Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-12-05
Causes Of the Jamaica Outbreak.

tiHnsplTHlS lug JaHlalta1 IeW nave muC
knowledge OF the causes which led to th
outbreak. The island of Jamaica, smalle
geographically than the State of Masss
chusetts, contains an aggregate of AL, 90
persons. OF this population, the electiv
franchise is exercised by only $500, abou
one in l7e. Here is sufficient cause 70
the graeest apprehension, for no such dis
regard Of the rights of the masses can b
practiced = through succession of year
without breeding dissensions in the State
But this is not all. Uhder British rule
Church and State are united. TIL,
Church of England is the established
church of the island although a very
small minority are members of that or
ganizstion. The majority are attached tc
various other denominations, including
the Baptist, Methodist Presbyterian and
Roman Catlic. Here is another potent
element of discord-ap people heavily taxed
for the support of a religion for which
they have no regard. The dominant
Church, backed by government ever
ready TO enforce its claims at the point of
the bayonet became arrogant and dicta-
torial, its clergy indulging in the bitterest
invective against dissenting clergymen,
whom they are now denouncing as guilty
of duping the Negroes into rebellion.
The Governor, the higheSt executive
authority, holds his Office under the Brit
ish crown. He appoints q privy
council, also a Legislative council
composed of seventeen members. There
is an elective assembly, comprising forty
seven members, two from each of the
twenty-five parishes into which the island
is divided. The laws are framed by the
Legislative council and the assembly, but
may be vetoed by the Governor. The
planters control the government and have
so framed the legislation of the country as
to perpetuate their power, as is shown by
the very limited franchise granted. Since
the emancipation of the blacks, in 1888,
the freedmen have been vainly seeking to
obtain their rights under the law; whilst
the ex-slaveholders, true to the instincts
of Shareholders everywhere, have persist
emily denied all the privileges it was pos
sible to withhold. The negroes have nc
rights in the courts, and it is
for them even to collect the
wages for which they have toiled. The
local magistrates are chiefly clergymen
Of the established church, and the
councils and the assembly are in
he hands of the clergy and the planters.
The Negro cannot enforce contract
cannot have a single right protected-yet
ne is taxed for the support not only of the
but the Church. In addition
o these disadvantages, and the additional
me of largely exceeding the dominant
ace in numbers, the Negroes are brought |
n competition with the Cody system of
abor, which is slavery in its worst form.
Everything is done to oppress and degrade
nd brutalize the Negro, he being prac-
ically slave, while enjoying a nominal
reedom.
Is it strange that such monstrous sys-
EN- of tyranny-such total disregard of
he rights of humanity-such wanton
iolation of the laws of God-such pros
tuition of the religion of Christ-such
nockery of legislation-such exhibitions
fcruelty, cupidity and fsithlessness, should
roduce strife? Does not revolt against
uch villainies and such barbarities-even
hough they be perpetrated in the name
nd under the guise of religion and law
Use to the dignity of revolution and
we're not the three thousand victims of
British cruelty patriots worthy of the
martyrs crown? We would not encour-
ge causeless rebellion; we hold treason to
e the highest offense in the black cata-
lgue of crime; but the right of revolu-
on in case Of oppression is inherent and
and if British statesmen
yould remove the causes of revolution,
ney must look to it that persons classed
S freemen are protected in the right to
life liberty and the pursuit of happiness"
he enjoyment of their religious opinions,
nd the exercise of suffrage based upon
more rational than the color of
lans skin or the amount of property he
lay chance to own.