ETHNOLOGY OF THE PRESENT DAY. 283 



this question, which does not fall into our province, we only mention the 

 negroes of the southern United States, Central, and South America, with 

 regard to their physical and moral condition. They are generally a 

 healthy, cheerful race, kind when well treated, but savage when driven to 

 despair by wanton cruelty, such as has been perpetrated sometimes in 

 Dutch Guiana and Brazil, and which has led to bloody revolts, and subse- 

 quent independent settlements of the negroes in the forests and mountains 

 of those countries. 



The independence of the colored population of the Island of Haiti 

 was accomplished by the negro general Toussaint I'Ouverture, after a 

 series of revolutions, characterized by the most atrocious cruelties, and 

 extending over four years (1791-1795). Several attempts have been 

 made since to re-establish slavery, but unsuccessfully. The negroes 

 r^iain not only free, but even masters of the island, and have alternately 

 had governments of republican and monarchical forms. They have not, 

 however, realized the hopes entertained by their friends, with regard to 

 their capacity for administering the affairs of the island, which, when it 

 came into their possession, was the most flourishing in the West Indies. 

 They exhibit an invincible physical and mental indolence, caring only 

 for sensual enjoyments ; and the natural consequence is, that agriculture 

 and commerce have suffered considerably since the departure of the white 

 population. At present, they are under the sceptre of the self-installed 

 Emperor Faustin I., with a newly formed aristocracy ; and it remains to 

 be seen if the wisdom which is inherent to crowned heads will save the 

 country from all the difficulties into which it has gradually been brought, 

 and which for the time being have a very threatening aspect. 



On the British West India Islands the slaves were emancipated by act 

 of Parliament in 1838, the greater part of a century having been spent by 

 the friends of this measure in urging its policy. The negroes and colored 

 people generally in the British possessions have equal social rights with the 

 whites, being like the latter subjects of the crown of England. Too little 

 time has elapsed since their liberation and consequent adoption as citizens 

 to allow of conclusive judgment upon the working of a system, of which the 

 introduction was marked by great disturbances owing to the unwillingness 

 of the emancipated slaves to work even for pay. This state of things has 

 now ceased to exist, and the colored people appear to have become gradu- 

 ally familiar with the fact that a freeman has duties as well as rights. The 

 produce of the islands, however, is still far inferior to what it was in the 

 days of slavery, and the value of property is much depreciated. 



Owing to their position, the negroes in America are mostly as ignorant 

 as their kinsmen in Africa to whom civilization has not as yet penetrated. 

 In the northern United States, where the negroes are free, individuals are, 

 however, found among them, who possess no inconsiderable degree of edu- 

 cation, and give evidence that the race are capable of receiving instruction 

 under circumstances favoring its acquisition. Yet their condition is by 

 no means enviable, owing to the reigning prejudice which forbids colored 

 people to live on a footing of equality with the whites. The treatment of the 



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