View Document Frames
COLORED AMERICAN, MAY 9, 1840
EMANCIPATION OF THE SLAVES in the British West-India Islands.--The first of August
will hereafter constitute the Anniversary of one of the most memorable events in
the annals of the British empire, and the history of African slavery.
By an act of the British Parliament passed in 1833, slavery was to cease in all of
the British West India Islands on the 1st of August, 1834, and a system of apprenticeship
to be substituted in its place till the 1st of August, 1840; when that system was
to terminate, and entire freedom be consummated. At the same time, it was left discretionary
with the Colonial Legislatures of the Islands themselves, whether to give full freedom
to the slaves at once, that is, on the 1st of August 1834, or to adopt the apprenticeship
system as above. As a remuneration to the masters for what was deemed a great sacrifice
in the case, Parliament voted them the sum of twenty millions sterling, or about
ninety millions dollars.
The Legislature of two of the Islands, Antigua and Bermuda, availed themselves of
the opportunity fully to abolish slavery at the outset. In the other Islands, the
apprenticeship system was adopted. Contrary to general expectation, entire abolition
was found to operated far better than the other plan; insomuch that there began ere
long to be no little stir in relation to the subject. The cry for complete emancipation
in all the Islands arose from all quarters; the tables of the British Parliament
were heaped with petitions, the country was agitated from end to end. In this state
of things, when all was commotion, uncertainty, anxiety, and suspence [sic], the
Colonial Government put an end to the matter by abolishing the apprenticeship themselves,
to take effect on the 1st of August 1838. To give the finishing touch to this work
of emancipation, the British Government, on learning these movements of the Colonial
Legislatures, proceeded to abolish the system in the remaining Colonies that had
no Legislatures.
Thus has slavery been entirely abolished throughout the British dominions, and eight
hundred thousand slaves set at liberty. We cannot learn that the least disorder,
or evil effects of any description, have resulted from these measures; on the contrary,
it appears so far as [information?] has been received, that everything has operated
to the satisfaction of all concerned.
