, 1870-12-27

GAiI dUIulldIllN SI1LIIs II ID LILLE IuCOouit NlIiCu
has given to the development Of the colony st.
Or0ix, its entirely peculiar character before the
development of the other Island, which for the
rest are similar to it in extension and other re
l%ations. 1t is certainly true, that the measure,
which [ here point at, was designed as a mea-
sure of transition, it was only to clear the way
for a perfectly free development, but the mis-
fortune is, that it stopped at this measure Of
transition, and l believe that our Government
must be blamed for not having used its power
and It's influence in order to continue that tree
development, and for having quietly consented
to the killing of the work Of liberty itself in the
bud, and a~rresting it just as it commenced to
develope itself. From this it naturally follows,
that the whole spirit Of the leading men in the
Colonies did not come to undergo that change
which il would have been forced to undergo, if
the worn .fliLart .uQ been carried through.
Ehe whole rr-enera';2n which has taken place
in the English ISLANDS, has not been able to take
place as We nave mol mad courage and decision
sufficient 10 permit tHc relations in the Island Of
St. CrOiX to develope themselves on the new
foundation, and this has, amongst other things,
lead to there having been nothing done to deve-
lOpe communication with the other parts of the
world, namely with the Island of st. Thomas.
The communication is to-day as bad as it posi-
bly, can be, and it is matter of establishment to
one who visits those regions, that of all the Is
lands in the West Indies there IS not one which
lies as far away from st. Thomas, as st. Croix
does. The constrained labor-relations which
have been preserved, have in reality turned
against the planters, and demOralized the la
bouring population; they have accustomed them
to work as little as possible, for as much money
as possible. 1t is worth while to observe, that
xrbilo ~ u,aC NaCiVod N fCroa thn nnprOnc mat
tiers have been reversed as there were certain
enactments in the ordinances, which caused the
negroes to get the mastery, and labor has there
by become exceedingly dear. There is yet
another circumstance which has acted unfortu-
nately, and that is, that it was felt that in truth
it was The intention to deceive the negroes and
if that consciousness exiStS-jf ones conscience
says yes you have deceived people, then one is
afraid that a day will come, when they will re-
proach on with it, and probably revenge them
selves. According to my conviction, it is this
consciousness, much more than the real danger
that threatens from the side of the negroes,
which is the reason why there is a fear of di-
minishing or perhaps entirely aboliShing the mi
litary force. | do not believe, that any such
danger is to be apprehended from the negroes;
for the negroes in our islands are the most
peaceable, gentle, and | dare say, the most CT
vilized d, negroes in the West Indies; and l do
not believe that there is as much danger to be
apprehended from Them, as there is in other is
lands, namely in certain English islands, where
to this day there is as great Il negro population,
and not a single soldier. But | believe that
what in other places has made the soldiery SUI
perfuous, is partly, that there full justice has
been shown to the negroes, and the free deve-
l0pement of the relations has been permitted
and partly, the circumstances that they have
put themselves in close communication with
their neighhors; for lust as Ger! ain, as for in