348
JAMAICA.
class of slaves, including, in numerous instances, indi viduals who have been for years in the enjoyment of their exemptions, have been turned into the field, and coerced to the performance of the severest kind of labor. The fourth clause of the Act divides the appren ticed laborers into three district classes :—predials attached, or those, " who, in their state of slavery, were usually employed in agriculture, or in the manu facture of colonial produce, or otherwise upon lands belonging to their owners :"—predials unattached, who were employed in like manner, " upon lands not be longing to their owners ; " and non-predials, " com prising all apprenticed laborers, not included within either of the two preceding classes." It is also pro vided ; " t h a t no person of the age of twelve years and upwards, shall be included in either of the said two classes of predial apprenticed laborers, unless such person shall for twelve calendar months at the least, next before the passing of this present Act, (viz. from August 28th, 1832, to August 28th, 1833,) have been habitually employed in agriculture or the manufacture of colonial produce." The fifth clause declares, that the predial apprentices shall become free on the Jst of August, 1840 ; and the sixth, that the non-predials shall be emancipated on the 1st of August, 1838. The slaves between the ages of six and thirteen yea rs, are left by these clauses, to be classed as predials or non-predials, at the pleasure of their owners. The classification of the apprentices has been hitherto left undetermined, on a vast majority of the estates in Jamaica, and in the mean time great numbers of the non-predials have been defrauded of their rights. The very numerous body of apprentices called