FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   801   802   803   804   805   806   807   808   809   810   811   812   813   814   815   816   817   818   819   820   821   822   823   824   825  
826   827   828   829   830   831   832   833   834   835   836   837   838   839   840   841   842   843   844   845   846   847   848   849   850   >>   >|  
et this vast body, (30,000,) _glided_ out of slavery into freedom with the utmost tranquillity." Dr. Daniell observed, that after so prodigious a revolution in the condition of the negroes, he expected that some irregularities would ensue; but he had been entirely disappointed. He also said that he anticipated some relaxation from labour during the week following emancipation. But he found his hands in the field early on Monday morning, and not one missing. The same day he received word from another estate, of which he was proprietor,[A] that the negroes had to a man refused to go to the field. He immediately rode to the estate and found the people standing with their hoes in their hands doing nothing. He accosted them in a friendly manner: "What does this mean, my fellows, that you are not at work this morning?" They immediately replied, "It's not because we don't want to work, massa, but we wanted to see you first and foremost to _know what the bargain would be_." As soon as that matter was settled, the whole body of negroes turned out cheerfully, without a moment's cavil. [Footnote A: It is not unusual in the West Indies for proprietors to commit their own estates into the hands of managers; and be themselves, the managers of other men's estates.] Mr. Bourne, of Millar's, informed us that the largest gang he had ever seen in the field on his property, turned out the _week after emancipation_. Said Hon. N. Nugent, "Nothing could surpass the universal propriety of the negroes' conduct on the first of August, 1834! Never was there a more beautiful and interesting spectacle exhibited, than on that occasion." FOURTH PROPOSITION.--There has been _since_ emancipation, not only _no rebellion in fact_, but NO FEAR OF IT in Antigua. Proof 1st. The militia were not called out during Christmas holidays. _Before_ emancipation, martial law invariably prevailed on the holidays, but the very first Christmas after emancipation, the Governor made a proclamation stating that _in consequence of the abolition of slavery_ it was no longer necessary to resort to such a precaution. There has not been a parade of soldiery on any subsequent Christmas.[B] [Footnote B: This has been followed by a measure on the part of the Legislature, which is further proof of the same thing. It is "an Act for amending and further continuing the several Acts at present in force for better organizing and ordering the militia." The preamble re
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   801   802   803   804   805   806   807   808   809   810   811   812   813   814   815   816   817   818   819   820   821   822   823   824   825  
826   827   828   829   830   831   832   833   834   835   836   837   838   839   840   841   842   843   844   845   846   847   848   849   850   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
emancipation
 
negroes
 

Christmas

 

morning

 

estate

 

turned

 

immediately

 
estates
 

slavery

 

Footnote


managers

 
militia
 

holidays

 

FOURTH

 

rebellion

 
PROPOSITION
 

Nugent

 
Nothing
 
surpass
 

property


universal

 

propriety

 

interesting

 

spectacle

 
exhibited
 

beautiful

 

conduct

 

August

 

occasion

 

prevailed


subsequent

 
measure
 

soldiery

 

ordering

 

precaution

 

parade

 

organizing

 

present

 

amending

 
continuing

Legislature

 

preamble

 

martial

 

Before

 

invariably

 

called

 

Antigua

 
Governor
 

longer

 

resort