The History, Civil and Commercial, of the British West Indies Volume 3 - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1819 edition. Excerpt: ... they now are, the freed negroes of St. Domingo will hereafter be--savages in the midst of society; without peace, security, agriculture, or property; ignorant of the duties of life, and unacquainted with all the soft and endearing relations which render it desirable; averse to labour, though frequently perishing of want; suspicious of each other, and towards the rest of mankind revengeful and faithless, remorseless and bloody-minded; pretending to be free, while groaning beneath the capricious despotism of their chiefs, and feeling all the miseries of ser-Chap. YT I vitude, without the benefits of subordination! If what I have thus--not hastily, but--deliberately predicted, concerning the fate of this unfortunate country, shall be verified by the event, all other reflections must yield to the pressing consideration how best to obviate and defeat the influence which so dreadful an example of successful revolt and triumphant anarchy may have in pur own islands. This is a subject which will soon force itself on the most serious attention of Government; and I am of opinion, that nothing less than the co-operation of the British parliament with the colonial legislatures can meet its emergency. On the other hand, if it be admitted that the object is infinitely too important, and the means and resources of France much too powerful and abundant, to suffer a doubt to remain concerning the ultimate accomplishment of her views, in seizing on the whole of this extensive country: if we can suppose that (convinced at length, by painful experience, of the monstrous folly of suddenly emancipating barbarous men, and placing them at once in all the complicated relations of civil society) she will finally succeed in reducing the vast body of fugitive...