Page:The Homes of the New World- Vol. III.djvu/259

Rh him here. He lives here a real life of Canaan, and will not on any account emigrate to Africa. He is happy, although his happiness is not of an elevated character.

I confess to your Majesty, that it has been astonishing to me, and distressing at the same time, to see the United States stand so far behind Spain in justice and sense of freedom in their legislation for the slave population, and it is difficult for me to explain how the noble-mindedness and national pride of a people can bear and allow themselves to be outdone in their laws regarding freedom, by a nation which they consider far below themselves in humanity, and which is so, too, in many respects. The Spaniards of Cuba are not altogether wrong when they, on this subject, look down on the Americans, and call them, as I myself heard, “barbarians!”

There are in Cuba probably, at this time, more happy black than white people. The slave-owner is not happy. For him wave no palm-trees; the delicious winds do not caress him; for him the mild, bright heavens, shine not; between him and all the glory of nature stands the bohea and the sugar-mill, with their negro-slaves, who dread him, and of whom he stands in dread. The mild heaven of Cuba gives him no peace; he sees the sword of Damocles hanging over his head, and the future is dark to him. Therefore his end and aim is merely to make as much money as he can, and then to—leave Cuba for ever.

When I think of this beautiful island, of its glorious scenery, its rich resources, I cannot avoid my imagination transforming it to what it ought to be, to what it seems intended to be by the mind of the Creator; yes, and not merely it, but all those beautiful islands which God has scattered with an affluent hand in the southern sea, like jewels upon its billowy mantle.

Amongst these may be named as representatives of all, three in particular, pre-eminent in beauty, grandeur and wealth; Cuba, St. Domingo, and Jamaica. But