e1per.enc norght bu. Kind courteous treatment
The people OF the States are these who ought to regu
late tier inteusl affairs without foreign inter
yeLtior And while | claim a. my undouoted ri2nt
tie exercise of TIE same privilege n the ana OF my
birth would guard against aoy construction tast
NAV be placed any OF my statements as an otcious
intern eoGrg with the question OF SLAYER! as exists
iu certain parts Of the United states In short wish
II 10 be distinctly urders.o' that these statements are
intended Gin ply as TO certain questions walch
have been Put 10 10 reference sore to the result OF
Email ipation in Jamaica. Thus preuislng proceed
TO enswer the questions, ssIt0fgr.
QUESTION I.-Uhdt are me advantages 81 frsef0n
0rer SiGreyl ,..,
Anstrer-Wele i not an uLdoubted fact that there
are persops who contend that the negro IS better
adsuted 10 a state Of bondage than OF freedom, 1
should answer that the advantages OF Freedom over
Slavery are self evident a. to render THIS question
unnecessary. But as there are people who persist 10
talking auo wrItrg CT the blessings of Slsyery to
tie uecro and in endeavorirg to prove that Freedom
10 him is a curse, ii is perhaps, requisite to otter
few remarks in refutston Of 30 monstous propo-
stion. 90 -.
fbose WHO eudeavor to esove Negro Slavery into
bles,it 2 TO those subjected to its CONTROL generay
point 70 the care which, it is alleged, 10 taken OF him
IN ths. condition in providing for his aima wants, as
coutrsdis,ncuished from the squald poverty. ana
misery that are Observable among the starving
nyr:ads Of England and Ireland and Jamaica, even,
Is sometimes pointed st as eylncirg what Is sad 10 oe
the superiority of the black man as slaVs over Ms
POSITION free man.
Passing over the obvious evils that would result to
ths human race were it to be established as DOC
trre that rs,ons and Idiylduals possessed, or tcy
ing themselves possessed Of higher degree OF CYL
. I.v hftynn
in usrg force IN cvizipg ard enhancing the hsppi-
ress OF the lees enlightened, pass to the consideration
Of the question.
As fer as toe emar cipa.ed classes Of Jamsics are
ccuoernsd enphstcsy deny that their condition is
wore than that Of slaves in any part of the world or
than their condition. that of their progenitors
while they were held Is slaves. On the contrary,
maintain II at the advantages Of Freedom over Slavery
nave been moet sIikrgly exhibited By them in va
riey Of ways, morally and regiorsy polite ally 80
cially, and even physically.
OF the moral ard religious phase of the proposition,
prefer speaking when come to cor slider the second
OUT slioD 10 which il more properly belongs.
Politically the enirsrchised negro possesses I'm
advantages over his rner condition OF save
On cbs;tel. a. slave, 50 far from possessing any
rights Ct citizenship, II was from his very abssement
Il at hs owner derived his civil and poticsl PRIV
liz ees; !or TIE original patents OF lanes In Jamaica
wee granted the condition OF the psentees stock
ing their holdings with certain number of slaves to
q given lumber tf acres. One Of the principal quail
f. aors for the exercise o. the elective franchise was
payment Of a certain smourt OF taxe'. like qual-
caon was required 20 entitle citizen to cit in the
Houle Ct Assembly as we'll as to hold the elective
,fiices Of Mayor Alderman, Common Councilman
Cororer, ChuIchwarden ard Nestryman. Now, as
slaves we're taxable property il followed that their
DC ssesscn gave civil and political status to their
owners which was denied TO themselves.
All this is low changed. The chattei has become
man. invested with all the rights Of citizenship; and
he who in former days, by money value placed on
his body conferred Alright his to exercise the
re ht OF suffrage and t. have that tight exercised on
his behalf may now, If he possess any one or more OF
the property quslicstio required by ax enjoy the
ike pryi ege without let or hirdrance. These quail
fcstions are, at present as follows:
The reotOrshp of parish, irrespective OF any other
qualification the incumbent may possess.
O.ntrshp. with actual possession, of freehold OF
lot lees annual value than 60 sterling
Payment CT taxes to the amount OF Is and upward
per anhum.
Payment Of rent to the amount of ESQ per annum
All taxes must be paid by particular day to en-
title the elector to vote during that year. Claims to
vote must be registered for certain period before
such claims become valid.
In cor sequence of the eancipated pessanry having
become poessedo Ct considerable freehold property
great deal Of political power mas been thrown Into
their hauCs electors under the ID freehold quah-
cation more indeed, than some OF their best friends
think expedienti az is urged that their inte-
geLce has not kept pace with their polite privileges,
and that consequently, they are too often made tho
duref Of designir men who use tue ilhuence when
they possess the minds OF 80 sinPlea people TO
acquire power for tie attainment OF Their own selfish
ends without al thought Of the general weal-an as
seItion in which can say, from personal experience,
there is but TOO much truth.
Corsequent en- certain fiscal changes, By which the
Whole system Of taxation has been remodeled the
tax.psyipg qualification for the exercise of electoral
privileges Will have 10 be abolished and other qua6-
GATOR substituted in lieu thereof bill was pre-
sen.sd to the House of Assembly during the last
sion Tor that purpose but it Withdrawn until the
su session, when it will be reintroduced and dis
posed Of. provision having been made to continue the
.lectorA lss e lat wear till the 81 4 OF December