as well as of sugar. On the
contrary, this fact was held up as a most conclusive and triumphant
proof that the free negroes had not only become temperate themselves,
but also so virtuous that they scorned to produce such an article to
poison their fellow-men. The English abolitionists who rejoiced at such
a reflection were, it must be confessed, standing on rather delicate
ground. For if such an inference proved any thing, it proved that the
blacks of the island in question had, at one single bound, passed from
the depths of degradation to an exaltation of virtue far above their
emancipators, the English people themselves; since these, as every
reader of history knows, not only enforced the culture of opium in
India, but also absolutely compelled the poor Chinese to receive it at
the mouth of the cannon!

It also appears that, for 1839, the amount of coffee exported had fallen
off 38,554 cwt., or about one third of the whole amount of the preceding
year. "The coffee is a very uncertain crop," said a noted English
emancipationist, in view of this startling fact, "and the deficiency, on
the comparison of these two years, is not greater, I believe, than has
often occurred before." This is true, for a drought or a hurricane had
before created quite as great a deficiency. But while the fact is true,
it only proves that the first year of emancipation was no worse on the
coffee crop than a drought or a hurricane.

"We should also remember," says this zealous abolitionist, "that, both
in sugar and coffee, the profit to the planter may be increased by the
saving of expense, even where the produce is diminished." Such a thing,
we admit, is possible; it _may_ be true. But _in point of fact_, as we
shall soon see, the expense was increased, while the crop was
diminished.

But after every possible explanation, even Dr. Channing and Mr. Gurney
were bound to admit "that some decrease has taken place in both the
articles, in connection with the change of system." They also admitted
that "so far as this decrease of produce is connected with the change of
system, _it is obviously to be traced to a corresponding decrease in the
quantity of labor_."

May we not suppose, then, that here the ingenuity of man is at an end,
and the truth begins to be allowed to make its appearance? By no means.
For here "comes the critical question,"--says Mr. Gurney, "the real
turning point. To what is this decrease in the quantity of labor owing?
I answ