Infanticide has also been too often perpetrated in Antigua, particularly since emancipation; although, it is true, it does not prevail to the extent it does in that “emporium of the world”—London. It is one of those unnatural offences which shews too clearly our fallen state. “Can a woman forget her sucking child?” is asked by the inspired Book; and then, as if the sad reality of what human nature is capable of is remembered, it is added, yes, “She may forget!” And, alas! those words have indeed proved true: the mother has indeed forgotten to have compassion upon the helpless little being which has derived its existence from herself.
In the days of slavery, the negroes were not allowed by law to marry; the union between them in most cases lasting only so long as agreeable to themselves. From this cause, it was frequent to find a family of eight or nine children, who all owned, perhaps, different fathers. This the woman considered no disgrace, and consequently had no incentive to disguise the fact by destroying the child. The case, however, is now different with many. Since schools have been established in this country for the benefit of the negroes, it has been the constant aim of the parents, in most cases, to avail themselves of the privilege, by sending their children to receive instruction. So far all is well; I am a great advocate for the spread of education among the lower classes, and think not, with some, that the withholding knowledge from them is the only security for obedience. “If ignorance is bliss, ’tis folly to be wise,” says one, whose name stands high in the rolls of literary fame; and those who would wish to debar the poor from receiving the instruction tendered at the different free-schools &c. are apt to take this sentence as their motto, without answering the question it undoubtedly implies, “where is ignorance bliss?” It is good when the labourer feels his want of learning, and strives to obtain for his children the boon which has been denied his own youth. But the great evil which is likely to ensue in this island, from this liberal gift of education, until the negroes become more wise, is in this—when they send their children, particularly their daughters, to a school where they are taught to read and write, &c., they fancy that any kind of servitude will be a degradation to them; and consequently every means in their power are tried to bring them up as ladies, that is, to sit in the house all day, although, for a remuneration, they will condescend to do a certain portion of needlework for any one who may require it; or else to get them appointed teacher in some of the infant schools upon the several estates. These “young ladies” of course lay aside the ancient fashion of tying their heads with many-coloured handkerchiefs, and wear bonnets instead; and that everything may appear in a proper light, whatever follies or errors they may commit, they endeavour to screen as far as lies in their power. It is principally among this class of persons, then, that the crime of infanticide is to be found: to preserve their own character in the eyes of the world, they add to their former error the heavier guilt of murder; and without one pang of remorse, expose to the hungry dogs the little innocent they ought to have guarded with double care, as they had already deeply injured it by denying it a father’s protection. Several instances of this kind have lately occurred within a short period; but the subject is so revolting to the sensitive mind, that we will banish any further mention of it from these pages.
In the list of higher offences, incendiarism must be noticed, which has been frequently practised by the negroes to carry out their plans of revenge. Before emancipation, as well as at the present period, the horizon has been frequently illuminated with the glare of an incendiary fire. We have already seen, in the year 1831, how much the negroes resented the abolition of their Sunday markets, by scattering abroad that devastating element; and within a few weeks ago, a case of arson occurred in the capital, which might have proved very fatal in its consequence.
A highly respectable inhabitant of Antigua, had, with his family, retired for the night, perfectly unconscious of harm. Who would not think himself safe within the precincts of his own home?—where but in that fortress would we look for rest? Alas! that human depravity should rage to such an extent that, even in our own domestic circle, revenge, that deadly “upas,” should spring up, to destroy, with its poisonous exhalation, that great blessing, family peace! A few words between the servants of the establishment and their employer led, it is supposed, to the event, which, had it not been fortunately discovered, might have hurried a whole family into eternity by one of the most dreadful deaths.
On the night in question, a female inmate of his house was unable to sleep, and after tossing about for some time with a degree of feverish irritation, her sense of smelling was considerably annoyed by what appeared to be the smouldering of burning cloth. Awaking the rest of the family, she communicated to them her alarm, and on proceeding to the staircase to ascertain the cause, it was found to be completely enveloped in smoke. Making their way down with precipitation, a sofa was discovered to be in flames, which, with some difficulty, was extinguished, and once more the family prepared to seek their respective chambers. As, however, they proceeded to the staircase for that purpose, a lambent line of light was perceived to issue from a small closet under the stairs, and upon opening the door, it was found to be in a blaze, and small billets of wood, coals, and other combustibles, heaped together amid the pile of table-linen, silver, &c., which the place contained. A reward of one hundred pounds sterling has been offered by the owner for the purpose of discovering the offender, but nothing has been elicited which could lead to the apprehension of the miscreant, who, for the gratification of an evil passion, would have so heartlessly injured those who never offended. It appears strange that the legislature should have taken no notice of this wilful deed (which might once more have spread the horrors of a conflagration throughout the town) by increasing the reward offered; it must have been a great oversight on their part, as their own safety might depend upon it; for if the perpetrators of the deed remain unknown, and consequently unpunished, who can say where the evil may end?
From taking a short glance at incendiarism, the next point to be considered is polygamy—and here, again, we see the demoralizing effects of slavery. It has been before remarked that there was no legal marriage rite for slaves, such unions being merely transitory. It is true by what has been called the “Melioration Act,” rewards were held out to such slaves who should preserve their fidelity in such contracts; and those persons who had the management of negroes were forbidden to encourage immorality among the women by their own example. But, alas for Antigua! when were these regulations put in force? No European can imagine to what extent such vices were carried in former days, vices which will still be painfully felt by society for many, many years to come—at any rate, until this generation shall have passed away; and, even then, the plague-spot will, perhaps, shew its taint. When the light of day began to dawn upon this benighted part of the globe by the introduction of Christianity among the negroes, they were encouraged by the Moravians and Methodists to choose a partner from among the other sex, and, in the face of the congregation, vow to each other fidelity and love. Although, of course, such marriages were not held binding by law, it was hoped that it would in some measure check the increase of immorality; and, in some instances, it might have done so, but the greater part violated those vows without compunction, or held them only until a fresh object gained their attention. It has been frequently known for a man thus married to maintain his wife and his mistress in the same house, which arrangement occasioned frequent domestic broils; and in such cases, the man, being applied to as umpire, has settled the dispute by remarking to his mistress, “That she must not quarrel with her companion, who was his wife, and that if she did, he would turn her away;” and then, addressing the aggrieved wife, tell her, for her consolation, “That she must not mind, because she was his wife already!”
After the negroes were freed from the thrall of slavery in 1834, and the same privileges open to them as to the rest of the British subjects, it was their pride to be married at the established church. In many instances, they had been already joined by the Moravian or Methodist preachers, but wishing to get rid of their partners, who had borne with them the brunt of slavery, they privately paid their addresses to some of the young ladies already mentioned, carried them to the altar, and there married in direct opposition to their former vows, which were as binding and sacred in the eyes of God as if his grace the Archbishop of Canterbury had pronounced the nuptial benediction. Among such an immense number of negroes, it is almost impossible to discover the offenders in this respect against common decency, although the clergymen are generally indefatigable in their exertions to discover the truth. Still, vigilant as they are, they have been deceived; and instances are known, where parties have been twice married, even in the episcopal church. In some cases, a wedding-party have assembled within the sacred walls, the intended bride and bridegroom waiting at the altar until the lips of the presiding minister shall have made them one; when, as that solemn charge has been given, “If either of you know any impediment why ye may not be lawfully joined together in matrimony, ye do now confess it,” those important words, “I do,” have been suddenly heard, and (as in most cases) a female has come forward declaring that herself and the guilty beau had been long ago married at the chapel. When such circumstances have occurred, and the clergyman refused to re-marry them, it has been no unfrequent practice for the parties to embark on board a small vessel, and proceeding to Monserrat, or some other island, there to procure the completion of their unhallowed purpose.
Another evil to be deplored is, that even when parties are lawfully joined in the bands of wedlock, they pay such little regard to the solemnity of the act. The smart dresses, (for which often they commit an unlawful deed,) the plentiful breakfast, or lunch, the gilded cake, and the driving about in borrowed gigs, is much more thought of by them than the serious, the important promise of loving one another in sickness and in health, and, forsaking all others, cleave only unto them who, by the ordinances of God and man, are made one flesh. From this want of regard to the serious part of the ceremony, great mischief ensues. As soon as the novelty has worn off, the husband forgets the wife he ought to cherish, and the wife forgets his honour which she is bound to protect. The old leaven cleaves about them, and throwing off all shame, they follow the bad example of their parents, (who indeed are less faulty than themselves, not having had such means of instruction;) and by these means, give to the country, instead of an honest peasantry, a race of idle illegitimate children. I would by no means take upon myself to state, that of the many weddings which weekly take place among this “sober-hued” people, none remember to keep their marriage-vows unstained; on the contrary, no doubt many find it what it should be—a state “ordained for the mutual society, help, and comfort, that the one ought to have of the other, both in prosperity and adversity.”
[[26]] The negroes say that no grass has ever grown in the spot where the blood dropped since the time of the murder.