The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1859-10-05
IFtons Ar London Tmss.1
The Result of Negro Emancipation.

At the beginning of the present month
pubIic meeting was held IN this CITY 70 cele-
hrafe the twenty fifth anniversary Of the a6o-
j;t;on of slavery. One Of the speeches dellv-
cred on that occasion has since been reprinted,
and not without reason, for it was larry ad-
dressed to the solution ofa problem on "mch
most important interests have long been .oe-
pending. Mr. Hincks the able governor q
our windward Island, was not content WIN
eulogizing the triumph OF humanity wnlcn tne
grand act Of abolition expressd de outs1ep;;
ped this sphere Of superfluous panegyTlc anu
erappled with questions which still remain lor
decision. The negro has been emancipateo,
but what have been the results Of negro en-
ancipation Justice to the black and freedom
to the slave no doubt; but TO the planter
what?-to the colonies what ?--to the sugar
market what? The purest philantrupist need
not scruple to entertain these supplementary
questions, for in very truth, their chief con-
cern is with philanthropy ITSELF Slavery has
been abolished everywhere, but 20 certain
territories only, and unles abolition can be
shown to have been not partially, but generally
a success, it will to certainty never be repea-
ted in other countries. Are Cuba and louisa
ma TO follow in the steps of Jamaica? II they
are, we must prove that Jamaica either has
been or can be a gamer by the experiment
1t was to this object that Governor llincks
directed his observations and to this we Shall
now address our own
1t is only asserted but statistically main
tanned in the pages before us, that slave labor
is, in reality, dearer than free indeed, to
body Of evidence which we should be reluctant
TO doubt, cultivation ought to be cheaper and
more successful in the British West Indies
tkoV, in II. v1o Ia Nrh
they may Mr.. Eincks, however, weli knows
that as matter of fact this is not generally
The case. He tells us that the advan-
tages possessed by Cuba and I.onisiana are
not possessed through their slaves, sat in
spite ofthem. At this moment labor is dearer
| in Louisiana than in the Northern States Of
the Union, high as the rate stands in those
parts. What the Louisiana planters gain by
Is their astonishing economy Of means combined
with wonderful excellence in manufacture, the
trade being also protected by tariff. The
safety of Cuba again lies in its virgin SOIL
though in this advantage 1t is rivalled by
Trinidad. A part, however, from these con-
siderations, we are distinctly assured that
whereas the labor consumed upon every pound
of sugar produced may be estimated in Cuba
at some cents, and in Louisiana at 10
cents in Trinidad it does not exceed 2 cents,
and in Barbados reaches only 4-l0 cents.
These assertions are both consolatory and sus-
gestive, and we give them publicity with all
the greater willingness because, whether sus-
tainable or not, they do at any rate proceed
on fair and reasonable principles They do
not assume that enfranchised blacks are the
only creatures to be regarded in calculating
the results of emancipation. They do not
ignore the prosperity of the colonies, or, above
all, the claims Of blacks who are not emanci-
pated. They are guided manifestly by the
conviction that, until we can prove that the
abolition of slavery, while bringing liberty to
the negro, has not brought ruin to agriculture,
our example will not be followed, and that
until it is followed the work of philantrophy
will be but half performed These principles
we recommend to the careful attention of our
Anti-Slavery Society at home. The members
of that Association seem sadly in want Of an
object, and here is one made to their hands.
Let them agitate against slavery in Cuba, by
improving the results Of freedom in Jamaica.
Let them help to prove what Mr.. Hincks de-
clares that our planters can really beat slave
holders out of the field by cheaper and better
production 80 s.5
In doing that they will be once more dis.
charging the functions they profess, for slavery
will not be long maintained either in Cuba or
elsewhere when it is found to be a losing
game.