DEMERARY (British Guiana), July 1, 1838. A beautiful letter - Lot 599

DEMERARY (British Guiana), July 1, 1838. A beautiful letter from Jules DARDIER, written from Guiana and addressed to his father in Saint-Affrique (Aveyron). England completely abolished slavery in 1838; to compensate, cheap labor was brought in from other colonies or from disaster-stricken regions of Europe: “…the new laws recently arrived from London in favor of the Negroes have even turned the planters off the apprenticeship system until 1840. According to what has been made public, it would be useless and even dangerous to oppose them; everyone considers the matter settled. The interim government’s latest statement delivers the final blow. Thus, all the English colonies will be free by August. Even Jamaica, for they are currently implementing the same measure—or rather, sacrifice—there… If, once the Blacks are free, I have as much trouble getting them to work as I do now, I will resolve to leave the colony. Although, to tell you the truth, I would very much like to stay until 1840 to save up 40,000 francs… ” “For the past six months, laborers have been arriving continuously from everywhere—Portugal, Ireland, the East Indies, Martinique, and other islands. The colony is growing daily and is like the Tower of Babel; no one can understand one another. ” (Excerpts.)