But revolts there had occurred frequently before. Mr. Stanley
himself, in attempting to fix this charge upon them, had related
circumstances, which amounted to their entire exculpation. He had said,
that all was quiet there till the disturbances in the French islands; when
some Negros from the latter had found their way to Dominica, and had
excited the insurrection in question. He had also said, that the Negros in
our own islands hated the idea of the abolition; for they thought, as no
new labourers were to come in, they should be subjected to increased
hardships. But if they and their masters hated this same measure, how was
this coincidence of sentiment to give birth to insurrection?
Other fallacies also had been industriously propagated. Of the African
trade it had been said, that the exports amounted to a million annually;
whereas, from the report on the table, it had on an average amounted to
little more than half a million; and this included the articles for the
purchase of African produce, which were of the value of a hundred and forty
thousand pounds.
The East Indian trade, also, had been said to depend on the West Indian and
the African.
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