|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 27
Had negro slavery never existed, had the natural resources of the
Southern colonies favored the growth of a free yeomanry, the system of
indenture would have been admirably fitted to establish a population
of small proprietors, trained in habits of industry and in a competent
knowledge of agriculture. The social and industrial life of the
colonies forbade this. A peasant proprietary can only exist under
severe restraints as to increase, or where there is urban life to take
off the surplus population for trades and handicrafts. The Southern
colonies fulfilled neither of these conditions. When the servant was
out of his indentures there was no place for him. He could not become
a shopkeeper or craftsman or a free agricultural laborer, for none of
these callings existed. Moreover, the very same conditions of soil and
climate which enabled slavery to exist, made it possible for the
freeman to procure a scanty livelihood, without any habits of settled
industry. Thus the liberated servant became an idler, socially
corrupt, and often politically dangerous. He furnished that class
justly described by a Virginian of that day as "a foeculum of beings
called overseers, a most abject, unprincipled race." He was the
forerunner, and possibly in some degree the progenitor, of that class
who did so much to intensify the evils of slavery, the "mean whites"
of later times....
When once negro slavery was firmly established, any rival form of
industry was doomed. For it is an economical law of slavery, that
where it exists it must exist without a rival. It can only succeed
where it is a predominant form of labor. The utility of the slave is
that of a machine. When once he has been trained to any special kind
of industry, no attempts to enlarge his sphere of activity can be
attended with profit. The time given to the new acquisition is so much
waste, and his mental incapacity and absence of any moral interest in
his work almost necessarily limits him to a single task. Thus, as we
have seen, the many attempts to develop varied forms of production in
the Southern colonies all failed. Maryland and Virginia grew only
tobacco. South Carolina grew mainly rice. Moreover, the spectacle of
the free laborer working on the same soil and at the same task, would
be fatal to that resignation, and that complete moral and intellectual
subjection, which alone can make slave labor possible. Thus the
cheaper and more efficient system obtained the mastery so completely
that by the beginning of the eighteenth century slave and negro had
become well-nigh synonymous terms.
[1] From Doyle's "English Colonies in America." By permission of
the publishers, Henry Holt & Co.
NEW ENGLAND BEFORE THE PILGRIM FATHERS LANDED
(1614)
BY CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH[1]
In the moneth of Aprill, 1614, with two Ships from London, of a few
Marchants, I chanced to arriue in New-England, a parte of Ameryca, at
the Ile of Monahiggan, in 43-1/2 of northerly latitude: our plot was
there to take Whales and make tryalls of a Myne of Gold and Copper. If
those failed, Fish and Furres was then our refuge, to make our selues
sauers howsoeuer: we found this Whale fishing a costly conclusion: we
saw many, and spent much time in chasing them; but could not kill any:
They beeing a kinde of Iubartes, and not the Whale that yeeldes Finnes
and Oyle as wee expected. For our Golde, it was rather the Masters
deuice to get a voyage that proiected it, then any knowledge hee had
at all of any such matter. Fish & Furres was now our guard: & by our
late arriual, and long lingring about the Whale, the prime of both
those seasons were past ere wee perceiued it; we thinking that their
seasons serued at all times: but wee found it otherwise; for, by the
midst of Iune, the fishing failed.
Yet in Iuly and August some was taken, but not sufficient to defray so
great a charge as our stay required. Of dry fish we made about 40000.
of Cor fish about 7000.
Whilest the sailers fished, my selfe with eight or nine others of them
might best bee spared; Ranging the coast in a small boat, wee got for
trifles neer 1100 Beuer skinnes, 100 Martins, and neer as many Otters;
and the most of them within the distance of twenty leagues. We ranged
the Coast both East and West much furder; but Eastwards our
commodities were not esteemed, they were so neare the French who
affords them better: and right against vs in the Main was a Ship of
Sir Frances Popphames, that had there such acquaintance, hauing many
years vsed onely that porte, that the most parte there was had by him.
And 40 leagues westwards were two French Ships, that had made there a
great voyage by trade, during the time wee tryed those conclusions,
not knowing the Coast, nor Saluages habitation. With these Furres, the
Traine, and Corfish I returned for England in the Bark: where within
six monthes after our departure from the Downes, we safe arriued back.
The best of this fish was solde for fiue pound the hundreth, the rest
by ill vsage betwixt three pound and fifty shillings. The other Ship
staied to fit herselfe for Spaine with the dry fish which was sould,
by the Sailers reporte that returned, at forty ryalls the quintall,
each hundred weighing two quintalls and a halfe.
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|