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Show ,1 TliE CONTRAST. 182 l conifor t s ,/." the laboring popula- (!J IV. The persona l{ lied tenfold. In rnak-fi d m are mu tp . . h tion under ree. 0 ' 1 do no t me·' m to msmuate t at ing this assertwn, ncler slavery. On many d comforts u they en· j oye noh were we1 1 fed and clothed, and of the estates t ey . h respects. Their provi- . ted m ot er . were kmdly trea . pie the poor and mfirm d were often am ' sion groun s . , t medical attendance was t d Wlth the res ' . . . were suppor e f them r d opportumt1es for sav- IOUll given, and many 0 h 1 and 1 am fully aware . On the ot er 1< ' • mg money. f f 11 tnominal) freedom, they . the date o u ' I . that smce b' t d in some co omes, to tially su 1ec e · have been par· and op·p ressJ·O n.' that in others thw grievous vexatilOown'. t h·, \t t he, poor and infirm are not wages are too . ' 'd d "or. and lastly, that me-d t'ly prov1 e •· • always a equa e has been withdrawn. d ·n many cases ' dical atten ance ' the improvement in their phy- Yet on the whole, . d f 1 In the . . and comforts IS won er u . sica! condttJOD ' 1 uffering under the per-i are no onger s h first place, t ICY 1 .. . they are enjoying t e f 1. f compu swn , · petual ee mg 0 h hip the bilbocs, the f. · d dence-t e w ' pleasures o m epen . And secondly, t!Jeir h 1 11 withdrawn. ' tread-w ee ' are a f h very greatly better d d. e both o t em dress an Jet ar Thev are con· d b under slavery. · than they use to e f the hosier, the at the stores o stant customers now, k and the grocer '1 the shoema er,' linen draper, the tm or, fi d both a sure evi- -of \vhich delightful fact, we _n the vast increase-deuce, an d a 1I appy consequ. ence, m Bread and meat almost the doubling-of Imports. . fied .-iili ' is erfectly satls . twenty years, in which he tells them that ::n a~erage as they were ID . d ct ' His crops were as large o t f 8 per cent. per thetr con u . nk divided at the ra e o " the days of slavery: . Our bad h is a large surplus fund. annum on the last dtvldend, an t ere THE CONTRAST. 183 are now commonly eaten by them. Remember their beautifully neat appearance at our meetings, their handsome wedding dresses, the eggs consumed for their wedding cakes, the wine in their cottages freely bestowed on weary pilgrims, their boots and shoes which they are so much afraid of spoiling in the mud, the mules and horses on which they come riding to their chapels, their pic-nic dinners, their social feasts of temperance and freedom. Above all, remember their thriving little freeholds-their gradual, but steady accumulation of wealth. Wherever they are fairly treated, the laborers of Jamaica are already most favorably circumstanced. Teach them to improve the structure, arrangement, and furniture of their cottages; and to exchange all items of finery, and luxury for substantial domestic convenience-and it will be in vain to seek for a better conditioned peasanty in any country of Europe. V. Lastly, the moral and religious improvement if this people under freedom, is more than equal to the increase of their comforts. Under this head there are three points deserving respectively of a distinct place in our memories. First, the rapid increase and vast extent of elementary and Christian educationschools for infants, young persons, and adults, multiplying in every direction. Secondly, the gradual, but decided diminution of crime, amounting, in many country districts, almost to its extinction. Thirdly, the happy change of the general and almost uni versa! practice of concubinage, for the equally general adoption of marriage. "Concubinage," says Dr. Stewart, in his letter to me, "the universal practice of the |