The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-08-16
EMANCIPATION IN THE WEST INDIES.

CELEBRATION OF THE ANNIvERsAnY OF NEGRO
EMANCIPATION IN JAMAIcA-THE SPIRIT OF
FREEDOM REINyIGoRATED BY THE ADVANCE OF
YEARs-PREsENT CONDITION OF THE SOCIAL
SYSTEM.
KINGSTON JAM, August Z 1875.
The thirty seventh anniversary of emancipation from
slavery was celebrated on Monday last the "a inst in
consequence Of tho real holiday falling on Sunday
THE GENIUS LIBERTY.
For some years after the great change the observance
OF freedoms natal day had been falling into desuctudo
and babe fair 10 become lost in oblivion save as a
ter of dry record The for this apahetic indr
90 event the most interesting in tho islands
history was a not unnatural fear that those.
who should honor the day festival
might be regarded by the free born with
feeling bordering contempt, as belonging to an in
feror caste and therefore they refused to advertise
TO seem advertise themselves as such by any special
recognition of the great with which the LIST Of
August is identified 1t is interesting to observe, how
ever, that with the incoming Of new generation this
feeling dying out and that Kingston always foremost
in any matter embracing broad liberal views with met
ropolan independence of thought and action has be-
gun 10 set example in this direction to the PROVINCES
which require another emancipation, only second 10
that of the quondnm slavcs-emancipaton from tho
savsh fear Of being taken to be descendants OF those
who were freed from the bondage of chattel slavery
itself
THE JAMAICA.
Following the practice of the last three or four years,
which may be regarded being crystaIzed into an
annual CUSTOM the artisans and mechanics OF Tins CITY
early Monday morning assembled at point oil van
tage where they formed themselves into procession,
headed by band of music with flags and banners OF APP
proprate device not forgetting tho British ensign ana
the island flag red ST. Georges white Held
Thus equipped and marshalcd they marched up tho
city to the spanish Town road, along which they pro-
ceeded place called Greenwich close to the Jamaica
Railway line Thus, will be seen, they rendered them,
selves Independent Of the line and thereby avoided
certain very great discomforts TO which they had
been subjected in former years, consequent on
the running of many special trains during the
day and the overcrowding necessarily attendant
thereon in the return journey, amounting indeed, to
the mposslblity Of taking back all the travellers tnat
had been conveyed to the place OF entertainment me
arrangement of the present year left the people al 10
erty TO enjoy themselves without any apprehension OF
difficulty in getting back to the city Accordingly tho
day was passed in most agreeable manner under the
shade of noble trees famed by the cooling sea breeze
There were alternate easting and variety oil Sports
the place and the OCCASION the only dlscon
fort to which they subjected being smart shower
OF rain which fell toward evening, giving them good
drenohng their homeward journey.
A.. And thus ended the festivities Of
FREED0M'5 NATAL DAY
In the British West Indies as observed by the stall
wart workingmen Of Kingston II may be a. well to re-
mark that the observance OF the day was not con-
fined those who were or might be supposed 10 DC,
direct participants OF the boon conferred by the ACT OIL
Emancipation and their descendants; but many otnerS,
even Englishmen and Scotchmen-we have very Few
Irish here-who had neither lot nor part in the matter,
took opportunity of securing for themselves hoii-
day This apparent from the many mercantile es-
adjustments and retail stores that closed some OF
them throughout the day and others by about noontde