New-York daily tribune., 1858-07-03
ENaNCIP5TION IN JAMAICA.

Eys~ Ts Psrss=rsA Ces~sreiaI Josrssl
Kisssros. Island Of Jsmsos, Feb. Is, ISIS.
About O'Clock in the morning pilo, came OF {,
where We were lying 20. awaiting him. lie vas the
fret jamaican on bcard-s muls;:o, about 2s years
OF sge, PLAINLY but decenty clad and modes; IN his de-
portmsnt As we moved through the hareor we passed
Close BY two yeseee entirely manned BY negroes no
white persons appearing on board OF either. The
vessels were old, bat seemed 70 be nevgatsd and
managed with skill and, a. Tar as could De dncov-
met. In little over two hours We were safely moored
10 the whsrf. In very few minutes on coming
down from the upper deck, found that the work OF
eoAiDg va, gong on wIth sresi se.ssy. dn" wa. was
in number. Every woman carried on her head large
tub of coa about 50 pounds. and marching in single
he hom the coal heap, about two yards on ascending
9 steep gspgwsy dexterously tilted the coal into
scuttle or haichwsy tursd and filed out by another
gaDgNsy The tubs were hllcd and placed on the
womens besds by = few men at the eosl-ysrd. All
the rest OF the labor was performed oy 'emses ang
ing, lsughiDg, screaming and rubbing their teeth With
soap sticks all the while This eight was novel; and
at first rather disasreeabe; the work seemed too
heavy for their sex, more especially as Re numbers
OF stont strong negroes were standing idly around do
ing nothing. And il indeed amazing TO see
such burdens born by females, 20 slight and young
az some appeared to be. They were oil Apps-
renty from "A TO 3 years of sse-none of them large
stout. Among them were many with forms straight,
slender and finely shaped a. any ever beheld. AL
were decently clad in plain calico dresses not half
dozen had dresssstorn ragged Their move men. was
lively and their appearance cheerful, during the whole
retiring in the shs1e refreshed themselves with or
anges and other fruits.
At o'clock the work wss over; tun OF c0si oeing
loaded in very ten minutes of working time No one
seemed tagged or worn out, and each one receiving
her half dollar, they marched in fe around the ship
singing q song of good by, From al that could
observe, the difference be.weenthe condition OF these
in freedom and slavery wac, that they worked
cheerfuly and performed their abor, hard as il was
and we've paid whenever it was done whereas in
slavery, heavier labor would have been done, and
paid by the whip. Beside these, the wharf was
thronged with negro men and women selling fruits
sugar., cakes, and other products of the Island, q
pOsy, chatterirg, yelling laughing throng that could
hardly be passed through. strong negro police
wooden baton or .tat, were well dressed 10 uniform,
quiet, vgilant and unOb.rusve. few negro soldiers
in scare. uniform standing around ~ spectators,
without arms looking on at the busy scene. During
our own passengers and there but one Eight, and
that between the mate and steerage passenger.
This was the at the wharf. After studying it
for q while visited the churches
In going up town We were accompanied by voup.
teer crowd OF hall grown negroes and boys, who IN
sisted on performing the service OF guide, whether or
not and avoripg us with variety Of local incrma-
tion they deemed useful to Strangers Inc hour was
about l0l. In the streets were crowds OF wedreaed
women, children and men; blscks, quadroons and va
rious hues, and few whites, gong to church. The
first j went into was Wesleyan chapel. II was a
large qusdrangular brick building, capable Of holding
about 900 persons The whites occupied gallery
that stretched around three sides Of the building
The main body of the church was well filed with col
ored vel clad ssssR :pfh went to the
principal Episcopal church. This was brick build
ing erected in l162, eide of the public square,
in the form OF q cross, the pulpit being at the an.
gle of junction, and 80 placed that the preschsr
could easily address every part Of the church:
The floor h was sr stone ,g g. the %ss were Ts
tured, commemort.ing the virtuer of deceased
persons in military, naval and civil life, public and
private OF both sexes, and stretching back nearly 100
years. AT one end Css platform elevated about four
feet, and surrounded by railing. This space was
occupied by the military, naval and civil authorities
all white, and was the only distinction apparent in the
church In every other part the pews were filed pro-
nscuously with whites, blacks, and qusdro0ns, male
and female old and young, without any discrimination
of race or color At II O'clock the church w1 we'll
filed by as well dressed decent, respectsbls-lookng
ss.emblsgs ss j ever beheld. About nine-tenthf q
the congregation were eolorsd, varying in hue from
the coal black 10 the faintest tnge The counenance.
were grave and intelligent. The etriotest decoium
prevailed; the children were better behaved than any
ever before saw among so great number. There
were not many very Old persons, but tney generally
avers ged from Is TO 35; four ffhs Were females, all
wedressed, some very richly, and few white females
were very handsome.
This was the evidence offered by the Ch urch as 10 the
condition Of Jamscs ard unless il can be shown that
better condition existed kcfore emancipation took
place neither the rharf the church any proof
that the measure has not been wise and beneficial In
lie results 20 far ss relates 10 the black population Of
Jamaica. But, nevertheless, il cannot be denied that
al casses in Jamaica satisfied with their present
condition. The products Of the Island have greatly
dimnishedi its plantations are gong 70 waste; the
average price OF labor s 20 oents per day and labor
is vainly demanding employment. was be.ought by
severspsrsCns to take them with me-al our pssssn;
gers had like applcations from Young, sctive and
likely persons who ssid they wanted work but could
get no employment. The whites say this state Of
thirgs owing to the evil of eusncpsiio Fhe intel
lgent blacks say 10 owing the oppressive taxation
Of the Government which restrains them from say
effort at improvement because II would only esd TO
fresh exsctiont say no lack of inclination in tho
blacks to vork-they seemed eager for it; but they
want pay for tber work, and chance 20 enjoy the
fruits Of their labor. There are many details essen
tial TO be known for full understanding Of the great
question involved in the condition Of Jamaica which
had no tins opportunity 70 obtain But So far
as could observe, the strong conviction Of my mind
is thai emancipation hss greatly improved the condl.
ton OF the blacks snd that the existing evils arse
wholly from other c.ases.
DnHlNrE