CONCLUSION.
379
squatting on the crown lands, by being suffered to ac quire them honestly by purchase. They will not occu py them to a greater extent, than the demand for agri cultural produce for the island markets, will enable them to do with pecuniary profit. Mutual competition will speedily abate the desire for independent cultiva tion. Throwing open the ports to Haytian produce, would also tend, by a legitimate mode, to attach the people to estate labor. The trade between these fine islands is still prohibited, though they are almost in sight of each other, and capable of carrying on com merce with immense mutual advantage. The Haytians would supply yams, plaintains, fruits, poultry, hogs, goats, cattle, mules, horses, hides and mahogany, in exchange for British manufactures. Such a mea sure would essentially promote both the commercial and agricultural prosperity of Jamaica ; the price of labor would be lowered by the abundant supply of pro visions, and the desire of the negros, for independent cultivation, were it even stronger than it is, would give place to the disposition to render cheerful and con tinuous labor, on the estates, for adequate wages. We have heard the sentiment frequently expressed, that the negro population of Jamaica, is more unintel ligent and degraded, than that of Antigua and Barba dos. Comparative observation has left a contrary im pression on our minds. There are undoubtedly, in Ja maica, a greater number of benighted negros, both Africans and Creoles ; but there are also a larger pro portion, who evince intelligence, energy and indepen dence of spirit, similar to what are manifested by the peasantry of a free country. The cause of this differ ence need not be traced further, than the several modes in which the slaves have been subsisted in the colonies