IMPENDING CATASTROPHE. 233 



dios, Santo Espiritu, and S. Julian de los Guinea. The ter- 

 ritorial division most in favour among the inhabitants of 

 the Havannah, is that of vuelta de arrila and de dbaxo, east 

 and west of the meridian of the Havannah. The first go- 

 vernor of the island who took the title of Captain-general 

 (1G01), was Don Pedro Valdes. Before him there were 

 sixteen other governors, of whom the series begins with the 

 famous Pollador and Conquistador, Diego Velasquez, native 

 of Cuellar, who was appointed by Columbus in 1511. 



In the island of Cuba free men compose '64 of the whole 

 population; and in the English islands, scarcely '19. In 

 the whole archipelago of the "West Indies, the copper- 

 coloured men (blacks and mulattos, free and slaves) form a 

 mass of 2,360,000, or -83 of the total population. If the 

 legislation of the "West Indies and the state of the men of 

 colour do not shortly undergo a salutary change; if the 

 legislation continue to employ itself in discussion instead 

 of action, the political preponderance will pass into the 

 hands of those who have strength to labour, will to be 

 free, and courage to endure long privations. This catas- 

 trophe will ensue as a necessary consequence of circum- 

 stances, without the intervention of the free blacks of 

 Ilayti, and without their abandoning the system of insu- 

 lation which they have hitherto followed. Who can ven- 

 ture to predict the influence which may be exercised on the 

 politics of the New World by an African Confederation of 

 the free states of the West Indies, situated between Colum- 

 bia, North America, and Guatimala? The fear of this event 

 may act more powerfully on the minds of many, than the 

 principles of humanity and justice ; but in every island the 

 whites believe that their power is not to be shaken. All 

 simultaneous action on the part of the blacks appears to 

 them impossible ; and every change, every concession granted 

 Q the slave population, is regarded as a sign of weakness, 

 he horrible catastrophe of San Domingo is declared to have 

 been only the effect of the incapacity of its government. 

 Such are the illusions which prevail amidst the great mass 

 of the planters of the West Indies, and which are alike 

 opposecf to an amelioration of the condition of the blacks in 

 Georgia and in the Carolinas. The island of Cuba, more 

 any other of the West India Islands, might escape the 



