, 1866-03-20

cause he would not vote against 5 l, and not
in favor Of 5 2 since the Governments amend
ment had been rejected.
The ordinance was rejected with 10 votes
against 5.
The separate vote of the minority was then
read, the contents as follows:
"In conformity with the Rules of Business
5 20 the undersigned beg leave to state their
motives for dissenting from the decision of the
Majority, based on the following reasons
An assumption on the part of the legislature
to deprive the employer and laborer of their
liberty to fix the remuneration for labor either
in money or other emoluments on such terms
as they mutually agree upon, is so entirely
opposed to natural right, so demoralising on
account of the accompanying attempts at eva
sion, so detrimental to the production to be
obtained from the cooperation of labor, capital
and industrial skill, and therefore so injurious
to the public revenue as we'll as to individual
prosperity finally it is so difficult, if not i'm
possible, to establish such a principle in actual
life, that it would require quite extraordinary
and exceptional circumstances in order to Justify
its application.
1t is difficult to imagine a state of things so
extraordinary as that in which the country was
placed in 1848,, when the whole system was
suddenly overthrown, on which the production
and prosperity of the Island had until then
rested and under those circumstances it was
juStifiable to adopt measures which otherwise
would D8 considered perniciOus. But those
measures can not be upheld as a permanent
state of things; they ought not to be continued
beyond the most urgent necessity, and that ne
cessity we consider no longer to exist. During
the period of almost Is years which has elapsed
since the abolition of slavery, the position Of
the country is materially altered. The popula-
ton has become accustomed to work without
direct compulSion, and a large number of the
present labOrerS have never known this compul-
SiOf, at the same time on the other hand the
planters have had ample opportunity to make
themselves familiar with the use of free labor.
We acknowledge willingly, that all abrupt
cessation OF the existing restrictions on tho
wages to agricultural laborers may cause seri-
Gus arrangements and to some individuals ac-
tuaI ruin, and for this reason we are of the
opinion, that the change ought to be effected
gradually. AS q step towards the aim in view,
we think the Saturday, the day on which labor
ers are at liberty to work or not as they choose,
ought to be exempted from the existing rules
regarding the rate of wages, and we have there
fore voted for the amendment proposed by the
LIST crown-member and the 1st member for
Frederiksted's town District. viz:
"that the proprietor shall be allowed to pay
the laborers under annual contract with him
such compensation for work on Saturday as
Their may agree upon"
j. A. STAKEMANN. c. SARAUw. HoLsrErN.
t. f. MENDEs. L. FABER. MEINcKE,
T. B. Dubois"
The Chairman fixed the next meeting for
Wednesday the 26th instant, II O'Clock noon,
and the order of the day
I RaSOIution ra0ardinr tho Pou;c;or oc AZ
Land Treasury's accounts for 1861.
2, ResolusiOn regarding the Decision Of the
Land Treasury's accounts for 1862.
3, End discussion of the Governments draft of
an ordinance providing for the temporary
discharge of the duties as Military Judge and
Kings Attorney at st. Croix.
A, End discussion of the Governments draft
concerning the salary for 2 public physicians
at st. Croix.
The meeting closed at 4 o'clock.