The West indies in 1837

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MARTINIQUE.

adding after a pause, " my opinion is the same as yours." We made some remarks on the prospects of the British colonies, and on the Apprenticeship hut fear­ ing we might be imperfectly understood, we offered to forward to him a short memoir on the subject from Barbados, which he said he should be happy to receive. We staid about three quarters of an hour, and left much pleased with our reception. We went on board about two p. m. and set sail for St. Lucia. The black and colored people whom we have seen in St. Pierre and Fort Royal, are very su­ perior in outward polish of manners to those of the English islands. The field negros, we were told by one party, were more, and by another, that they were less enlightened than in the English islands. They are less educated perhaps, but their faculties are shar­ pened by coming in contact on the market days with so large a body of white and free colored persons, as is to be found in the French towns. The situation of the French colonies, appears to be approaching a crisis, and we believe it depends upon the Parent Government, whether it shall issue in peace, prosperity and safety, or in general ruin and bankruptcy, if not in bloodshed. The present time is favorable for a great change, hecause the minds of all classes are in a state of prepa­ ration for it, whilst the uncertainty of the future is exercising a ruinous and depressing influence on trade and property. It is more than probable, that the colonies owe their present tranquillity, to the persuasion on the minds of the negros, that they will shortly be made free ; and there appears to be no obstacle what­ ever to their emancipation, except the fears of the plan­ ters, that free labor will be too expensive. The ques­ tion is become a purely economical one. In Martinique


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