TRIAL BY JURY.
26 6
and broths, in hopes to bring him to confess, but he would not, and was hung up again, and in a day and a night expired.
Mr.
Yeaman's ' Quashy Coonah' jumped out of
the fire half burnt, but was thrown in again; and Mr. Lyon's ' Fine,' jumped out of the fire, and promised to confess all, but it took no effect.
In short, our island is in a poor,
miserable,condition, and I wish I could get any employment in England to do." I mean not to sicken my readers by too minute details of what slavery was in its dark and fearful days ; but
it is
proper that a few instances should be given, that the young in particular may rejoice they live in a day when “ liberty, that thrice-sweet and gracious goddess," has so ample a domain ; and while they delight in the freedom of British negroes, drop a tear of pity to the fate of those unfortunates who are torn every year from all the
endearingties of
country, friends, and home, that they may obtain for their unfeeling masters â little morte of the “ honey of Hybla," which is so sweet, that even
peace of mind is too often
sacrificed for it. The examples which I have already given may be said to have happened many years ago ; but still, for long after that, the life of a slave was looked upop as of very little value, provided the master was reimbursed for the cash they cost.
If brought before a magistrate one day, they were,
perhaps, condemned and executed the day after ; and should a condemned criminal accost a passer-by in these words— “ Ah ! buddy you no no me now ; but p'raps you will," and such salutation be heard by the sentinel, that person, if even a stranger, and guiltless, perhaps, of all offence, was taken up on suspicion of having some dealing with the captive, and in some instances suffered death with him.
The intrigues
which were carried on between negroes in those days, rendered it, it is said, expedient to adopt these harsh measures. I have heard it asserted, that the reason slaves first came to be tried by jury, in 1785, was this:—A black man was brought