Twelfth proposition.—­The emancipated negroes have shown no disposition to roam from place to place. A tendency to rove about, is thought by many to be a characteristic of the negro; he is not allowed even an ordinary share of local attachment, but must leave the chain and staple of slavery to hold him amidst the graves of his fathers and the society of his children.  The experiment in Antigua shows that such sentiments are groundless prejudices.  There a large body of slaves were “turned loose;” they had full liberty to leave their old homes and settle on other properties—­or if they preferred a continuous course of roving, they might change employers every six weeks, and pass from one estate to another until they had accomplished the circuit of the island.  But, what are the facts?  “The negroes are not disposed to leave the estates on which they have formerly lived, unless they are forced away by bad treatment.  I have witnessed many facts which illustrate this remark.  Not unfrequently one of the laborers will get dissatisfied about something, and in the excitement of the moment will notify me that he intends to leave my employ at the end of a month.  But in nine cases out of ten such persons, before the month has expired, beg to be allowed to remain on the estate.  The strength of their local attachment soon overcomes their resentment and even drives them to make the most humiliating confessions in order to be restored to the favor of their employer, and thus be permitted to remain in their old homes.”—­H.  Armstrong, Esq.

“Nothing but bad treatment on the part of the planters has ever caused the negroes to leave the estates on which they were accustomed to live, and in such cases a change of management has almost uniformly been sufficient to induce them to return.  We have known several instances of this kind.”—­S.  Bourne, Esq., of Millar’s, and Mr. Watkins, of Donavan’s.

“The negroes are remarkably attached to their homes.  In the year 1828, forty-three slaves were sold from the estate under my management, and removed to another estate ten miles distant.  After emancipation, the whole of these came back, and plead with me to employ them, that they might live in their former houses.”—­James Howell, Esq.

“Very few of my people have left me.  The negroes are peculiar for their attachment to their homes.”—­Samuel Barnard, Esq., of Green Castle.

“Love of home is very remarkable in the negroes.  It is a passion with them.  On one of the estates of which I am attorney, a part of the laborers were hired from other proprietors.  They had been for a great many years living on the estate, and they became so strongly attached to it, that they all continued to work on it after emancipation, and they still remain on the same property.  The negroes are loth to leave their homes, and they very seldom do so unless forced away by ill treatment.”—­Dr. Daniell.