2.  Another fact from which the laziness of the negroes is inferred, is their neglecting their provision grounds.  It is said that they have fallen off greatly to their attention to their grounds, since the abolition of slavery.  This fact does not comport very well with the complaint, that the apprentices cultivate their provision grounds to the neglect of the estates.  But both assertions may be true under opposite circumstances.  On those estates which are situated near the market, provisions will be cultivated; on those which are remote from the market, provisions will of course be partially neglected, and it will be more profitable to the apprentices to work on the estates at a quarter of a dollar per day, raising only enough provisions for their own use.  But we ascertained another circumstance which throws light on this point.  The negroes expect, after emancipation, to lose their provision grounds; many expect certainly to be turned off by their masters, and many who have harsh masters, intend to leave, and seek homes on other estates, and all feel a great uncertainty about their situation after 1840; and consequently they can have but little encouragement to vigorous and extended cultivation of their grounds.  Besides this, there are very many cases in which the apprentices of one estate cultivate provision grounds on another estate, where the manager is a man in whom they have more confidence than they have in their own “busha.”  They, of course, in such cases, abandon their former grounds, and consequently are charged with neglecting them through laziness.

3.  Another alleged fact is, that actually less work is done now than was done during slavery.  The argument founded on this fact is this:  there is less work done under the apprenticeship than was done during slavery:  therefore no work at all will be done after entire freedom!  But the apprenticeship allows one fourth less time for labor than slavery did, and presents no inducement, either compulsory or persuasive, to continued industry.  Will it be replied that emancipation will take away all the time from labor, and offer no encouragement but to idleness?  How is it now?  Do the apprentices work better or worse during their own time when they are paid?  Better, unquestionably.  What does this prove?  That freedom will supply both the time and the inducement to the most vigorous industry.

The other reason for believing that the negroes will abandon estate-labor after entire emancipation, is their strong tendency to barbarism! And what are the facts in proof of this?  We know but one.