The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-05-05
RE. UETS OF EMANCIPATION IN BAR
BADOS.
E IS <cial correspondence of the N. Y. Times.


educgtcn has done much to prevent the circu-
latio. o. general intelligence. 1t would be no
matt r f surprise, and no ground for argu-
men h or against Emancipation, if the labor
ing saees were still as ignorant and unlettersd
as tseyS9ere in the days of Slavery. But in
spiteof all obstasles, find that, after the lapse
OF twenty years, they have made decided prog
ress IN tle social scale and though their natu-
raj vide are often shocking to witness, they
are not so abundant or so extravagant as
theoist would suppose them to be, after the re-
stric7i1ko of Slavery had been suddenly re-
movs6.[ x
It, Fact, which speaks volumes, that,
within 1e last fifteen years, in spite of the ex
traordn.ary 3price of land and the low rate of
wages the small proprietors of Barbados, hold
ing KS than five acres, have increased from
], 100 10 1851. All these proprietors were for
merlr slaves, subsequently free laborers, and
finall5 landholders. This is certainly an evil
denc sof industrious habits, and a remarkable
contssdiction to the prevailing idea that the
negro wild only work under compulsion. That
idea. vas formed and fostered from the habits
of Il negro as a slave; his habits as a free
man. after they had been developed by time,
are in striking contrast. / am simply stating
fact in regard to the Barbadian creole, which
here. at least, will not be denied. / have con-
verscd or the subject with all classes and con-
ditieps of people, and none are more ready to
admit s1an the planters themselves that the
frees la -orer in Barbados is a better, more
cheerfi and more industrious workman, than
the Stare. These are the opinions of men who
themselves were once violently opposed to Free
dom, anG who still strive to keep the laboring
classes il complete dependence and they arc
opinions so universal, that l have sought dill
gently, bat in vain, to hear them contradicted
The negpo will not work with the steadiness Of
a White man. nor can it be expected that he
should with all the disadvantages of tropical
climate against him. But from my own obser-
vations, Ehrez | purposely made as extended
as possible, can assert that the crowds of la
borels, raale and female, whom l frequently
met n tae cane-felds, were as diligent in the
perform snce of their duties as any other class
of Africans | ever saw, either in Freedom or
Slavery and actual comparisons have proved
that TT free laborer gets through more work
in da than ever slave did under the old
system.
CT mot speak as highly of the morality of
the lab Dting population of Barbados as | can
of thei' industry. The clergy may publish
church and school statistics, which, admit,
go to 81 ow that scholars and churchmen multi
ply b Ut statistics on such subjects are not of
much Importance, when they run counter to
commo everyday experience. To prove that
the vic Gus put on religious demeanor with
their 5 Inday coat and will listen patiently to
a tediQt :, incomprehensible sermon, only makes
the cas, worse. 1t is shown that, since eman-
cipati6s the higher crimes are less frequently
commit ed than they were before. Crimes Of
violene are almost unknown; and in the
streets, thanks to efficient police regulations,
the mo tperfect order is preserved. But crimes
of calculation, thieving, swindling, and the mi
nor vic s, have apparently increased. speak
from lson statistics, and it must be borne in
mind let over a large number, if not all, of
these ofences, the planter formerly had exclu-
slvc jurisdiction, and they were never known
beyond >tae precincts of his own estate
1t is therefore, unfair to make any deductions
from e criminal records of the present day,
and co pare them with those of the past, when
no con )srison can be instituted. But have
seen m self exhibitions of unrestrained passion,
OF crue y, and of vice, to which, in a state of
Slavery ihe negro would never be permitted to
give VI lt. | have seen parents beat their chill
dren il such an inhuman manner as to make
me fee. that liberty to them was curse to all
over wECm they were allowed to exercise any
authors i or control. | am speaking now Of
what the rule rather than the exception
among the lowest class of the negro population.
miscuQa intercourse of the sexes are almost
univerSt. From the last census, it appears
that mere than half of the children born in Bar
bados are illegitimate. The clergy-and with
some show of reason-claim that the immoral
ty of the people under Freedom is not so bad as
it was under Slavery, where marriage was not
even allowed. But | cannot think the argu.
ment a good one.
Against the middle class-as a class-the
imputation Of unfaithfulness to the marriage
vow could not be maintained but among the
laboring people, morality, not now through ig-
norance or compulsion, but from choice, re-
mains at the lowest ebb. l leave the reader to
draw what inference he pleases from such a
state of things. / simply report facts. But it
seems to me that the moral grounds of the
Aboltionist for removing the restrictions of
Slavery are, in Barbados at least, the very
worst that could be selected. Morality has not
kept pace with material progress. Making
every allowance for the influence of climate.
there is still no palliation for such a supera
bundaTfce of vice.
Observing the wide distinction that exists be-
tween the colored people Of the middle and
those of the laboring classes, have no hesita-
ton in saying that it is chiefly due to an imper-
feet and erroneous system of education. That
education is not based, as with us, upon the
broad democratic principle that it is the prov
ince of the State to see that the children of the
State possess sufficient intelligence and infor-
nation to perform their duties as freemen.
Education here is confined to those who have
the means to pay for the luxury of KNOWLEDGE
and though statistics show marked progress
since the date of emancipation, it is rather the
progress of a class than of the whole popula
ton. OF the Daily Primary Schools in con.
nection with the Church of England which in
Barbados is the Established Church, there were
in 1884, II, with an average of l,574 scholars
in 1853, twenty-five years afterwards, the schools
had increased to 20, and the scholars to 6. $50
besides the establishment of an infant school
with an average attendance of ,l40 children,
The Sunday schools, which in 1884 numbered
l9, with an attendance of 1879, now number
"a, with an attendance of 2,07l. On the other
hand, 1t must be observed that what were called
estate schools under Slavery exist now no longer.
The schools enumerated above are all in con.
nection with the Church of England those at
tached to the Moravian and WESLEYAN persba!
sions, of which | have been unable to procure
statistics, may number about half as many more.
But all the schools are under church influence.
and are necessarily imbued with with church
preJudlces and were education, on such a sys-
TEN, much more extended than it really ia. ono
would scarcely look for any wholesome diffusion
of popular instruction. If we are to iudqe of
the capacities of the negro population by those
who have been fortunate enough to receive a
tolerable education, we must believe that knowl-
edge here, as elsewhere, will elevate the labor.
ing classes in the social scale, and will greatly
diminish prevailing vice. The large increase
Of small landed proprietors, the number of col
ored mechanics, merchants, clerks, and bust
ness men, in public and private establishments
ali Of whom make up the middle cass-abun-
dainty illustrate the industry the African. and