, 1880-01-10

same time I am compelled to satisfy my
self with less time than / should wish to
have ct my disposal in order not to lose q
whole fortnight until the next packet. It
lie true, the writer with whom / am dealing
says also, after sundry declsmatory utter.
ings : "what we here have stated, are dry
facts, but I have in vain tried to discover
10 what had gone before, one single item
of what / call a dry fact. He aud / there
fore attach differing meanings to the words
"dry facts'' and all I can say is, that if bis
meaning is the correct one, I fancy I
could undertake to write quite on enter.
tanning article made up OF nothing but dry
facts.
He starts with letting US know, that
"the whole history Of these (our) islands
during the last 80 years has been one con-
tinued series OF misbaps. which have led
them etep for step to the brink of the
abyss. He has of course in speaking of
''these islands" only had st. Croix in hi,
thoughts, for even for one whom dry facts
cause ever 90 little uneasiness it would be
a rather bold assertion. that also St. Thomas
should stand on the brink of the abyss.
To like manner. while mentioning the
memorial of the I'LL as Q proof of the
disloyalty of st. Croix, be has had 10 his
mind q memorial sent from St. IT, omas in
1870, but mixings up of this kind are of no
moment for those who write out of their
inspired genius alone.
Now this assertion about the last so
years is doubly erroneous. 10 the first
instance it is proved by the Placat of IA
Nov 1000 hnuysunnch oIroadu kR a O
the island had lost ito earlier brilliant state
of material prosperity. as Government
found itself compelled to recur to SO ex.
ceptioual an expedient, as was then carried
out. Secondly, if you scrutinize, not from
inspiration but looking to what | Wll dry
facts, the condition of the island during
the last 80 years, you will become con.
WINGED. that whoever maintains, that they
show q continuous series OF misbaps, is
guilty of such an exaggeratlOn, that il can
with Justice be said to be an airy fabric.
The assertion is already 6 priori something
of highly suspicious character, for that
country must have contained incompatible
resources, which without producing of
itself one tenth of the means for it's daily
requirements, still spent 80 years in
reaching the brink of its total ruin.
But let US now cast a look at what the
history of the last 80 years, free from all
inspiration, teaches as.
It could not be otherwise than that SO
violent a change as that from slavery TO
universal freedom, caused great disturb
anee to many, who at that TINA were com
fortsbly situated, but apart from the par
ticular manner, In which it was brought
about every person of sense must have been
prepared for its coming before long, and
tue immediate effects were much weaken.
ed by the compensation granted q few
years later by the Mothercountry. The
Labour question was regulated in q man.
ner, which on the whole has during many
years proved beneficial, and the island
maintained itself, II not ia a aourishing, at
least 10 an endurable, and even enjoyable
state. We see from the Records. that
from 1853 to 1871, Is years, 10 the midst
of the period of ruin traced by A. pur.
chasers were found for 48 of the over so
sugar Es,ates Of the island at q sum total
of s1,417. 900, and to meet at once 90 OBJ
lection easily to be foressep, only one, so
far as / remember, of these transfers was
an assumption by Q mortgsgeholder' all
the rest were purchases in the strict sepse
of the word. It fs true, most OF the buy.
ers were only st. Croix planters. not gen.
uses, but you need not be a genius on ever
40 reduced q scale to take good care
not to Law down your carefully saved