From Jamaica he would now go to the other islands. In Barbadoes the
slaves had rather increased. In St. Kitts the decrease for fourteen
years had been but three-fourths per cent.; but here many of the
observations would apply, which he had used in the case of Jamaica. In
Antigua many had died by a particular calamity. But for this, the
decrease would have been trifling. In Nevis and Montserrat there was
little or no disproportion of the sexes; so that it might well be hoped,
that the numbers would be kept up in these islands. In Dominica some
controversy had arisen about the calculation; but Governor Orde had
stated an increase of births above the deaths. From Grenada and St.
Vincent's no accurate accounts had been delivered in answer to the
queries sent them; but they were probably not in circumstances less
favourable than in the other islands.
On a full review, then, of the state of the Negro population in the West
Indies, was there any serious ground of alarm from the abolition of the
Slave Trade? Where was the impracticability, on which alone so many had
rested their objections? Must we not blush at pretending, that it would
distress our consciences to accede to this measure, as far as the
question of the Negro population was concerned?
Intolerable were the mischiefs of this trade, both in its origin, and
through every stage of its progress.
Pages:
764
765
766
767
768
769
770
771
772
773
774
775
776
777
778
779
780
781
782
783
784
785
786
787
788