The New York herald., 1863-10-19
NEWS FROM ST. MARTIN.
The Late Elm nc ipa tiOn or Slaves I'm the
Dutch West Indies.

fFrom the g.. Thomas Tidende Sept 1871
Hardly does cloud appear In the horizon and
cast the vista Of our social future than succeeded by
another OF darker and blacker hue.
Each day reveals some act OF injustice, in0e
plan for e1ovting from the hands Of e 1pfortU
nae sa.e propritors Of ST. Martin ne lda cert of that
hard eed AMI justly deserved indemnify whtch keir
Dopsra ten has benifcsitly CONSTRUED n,o aims.
who yet tho Issue Of tn ir protest against the
amount OF compensation is pending while they still
claim the sympathy of their government, and whe the
cnos OF justice and tho oppressed IN the mother country
deprecang and ing shame at tho act another
lamity b. ais their destiny.
The law OF emancipation has been promulgated the
veihcaon OF slaves has akon place. and the govern
ment vouchers issued the face which the hxed in
demny Ia stated An interval eDsues. The slave pro-
prieors have Indignantly resolved TO refrain acce ance
OF the profile cd aims AID in the righteousness OF their
c'use have unanimously protested against tho amend
ment OF the law.
Thus FAR they have lived up to this resolution, DIS
daning 10 touch one cont OF the coveted and unTful
amount.
Il has come 4, their knowledge however that cer.
tain prior mnist rial decree, admitting all ioes Identified
foreign coiones, has been repd1tef Nv The prcssn.
Ministry, and IN the face OF guarantee confirming such,
the local authorities have boon instructed to take cogni
zance OF this measure.
The tendency OF this modification as applicable to our
selves yet TO be In tal quo position
not for the present the initiative. we
loss however to conceive in how far this conflicting
eretation bowocn the present Minister and his prode
affect the of propretors who at
the time accepted the authorization In good faith and
strict accordance with the requstcns OF the govern
msnt.
II rather far fetched construction that tho present
Incumbent would Ito to his predecessor that the
pcaon OF foreign colonies extended to Dutch possessions
only.
10 may. this could possibly Affect tho pro
preors, for they holders " legal voucher bearing
s face the number o slves accepted aud the
awarded by the government transferable and neeoin
bio in this or any other colony and more than all
rosumins that such had beca tho case and this gov.
ernment scrip had become the property Of foreigner,
very much question II this sibterugc could bo ad.
vanced a. tho legitimate grounds OF a ministerial act
MAY We COT then with propricty ask, wha, guarantee
have (whosc rights should receive FAR higher
sderaOn than those o. alien for security, when
Ministerial decree be easily disposed of and the
actions resulting IRON its application 80 unhestatingly
quashcd2
Had IL not been for tho authorization OF the ch Of aud
local authorities omananS from this ministerial source,
(,gainsi which wo supposed no coniragcntion could
exst) the pfoprletors OF st. Martin had In their power
TO induce their aseat slaves 10 present themselves here
Mt tho time O c ,lua by the commission the greater
part 20 whom located In adjacent Islands, and many
but sfex DAYS previous to the verincaton having
brSed to sombrero, with the usual permission of their
owners.
A voluntary disposition OF the government had, how
ever precuded such necessity aud tho proeors were
nj liberty TO prod authenticated certificates OF Identity
iron al foreign Islands, which were duly Obtained at
mu OK cn-e, and accepted without doubt reserve.
No cs thAn four hundred slaves have bccn inscribed IN
this for which, IN with thoso snbmit
TED to Local verincason the rrovocnbe acknowledge
IN nts Of the government have bscn issued.
u csunot be that the silent indifference OF the claim
ans wIh regard ~ tho appropriation OF the sacred
they have 50 coatemby spurued, could inyaldite the
disputed right IN question.
10 order the retention { that portion Of tho indemnity
arising from slaves verified In foreign colonies Ia the
o. existing cfcumstanccs, " afcct prpcceding and
were IL not for the bsreacednes Of tho tnght
serve to h the category OF grievances already beyoni
endurance.
Already writbing under the rsnss Of misery aud dest
tution, the result u prolgatc spDi,ou doom d
20 yp r'ence neig as " aggrss ,n nh 'rs' ,s rsoer,
We indeed tho children " misfortune and our mis-
fortunes are unmitgaied IN their nature inevitable 10
thor teude cy We ndasi the victims q isius,ce;
but tuDmissoa rests IN right orttudo In the
cton that these unblrshiiy fsst0s cAnnot stand
Tho scrutiny OF discriminating Justice
Wh-s hs defenders Of TIE w.ak d-i oyrfefai ~
posofrrsof Ae gi.iow asf oryhanf Wher are ne ssp
iorrs o. thaf honor dad marty prvv rtal % Dutch
cad d1TS
II cannot be that for the slke Of economy thcy have
'orned Their back Of he noa rJAfeon ihai
loving, spfiny for your couu,rys welfare forbid hai
WN sscred iuvolabe And hlllowef be sac i1cei At
the "a ine ot economy scl ne odium haf hrens oar
unyt n.ws, d'r u MOI her pad oy Aeslr 0, kiaory
~srrrfod " hansss an oetef ,yInsfie4