POLITICAL INFLUENCE OF THE AFRICAN. 157 



the land into the possession of those who can and will cul- 

 tivate it, that is, the colored population, and that its pro- 

 ductive capacities wili never be known till that has taken 

 place. 



There are other than material causes, however, which 

 are conspiring to produce this same result. The political 

 power of the island is rapidly passing into the same hands. 

 The possession of four or five acres of land confers a right to 

 vote on the selection of members of Assembly. The blacks 

 are ambitious to possess and exercise the privilege ; it causes 

 them to be courted and respected. They are daily becom- 

 ing better acquainted with the advantages which the elec- 

 tive franchise confers, and the prospect of attaining it, is 

 with them one of the strongest incentives to effort and 

 economy. The recent election of several of their order to 

 the Assembly, has greatly inflamed this ambition. It is 

 only a short time since there were no colored people re- 

 turned to that body. In the last Assembly there were a 

 dozen. No negro ever had a seat there till the session be- 

 fore the last, when one was returned. In the last session 

 there were three. It is safe to say, that in a very few 

 years the blacks and browns will be in a clear majority 

 in the Assembly. They already hold the balance of power. 



I have previously stated that the colored members were 

 generally, I do not know but universally, attached to the 

 government, or King's House party ; while the Country 



