The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-10-20
Free Labor In the West Indtes-Condi-
tton Of jamaica.

xn0lc9-C0HdIs
tton OF jamaica.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW YORK HERALD
New YoxK, Oct. T. 1869.
have been for long while a reader OF your valuable
Journal and have observed with considerable interest
from time to time very important articles and letters in its
columns the subject Of immigration to the West India
Islands.
1t is unquestionaby the extreme paucity Of iaboran
evil which amount Of productive duty could compen-
sate-whch has brought Jamaica and other once wealthy
and prosperous colonies tho verge Of ruin In trespass
ing upon your columns with few remarks regarding
this all important question: Hater myself shall receive
your readers
Who're there exists the island Of Barbados, -the
where the relative position Of master and aborer is not
reversed but rightly understood there no reason why
free labor should not on mere economical grounds
plant it,
In Barbados, during the most pamy days Of slavery,
tons they amount to 45 600 hogsheads and more
To what to attribute the difference between this
many natural advantagess simply to an inadequate
amount of labor. In Jamaica the servant fact occu
pies the position OF the MASTER and il is only with the
greatest difficulty that labor be obtained at all The
desideraum for the resuscitation Of this colony is In
grafton, under judcious guidance and supervision
The evidence on this point of positive character
that i is an anomaly indeed that the British
stinate adherence to bygone policy.
maintain that the great II not the sole cause, Of this
islands PROSTATE condition is the want of labor is at
all events the paramount evil and until be removed or
mitigated there can be progressive improvement On
the contrary matters will become and worse. The
immense tracts Of beautiful, fertile mountain, and other
uncultivated waste lands will only ocr TO the lndolcnt
congena retreats squat where he exc out an
gnoble OF mental moral and physical
decadence proving the world that emancipation has
besn-as indeed now is in Jainaica-a signal and dis
Tho of
exceed % 600 hogshcads in 1883 they O0OO aud
during slavery they amounted to nearly double the latter
figure irrespective OF coffee ginger and other sta
PIES then of great importance now 80 insignificant in
quantity as TO be unworthy OF alluson.
Ola certain class Of aborcrs Jamaica has enough and
spare, and could willingly exchange half supply
OF free laborers less costly but far servceabe sub
stitutes.
win instance few immigrants supplied by the home
SALARIES PR ASyrM
governor &c 900
Bishop. 1000
Uniei 5us.ce;. ..................... 5000
The debts Of jamaica amount to about ssco 600 and
believe the revenue is deficient The extravagaut
expenditure of this small insignificant island amounts to
1876 0C0 per annum On this subject il is unnecessary
waste words.
II notorious fact and notorious evil The NAL ad
mnisra,ion Of pabhc affairs is curse with which this
unfortunate island is afflicted.
fEngland really wishes TO crush the slave trade and
eventually TO the slave manumitted throughout the
world eectual course for her to pursue would
sufficient body Of aborers into her West India colonies
Free labor where egtmatey abundant, is far pro-
dnciive and remuneratye than slave labor To quote
from article which recently peruscd in Of the
morning Journals referring TO slave labor the South the
writer says
Nothing but our almost perfect monopoly in the pro-
duction Of the most important staple Of the
worlds commerce has enabled us to pay such
inolerable prices for labor. The average va
lue OF the slave is little over 81 ,OO0-say q
capital representing interest Of $50 year or 81
month The cost Of slave labor then equivalent hired
providing for food, clothing little Mxuries medical
tendance. &c, and still leaving clear saving Of 81
month Is there any country Of the world where I'M
skilled white labor is so highly paidy'
But really, sir Mr.. Everett thoroughly grasped the
question Of the slave trade in his letter dated Washington
December l. 1882 to Mr. Crampton the British Minister
He wrote to him as follows
g will but allude TO evil of the first magnitude
the African slave trade In the suppression Of which
England and France take lively interestan evil which
still forms great reproach upon tho civilization Of Chris
tendom and perpctuatcs the barbarian Of Africa
which, is 70 be feared, he hope Of complete re-
NEEDY chtte Csbo re'wdSMs q Spanish colony"
The pith Of the extract have talicised. MEMO.