Press enter after choosing selection

West India Emancipation

West India Emancipation image
Parent Issue
Day
5
Month
September
Year
1842
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

recently arrived in this country j Trom Jameico, and pnchnsed a farm in Ohio, vith a view to Bpend the remainder of my ] days in tliis land: nnd finding the minds of the )eople so blinded ns to the real 6tate of elavery on the ene hand, and íhe resulte cf emanfcipntion in the Biitish colonies on theothcr, I 4cel it to bo aduty I owe to God and to the slave, to piibüsh to the world my knowlei'ge oftiio efTects of elavery, and to boar testimo siy to the hnppy reeults of emancipation in the Westlndies. As I have resided thirty-oue yoars in Jumaica and the ilad of Old Providenco, during whicli time l was a holler, it may be supposcd that I can give a pretty accurate statement of the horrors of slavery. I was considerad by my neighbore in Janiaich, as too indnlgent to my slaves. Thpy said I 8poilcd tliem- made them lazy - and that tlïüs they were a bad exomp!e to the oiher elaves arcund me. Yet my ti eatment ofthcinwas hareh, and nrbitar}' in the extreme. I would often flog men nnd women Avithout suSlcient cause. I thank Güd that He lias awakened me to a sense of my guilt in treating my fellow-men worse than the beasta of I urden. I have seen enough of lavery to convince me thnt it is a system that ¦every Christain should shuddor at, and look ipon as revoltjng to humaniiy, and contrary to the blessed precepts of our Lord Jesiis Èhrist, 'Whatsoever ye would that men shoulti do to yon, do yon even so to them.' Wbat man or worrmn in the world would prefer q state of bondage lo that of freedom? Surely not nn individual of this fïec and onlightencd republic, wbere all pride themselves on iheir rights and privileges, and in tlieir enjoyment tif institntiuus iinder that great charter which declares that all men are created free and equal. I would ask if it is consist3nt wiih reason and justice, that because a man's skin is black, he should bo precluded from the rights to which he is entitled by tbe Declaralion of independence?T cíin nssert, without the fear of contradiction that ernancipation in the Island of Jamaica has been a blussing to all classes of its inhabitants, and has had the effect ofinfluenci )g the emancipatcd to bc indiistrious, orderly, and useful mcmbers in society. So fnr as my knowledge goes, this is the case in all the British colonies. Ilaving been a partici- pator in the sin of holding my fellow-mon in cruel bondage, I rejoice and thank God tliat the blncks in Jamaica are now the happicst class of peasantry, I believe, in the vvorld. - They are seizing with avidity (he means which are employed to enlighten their minds, ond point them to the Cross of Christ. Another pleasing feature in the character of this people, is the desire they manifest to havo their childron educated; md I am happy in being able to affirm that their chtfdren are as docile -as any class of white children I ever saw.- They are mnking r3pid improvements in their studies. I have no other motive in thus coming before the public, than to give a simple and unvarnished statement of facts which I .feel it incumbent on me to publish.Lastmonth Mr. Livingston was in thiscity, we are iuformcd, and after his relations on tüe banks of the North river, left the above with a friend for publication, and proceeded to Ohio; vvhere he has purchased a farm .

Article

Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News