Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-08-02
4uuiversary OF West India Emancipation

Aupiversary Of West India Emancipation
Yesterday, August Ist, was the anniversary
of one of the most beneficent and sublime
achievements in the history of England-the
breaking of the bonds of Eight Hundred Thou
sand Slaves in the British West Indies. of
the workings of the great experiment and Its
results upon the white and colOred races the
accounts vary, Just as they are tiDged by the
eolorinps of the friends or the foes of universal
freedom. The prO-slavery press ever speaks of
British West India Emancipation as failure,
or worse; while the statements of unprejudieed
residents Of Jamaica, and of philanthropists
who have specially investigated the condition
and prospects of the freedmen and their de
seendanis, unite in representing decided IN
dustriaI. physical social, moral religious, and
governmental improvement.
Last spring CHAKLEs TAFPAN, of New York,
passed some weeks in Jamaica, and made him
self acquainted with the actual results of eman-
cipation. At Kingston, the principal seaport
of the island, where the idle and vicious con-
gregate, emancipated slaves he admits disgrace
the name of freemen But Mr.. T. found in
travelling over the mountains and through the
valleys an industrious, sober people; happy,
contented men and women, cultivaiing sugar
cane and numerous vegetables and fruits on their
own account, clean, neat, and well finished
cottages furnished not only with crockery,
glassware, and mahogany furniture, but with
r h IL Africans ~
unmixed blood grinding their own sugar cane
in their own mills, and making their own sugar.
Mr. S. B. SLACK, for ten years past connected
with the press of Kingston, and a native OF
Jamaica, has recently published full aud IN
teresting account of the results Of emaneiPa-
;ion upon the Island. He establishes the fact
that emancipation has proved great blessing
to the blacks, and that, with very few exeeP-
tions, emancipation is universally acknowledged
to be blessing by the planters. The Hon L.
Edward Thompson and the Hen Henry West
moreland, two representatives of the Conserv-
ative planting interests, have borne willing tcs-
timony in their places in the House of Assem-
bly, to the blessings of freedom, and eulogised
the conduct of the emancipated slaves and
their descendants Since the era of emancipa-
ton there has not been a single attempt at
revolt on the island, and the handful of police
in each town has been found sufficient to put
down local disturbances.
The political advantages Of the free eolored
people of Jamaica over their former condition
of rlaves are striking Color is no bar to their
promotion. In the House of Assembly there
are two pure negroes, and a large number OF
both Houses of the Legislature, and of the
Privy Council, are allied, more or less nearly,
to the African race. The Hon. Edward JOr-
don, who is the principal member of Governor
Darling's Cabinet, Mayor of Kingston, AM prin-
cipal proprietor and Editor of the Kingston
Morning Journal, is man whose descent and
color would cOnsign him to the slave mart IN
our boosted free Republic.
In some portions of New England Saturday
was dedicated to Anniversary CeleSrations OF
British West India Emancipation. At Abing-
ton, under the auspices CT the Massachusetts
Anti-SIavery Society. AT Milford, and other
towns in New England and New York, the eel
ebration will be held to-day. In this city, the
celebration viii take place tomorrow, the 81,
and will no doubt be an imposing display
There viii be grand procession, eOlOred mill
tary parade, oTatons, dinner, and Ball in the eve
ming