The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1866-01-10

4
before" thss whey are swiftly becoming
a gem.in the British crown, Of higher
value than they ever were before" The
act Of emancipation took effect in 1884 I;
the apprenticeship system ceased in 1888.
The new system seems to have worked
very well until lS47, when a dreadful
crash came, broug LIT about mainly BY a
vast IA | in the price Of sugar. Free
trade exposed the planters to the com
petition Of Brazil aud Cuba, whilst the
protective measures Of France aud Bel.
GUM and other continental corr tries in
far.r cf their beet sugar excluded cane
sugar from their markets, and caused a
surplus in England, so thar, although the
produce Of the islands continued to in
cresss, the profits were MS steadily di
minishiug, and the planters, crippled hy
the debts which they had brought with
them out Of slavery, were crushed and
ruined. But from these disasters the
islands have gradually recovered and
the writer atlirns that "ofIiciaI statistics
and reports absolutely demonstrate that
the Yves. Indies are rapidly advancing
i" wealth and prosperity, with q cores.
ponding advance in the general chsrac-
ter Of the people,"
The South enters upon its new career
under circumstances s,ik."g;y different,
and far more advantageous. than those
which attended the experiment in the
West Indies. Our colored population is
far superior in intellect and morals. The
plantations in those islands were IN anaged
principally by agents, tho p-opristors re-.
siding in England and there was little
intercourse between the whites and the
blacks The latter remained in ignorance
and barbarian. Our people have been
civilized aud christisuized. They are
intelligent, havo been trained to habits
Of industry, and can appreciate tho i'm.
po'tance OF regular and we'll directed Ia
Tor. Moreover, We have the advantage
Of climate. Those tropical regions ena.
bl.d the negro 10 live upon the spontane.
Qua productions Of the soil, and hence
tempted him to slo,h. But. in our eli
mate. work is Indispensable to existence.
The negro must labor or starve. Hence
the prop rie,or Of land can present con.
trolling motive to overcSIss the native
s'uggishness Of the African. Again, the
British Government committed the fatal
mistake Of allowing the emancipatsd ne.
groes to become owners Of the soil. The
wild lands were occupied 10y the freed
men; and cutie settled down upon them
in easy indo'ence, content to live upon
pumpkins and whatever = boun,eous
nature might lavish a, hi. feet. Blu,
here, the white man is the proprietor Of
the land. Cutie mus. work for him, or
try the experiment Of living wilhou. work,
with the privilege Of starving. iIe is .ree
to starre il he pleasss. Bot even the
negro can understand, that starvation is
not the most desirable privilege OF free
dom, and his own sad exps rience will
impress him will, the importance Of work.
ing for living.
We are. We confess. deeply sclicitous
that a fair experiment shall be made with
the free colorsd population. The South
has Slready provei hseif ,hsir greatest
henefactor. br rrscuing them from bsrbs.
'ism and hea,hen;sm and blessing them
with the light Of pure christianity. 1t
now remains to complete the great work
by e'evating them to the status Of in
telligsnt, industrious and effective hire,
lings. Let US not shrink fro IT, his srdu
Gus. but benevolent, enterprise. The
negro is indeed ignorant, and he has been
perverted and denoralizsd by fanatic.I
teachers; but the ;ostinc.s OF hsr, aui ty
are yet vital in him; and the kindly 70
msmbranee Of former and brighter days
will concur With = regard for bis own 10
tersst to attach him TO bis former master.
Prudence, forbesrspcs and tender in
doIeencs OF his in6rmi,ies may yet pro.
tect him against the, insidous influences
which are employed to make him regard