The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-08-10
Leaf from q West Indian Journal.

ing extract was taken (says the Boston
Daily Advertiser wss kept by a mem
Der Of the bar of M Massachusetts,, who
passed the last winter in Barbados for
his health
Scarcely thirty years have elapsed
since the complete emancipation of
slaves in the English colonies; and al
though the period is obviously too brief
70 obliterate entirely the prejudicea be-
tween the two races, il has been sufh-
GENTLY long to demonstrate both the
wisdom of the act, and the fitness Of
the colored men for the exercise of
their rights and privileges as active
members Of society. The latent ener-
gies which have been smothRred by op-
preston, and had slumbered in the in
activity incidental to slavery, have al
ready manifested themselves TO such
3 degree as entirely 10 refute anf and
all theories based upon the inferiority
of races. To-day, the colOred men oc-
eupy q position which their most san
guine friends could hardly have ex-
pecied; and q position, too, to which
tbey have fought their way under many
difficulties. Their freedom at first was
purely nominal, because poverty made
them completely dependent 1t is at
present as purely real, because the
difficulties which originally beset them
have been fought aud overcome. How
much farther advanced they might be,
had they been placed at first on an
equal foot ne, had they been free
from the Influence Of their late mas
tiers. or whether indeed their progress
would not have been retarded, Is only
matter of speculation. But this at least
may be affirmed, that their present
position is highly creditable to them.
Many have acquired by their industry
sufficient property torank them among
the wealthiest planters and traders in
the islands where they reside; and con-
sideriiag success IN business a criterion
Of ability. they may be regarded as
competent business men. The children
Of some Of the wealthy negroes have
been thoroughly educated in England
or Scotland and some whom ] met
with were among the most cultivated
persons / have ever known. As me-
chanics and artisans they are altogether
Indispensable. The whites we're
accustomed 10 heavy manual labor, and
the lighter and more delicate work
was soon usurped by the colored men,
when once at liberty to compete on
even terms. Their position as free
hclders gives all the privileges as cleo
tors in parish and colonial meetings,
and the parochial aud general councils
and legislatures have their share ofcol-
ofed representatives. IL is not neces-
H. 49, nrr4uA~aA fhnfr
white neighboFs in debate and legisla-
ton, in order to prove their ability, and
such is very seldom the Gaze; but il il
certainly true that their interests are
80 well represented as TO secure them
from open or covert encroaehments Oh
the part Of the whites.
In the liberal profession, also, they
have already assumed and evinced
their ability to maintain q respectable
position.
Colored clergymen, lawyers, and
physicians attend to the spiritual, legal,
and physical wants of the community,
not, SIS might be supposed, dispensing
alone to the people of their own color,
but 10 the people in general who need
their professional services.
4 Was LNLA E&AAAA Al aAANAAAAAE NAN
court one day with the argument Of q
black lawyer, Of unmixed African de-
scent The csse was under the penal
clause of the English Bankrupt Law,
and vas conducted by the Grown OH
Gers for the prosecution ! heard the
arguments TO the jurisdiction of the
court, and am bound to acknowledge
that in point of cleverness and legal
astuteness the black counsel clearly led
Mr.. Acknowledgement while Tor soph-
isny end cunning edroitness he was far
in advance ofhis opponent On inqui.
~. ! as~certained that the black lawyer
was a poor boy, had worked his way 10
England before the mast to get an edu-
cation, and had there, by his peTseYer-
anee and industry, with the assistance
Of Lord John Russell and some other
persons succeeded in acquiring q sound
academic and legal education. An ex-
ample certainly which some Of the
whites might probably follow.
Black magistrates preside over the
inferior courts, black men are editors
OF newspapers, and 10 a greater or less
degree have entered into every branch
Of industry, and every avenue Of busi-
nShti anu nave aASaN9 bS0u abAe 70
compete, witha good degree Of success.
with the whites
Many Of them are, Of course, poor,
and doubtless viii continue 20 be the
laboring class The redundant popula.
ton and the very moderate sum paid
in wages lead them, in nuner0us in.
stances, to resort 70 theft 60 supply
their actual necessities. Great crimes
are, however, among the lower popula.
ton, very rare: and the petty laFcenies,
which are common and GU the prisons
and public works may, perhaps, be
charged in some measure 20 the
wealthy class, who make no adequate
provision for their wants when unem-
Ployed, and do o give them remune
wages whee employed.