The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1865-11-15
CHI A r. l. T. S II @ n.
MORNING, NOVEMBER 15, 1865


THERE ARE few events of recent occurrence
that has inspired rs much of feeling as the
insurrection in Jamaica. Happening just
now, when thcrc is unusual concern in refer
ence to the character and fortunes of the ne
gro race, it comes pat to the conclusions or
contradiction of a great many people; it has,
therefore, the force Of example upon the very
back of precept, and is, necessarily, much con-
sidered.
And it is, in fact, On event of much signi.
fcance. Upon the capacity Of the negro for
selfgovernment it is conclusive-if, in fact,
from ages of experience, there were doubt
upon that subject. There are in that island ten
thousand whites, seventy thousand mulattoes,
and some three hundred thousand negroes of
the full blood. Tho elective franchise is unre-
stricted. AS necessary consequence, all Offices
are in the hands of tho negroes; they legslate,
adjudicate and project whatever of enterprises
are started They are rs free rs any people
upon earth-as fully s,i juris, for oil practical
purposes, MS they can be- They came to free
dom gradually, through an apprenticeship of
eight years. They had an admirable civili-
zation ready to their hand, into the harness of
which it was only necessary to enter and COM
mence the works of progress, if capable of
that with any other people. But they have
not done so; in every essential respect they
have retrograded. There smore of superficial
culture in some classes Of society; but of in.
dustry, morality and order, the average is inf
nitely less
In reference to his capacity for advance
ment therefore, his experience was sufficiently
conclusive before. Less of land has been cul-
tivated, less products have been exported,
fewer fabrics have been imported, arts and
enterprises have been entirely suspended, de-
ISOLATION broods over the most cultivated places,
dences were too abundant to be called in
question; but of his ability to govern himself,
| or to concur in the forms of civil govern
ment with another race, or the mixture with
another race, the world was not 60 perfectly
convinced Such government and concurrence
was still lingering fact; twas sufficient still
to sustain the hopes of any sanguine people,
or people who had made up their minds to be
sanguine, and this rude shock was necessary to
dispel the illusion.
1t does not indicate the tendency TO distur-
banco in our own negro population, which,
by many people, is deduced from it. There
is now, perhaps, more general feeling Of
apprehension than has heretofore existed; but
we think it is uncalled for. There will be
individual instances of violence among so
large mass of any race turned loose to their
inclinations rs their only rule of law, and, in
many cases, urged to violence, there must me-
cessarily be some to take the impulse; but
the impulse is not general. The race is sim
gularly disposed to authority, and though
kept in unnatural conditions, they must ulti-
mately repair to violence and crime, must
come to law again imposed by the nature OF
the white man, or pass to the delirium raging
now in Jamaica. Still, they have not come
to this condition yet, and we think there is
little cause of apprehension now-little cause,
we mean, to apprehend general outbreak,
or to suspect the existence of any such pur-
pose.