myself--is it indeed finished? And are
there none to lament the downfall of time-honored, hoary-headed
slavery? Where are the mourners? Where are the prognosticators of
ruin, desolation, and woe? Where are the riots and disorders, the
bloodshed and the burnings? The prophets and their prophecies are
alike empty, vain, and unfounded, and are alike buried in oblivion.
And why, in the name of humanity, was not this glorious consummation
brought about ages ago?--Is it because the slaves of 1838 are better
fitted for freedom than those of fifty or a hundred years since? No
one believes it. The only preparation for freedom required in this
island, or any where else, in order to put a peaceful end to
slavery, is the preparation of heart in the slaveholder to grant
deliverance to the captive.
Yours truly,
WM. R. HAYES
P.S. August 9th.--All is quiet, and the utmost good order every
where prevails."
To complete the picture we will give two extracts of letters from
eminent Jamaica Attornies to their employers in England, with regard to
the turning out to work. It is remarked by the English papers that the
Attornies generally in writing to their employers adopt the same strain.
They are all doing well on _their_ estates, but hear that the rest of
the island is in a woful condition.--These are the men who are the
greatest, if not the only, losers by emancipation; hence their testimony
is doubly valuable.
From the British Emancipator, Nov. 14.
LETTERS FROM ATTORNIES.
_Extract of a Letter from an eminent Estate Attorney, in St. Mary's,
Jamaica, dated August_ 24, 1838.
"There was nothing whatever done in this parish, or throughout the
island, for the first two weeks of the month. In this quarter some
estates did a little last week, and have been making more progress
since, but the far greater number have not yet done any work; the
minds of the people are very unsettled, and full of all sorts of
foolish notions, which will continue more or less till we hear of
the home government having accepted and approved of our abolition
bill, and their views with regard to us.
On several of the estates which have wrought, the people have struck
once or twice. We have in this parish ministers of every
denomination, and they are all acting very properly; but they do not
seem to have as much influence as expected; we m
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