FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   824   825   826   827   828   829   830   831   832   833   834   835   836   837   838   839   840   841   842   843   844   845   846   847   848  
849   850   851   852   853   854   855   856   857   858   859   860   861   862   863   864   865   866   867   868   869   870   871   872   873   >>   >|  
_; and I sincerely hope that the future behavior of all, will more clearly manifest the correctness of my views of this highly important subject. I remain, dear sirs, yours faithfully, RICHARD S. WICKHAM, _Superintendent of police_." * * * * * This testimony is pointed and emphatic; and it comes from one whose _official business it is to know_ the things whereof he here affirms. We have presented not merely the opinions of Mr. W., relative to the subordination of the emancipated negroes in Antigua, but likewise the _facts_ upon which be founded his opinion. On a point of such paramount importance we cannot be too explicit. We therefore add the testimony of planters as to the actual state of crime compared with that previous to emancipation. Said J. Howell, Esq., of T. Jarvis's estate, "I do not think that aggressions on property, and crime in general, have increased since emancipation, but rather decreased. They _appear_ to be more frequent, because they are made _more public_. During slavery, all petty thefts, insubordination, insolence, neglect of work, and so forth, were punished summarily on the estate, by order of the manager, and not even so much as the rumor of them ever reached beyond the confines of the property. Now all offences, whether great or trifling, are to be taken cognizance of by the magistrate or jury, and hence they become notorious. Formerly each planter knew only of those crimes which occurred on his own property; now every one knows something about the crimes committed on every other estate, as well as his own." It will be remembered that Mr. H. is a man of thorough and long experience in the condition of the island, having lived in it since the year 1800, and being most of that time engaged directly is the management of estates. "Aggression on private property, such as breaking into houses, cutting canes, &c., are decidedly fewer than formerly. It is true that crime is made more _public_ now, than during slavery, when the master was his own magistrate."--_Dr. Daniell_. "I am of the opinion that crime in the island has diminished rather than increased since the abolition of slavery. There is an _apparent_ increase of crime, because every misdemeanor, however petty, floats to the surface."--_Hon. N. Nugent_. We might multiply testimony on this point; but suffice it to say that with very few exceptions, the planters, many of whom ar
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   824   825   826   827   828   829   830   831   832   833   834   835   836   837   838   839   840   841   842   843   844   845   846   847   848  
849   850   851   852   853   854   855   856   857   858   859   860   861   862   863   864   865   866   867   868   869   870   871   872   873   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

property

 

testimony

 
slavery
 

estate

 

increased

 

public

 

island

 
planters
 

emancipation

 

opinion


crimes

 

magistrate

 

trifling

 

remembered

 
cognizance
 

offences

 

condition

 

experience

 

future

 

planter


occurred

 

committed

 
notorious
 
Formerly
 
misdemeanor
 

increase

 
floats
 

surface

 
apparent
 
diminished

abolition
 

exceptions

 
Nugent
 
multiply
 

suffice

 

Daniell

 
Aggression
 
estates
 

private

 
breaking

management

 

directly

 

engaged

 

houses

 

cutting

 

master

 
sincerely
 

decidedly

 
punished
 

emancipated