Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-02-09

THE soYAGE TO BRAZIL.

THE VOYAGE TO BRAZIL.
A Rnn Through the West Indies and
Down the Coast of the Empire.
Correspondence Of the New York News
Rio DE JANE1Ro, Jan. I, 1866.
TO tie Editor Of the New ForE Nssrs: ass
We reached ST. Thomas in seven days.
The sight OF land 10 the voyager Is always
peculiarly gratifying; not less so to ms, in
this instance, as il was our first glimpse of
the tropical world to which we were hasten
ing. St. Thomas, Danish island of the
West India group, although insignificant in
dimensions, is the great commercial center
of the islands of this Archipelago. some
twelve steamship lines touching at this
point, In tyuasitu between Europe, the United
States and Central and South America.
The commercial attraction is less the local
value Of its market than the fact that il is
comparatively free port, without any Of
the vexatious restrictions usually attending
the Spanish ports Of these islands, and pas
sengess and freight ship and reship at this
connecting link Of the great lines that radi-
ate as il were 10 the coasts OF three conti-
nents- The island, eleven miles in length,
shoots up from the sea base into mountain
peaks, as do all Of this chain of islands,
demonstrating the theory that they are but
the elevated SUBMITS Of vast mountain
chain, whose base Is In the bed of the ocean,
and whose loifiest nights emerge above; the
water leyel, and are hathed in the clouds OF
Heaven. This theory is farther demon
strated by the remarkable fact that nearly
the whole Of the West India group runs in
q connected line in close proximity, ard
most all in sight OF each other, from the
South American coast at the mouth Of the
.0rinoco northward, constituting the eastern
bounds Of the Carritbean Sea, until the chain
of islands turns abruptly westward, still a
consecutive chain, forming the northern
limit TO the same great sea, and termin-
ating almost within sight of the Floridan
coast. $50 1.oli ts a v.si
These islands are clothed in perennial
verdure and are the gardens of the Northern
tropics; but with all their luxuriance, under
the cultivation of the centuries since their
discovery, they are rapidly relapsing into
their original and primevalwildness of vege-
tation. There before US lay the Island Of
St. Thomas, Illustrative Of the sad decline Of
all save Cuba Her hills once covered BY
prosperous plantations, yielding the rich pro-
ductions that have contributed to the comfort
and luxury Of man, now overgrown with
forest, and not one mark, save the seaport.
that evidences that it is even habitable. The
astonished tourist who has read Of the luxiIr-
lance of those islands and is familiar with
their statistical productions in the past, con-
tributing 80 largely to the commerce Of the
world, upon enquiry win be informed, as we
are, that here the Danish Government, fol-
lowing the suicidal policy OF the designing
Briton, in '49 sent out decree Of emancipa-
ton that was designed to be gradual rs to
adults in ten years, and absolute with all
born after that date. si sin hsr isla..s
The negroes, who were by thousands scat
tered over the plantations Of the island, upon
learning the fact, rushed tc the seaport, sur
rounded the Governor, who iied for protec-
tion to the fort, and demanded instantaneous
emancipation, claiming that he was with
holding their rights. Terror stricken at
their threatening attitude, without comforting
with his Government, he Issued the decree,
and the results then, as visible to my eyes,
were the same in each Of the West India Is
lands where this policy has prevailed, the
farms are abandoned, and overgrown with
forest, cities and towns thronged with the
idle vagabond negro, the women living BY
prostitution, and the men las described by
the London Times in descanting on this
theme six years ago) "refnsing to work, con-
tent with their yam and banana, and snig-
gering at buckraD As evidence of the dis
solpteness of the population, an informant
remarked thai there was but one virgin on
the island, and that was the Virgin Mary
History is philosophy, teaching by ex-
Its eogency, by reference TO the policy which
has made deserts of these gardens of the
sea. "A policy which threatens, in its insa-
table demands Of universal negro emanci-
patton and equality, TO convert the fairest
portions Of the Western Hemisphere into
one vast "Lazar house of Hell pa mon
grel race of idle vagabonds, whose pres
ence blights where their intelligently d.
rected labor once blessed the soil, which
now scarce yields them a miserable subsis-
tenee e H ~ a
+ History is philosophy, teaching by ex-
ample God grant it may not repeat
itself' in America.
Upon leaving St, Thomas our good ship
bore us through the waters Of the caribbean
sea, out of which we passed, through the
Windward group, by the Straits between
Martinique and st. Lucas. Never shall
/ forget the impressions and emotions as,
steaming along arshore, the length of Mar
Unique fifty miles, we had full, perfect,
panoramic view Of the magnificent coves
and bays, environed from waters edge to hill
summit with villa and village, town and
West India plantation, and the august form
of the great central mountain, around whose
brow the storm king was wreathing his
clouds in every fantastic convolutiou. Here