The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1865-11-29

ONOAls N<1AloS
Wednesday, 49, Nov, 80, 1896.
The Emancipatcd Negroes in Ja-
If'Hi iu matca. p11nt
The practical working of the problem Of
negro capacity for self-eulture and eleva-
ton in Jamaica, should be q subject of in
terest to the American people at this time.
We are about to try the same experiment
with the negroes of this country which
Great Britain tried with those of Jamaica
in 1893. In that year the negroes Of that
island were emancipated. The decree of
emancipation contained proviso that the
emancipated slaves should be held as ap-
prentices for twenty years, but in 1888 that
provision was abolished, and entire
freedom and equality bestowed upon all
the negroes. Since that time, for period
of twenty-seven years, they have stood
upon the same footing with the whites, and
have enjoyed the most favorable opportu-
nifty for the developement of their capaci-
ties for civilization and self-government-
if they possessed any. II ..u.I .Ui4 yu.|
How the experiment has succeeded Is the
question that Should be asked ut this time,
Have the negroes, as q consequence of
emancipation, become more thrifty and in
dustrious? Has the material prosperity Of
the island been improved by their efforts ?
Let facts answer. The average annual eX-
ports from the Island of Jamaica up to the
period of emancipation were of sugar I'll, :
l39, 200 lbs; of rum 50,426 puncheons; of
coffee 23,625,377 lbs. From the date of
emancipation the, exports began to de-
crease, until, in 1913, they amounted to only
81, ,b39, 400 lbs. sugar; 20,194 purcheons rum,
and 5,6S4,9 lbs. coffee. t.,. ..i,.,.l..t.,...l
This was not owing to the reduction in
the number of laborers, for none of the
freed negroes left the island; 1t was owing
TO the refusal of the negroes to labor, In
| 1885 this matter was the subject OF u series
of articles In the London Times, from one
of which we quote:
"Thenegro has not acquired with his free
dom, any habits of industry or morality.
| His Independence is but little better than
| that of an uncaptured brtite. Having ac-
| cepted few of the restraints Of civilization,
| he IL amenable to few of its necessities; and
| the wants of his nature are so easily satis-
fed, that at the current rate of wages, he Is
called upon for nothing but fitful or desul-
tory exertion. The blacks, therefore, in
stead of becoming intelligent husbandmen,
hare become pdgrdnts aud squdtters, and Il Is
noto dpprehended that NTH The failure Of cuI-
tiudtioi IN the island tctil come the failure o.
its resources for instritcting or controlling its
pOpuidtiOn SO imminent does this consum-
nation appear, that memorials have been
signed by classes of colonial society hith-
erto standing aloof from politics, and not
only the bench and the bar, but the bishops,
clergy, and ministers of all denominations
in the island, without exception, have re-
corded their conviction, that, in the absence
of timely relief the religious and educa-
tional institutions of the island miist be
abandoned, and the masses of the popula-
tiOn retrograde to barbarism."
In 1853 the rapid decline in the produe-
ton of the island, since emancipation, was
made the theme ef-e statistical memorial to
the Jamaica House of Assembly. In re-
viewing that memorial, Mr, Bigelow, one
of the editors of the New York Eueniag
| Post, after stating the great amount of land
thrown out of cultivation since lS4S, said
This decline has been going on from
year TO year, daily becoming more alarm-
ing, until ut length the island has reached
what would appear TO be the last profound
of distress and misery. 80. when thous-
ands of people do not know, when they rise
In the morning, whence or in what manner
they are to procure bread for the day"
! The above facts will serve to show how
emancipation has affected the industrial
status of the negroes of Jamaic, and the
productiveness and prosperity iofthe island.
The effect of twenty-seven years Of free
dom and equality upon the black popula-
|
negro insurrection In that island, and the
horrid barbarities which accompanied ii.
This outbreak and Its attendant atrocities
can be traced only 10 the savagery of the
negro, and his hatred of the white race.
The negroes In Jamaica are their own
masters. They work when they please,
and for such Compensation as they can OBJ
tain. They are not driven TO their tasks,
nor forced to accept conditions which are
unjust, cruel or oppressive. Yet facts have
shown that under such favorable eoll-
ditions their moral nature has not improved,
nor become adapted TO fulfill the duties OF
civilization. They remain savages, who on
any occasion will break down all the bar
riers of law and order, and with more than
Indian ferocity massacre and Inutilate men,
women and children. ~ l''tit
These are facts which we should consider
before fixing the status OF the emancipated
negroes In this country. Unlike England,
we have given the negroes freedom with
out probation. We must accept the possible
consequences OF our precipltancy. Even
II the negroes of the South are In better
condition TO accept freedom than those OF
Jamaica, we should not blindly adopt sys-
tenn which England has found to be fail
ure, alike injurious TO the whites and
blacks. We should not neglect those legal
and moral restraints which experience has
shown can alone prevent such outbreaks a'
those of st. Domingo and jamaica. I Tbs
status of the negroes of the United State'
should be considered i'm the light of tht
facts afforded by recent and cotemporary
history s--Phd, Age. Hi49t 4it.l ollhpd 7
I.,.I.I -------.-l.--..s .----s--l--- in Ini 7
The LOUISIANA CoNG GRRssATEN The Lou.
isiana Congressional delegation consists o.
the following persons; louis Sc. Martin