Des Arc citizen., 1860-03-07
The Emancipated Negroes of the West Indies "A Book for the Times.
om the Washington Constitution.J

slave labor, in it's social and economical aspect, is now receiving in this country and Great Britain, imparts peculiar inter est to every authentic account of the pres ent condition of the once productive and i prosperous British West Indies Among the recent publications on this subject which have issueG from the London press, IS volume by MT. Trollope, a relative of the lacy of that name, whose criticisms upon men and manners in America, twenty-five years ago, brought her into considerable notorieiy. The gentleman is close and intelligent observer; and his book gives the results of an intimate acquaintance with those naturally rich and beautiful islands. He did not visit Hayti, but his personal observations extended to every other portion of those regions which once excited so much interest, and were associated with romance and adventure, as well as with the substantial ideas of wealth and of prosperous trade. He spent sometime in Cuba and, Englishman as he s-in fact, regular John Bull, in- heriting not few of the prejudices which Il quarter of a century since were called Irollopjana-he puts on record his delib- crate opinion that the sooner Cuba passes aato .anserican hands he better for aU parties concerned
 We commend this judgment of an in- tensely Anglican traveller, whom his most unscrupulous opponent would never dream of charging with any love for the United States, 10 those among our own people who affected 10 be unable 10 discover any motive for the acquisition of Cuba, except the lust of dominion and "the increase of the slave power!" But this by the way: The great value of MT. Trollope's book springs from the abundant illustration it affords of the practical working of meas ures which short-sghted humanitarians and fantastic theorists would obtrude on the Southern States of this Confectionery
 The discussion now going on in the Sen ate, which has called forth the views of wise, enlightened, and philosophic states men of the South, will attract the atten- ton of those candid and rehecling men of England by whom the work now before us has been so favorably received 4 great reaction of the public opinion of the civilized world, we venture to predict, is at hand in regard to the employment of African labor. The mere vagaries and fantasies of theorists and humanitarians, which have widely obtained currency in different quarters, will be dspelled by plain truths; and the pretences and the strategy of partisan traders here in Abo liuonism will have nothing to stand upon ,l. ,L peal are better informed as to the actual character and working of the domestic n- situations of the South.
 The economies of Aboitionism are shown in the contrast which the British West Indies now present to that condition which they exhibited before the people of Great Britain paid twenty millions of pounds sterling for that ism. What has become of the great British trade of which the West Indies was then the cen- t-e? It has gradually languished and fallen into decay; nor has 1t been supplied by business of any other kind. What has become of lbe famous sugar trade of the British West Indies It has gone to ruin, comparatively nor have their won-4 derful natural resources been turned to any other account
 Mr. TrolIope plainly tells the story. The emancipated negroes, absolutely re- yelling in their immunity from toil, have no capacity for improvement. "Their good qualities show no indications of rs- ing into anything serious CT manlike their bad qualities are disgusting. annoy ing, and contemptible."
 The book IS interesting in other respects. Here is MT. Trollope's summary of the WEsr INDIAN FREE NEGRo CHARAorER- IsTICs:
 Physically he is capable of the hardest | bodily work, and that probably with less bodi- ly pain than men of almost any other race ; | but he is idle, unambitious as to worldly posi- tion, sensual and content with but little. h. telectually he is apparently capable of but little sustained effort; but, singularly enough, | he is ambitious. He burns to be regarded as a scholar, puzzles himself with fine words, addicts himself to religion for the sake of ap- pearance, and delights in aping the little graces of civilization. He despises himself thoroughly, and would probably be content to starve himself for month if he could appear as white man for day :; but yet he delights in signs of respect paid him, black man as he is, and is always thinking of his own dignity. IT you want to Wln ms heart for an hour, call | him gentleman; but if yop want to win him to despairing obedience, tell him that he is a filthy nigger, assure him that his father and mother had tails like monkeys, and forbid him to think that he can have soul like white man.
 EDUCATION OF THE NEGRO.
 's I do not think that education has as yet done much for the black man in the western world. He can alway observe, and often read but he can seldom reason. l do no mean to assert that he is absolutely without mental power as calf is. He does draw conclu- f, sions, but he carries them only short way think that he seldom understands the pur- pose of industry, the object of truth, or the results of honesty. He is not always idle, perhaps not always false, certainly not always , ! thief; but his motives are the fear of i'm m ediate punishment or hopes of immediate ' reward. He fears that and hopes that only. Certain virtues he copies because they are the ( sirtues of white man. The white man is f he god present to his eye, and he believes in f in him with qualified faith ! md initiates him with qualified constancy'' V
 The condition of the white population who are struggling to induce the negroes | 0 work, and thereby 10 preserve the es-