John Foster--Two Letters, On the State of the Negroes in the West Indies (1824)

8/3/2019 John Foster--Two Letters, On the State of the Negroes in the West Indies (1824)

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TWO LETTERS,ON THE

STATE OF THE NEGROESIN THE

WEST INDIES,BY

PRINTED BY J. WEBB, BINDER, BOOK AND MUSIC-SELLER, &C,

1824.


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x^.jiQ-rsiT


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To the Editor of the Globe and Traveli^ek,

Of December 9ih, 1823.

SlRj

Perhaps I may be assuming too great a libertyin venturing a few remarks on the leading article ofthe Globe and Traveller of 1st. Dec. If impar-tiality, however, is, as I have no reason to doubt,one of the characteristics of your paper, of which Ihave been a reader for very many years, alvt^ays withinterest, and for the most part, though with someexceptions, with acquiescence in sentiment, you will,by the insertion of the following, admit the claimof audi alteram partem.

It is the fashion of the day, and may flatter po-pular feehng, to decry the West Indians-they arethe butt of whoever wishes to exercise his spleen.That interest is indeed, independent of the imminentperil in which its existence stands, peculiarly de-pressed. But though experience shows, that in allcountries the refuse of the population delight inexulting over the unfortunate, one would have


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4thought that the dignity of a well-conducted pub-lication, would have refrained from what might bearthe appearance of similar conduct.

Let me, in the first place, premise, that I fullyapprove the strong, and not generally known enact-ments of the Jamaica Assembly, for the protection ofthe blacks from oppression ; and sincerely wish, thatif any thing were wanting, to make such protectionmore complete and more efficient, it might be sup-plied by any safe and judicious means, in this andall our other Islands. Farther, that from the firsthour when the abolition of the Slave Trade wasproposed, to the present one, I was the well-wisher,and, as far as my limited means go, the advocate ofthat measure. But I know not in what countryupon earth the laws would visit the present gen-eration, for sins committed a hundred years beforethey were bom, with privation of property, and withdanger to the lives of many of them. Such wouldbe, and in part has been, the effect of only agitatingthe question called emancipation ; but which, infact, would be plunging countries hitherto peaceful,happy, and contented, into all the endurances ofstarvation, civil war, brutality, and assassination^aproceeding of which the dictate is hypocrisy ; themeans, delusion ; the result, wide spreading desola-tion and murder. It is paying too dear a price toprocure a temporary burst of popular applause, anda reputation of sanctified benevolence for a few pha-risaical associates, to immolate hundreds of lives, ashas already happened at Demerara; and probably,ere this, or shortly, thousands more elsewhere : toexchange a state of tranquility, of mutual good willand good offices, for horrors, perchance, far moreappaliing than those which for years desolated Do-mingo, and purpled its streams with blood.


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But lo come more immediately to the subject ofthe article I would reply to. Gentlemen sitting attheir printing-offices in London, may think them-selves qualified to counsel the West Indians, thatthe cultivation by slaves is expensive. Fortunateindeed, as well as desirable would it have been forthe latter, if slavery had never existed, and had theirpredecessors vested their capitals elsewhere, and hadnot been lured to the sacrifice of them, by the en-couragement and instigation, not of their own As^,semblies, but of the British Legislature. ThatNegroes are expensive, they know to their cost.And why ? Because they do not suffer them, likemillions of our fellow subjects, to drag out a miser-able existence, almost naked and houseless, in aninclement climate, upon such remnant of a preca-rious crop of oats or potatoes, as the middleman ortithe-proctor may spare to them ; because they do not,when aged or feeble, or no longer wanted, imprisonthem in loathsome workhouses, or, when in fault,in pestilential penitentiaries ; because they do not,as in the Highlands of Scotland, so soon as moreprofit is hoped for in some other way, dilapidatehabitations, expel their inmates from house andhome, to perish in some ship crowded like a Guineavessel, or, if they reach land, upon sonae inhospitable !desert. But because they provide Negroes withland as much as they wish for, allowing time suj-iicient for its cultivation; because they rejoice to 'see them possessed of property and cattle, and bles- ^sed with every comfort ; because clothing and food .at all times, and particularly during dearth, are re-gularly provided, even almost beyond the means ofthe proprietor ; because medical aid, at the cost of. 100 yearly on considerable estates, and accom-modations for the sick are supplied; because no '


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6one in decrepitude, or childhood, or old age, is leftto want ; because less labour is expected from threenegroes than is here performed by one white man.

Far from being, from principle attached to slavery,the Proprietors readily emancipate deserving negroes,for a just compensation for the cost of bringing themup.Now, as to the relation between the Parent Coun-

try and these Colonies :It were ungrateful to denythat it is mutually advantageous, or at least has beenso ; but to whom most ? From the imports thence,England derives a clear revenue of several millions ;there is a certain vent for no inconsiderable portionof manufactured goods. Ignorant indeed, wouldthat statesman be, who does not perceive that Colo-nies and Commerce are closely connected, that bothare the nerve of naval power, and indispensible forpreserving the independence of an insular State,from subjection to nations incomparably more exten-sive, and abounding in internal resources.

Without these Colonies, their products mustchiefly be paid for to foreigners, with the loss notonly of the attendant commerce and shipping, butwith an annual drain of capital that would quicklytend to impoverish us. With the Colonies, notonly a necessary article is abundantly and cheaplyprovided, but an influx of wealth is poured intothe country by the exportation of part. As to themimic of sugar coming from the East Indies, it isonly fit to impose upon unwary purchasers, wholook at colour only, without regard to intrinsicquality. There were sufficient reasons for a dutymuch higher than the prssent one, were it only to


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Tprotect the buyers from wasting their uioney t)it awoi'thless powder. It would be as right to guard'against it, as against spurious beer.On the other handto return to the question of

mutual advantage, the Planter of late years has em-ployed his capital and labour for the public ratherthan for himself. It is known that many estates donot bear out their expenses ; and fortunate are those,who derive as great a portion of clear profit as thetithe-owner does from a field of corn not his own.

In writing about sugar at three-pence a pound, doyou not know. Sir, or do you wish to keep out ofview, that the revenue takes virtually more than this,by a duty, the minimum of which is 27s. per cwt.levied upon a greater weight than the purchaserspay for, no matter whether the purchaser pays orfailsin which latter case, duty, expenses, and costare all involved ! The duty is thus, in fact, morethan three-pencethe import and selling expensesone pennyand reckoning the cost of production atonly two-pence, then, at 60^. per cwt. scarcely fourshillings per cwt. remain to the grower. Is not thisalmost confiscation

If our Planters did not bring sugar to market aslow as it can be grown any where, exportation ofraw sugar could not take place. That man is thereal enemy of the black population who wouldbring the proprietors to poverty. Then there wouldbe universal distress there indeednot fictitious, butreal I Supplies of all necessaries must cease, andin the populous smaller islands thousands must perishbv hunger.


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8The West Indian islanders are, and ever wish to

be, most loyally attached to the Mother Country.They trust they are appreciated, and will be pro-tected, by a great majority in Parliament, and byMinisters. Should opposite counsels ever prevail,let it be remembered what have been the results inSpain, to Portugal, and to England, from drivingcolonists to despair.


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TO

The President, at the late Meeting of thePlanters, Merchants, and Persons:otherwise interested in the West IndianColonies,

Sir,

As the ably-worded and unexceptionable Petition,agreed to at our late Meeting, comprised only anassertion of our right to our properties, or to a com-pensation for them, I was led to infer that muchdebate upon the general question might be con-sidered rather out of place. It also occurred to me,that to argue a contested question in the absence ofthe adverse party, might not be the most manlycourse, and that it might be said, that victory waseasy, where there was no opponent. These con-siderations, together with a misgiving, attendantupon an attempt to address so respectable an assem-bly, induced me to refrain from soliciting its attentionfor a few minutes, as I had previously intended. Atthe same time, the remark made by one of thespeakers, that we have hitherto been too remiss, andfar behind our antagonists in industry, and in at-tracting the public ear, struck me as well grounded.They have fully availed themselves of the antipathyto the very wordSlaverywhich naturally prevails


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10eve.Yy ^vliere, but most in tliis happily free country*At the same time, it might not be|clifficult to shew,that this is now, even more than before, the only-leg their cause has to stand on ; while those leadingmotives which should guide every public measure,justice, policy, and humanity, all plead on our side.in one way indeed, they have been but too suc-cessful, in exciting prejudice and odium against us.Active and malignant emissaries have ransacked theislands, to seek out instances of supposed or fa-bricated oppression or tyrrany, on the part of theproprietors or their agents. A mass of calumnieswas at last conjured up, and concocted of the mos^unhallowed materials.

" Toad, that under the cold stone," Days and nights hath many a one'' SwelterM venom" Adders fork, and blind-worm^s sting ;* r * *'' Root of hemlock, digg'd i' the dark;* * * " Add thereto a tiger^s chaudron,"For the ingredients of our cauldron,'^ For a charm of powerful trouble,

, '' Like a hell-broth boil and bubbie.^^It is probable that an attempt will still be made

to pour the almost exhausted dregs down the throatsof the ignorant. But persons of information andimpartiality now perceive, that they have whollyfailed in making out a case. Some few instances ofhai'shness may have occurred, particularly on thepart of persons of colour ; some atrocities were com-mitted, though not of late years ; but for the rest^to be silent about the navy and army, county ortowt;]magistrat^SpM ho le^d their ear to the statements


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iiof parish apprentices, will find that there is there,perhaps more real cause of complaint. In short, theargument of the emancipators on the score of ty-ranny, is about reduced to this, " the whites, how-ever, might have acted oppressively/.'^ Might?So might a man here, commit any crime, but hewould be ameoable to the law. In like manner, inJamaica, a man might injure a negro, but he wouldbe amenable to laws, and very strict ones too, enactedfor their protection. []

While calumnies have been disproved, thePlantei-sare enabled to establish, upon the concurring testi-mony of all unprejudiced persons best acquaintedwith circumstances, whether from local knowledge,or correct information, derived from those who areconnected with them, that the negroes are well fed,comfortably housed, (as far as the climate and theirown habits require,) moderately worked ; cared forin their inflincy, sickness, and age ; possessed inmany instances of property, in undisturbed and un-taxed enjoyment; and, until the demon ofdisturbancewas in action, attached, happy, and contented. [*]

[a] Much has been said about the evidence of Negroes notbeing admitted in Courts of Justice. It were to be wished thatthey were in a situation to give credible evidence, but they arcwithout any defined religion, those, comparatively few excepted,who have been converted to Christianity. As little would theirevidence be admissible here, without some test of veracity. AJew may swear by the Old Testament ; a Quaker's affirmationmay be believed; a Mahomedan, may perhaps be believed uponhis Koran. But a heathenish Negro must swear by his Obeahs,or by the little idols that stand on his chimney-piece. To whatabsurdities would emancipators lead us !

[b] Instances can be produced of estates where the Negroeshave for half a century, without accession from without, notdiminished, but increased. And this, notv/ithstanding the man-umission of some, and one or two condemned by the Courts to


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12Qne instance of the liberality of the Plantei-s oughtnot to be overlooked, as it is perhaps without para-lel ; if the price of the produce of land lowers, thecultivators find it needful to lower v^ages ; if man-ufactured goods do not sell well, liot only thoseemployers who are straightened, hut those who rollin wealth, reduce earnings to the lowest possiblelimit of human endurance. Not so the West Indianthough his means have been impaired more thanthose of any other class in this country withinmemory, amidst the privations he and his familyendure, I believe I may say, (subject to conection, ifwrong, from the gentlemen who care for the send-ing out of supplies,) that in the articles of food,clothing, and comforts for the negroes, there isscarcely an instance of reduction.

Before I proceed to a farther consideration ofaur main subject, I would premise, that it would beunwarranted to impute motives, other than such asare developed by facts rather ought the most favor-able construction to be put. The previouslyestablished character of some of our opponents, andI am bound to add, the public benefits they haveeffected, would lead us to prejudge, that they were

deportation to the Spanish colonies, the heaviest sentence pro-nounced in cases of repeated and atrocious robbery. The negroespossess a very large stock of pigs, and the more industrious, one ormore cows, depastured on the estate, besides obtaining no smallgains by the sale of their poultry and fruit. Some are possessedof property to the amount of . 500 currency, and from thatdownwards. Those who come to Europe, unless their habitsare altered by a long abode here, uniformly wish to return. Asfor Africa, it is the last place they would hanker after. Impor-tation having been proved to have wholly ceased in the BritishColonies, in the course of some years the Negroes will be allCrepes, ,and neither wish for, nor know of any other country.


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13actuated by piety. We should be more assured oifit, if they encountered one hundredth part of therisk of property and life, to which they exposeothers. Some again, may have been impelled by thenot uncommon ambition of doing something in theworld; good, if they can, if they cannot, then mis-chief. In further excuse, it may be pleaded, that itis undeniable, though not very creditable to humannature, that even the burdens and horrors of war,find some little compensation in the interest takenin passing events. It is impossible not to observethe avidity with which accounts are read of citiessacked, of fleets destroyed, of battles lost and gain-ed, of the thousands captured, wounded, and killed*So, perhaps, it may give a zest to a party at a break-fast table, when the paper brings intelligence, thathere, an obstinate conflict was maintained betweenthe whites and blacks, and that many fell on bothsides ; that there, the negroes were subdued, broughtto trial, so many acquitted, and so many hanged.That in this place, a plantation was burnt to theground; in that, entrance forced, and all the inmate^massacredBut to be serious. I am not aware that it was

ever attempted to advocate emancipation upon anydefined practicable principle ofjustice, though theremay be some, who in declaiming about abstract the-*ories, may flatter themselves that they emulate thestern virtue of old Romans, by crying out, '''-fiatjustitia, mat caelum^'' in a cause, where they them-selves have nothing to lose. If conviction were want-ing; letany one read the petition from ourmeeting, andthen say, whether uncompensated emancipationwouldnot be as palpable an injustice, as atrocious a rol>bery, as ever was, or could be committed by a publicbody, or by an individual,


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14As little could it avail to argue for the liberation

of Negroes as a measuie of policy. Indeed all thatis attempted in this respect, with any thing like com-mon sense, is to endeavour to make out that itwould be innocious. Our patriots tell usin guard-ing your honour we would not lose sight of yourinterests. By no means would we materially injurethe body politic, or impair its strength. We meanto go no further than perhaps justthe lopping offof one leg. But every true and wise friend of thecountry is aware, that its naval superiority and con-sequent security mainly depend upon its colonies.M^vhich God avertour West Indian Islands everwere to become American, what comes of either ?The plan for emancipation then reduces itself to

what may be due to humanity and benevolence. Itremains then for us to consider whether such ameasure would now, or soon be consistent witheither ; or whether those ^^ ho would still perseverein urging it by the same means as hitherto, wouldnot shew themselves utterly destitute of these quali-fications. Had real substantial good been the object,or had not some infatuation amounting to blindnessprevailed, different indeed would have been thecourse. The attempts that have been made to con-vert, to educate, to moralize the blacks, to inducethem to habits of connubial life, might have beenstill more liberally aided. A beginning, neitherinsignificant nor unsuccessful has been made. May1 be permitted here to venture a doubt, whether thechristianizing of negroes would not be more success-fidly carried on by private or associated exertions,than by a national hierarchical establishment. Itdoes not always follow, that where most is paid, mostis done, nor would the mere erection of churches, or


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15reading through of the marriage seiTice, suffice toregulate their minds and manners. At all events.West India estates are now in a situation which doesnot allow an option of charging them with additionalencumbrance of any kind whatever. But to returnfrom this digression. If the professed friends thoughtthey were not doing enough for the blacks, in usingmeans to promote their instruction and conversion,they might have endeavoured to give fuller effect tothe laws enacted in the Islands for their protection.Had they thought these laws inadequate, they mighthave amicably conferred with the Colonial Assem-blies, to whom, acting under the controul of HisMajesty, or his Representative, the power of legis-lating for the Islands constitutionally and exclusivelybelongs, and who, traduced as they have been by some,have evinced not only willingness, but zeal for theattainment of the object, [^j

But as to declamations in Parliament, violent ex-citement of already too violent passions out of it,kindling aflame here, which must re-act, and hasre-acted there, to what can this tend ? For argumentsake, let us suppose it possible that emancipationcould proceed quietly ; a thing utterly improbable,to judge from the nature of things and from all past

[c] If the Colonial Assemblies make a stand now, it isbecause they will not be dictated to by an outcry mischievouslyraised at home. More than this, they have always maintainedthat their internal legislation rests exclusively with their ownAssemblies and the King or his Representative. They areaware, that however strong they may in right, in power theycannot contend with the British Parliament. Let those whonow would urge Government to let force trample upon right, re-member that they would furnish a precedent, which may in some$hape recoil upon themselves.


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16experience. It has rarely hapi^ened in the formerages of the world, and least of all in the presentone, that tliere has been a transition, even from aworse to a better state of society and ibi'ni of goveri!-ment, without concussion and bloodshed, eitherexternal, or domestic, or both. Yet where civiliza-tion and Christianity had taken deep root, when thestorm had blown over, and tranquility has returned,they have again expanded, and at last the boon mayhave compensated for the price. How far such aresult may be hoped for from Negro emancipationnow, we will soon enquire into ; but in the meantime, let us, I say, for argument sake, suppose thatthe transition had gone off quietly, and was alreadyeffected. Deprived of their services, the Proprietorswould cease to possess the means or to be subject tothe obligation of providing for them. Now theNegro does not own one foot of the land he occupies,nor one plank of the house he lives in. He wouldbe without land to cultivate, without habitation,without means of maintaining such live stock as hemay possess. They depend for clothing wholly, forfood partially, in some places principally, on sup-plies sent from Europe or North America, at thecost of the Planter. The funds as well as theinducement to furnish these would cease, neces-sarily nakedness would be superadded to famine,^^ hoever knows the Negroes, ridicules the idea oftheir Avorking for wages like Europeans. But sup-posing even they didwhat becomes of orphanfamilies, where are hospitals and skilful attendance,and medicine for the sick, where provision for theaged, or relief for the infirm. Perhaps thesew retched outcasts, might not, as we read of elsewhere,be consigned to the water, or to the hollow tree.


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17More probably deprived of every comfort and sup-port, homeless, naked, starving, unrelieved, lifemight linger to afford them leisure to frame ejacula-tions of gratitude towards the benign liberators whohad for this rescued them from servitude. Suchwould be the early fruits of the labours of ourphilanthropists, if indeed our predictions of moreimmediate and more appalling evils could remainunfulfilled, p]

But if what may be inferred from all past experi-ence, if the desolations in Domingo, could leave adoubt on that score, surely what has occurred withiea few months must produce conviction. No soonerhad the report circulated, not of any actual measure,but merely of emancipation being discussed, than itis magnified and misrepresented to the deludedblacksscarcely had the dawn of a period that wouldloosen every tie, and disorganize society, broken in,than Sicilian vespers are arranging for the night.Freedom and massacre are to walk hand in hand.The dagger is to be pointed at the employer by themost trusted, indulged servant. A man's assassinsare to be those of his own household. If the first

[d] America, where liberty is more highly appreciated thanin any other country, has not ventured to emancipate the Negroesin the Southern States. Yet there the danger would be asnothing, compared to the West Indies, considering the vast dis*proportion of the two classes of population in the latter, whilein North America, the numbers of Blacks could never beformidable to the state, though they might be mischievous toindividuals. It has been said, (I vouch not for the accuracy,)that the population of St. Domingo was, before the troublesconnected with emancipation, about 600,000 persons, subse-quently, less than 200,000. A glorious feat for philanthropicagitators ; to have swept 400,000 persons from the fa


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18blush of the measure, the first rumor of a chance,led to machinations, and was on the point of pro-ducing results like these, what might have beenexpected from the consummation ? Most mindswould turn with horror from contemplating such aspectacle ; we will hope that among the emancipatorsthere are none, or very few, who would regard suchan immolation of their countrymen a godly sacrifice.

Let it not be said we are combating a chimera.That the idea of present emancipation has beenabandoned. A proposal such as that of freeingchildren born after the present time would, if actedupon, scarcely even afford a temporary suspension.It would in addition to every other calamity, armthe rising generation against the present one. Orin any other manner, to think of proceeding half-way, and then stopping short, would be as vain asto bid the tide of the ocean to stand still.

Here, Sir, I should have concluded, had it notbeen that in adding a word concerning myself, Imay be speaking the language of hundreds, whomay be similarly situated, only more importantmembers of society. As far as my confined sphereand my limited abilities have permitted, I havealways been, and shall be, an advocate for civilliberty. I wish slavery had never existed on theearth, and most of all that it had never been im-ported into the West Indies. As it has, the remedyIS difficult, and must be the work of time. Inbeing connected with a colony where it exists, Ihave this consolation, that I have done nothing toaggravate, but all the little that has been in myFower to mitigate it. My coui^e is so far run, thatmay begin to fed more independent of passing


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19eventsand future prospects, as individuallyconcernedBut surely it is the desire and duty of every fatherof a family to endeavour if possible, to protect thosehe leaves behind, from those privations and humili-ations which, consequent on reduced circumstances,would be more keenly felt by those, born to andeducated for that station of life, which, till of latethey had grounded expectations to be enabled tomaintain. If persons knew what they were about inimpoverishing a whole class in respectable society,perhaps the collective force of individual cases united,might be some check, and induce them to pause.I sincerely hope that those who have hitherto beenzealously, perhaps unthinkingly, urging emancipa-tion, may, if inattentive to argument, yet convincedby the evidence of events, retrace their steps. But,if heedless and reckless of consequences they aredetermined to persevere in the course begun, and if,unfortunately for their own reputation, unfortunatelyfor thousands of our countrymen, but most of allunfortunately for the Negroes, they should succeed,then, let time shew whether they are not, if not in-tentionally, yet virtually, accessaries before the factto spoliation, to murder, and to nameless crimes ofyet darker die than those which have already toodeeply stained the annals of the age in which welive.

I have the honor to be, most respectfully.Sir,

Your obedient Servant,JOHN FOSTER.

Wtbbj Primer, Biii(in\ &c. bf^^d.


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John Foster--Two Letters, On the State of the Negroes in the West Indies (1824)

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Transcript of John Foster--Two Letters, On the State of the Negroes in the West Indies (1824)