would no longer enable the
planter to get a profit, and he must make the best of his labour supply.
Great administrative ability, more careful management, attention to
economy, and concentration, were all necessary to prevent losses, and
that these were not wanting can easily be seen from the results. The
slaves were driven into the field in gangs, and kept at work by the
threat of the driver's whip, while the overseers and manager gave most
careful attention to the whole system.

Not only did the negroes work, but the whites also; in fact, on the part
of the latter there was a continual strain after a fortune on which to
retire from this tiresome and harassing work of nigger-driving. Where
one succeeded, ten failed; many died of the exposure and of the
_anti-malarial_ drinks they imbibed so plentifully. So great was the
mortality that the colonies became proverbial for their number of
widows, some of whom, however, were not above managing their own
plantations. It was a race for wealth, to which everything else was
secondary.

The slaves diminished every year in the absence of additions from
outside, as the whites would have done under similar circumstances.
That there was no natural increase was mainly due to the fact that the
sexes were unequal, and then, again, maternal affection was sadly
wanting in the women, who seemed to care less for their children than
some domestic animals. This state of things was mainly the outcome of
the system, which was undoubtedly immoral, but the mental disabilities
of the race must also be taken into consideration. The anti-slavery
party considered that environment was everything; if they could only
free the negro from compulsory servitude he would at once become an
industrious labourer. Yes, in their opinion, if he had the incentive of
wages, it would make him a credit to himself and his community. The
slaves, they said, were worked to death, yet as free men they would do
more and perform their tasks better. Their experience with free workmen
led to these conclusions, but this could not apply to the West Indies
nor to the negro race.

The anti-slavery party was very strong, and although it is not stated
that they took "Perish the colonies!" for their motto, it is very
certain that they cared little about the future of either white or black
as long as they carried their object. To this end every possible case of
oppression and ill-treatment was exaggerated, and spoken of as if it