The reasons for this opinion consist in part of naked assumptions, and in part of inferences from supposed facts.  The assumed reasons are such as these.  The negroes will not cultivate the cane without the whip.  How is this known?  Simply because they never have, to any great extent, in Jamaica.  Such, it has been shown, was the opinion formerly in Barbadoes, but it has been forever exploded there by experiment.  Again, the negroes are naturally improvident, and will never have enough foresight to work steadily.  What is the evidence of natural improvidence in the negroes?  Barely this—­their carelessness in a state of slavery.  But that furnishes no ground at all for judging of natural character, or of the developments of character under a totally different system.  If it testifies any thing, it is only this, that the natural disposition of the negroes is not always proof against the degenerating influences of slavery.[A] Again, the actual wants of the negroes are very few and easily supplied, and they will undoubtedly prefer going into the woods where they can live almost without labor, to toiling in the hot cane fields or climbing the coffee mountains.  But they who urge this, lose sight of the fact that the negroes are considerably civilized, and that, like other civilized people, they will seek for more than supply for the necessities of the rudest state of nature.  Their wants are already many, even in the degraded condition of slaves; is it probable that they will be satisfied with fewer of the comforts and luxuries of civilized life, when they are elevated to the sphere, and feel the self-respect and dignity of freemen?  But let us notice some of the reasons which profess to be founded on fact.  They may all be resolved into two, the laziness of negroes, and their tendency to barbarism.

[Footnote A:  Probably in more instances than the one recorded in the foregoing chapter, the improvidence of the negroes is inferred from their otherwise unaccountable preference in walking six or ten miles to chapel, rather than to work for a maccaroni a day.]

i.  They now refuse to work on Saturdays, even with wages.  On this assertion we have several remarks to make.

1.) It is true only to a partial extent.  The apprentices on many estates—­whether a majority or not it is impossible to say—­do work for their masters on Saturdays, when their services are called for.

2.) They often refuse to work on the estates, because they can earn three or four times as much by cultivating their provision grounds and carrying their produce to market.  The ordinary day’s wages on an estate is a quarter of a dollar, and where the apprentices are conveniently situated to market, they can make from seventy-five cents to a dollar a day with their provisions.

3.) The overseers are often such overbearing and detestable men, that the apprentices doubtless feel it a great relief to be freed from their command on Saturday, after submitting to it compulsorily for five days of the week.