The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1875-11-30
WIN Is uTI
BY COL. @. q. BAYLOR.

BY COL. @. q. BAYLOR.
Negro emancipation in the British
West Indies proved failure. The lib
Grated slave in that instance relapsed
into degrading sloth, if not into absolute
barbarism. He evinced no interest in
his own mental improvement or physical
well being. He neglected his children
and permitted them to grow up in ignor-
ance and habits of Incidence. The con-
sequence of such "relapse" could be
easily foreseen. The colored population
of the British West Indies under the
the policy of emancipation, declined.
Licentiousness and superstition rapidly
developed in the most revolving forms.
The soil brought forth thistles and
briars. Islands that once produced an
nual crops of great value, became bur-
den to the State. All forms of industry
perished. 81
This deplorable result was heralded
throughout the world as proof conclu-
sive that the negro's normal condition
was that of subordination in some form
to superior race which would direct
and govern him wisely for his own good.
Carllye and other English writer's, called
the negro a child man. The bustling,
North-men of the United States called
him an idler. The naughty Southerner
called him q monkey.
The failure of negro emancipation in
the British West Indies did not effect
the negro alone. The. adherents Of des-
potism everywhere recognized in this
failure the vindication of the divine
right of the strong to govern the weak.
Negro slavery was declared by these adj
vocates of despotism TO be negro govern
ment. They affirmed that "-slavery"
was misnomer Of the wise and humane
principle which deprived men of cer-
tain amount of natural right, in order to
promote the safety and general prosperity
and good order of society. And so the
story of the failure of negro emancipation
in the British West Indies was told in
every place in Europe and upon every
slave plantation in the United States,
and the upholders Of wrong were
strengthened by it, and the hearts OF
those who hoping against hope still be-
lieved in the cause of God and humanity,
sunk within them beyond the redeeming
power of hope.
Thus stood the account against human
aspiration, until the great civil war in
America once more brought the negro
question before the civilized world. II
was brought before the world in this in
stance upon a huge scale. Nearly five
millions of negroes we're suddenly eman-
cipated-turned loose as il were upon the
community. This horde of ignorant,
degraded blacks represented the same
men and women whose liberation from
bondage proved such q curse to the
British West Indies. The climatic, in
dustrial and social conditions involved
in this new experiment were similar to
those which existed in the West Indies
when England tried the experiment of
free negro labor there. That is. the
Southern States are essentially tropical
or inter tropical Life-needs in these
States are few and simple and easily sup
Piled. In the Gulf States, especially,
nature does the most, il not all, the work
needed to supply a savage (white or
black with the absolute necessaries of
a semi-civilized existence. The white
or cultured population of the South,
corresponded with that, which repre-
sented the master class in the British
West Indies.
After ten years experiment Of negro
emancipation under these conditions In
the United States, what are the results /?
The results of the experiment in our
case are exactly the opposite OF the re-
suits produced under monarchical auspi-
ces in the British West Indies. The
negro in America has proven neither an
idler nor a child man. He has develop
ed manly self-respect. As to his in
dustry, we have only TO point to the ag-
ricultural products Of the South-to
the work the negro is doing every where
and in every industrial calling. He
manifests an interest in the ednction
and culture of his children. The negro
population of the South, shows, accord
ing to the United States census, a steady
increase. Christian marriages are in
creasing Christian homes are multiply
ing. The school-house is being reared
every where by black hands, and this
same school-house is being filed with
black children. The house of God goes
along with this wonderful industrial and
educational development among the
emancipated people of the South. The
late Slave States Of the American Union,
unlike the British West Indies, are more
productive and prosperous than they
ever were under slavery.
These facts and the contrast which
they present 10 those produced by negro
emancipation in the British West Indies
are startling and significant
| Nx-l.,t L.. a1 ont fhaasa fnarVssllntil
results i'm America? There can be bu
one answer to this question. Under thu
aristocratic social system of England, TIN
liberated slave became simply a subjec
of the Crown and the menial OF the whit
man. The West India negro nccessaril.
represented the lowest stratification of
down trodden DISTINGUISHED peasantry
He was in the political world serf ii
the social world the lowest of the low
Without hope TO stimulate TO exert1on
without single right calculated to IN
spire self-respect or impel 30 exertion
| the West India negro sank naturally mt
sloth. indifference and degredatiop. Tn
same man under republican auspices
rose in the scale Of life, simply becaus
} freedom in our case made HIM man
!, In America, political equality crowne
, liberty, and thus the uplifting and dug
, nifying influences of American citizen
ship completed the work OF emancIPS
ton.
! There are those who are blind to tn
facts above set forth. There are other
, who can never comprehend them. Ther
|, are others. again, who should comprre
hend them, who manifest strange an
: difference 70 them. But the time Is op
. portnne for considering the work whic
, The ballot to the black man has done u
America: OF rather the work witch tn
! negro has done for the ballot. IL tn
| ballot has lifted the regro, the negro ha'
thro sgh the ballot, vindicated beyond q
/ further question the vitality and integr
, ty of republican institutions. Becaus'
} whereas negro slavery was In ifs last ~
: alysis the vindication of the cause OF de-
Z potism over all men everywhere, 20
Z the triumph of republican, institution
I through the poor and ignorant nee1
Z slave Of America, the Anal triun pha1
: x;ndicrtion II the right Of tho.o ing(it'