between serfdom and
indentured service. They were still under rigid restrictions.[387]
Thereafter an effort was made to prevent Negroes from assembling,
especially at Christmas dances, which were considered dangerous to the
peace of the colony. On one occasion in 1852 to put a stop to such a
function a squad of militiamen were ordered out and it fired upon the
participants in private dances in their homes, killing many innocent
persons. This caused great alarm. The militia was ordered back to the
barracks, an investigation was made but no one could tell exactly who
gave the order for this cowardly act.

Things went on prosperously for years thereafter. It seemed ideal even
under the Labor Act, which the Negroes learned to endure without
complaint. In this ideal state of things it was thought advisable to
reduce the militia. This was finally done, leaving the whole island
outside of Christiansted defenseless. Forced labor, however, under the
disguise of apprenticeship could not but be odious, especially so when
the differences of blood and color tended to render irritating the
very semblance of restraint, and exaggerate every difficulty of class
and position. Hence, these injudicious artificial regulations, however
seemingly well-intentioned, only gave rise to ill-feeling, mistrust
and eventually resistance. The trouble was that the Negroes had grown
in intelligence and had begun to appreciate the blessings of actual
freedom and free labor. Seeing the trouble in the embryo, the
government procrastinatingly made some amendments to the Labor Act.
The Negroes, however, eventually defied the act, abandoned
agriculture, and came to town to assert themselves.

In 1878 a large number of the country laborers got from some source
the impression that the Labor Act was to cease to be operative on the
first of October of that year.[388] This was the usual time for the
shifting of laborers from one estate to another upon the expiration of
their annual contracts and they usually assembled in towns to find new
fields, many of them seeking, however, to secure employment in the
town. Some planters having foresight, saw the need of larger military
force to deal with these people, should they become discontented. The
establishment of a rural constabulary was urged, but it was not
provided. There were only 60 soldiers to maintain order. On the first
of October there started an uproar in the street of Frederiksted near
the home of Rev. J.C