, 1888-04-07

~ NAO 'C 10 No'NAi N'iA
munitieS like ours, where. every body'S
movements are known to OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
tlcuiarly III cases where the persons hap.
pen to he such distinguished characters aS
Mr. James Anthony Frouie-tO penetrate
through those disguiSes and unveil the
hidden object. 1t has not been difficult
to discover who Mr.. Froude'S "paSSing re.
Sident" was, and to learn that he is still
among us, and is likely to continue so for
some time yet. He is not exactly a 'Epas-
sing resident ;" and why he should have
desired to have his identity concealed
for it must nave been at his own request
thlt Nr. FrOude concealed it's somewhat
hard to conjecture. Perhaps the desire
was prompted by a consciousness Of the
wrong he was doing the island and it's PEG.
pie by representing them to Mr.. Froude
III a false light. This passing resident"
was not in a position to inform Mr.. FrOude
correctly OF any particulars connected with
the island, for at the time Of Mr.. FrOude'S
visit, he had barely been here five years
himself, had hardly ever identified him
self with its material advancement, had
shown himself hostile to lis natives, and
particularly so to those whom Nature has
been pleased to daub with the star brush
We do not deny that many Of our most
hOurishing inhabitants are "free blacks"
or descendants of blackS-indeed, we are
proud of the fact, for had we to depend
solely upon the whites-or the So.called
whites-"the EngIiSh"-whO have been
sent to us in late years, what would
our condition have been at the pre-
sent timef Our free blacks" and their
descendants have, in times of their coun-
try's need, proved themselves to be good
men and true. We have seen them on the
Bench, at the Bar, in the Pulpit, and repre-
senting the Press-acquitting themselves
on all sides creditably, and with recognised
~ability-gaining the applause of men un-
tainted with the deteStabl6 prejudice
against the black race that manifpSts itself
throughout the whole of MIR. FrOude's book,
and, by far, more capable, from long ex-
p%erience and observation, of forming all
opinion than he after a mere holiday trip
to the islands. What we say of the colour
ed race in Grenada applies also 10 those
Of the other colonies.
The following ls the paragraph to which
we alludo. Mr.. FrOUde'S description of the
place is cynical, as will be observed, and
also calculated to make Il false impression
atrOad and take away from it the cOf-
dence Of capitalists in the Mother Country
aud elsewhere, and otherwise prove detri-
mental to its best interests
"A gentleman who for some purpose was
"a passing reSidentin the island of Grenada
''asked uS to dine with him. He told us
"thtt Grenada was now the ideal country
"Of modern social refOrmers, 1t had be-
"c0me an island Of pure peasant pFopFie-
"tOrS. The settlers, who had once been a
"thriving and wealthy comm unity, had
''meltod away. Not more than GOO Eng.
'EliSh were left, and these were clearing
" out ut their best speed. They had sold
"tIteir estates Cor anything which they
''COIld get. The free blacks had bought
''them, and about 5000 negro families, say
$40, 900 black souls in all, now shared the
"sOil between them. Each family lived
Independently, growing coffee, aud cocoa,
land oranges, and all were doing well.
"The possession of property had brought
"a sense of it's rights with it.. TREY are
''aS litigiOus as Irish peasants. Everyone
was at law with his neighbour, and:the
"island was a gold mine to the Attorney
General. Otherwise they we're quite
fellows, and if the politicians
"wOuld only let them alone they would be-
'porfectly Contentel, and might eventual
ely, If wisely IN mag al. come to some good.
"TO set up q Constitution i'll such a place
a ridiculous mOckery, and would
comfy b. another name for s~windling and
.'jObbery. Black the Island WIS, black
't would remain. The conditions were
likely to arise which would bring