Slewart's Past and Present State of Jamaica. 



of various mliclcs of pnstiy, and a pro- 

 I'lisidii of swcefmciits, is not less sump- 

 tuous; «iiile a variety of wines, ke|)t 

 cool \vi(ii wet clollis, lifjuciirs, 8;r. are 

 liaiidod rolled 1o tlic gncsls by l!iu 

 I'lack altc'iidi»ii(s, wlio, on sucli occa- 

 sions, a|>pciir in tlieir best a])parel. 

 After tlie dessert a variety of the 

 clioicest fmlls luo jiiit down ; and when 

 the ladies withdraw (afler a few toasts 

 are given.) the genilernrii generally 

 smoke Si'fjars and sit over their wine 

 till ii late !ii)ur. If singing be pro- 

 posed, which is generally the case in 

 n)ixeil j)arti"s, llie ladies remain 

 longer at tal)le, and take a pleasure in 

 exertins;- their \itra,\ powers for tiio 

 rntei lainuui-t of the company. It may 

 1)0 supposed that none but ttie most 

 <ipn!ent venture to give sucii costly 

 entertainments; but every one here 

 is ambitions to make a figure in lliis 

 respect, and ustially treat their guests 

 iu a s!3lc above, rather than below, 

 their cireun)stanccs. Families residing 

 in t!io country can do (liis at far less 

 expense than those in the towns, who 

 have every article to [lurcliase. The 

 former raise every necessary for their 

 ta')les on their respective properties. 



SLAVES. 



It may truly be said, that the treal- 

 nur.l of the slave depends in a great 

 T!ie,isiire ujion the character and temper 

 of bis master or manager. How in- 

 elleeiiial to the slave are humane and 

 judicious laws, if a barbarous master 

 or over:<eer has it in his power to evade 

 tli'Mii in various ways. 'J'herc can be 

 no liesitiition in sajing, that the slave 

 who lives under the immediate super- 

 intendence of a humane and consi- 

 derate niiislcr enjoys a life of as nnich 

 <:ondort and contentment as the con- 

 dition of a slave is capable of. This 

 perhaps is the utmost that cm be 

 said; lor, lliongh tiio wants of the slave 

 may be supplied by the beneficent 

 |>rovision of such a piaster, and he may 

 ronscfpientiy be said to ijc so far more 

 desirably situalid than many of the 

 poorer peasantry of (Jreat iiritain, 3et 

 to arfjue, gincially, that he is hapjiier 

 than they — an assertion \\hi<di one frc- 

 (jueutly lir-ars — is certainly saying too 

 inueh. 'J'lie situutioti of the two 

 classes ran admit oP no other com- 

 parison tii:in as to the physical wants 

 of our nature. 'J'he liein;; who toils 

 by the compulsion of a master, and 

 whose servitude, whi-ther oppressive 

 or otherwise, ceases only « itii liis life, 

 is, on (he scale of moral and .suiiul 



6il 



happiness, far beneath him who labours 

 voluntarily, and can choose whom be 

 pleases as his master or employer. 

 Yet it may be said, that the slave, 

 accustomed from infancy to his con- 

 dition, is incapable of appreciating the 

 blessings of liberty, and looks not for 

 more than mild and just treatment, 

 and the supply of all his wants. That 

 situation, which would ■ be terrible to 

 the peasant, is rendered tolerable, 

 through habit, to the negro slave, and 

 becomes, as has been said, a state of 

 comfort and contentment under a just 

 and humane master ; so much so in- 

 deed, that there have been inslances 

 of slaves, so situated, who would have 

 declined the boon of freedom, had it 

 been offered them. This may be easily 

 accounted for: they were treated 

 mildly and justly, not overworked, a 

 reasonable lime was allowed them to 

 attend to their own aftairs, all their 

 wants were liberally supplied ; they bad 

 their houses, gardens, provision-grounds, 

 and pigs, and poultry, anil they were in 

 a degree attached to a spot where they 

 had tasted comforts far beyond those 

 of other slaves. To relinquish these 

 possessions and advantages, and be 

 thrown on their own resources, inclined 

 to indolence and self-indulgence as 

 many of them are, they knew would 

 not be an exchange for the better. 



But very difierently situated is the 

 poor slave who is doomed to toil for 

 a master of a character directly oppo- 

 site to the foregoing. If o|)prcss?d 

 and ill-treated, he may indeed lay his 

 complaints before a nnigistrate, who of 

 coinse is bound to listen to, and, if 

 possible, redress them ; and, if lie be a 

 good man, he will actively endeavour 

 to do so. But he cannot legally render 

 justice to the slave by the punishment 

 of the master, should the latter decline 

 giving evidence against himself — a 

 very natural |)rocccding where no other 

 admissible evidence exists; the evi- 

 dence of the slave, and of his fellow- 

 slaves, is insuflicicnt to convict him. 

 The magistrate then can only admonish 

 the master, and the slave is sent home, 

 perhaps to suffer rencwcil severities 

 ior his audacity in preferring a com- 

 plaint ngainst bis master. 



There is only one way of removing 

 this obstacle to the mr)re effeiliial 

 amelioration of the condition of the 

 slav(?; and that is, by ri'udering his 

 evidence, under <;ertaiu modilieations, 

 legally admissible against the whites. 

 Such an innovation would indeed pro- 

 bably 



