Abstract of the evidence for the abolition of the slave-trade (1791)/Chapter 13
We have found, that lightening the labour of the slaves, attending to their grievances, punishments, and the like, have been the means of contributing to their increase by population; hence any new modes suggested by the evidence, that will produce the same effects, or will tend to their better nourishment or establishment in society, must accelerate that increase.
1.Let the plough be introduced on every estate which will admit the use of it.
The introduction of the plough would, in the opinion of Forster, Sir G. Young, Rees, Harrison, Giles, and Duncan, save the slaves much labour. Mr. Fitzmaurice has known it answer this end. Mr. Woodward and Mr. J. Woodward farther confirm the same: the former has reduced its utility on his own estate to the following rule: one plough, two men, and four horses, do as much work as thirty negroes, and, after the plough, it does not require, says he, much negro labour to prepare the ground for the cane. He thinks that the largest part of the cane and ginger land in Barbadoes, may be ploughed to the advantage of the proprietor, and the saving of negroes labour.
2.In the earthing of canes, let the East Indian shovel be introduced, in the place of the hoe, where it is practicable.
When the cane is ready to earth up, says Mr. Botham, the space between the rows is ploughed deep, the cane tops tied up, and an instrument like a broad shovel, with teeth at the bottom, a spade handle, and two cords fixed to the body of the shovel, ending by a wooden handle for a purchase, is used by two persons to earth up the cane, the strongest holding the handle of the shovel, and pressing it into the ploughed earth, while the other on the opposite side of the plant, by a jerk of the cord, draws up to the plant all the earth that the plough had loosened. Two persons, says Mr. Botham, and he has been in the West as well as in the East Indies, with this instrument will earth up more canes in a day than ten negroes with their hoes according to the W. Indian method.
3.Let the commissions or premiums paid in some islands on the crops, be taken from the attorneys and overseers of estates, and let salaries or an augmentation of salary be substituted in their stead; or, let the premiums and commissions continue, but be paid so much per head for the increase of the slaves.
It is the common practice for attorneys, and often for overseers to have a commission on the crops (Cook, Davison, Fitzmaurice, Clappeson, and Coor). This has a manifest tendency to make them push the negroes beyond their strength. Accordingly we find, from Davison, that he has been with attorneys to visit the estates, and he has seen them do little else than inquire about the crops. He never heard them make any inquiries into the treatment or state of the slaves. Coor says, he has known attornies wink at overseers [1] pressing the slaves to perform more work than human nature could bear.
4.Let the picking of grass neither be extra work, nor done in the intervals of rest; but let a grass-gang be selected for this purpose; or intirely abolish grass-picking, by laying out pasture land.
This regulation, as may be seen in Chap. IV. would tend wonderfully to lessen the labour and punishment, and, of course, promote the increase of the slaves.
5.Let the corn given to the negroes be ground for them.
This regulation would tend much to lessen their labour, as will be seen from the following account. When the women return home, says Davies, they have to grind their corn, by the strength of their arms rubbing it between two stones. They must rise with the earliest dawn to prepare their food, that they may be in the field in time, to escape punishment. Their circumstances, but particularly the grinding of their corn, tended to discourage marriage, the woman's life becoming harder then from being thus a slave to her husband. Forster also observes, that the grinding of their corn at night, by hand, was in crop-time a great hardship.
6.Let tasks of such parts of the work, as will admit them, be assigned to the slaves as practised in America.
In America, says Baillie, the overseer roused the slaves, and set them to work in the morning. They did not work for set hours, but by task work, generally a rood of land to each, when easily cultivated; when otherwise, the overseer sets the strongest to the hardest work, and vice versa: and indeed it was usual to lessen the piece of land considerably, when uncommonly foul. The negroes generally helped those who could not finish as soon as the rest, so that they left the field at once, pretty early in the afternoon, when their work ceased, and they were at perfect liberty for the rest of the day. Mr. Baillie adds, that the drivers seldom or never whipped the slaves through their day's work; because it was impossible to know till towards the close of the day, whether a slave would or would not finish his task, and it was thought time enough to punish when the negroes deserved it.
This politick method of working by task has been tried in Jamaica. Mr. Fitzmaurice hired sixty negroes, all Americans, from a Mr. Douglas who resided there, and employed them in this manner. They had a task measured out to them every morning by Mr. Douglas or his overseer, and which they finished by one or two o'clock, and had the rest of the day to themselves. The driver carried no whip, and only went occasionally to see that the work was properly done.
It will now be evident to the reader how much the introduction of task-work into the West Indies would add to the ease and comfort, and of course to the natural increase, of the slaves; for, by this wise and politick method, the work is apportioned to the strength of the slaves, and the weak are not obliged to keep up with the strong. The whip also, by which they are incessantly harassed, is avoided. This alone is of great importance. Mr. Crew thinks the use of the whip formed a difference in the treatment of American and West Indian slaves greatly to the disadvantage of the latter. They have also, by means of the system recommended, the important advantage of a part of the afternoon and evening to themselves, in which they can cultivate their little portions of lands, prepare their provisions, and yet have sufficient time to rest: all which would greatly add to the comfort of their lives.
If there should be any objection to the introduction of task-work into the West India islands, after what has been said, it can only arise from a supposition, that the slaves getting their work done by two or three in the afternoon, cannot do so much for their owner, as those who work till sun-set, on the present system. The very reverse, however, is the case: for Mr. Fitzmaurice observes, that those negroes whom he employed by task in Jamaica, finished their work by one or two o'clock, whereas the plantation negroes on the adjoining land would not finish till dark, even with the driver, the same quantity of land.
Having now stated all that appears in the evidence, on the subject of easing the labour of the slaves, as the means of increasing them by birth, we come to a few regulations of another kind.
7.Never let the same person hold the offices of attorney and overseer, or manager: nor let an estate be put under the care of an attorney who either has many estates to attend to, or who lives many miles from the estate he is to superintend.
All these evils are abundantly stated in the evidence, and, it is therefore clear, that the above regulation would have a tendency to obtain protection for the slaves, in cases of unmerited or excessive punishment, on the part, of the overseer: for, by the 3d regulation, it would be the interest of the attorney to inquire into their complaints, and redress them, and not, as at present, to wink at their oppression; and by this regulation, he would be at hand and have time to do his duty. The slaves also would not be precluded by distance, from preferring their own complaints. This superintendance of punishments, was one of the causes that contributed to the increase on an estate mentioned in the preceding chapter.
8.Let a small part of the cane-lands be dismantled and turned into provision grounds, for the slaves.
The great want of provisions, which the slaves experience, has been amply explained in Chap. IV. It has been proved that those who have land enough allowed them have not sufficient time to cultivate it; but that evil will be removed by the introduction of task-work (Regul. 6.) and those who have little or no land will possess it by the present. This would be particularly useful, because provisions raised, says Botham, feed negroes better than any dry or other provisions imported. It would also preserve them from falling off as they do at present. Epidemicks, says Coor, are more fatal to poor and ill fed, than to well fed, hearty slaves. But one fatal epidemick prevailed while he was in Jamaica. It attacked all ranks of whites and blacks, and generally poor, ill-fed negroes died of it. Few well-fed negroes died of it, and not one white man. Nor need the planters be afraid that the dismantling of the canes for provision-land, will rob them of their former profits. If a hundred negroes cultivate as many acres of cane, and fifty acres be deducted for their support, it is not improbable but that the fifty in canes, with the labour of a hundred persons, may produce as much as the hundred acres before; for a hundred labourers are better able to cultivate and improve fifty, than twice the number of acres, and the earth will remunerate in proportion to the toil and improvement bestowed upon it. Of this we may adduce a striking instance, from Fitzmaurice, He observes that a gentleman had two estates in Clarendon, one of which Mr. Fitzmaurice managed. This gentleman had too few negroes for both estates, but sufficient for one. He, however, cultivated both. They produced him together 150 hogsheads of sugar per annum. He became in debt, and his negroes suffered. At length, changing his plan, he dismantled one of his estates, and put both the gangs on the other. these were then amply sufficient, and he is now making 400 hhds. that is 250 more hhds. per year upon this one estate, than upon both together before, and is now a clear man. This regulation then would tend to the proprietor's benefit, as well as to the increase of the slaves.
9.Let every encouragement be given to the moral and religious instruction of the slaves.
A deficiency in this particular, appears throughout the whole of the evidence. There has been, however, here and there, a solitary instance of a contrary nature, in the knowledge of Coor, Forster, Captain Smith, Duncan, and Fitzmaurice; and these declare, that where such moral and religious instruction have been encouraged, the slaves have shewn a better disposition and behaviour; that they have also paid a more general attention to marriage, and that they have increased more by the births.
Having now mentioned the principal regulations which the evidence suggests, in addition to those recommended in the former chapter, for producing a natural increase of the slaves, it is plain that were all those regulations combined, and generally enforced in the colonies, that increase would be proportionably accelerated.
- ↑ There is also a very destructive notion prevalent, viz. "That he is the best overseer who makes the largest crops." To this criterion of an overseer's merit it is owing that thousands of slaves have been killed by being overworked. This notion ought to be changed for the following: "That he is the best overseer who preserves the slaves."