, 1868-04-24

I'D. NcJC 1915, 40 OF lCull, Gallons 1920;
of Molasses, Gallons $40.
1t is superfuous to add for our readers, but
it may be of some use to the Editor of the Dag
blad to know, that, so far from the amount of
oxen, sheep, poultry and vegetables which are
constantly carried from here to ST. Thomas,
being inconsiderable. it on the contrary is very
considerable, so considerable, as to form a good
item in the profits of all owners of stock-estateS
in this island as we'll as of the laboUrer, who rear
poultry, and grow provisions. Having shown
how wrong the premises of the born estindi-
an" are, we may leave the differences he draws
from them to their fate. But the mistake of the
writer is more serious. He argues that because
there IS now no intimate commercial, financial
and political intercourse between St CrOix and
the two other islands we have shown that he
IS wrong in this supposition as regards the most
vital interest, the commercial and could easily
show that the statement was wrong as regards
the two others-that the inhabitants of this isl
and ought not to entertain any anxiety as to the
future relations of the islands that might result
from a political change. He argues, that,
owing to the absence of any intimate intercourse
OF any kind between the islands, the political
ties that now connect them might Just as well
be entirely severed. SO they might, and per,
haps with i%mpunity, if by altering their political
relations, their geographical position could at
the same time be changed. And now it is that
we come to the point in the story, which has
been entirely forgotten by the writer of the
Da~gbIad-Article. We pre-suppose that the
writer of the Dagblad-A Article knows that the
object Of the American Government in purchas-
ing St. Thomas and St. Johns is not to let them
run to waste. In fact, it may in all reason be
supposed, that in order to realize their object,
they will after acquiring them, display their
usual energy and enterprise. We further pre-
suppose that the writer is aware that, a certaj
relation between two islands existing, and such
a relation does exist between st. Croix and st.
Thomas and ST. Johns, if you change the con
ditl0n OF the one party to the relation you must
of necessity change the relation of the two. If
2 and 2 make 4, and you change the one 2 to
3, you cannot expect 4 to be the result Of
the change. This is just our case. BY trans
terrlng st. Thomas and st. Johns to the Anne
ricans, the'eXisting relations to st. Croix will
be changed, and certainly the inhabitants Of
this island are at liberty to consider what the
effects OF such a change will be. Now most Of
us have, and the result we have arrived at,
and such must seem all but inevitable, are of
a nature to cause no little anxiety in this COM
munity. 1t may be that this feeling ofanxiety,
while the paper was conducted by our prede-
cessor, and under the first impulse of the mo-
ment, was expressed in a manner, aud found
vent IN articles which should have been more
decorouSly Worded, but nevertheless the feel
ing Of anxiety was expressed; if it even assumed
the form of a somewhat uncourteous wish to be
sold together with st. Thomas and ST. Johns.
What then is the reason of our anxiety at
the change in our relation to the sister-islands !
1t is this, that we know that should the Ameri-
cans obtain possession of the two islands, they
will require as much labOur as they can pro-
cure. They will in the first instance need such
for the military works that it is their intention
to execute, further more the extension of all
enterprise which may naturally be expected to
take place, in consequence of the transfer will
cause an increased demand for labour. In
this respect we would especially call attention
to St. Johns which the writer of the Article, in
his total oversight of the question at issue, has
consigned to a note to his remarks, and which
he leaves entirely out of consideration as only
being an appendix to St. Thomas. Now it
may be an appendix to st, Thomas, but it
could not fail to become a serious drawback
tn ST CrOiy ST TObnc oa1ad N Ap1orioo q