Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-08-24
Prof Campbell II-Emsneipstlon in JamaIea }

Church, Monday evening, on Emancipation in
Jamaica and the condition Of the colored race in
the British West Indies On the subject Of
Emancipation in Jam4ica, Prof C said
twill be remembered by all who have exam
ined the British Abolition act, that though 1t
nominaily interested immediate freedom, yet at
the option Of the local governments of the sew
eral islands, it permitted wha, Is known as the
apprenticeship system
Arter al!uding to the justice Of emancipation
and compensation TO the owners, this act de-
elares the expedleney Of some measure to secure
the industry and good conduct of the manlmit-
ted slaves for limited period. To effect this,
it divided the slaves whose names were at the
the passage of the act registered, into predials
and non-Predials The first, comprising such as
were engaged in Agriculture, were to serve
their owners as apprentices until 1910 the
second, comprising all other slaves over six
years of age, were to servo until 1898. It was
of course provided, that although the people
should continue in servitude, yet their condition
should be as much as possible amelioratcd ;snd
special magistrates were appointed by The Brit
ish Government to enforce the provisions Of the
law. But many of these men were soon found
in open completely with the planters others
again having desire to do justice, were still
inefficient, lacking force of character The few
others able and determined to do Justly, were,
through the devices Of the planters, kept in the
dark respecting the condition of their appreu-
tees, who themselves deemed it wise to bear
their grievances in silence, since otherwise they
but aggravated them.
In Jamaica and most Of the other Islands the
system WIS adopted.
Nothing could be more short sighted and
conducive to the ruin which has Overtaken so
great proportion Of the slave-holding class of
Jamaica Knowing that their power and an
thOnty must soon cease, they determined to
make the most Of it while it lasted, and hence
they made the yoke far calling Tire nc
grOes were at a loss TO recognise In what their
new freedom consisted. They had now TO en-
dure wrongs to which they had hitherto been
strangers, even the law being construed against
them
The wiser portion Of the slave holding com
munity began, however, to perceive to what
lead, and with view Of ayeTting them as much
as possible, ard also of conciliating the dissat-
isfed labOrers, began to discuss the idea OF cur
tailing the period of apprenticeship
Finally measures to this end were adopted, so
that on the ist of August, 1898; four years
after the passage of the act, the wi ole slave
population of Jamaicl were made legally free
But regeneration was lot TO be acquired so
suddenly by men iuured 10 the Office Of slave
driving The majority seemed determined that
the freedom OF the black man should avail him
in his labor no more than his slavery, hence, so
far from mitigating his condition, new and
more grevious burthens were imposed. In
short sort of iniatuatiOn seemed to have seized
every one, making good the sdage that Z" those
whom the Gods would destroy they first make
mad"
The peasantry were as much abusel as be-
| fore, and redress was equally wanting. Their
wages scarcely enabled them TO live as well as
wheR=they were slaves. For houses which
they had themselves built, and which they were
consequently accustomed to regard as their own,
every individual engaged on the estate was re-
/ quIred to give one days' labor of each week for
4 rent. A result Of this was that when large fam
lies were so engaged the amount claimed was
exhorbitant. Those who dared to complain
were driven from their homes, their huis de-
mOlished or burnt; and their coeozuut and
other fruit trees ruthlessly hewn down. In
short, the condition of the unfortunate laborers
was indeed worse than that of slaves. The ne
grOes had their friends, however, and those
friends nobly came forward to aid them. Land
was purchased and distributed in lots to those
who gave promise eventually to pay their cost.
They aided also IN erecting suitable dwellings
on them. The intention of this was to render
the laborers only so far independent Of their
previous masters as TO be able to choose their
employers, working always to the best advan-
tage. But 1t had an effect somewhat different.
The labOrers soOn.iouud that by the cultivation
| Of only few feet Of land they could procure
for themselves and families far more of the com
forts of life than is afforded by the u or Is
cents per day which the sugar estates were viii
ling TO pay them for their LABOR, aud the cOnse-
quence was that whenever any Of them could
raise few dollars the first care was 20 invest
it in land. Thus in a short time the estates be-
gan to be denuded of laborers, and what is called
the ruin Of Jamaica began. But which Of you,
placed in the position Of these people would not
not have done the same thing Indeed if
could find one here who would act otherwise, ]
think | would thereby be afforded good evidence
of the deiectixeness Of his humanity
Ii Is convenient Of course tor the pr0pTietOrs
and overseers Of West Indian estates to ascribe
thc reaction Of their own folly 10 the Incidence
Of the negro, and their statements are too read
ily believed in this country where everything
prejudiciRl 10 the black man is eagerly seized 20
sustain the almost universally prevailing sla-
very. But let America be warned. That sla-
very even here shall cease, l am as fully assured
as Of the existence of Col Of Justice. And
although this nation Of ehurch-going Atheists
may refuse to recognize 1t, yet 1t shall not be
delayed --
To make up for the deficiency of labor thus
created, Coolies from Madras and Calcutta
were imported, but they soon too became as
wise, and a. soon as possible left the estates 70
their inevitable fate. Since have left the ISL
and, Chinamen were imported fofthe same end,
and have already learned that they will not
suit. The consequence is that in many lOcali-
ties one would travel through sugar estates
which were in times past considered hOurishiRg
but now abandoned, and are as q Southern edi-
tor expresses it slumbering in rank and Wild
luxuriance,' - while in other localities you would
travel for many miles more and see the lots OF
the peasantry in good cultivation, and PrOduc-
ing abundantly such things as are commonly
consumed on the island.
Most Of those who have interested themselves
in this question, have viewed It in partial
light. They have seen the ruin of the planter,
but the corresponding success and elevation Of
the lshorer is disregarded. assert from the
utmost familiarity with the circumstances that
in proportion as the curse Of slavery hangs ike
an incubus on the neck Of the Oppressor, 50 the
blessings of liberty have attended the path Of
the innocent
The lAbOrer now enjoys comforts TO which
he was before a stranger. His house is well
furnished; he affords his substance to the way
faring man his children arc spared from the
field for the school; his Sabbath Is a day Of rest;
and when the labors Of the day close, he can
recline beneath his own vine and fgtree, none