made a concession "to the lively" wishes of the negroes. That
his late Majesty King Christian VIII., of glorious and blessed
memory, had by rescript of 28th July 1847, given freedom to all
children born of slaves in the Danish West India possessions, and
at the same time ordained that slavery should finally cease in
twelve years, cannot be pleaded as a reason that proprietors of
slaves are to sustain loss and receive no compensation, for the
question remained open, and had been only glanced at by said
rescript. It is much to be lamented that the emancipation in the
manner it took place, and with the circumstances with which it
was accompanied, induced the slave population, although
erroneously, to believe that they had overawed the government,
and to receive the emancipation not as boon, but rather as a
trophy. The bad impression which such a management of matters has
caused, will ever remain, and render the march of administration
difficult, for defiance has taken the place which only should
have been ceded to gratitude. It ought here to be observed that a
succession of ordinances had gradually loosed the ties which
existed between the master and the slave. What heretofore had
been esteemed as a favor on the master's part, was by law
converted into an obligation, and the slave was not only
rendered more and more independent of his master, but his
sentiments of attachment to him were destroyed. Thus the law made
it obligatory on the master to cede a negro his freedom when he
could pay his full value; a favor which hardly any one had
thought of refusing; thus the law bound the master to give his
slaves certain little extras for Christmas, a favor which no one
had thought of denying, and thus the law compelled the planter to
give his negroes the Saturday free; a boon, which hitherto
frequently had been granted as a recompense for diligent work
during the week. But from the moment that the law converted into
an obligation, that which hitherto had been received as a favor,
indifference usurped the place of gratitude. Thus, by consecutive
innovations, the state of things became precarious, the relations
insecure, impatience sprung up, and the seeds of the tumultuous
scenes which ensued and served as a pretext for emancipation,
were sown. Here we mus