, 1861-08-11
G4)itaqo: Gtihu,1e
MONDAY, AUGUST Il, 1851. !.
the. SLAVERY QUESTION.
RESULTS OF UNCONDITIONAL
EHIANCIEAT10E.

-
REsULTs OF IKO0MDITIoNAL
: :. EmANO1FAT10E.
example e1 Britfsh wa4x fadtss-
The Motive PoWor OF Wages to tho
negro: ~: -.-~.- - ;. =. j:
: LAST gear we had occasion to notice and
warmly eo:amead q email volume entitled
:" NORTH AND SOUTH, p written by Rev. John
q. G. Abbott The question OF Emancipation. .
is presented to the Southern people IN q man- !
ner at once clear, judiclous and :ftde2d1y.
Indeed the arguments are addressed chiefly to:
the slsvecoWners, without the least ta1nt of
bitterness or i'll feeling, The results Of eman-
cipatton In the British West Indies are pre-.
eented in the most authentic form from the,
Latest and most reliable authorities, and the
whole ground is covered 60 ably that We can
not forbear quoting at this time, when the
public mind is unusually exercised with the
subject, few pages from the work: : Z: ::
THE EXAMPLE OF ANTIGUA. = ). :.
When the slaves in the British West indies
were emanclpated, thirty years ago, though
and had long been suffering the seyerest kind
Of slavery, and, to say the least, were rs m
enlIehtened and debased as any which can be
found in: the, United States, it is not known
| that single drop Of blood Was shed, that q
single blow was struck, or single outrage
seemed at once to be obliterated; and joy and
| gratitude we're the only emotions cherished in
The hearts Of the ema1 cipated. . ;.
DIR. Cumming, writing Of that event many
years after it took place, says: History con-
tains no record more touching than theac-
| count Of the religious, tender thankfalness
which this vast boon a#akened in the negro
breast.n a.
Prof Hovey, who visited the island come
years after the substitution Of paid for com.
| pulsory labor, that he might Investigate the
| results, testiies:
"The emancipated people, instead Of becom-
| ing frantic with Joy in the possession of their
new rights and privileges, and rioting in the
ebulliiion Of fur governed passions, retired from
their places OF devotion to their little tene-
ments, without committing single outrage, or
1 the least dfsorderly conduct. The day WAs
characterized By the stiffness and solemnity Of
the Sabbath, rather than BY the noise and tu,
| mutt which annually, on such occasions, dis
| grace more Intelligent and civilized conann-
| nitiee." ::
There are few passages in history more elo-
quent and affecting than the narrative, BY
Thome and Kimba1i,. Of the manner Ia which
the slaves, on the Ialand Of Antigua particu-
larly, received their freedom Oa this island
there were thirty four Thousand five hundred
slaves, and but tWo Thousand whites. Though
the British Parliament had decteed System OF
apprenticeship, under which, as a greatly
modified form Of slavery, the negroes we're to
masters for eix years, the planters rejected
this preparatory course, and pronounced in
fsyor Of Immediate emancipation. They de.
creed that upon the striking Of the clock, at
twelve O'Clock at night, Of the last day ol
July, ushering in the first Of August, 1854
1 n1o h1 49,
cipated In the twilight Of that evening the
slaves Of Antigua we're seen, in their besi
attire, hastening along the various footpath!
of the plantations to their places Of worship
"The spacious chapel Of st. John's," writ&
candidates for liberty. All was animation
l and eage1ness. a mighty chorus Of voice.
:, swe1led the song Of expectation and Joy; and
IS they united in prayer, the voice Of the leade
was drowned in the universal acc1amation o
thanksgiving, and praise, and blessing, an'
" honor, and glory to God, who had come 70
their deli9erance. In such exercises the ever
: ing was spent, until the hour of twelv
: O'Clock approached. The presiding ministe
then proposed, that! when the clock on th
cathedral should begin to strike, the Who'll
}. receive the boon Of freedom in siience.
Accordingly, as the bell tolled it's first mott
= the immense aE6emblage fell prostrats On thei
q knees. All was silence save the quiverins
hal.-sti1ed breath Of the struggling spirit. Th
= slow notes Of the clock fell upon the mutt
E, tnde- Peal on peal, peal on peal, rolled owe
+. the PROSTATE throng, in tones of angel-vofee
thrilling among the desolate chords and veal
leart-s1rings.
"Scarce had the clock sounded its last not
when the lightning flashed wildly around, an
loud peal Of thunder roared along the SIX,
\ Gods pillar Of fire, and trump Of jubilee.
moment of nofoundest silence passing, the
came the burst: they broke forth in praye
they shouted, they sung glory halelujah, the
cIapped their hands, leaped up, fell dow:
clasped each other in their free arms, erie
q laughed, and went to and fro, tossing upward
- their u1!ettered hands butt high above ii
III | whole, there Was mighty sound which ev
2; and anon swelled up, it YVES the utterance,
81. broken negro dialect, Of gratitude to God.
,s. s.Afler this gush Of excitement had spent
= religious exercises were resumed, and the 1
r. | 1nalnder of the night Was occupied in singh
and prayer, in reading the Bible, and in a
dresses from the missionaries, explaining Il
r. horiing the free people to be industriot
steady, obedient to the laws; and to sha
Themselves, in all things, worthy Of the hi,
nd boon Hhich God had conferred upon then" "
Such was the atfectlonate, religious gratttu
which the gift Of freedom awakened in
negro breast. The succeeding day, the fl
NJ day Of their emancipation, was passed a:
~ sacred jubilee. There were no intemper;
ca1oueings, no mobs in city OF country, t
NJ the rejoicing treemen met in their chutcl
~ with their pastors, who, with martyr zeal, h
T ~ suffered and toiled for them, and offered
: God the incense Of thankful hearts.
Such is the nncontradfcted testimony uE
IL this point. "I hazard nothing In sayin
=, writes Prof Hoyey, who visited the ISL
Ef, eevera years after the emancipation, "thar
people Of Antigua are as free from any apE
,sst henaion Of riot or insRrrection, as Is the m
m peaceful village in New England. The mill
.. which was frequently on duty during slave
@ and especially on the Christmas holidays,
not been called out, tor the purpose Of I
, serving TIE public peace, since the day
Emancipation"
ok. THE OTHER BRITISH WEST INDIES.
III The fact is settled, concluBively settled, t
r. there is no danger In substituting free for 81
AA labor. This experiment. has been tried,
upon one island alone, where peculiar circ1
!. stances mightfayor its success, but in ainet
> Of the elaye colonies Of the British emp
ne The result, in ese7y instance, was perfect sat
u The danger lies only in compelling men
-. work without wages. They know that ihi
bic wrong and feel maddened By it The smot1
rcu- Ell passions Of the oppzesseda1eeg ever struggl
to break forth. Emancipation, and the g1,
ianship cf impartial law, dispel this dan
the There is no longer any motive for insnI
tea y ton and all are equally interested in the
| his Lie peace;
sss sss =: sssssssa 7 j. IL Rsse ss p
nent, it was said by many, and feared by NJ
ttat The moment the restraints ofslavery Y
II sundered, the negroes, spuruipg all cont
- would abandon the plantations aud War
about in vice aud begga1y; that they, chez
e. ing the idea that freedom from work is
=. choicest privilege ofuberty, would resist G.
vE inuucement to labor, and that universal Il
w y would be the result.
aAne But the experiment demonstrated that
negro loved his wife and child, and home
;" friends as well as the white man. He fe1
Bua. disposition to abandon his family, now
.ns & he ard they we're cheered BY freedom, an
ntfon wander away fugitive and yapabond.
n e. Of had It bow i lis power 70 surround his
=. with new attractions and he loved his
.x8s and children better than even before, nov
art could press them TO his bosom and CAL t
oder. his OVID.
UFF. t5iSF It Was found that upon all those es
oqt, where the slaves had been treated with
ri H W degree Of humanity, they toe.xeagsr to re-
Fk. and nork for their former masters for tho
9xss reasonable teages. The negro race is pecu1
RT. an afectionate and clannlsh race. They
= ~ strongly their homes and the association
.of j. place, and have but little disposition to
con der. ..
r. tPa1{y y When wages were substituted in the
to bs Indies, instead Of the lash, the terms us
e, offered On the plantations we're, the occup
III" Of the humble dwellings In which they
,,1}v lived, the right Of culti7ating small po
th!s Of ground, and eleven pence q day, viii
about twenty four cents Of our none,
80 sasng IT, sass asss ss s tsfns ase e
elaves almost universally preferred to re
! ar1a @71o $a+S e. \