The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-07-04

GUS CONFESSIONS OF THE PHrLANrHRoPIsTs-
The subject of colored emigration from the
United States to Jamaica is again the subject of
agitation in that island, and we publish in
another column q report Of the proceedings
held at public meeting in Kingston on the
subject
The state of affairs shown to exist, and the
admissions made by the speakers at this meeting,
in relation to the free negro communities gene
rally, are of an extraordinary character. Jamaica
itself is acknowledged to continue its recession
towards barbarian; Liberia is pronounced to be
humbug, both as country and as a social com
munity; the free negroes of the North are re-
jected as vicious and worthless, and those of the
South are pronounced to be the only ones fitted
to become oolooists. In this admission strong
but indirect compliment is paid to the effect Of
Southern legislation and education upon the
negro nature, and it is not the less significant
that it comes from the colored humanitarians
themselves. Both our Northernanti-slavery and
our Southern pro-slavery agitators are Treated
without gloves, by gentleman who seems to
have come in contact with them for philanthro-
pic purposes, and curious state of discord is
shown to exist in the happy family of the
philanthropists.
But the most extraordinary fact developed
at this meeting is one stated by the Hon. Robert
Osborn. He informs us that the last census
showed that the average of the females to the
males in Jamaica was three to one. What the
cause of this immense disproportion of the
sexes is he does not tell US; and he probably
does not tell 1t because, If told, it would mill
tate seriously against the object of the meeting,
which is to entice free colored emigration to
the island from this country. We know the
cause, for it has formed one of the prominent
facts that have struck us in our studies of the
social phenomena of the West Indies and the
Spanish Main. 1t is because the Jamaica negro
will abandon his Jamaican paradise and go to
any country where he can obtain employment
under o white man. The building of the
Panama Railroad carried thousands of negroes
from Jamaica to Aspinwall, to take service
under American contractors there, men who
have not been noted as being the mildest task
masters in the world. And they still prefer to
remain on that isthmus-and particularly in
Aspinwall rather than Panama-because they
can there come In contact with, and in some de-
gree partake Of, the superior welfare of white
community.
This is not fattering to the prospect of free
negro emigration from the South; for If there is
any place In the world where pure negro COM
munity is held in contempt It is among the
negroes, slave and free, of Our Southern States.
Neither does II contribute to the belief that
Jamaica is ever to be built up again by the
social elements now within it. The fields turned
70 wilderness, the stately mansions crumbling
to decay, and the general dilapidation con-
fessed to by the Jamaica speakers themselves,
hold forth no promise for the future. In view
Of the fact that Its own male population Is run
ming away from the curse Of emancipation we
cannot but think that the fallacio1s idea Of
filing II with population till 1t shall be crowded
into the energy Of starvation must fall to the
ground.