, 1896-08-12

mence ana close on estates Is not given, but
only the Danish Standard hoisted, as also
on public buildings IN town. The labouIsrs
in the country are not compelled to work;
not even in the time Of slavery when they.wtre
compelled to work; it is but in accordance
with general principles, which we shall men
ton below, that no one can be p~rerented to
work on those days, provided he Goes not
disturb others, or prevent others in their
religious and devotional exercises or state of
mind, particularly where estates employ
labourers and these latter take work on those
days.
The Observance Of the 18th July and 25th
October as days Of rupplioation and thanksgiv-
ing is even legis(atively prescribed in a special
enactment for the D. WI; and it is upheld in
modern enactments, as stated above; we find
az far back as 1879 official mention made
thereof; and on the 25th October 1871. just as
a thanksgiving was to be held, a hurricane
Of all almost unparalleled nature occurred, the
sea rising in immense mountains over the
reefs reaching high up III the streets and
washing into many houses, doing an immense
amount of damage. After the emancipation
in the Island, and with a constantly increas-
ing wants Of labour- force, o kind of vacilat-
ing course was followed in this respect as IN
others, so that at times such holy.days as
those in question were not generally observ-
ed in the rural districts, as in the towns;
but this was certainly only based on di8use,
on mere verbal II Instructions perhaps. In
l849 enquiry was made by the Police to the
Governor General ON the matter, and on the
10th July l849 he wrote: an reply to
your letter | have to inform you that the
difference hitherto existing between holydays
III town and country is abolished and every
holy day recognized as such by the Danish
Law is to be observed here as such. with
exception only of Great Supplicati0n Day
"a festival prescribed in Denmark in memory
OF II very great fire), instead Of which the
hurricane supplication days, the first and
last days OF the hurricane season, are to be-
observed" This is a decisive point which
does not bear out Mr.. SITS view.
But we go further The general law
regulating the observance Of holy days,
namely the Ordinance of Goth March l845,
pIssoribes that on Sundays and Holydnys
everybody must abstain from work outdoor,
or from work which from the noise attending
it might disturb the minds Of other people
on such days; hence no one is prevented
from working on those days. provided he
does not disturb his neighbour. Now, it is gem
orally known, tthat on Sundays no carting at ali
Of produce from estates to town takes place
here, simply because it would be a work,
one which would disturb others 10y the way,
this applies also to amusements that disturb
others on those days.; we need no "regu-
~lations" to tell us that as the Hurricane
Supplication days are by Government placed
on he same footing as Sundays, (for Danish
Law decidedly recognizes the Sabbath as a
holy day. it follows as a consequence, that
neither on these days must carling Of pro-
duce from estates to town, and which is
always done in heavy Wagons drawn by 6
mules or bulls, take place; certainly, the noise
and commotion attending such transport arc
wolf suited to disturb devotion and devo-
tisnal exercises. 1t is within the knowledge
of most old inhabitants, that such transport
has also in fact been entirely prohibited. If
in Westend, to meet the demands Of the
growing steam communication, Wagons with
sugar have of late been allowed to enter the
town, before, as it is said, the hours of nine
Il, IA, and after four P. m. on holydays, such
is, no doubt, an accommodation, not inside
of the dictates of the Law, and he it we'll
noticed, that the facilities III WeStend not ac-
corded to steamers III other ports in regard
to loading and discharging on holy days. have
offered attractions, otherwise not found, for
the harbour of Frederiksted.
Any planter of any exp, rience, or of sufficient
length of service III his calling, knows full
Ill thar ku Tho low sc A. Id - H.