En ulykkelig Stjærne hviler over St. Croix. Øen har i en Række af Aar staaet under et økonomisk Tryk paa Grund af Høstens utilfredsstillende Udfald; i Aar tegnede Alt fortræffeligt, og saa gribes Negrene af en ustyrlig Ødelæggelseslyst, der ikke blot kuldkaster de gode Forhaabninger, men styrter Befolkningen i Nød og Elendighed. Det er grueligt at læse de Beretninger, som i disse Dage ere indløbne til os fra Vestindien. Vilde Negerhobe føre i djævelsk Raseri hen over Øen og afbrændte den ene Plantage efter den anden. En Trediedel af Frederiksted er forvandlet til en Brandtomt, og Halvdelen af dets Formue er gaaet tilgrunde. De ulykkelige Beboere af Byen og af Plantagerne maatte for at frelse Livet flygte bort uden at medtaget Andet, end hvad de gik og stod i. Kvinder og Børn skjulte sig i Sukkermarkerne, medens de ventede paa, at Negrene skulde drage videre for at fortsætte deres Hærværk, og bleve paany grebne af Dødsangst ved at se, at der ogsaa gjordes Forsøg paa at sætte Ild i Sukkerrørene. I Frederiksted, hvor Excesserne begyndte, bestod den hele Besætning, som Politimesteren havde at raade over, af tre Soldater og syv Politibetjente, der maatte indeslutte sig i Fortet for at redde deres eget Liv. Hvilken Lykke var det dog ikke i al den Ulykke, at Brandstiftelserne ikke ledsagedes af et almindeligt Blodbad! Negrene, som vare fuldstændig berusede, lod sig næppe af humane Hensyn lede til at skaane de Hvides Liv; men de vare saa opflammende af Begjærlighed efter at ødelægge og afbrænde Eiendomme, at de ikke havde Sans for Andet, og indbyggerne fik Tid til at flygte.
(Illustreret Tidende, november 1878 (uddrag)
Nedenstående artikel fra The New York Herald bragte også en "boks" med oplysninger om St. Croix.
Oprøret på St. Croix nåede også til udlandet, og bragte mange artikler. Fx. bragte The New York Herald, 28. november 1878, næsten en hel side. Artiklen begrundede oprøret i de slavelignende arbejdsforhold for befolkningen, og konkluderede at det nok ikke ville blive ændret. Her i uddrag - overskrifterne først i artiklen er medtaget, fordi de antydede indholdet. Afskriften af Labor act er udeladt, men i den oprindelige artikel er denne brugt til som bevis på de umenneskelige arbejdsforhold befolkningen levede under:
ST. CROIX.
Causes Which. Led to the Recent Outbreak.
EVILS OF THE EXISTING LABOR SYSTEM
Thirty Years of a Freedom Little Better than Slavery,
WHAT HAS FOLLOWED EMANCIPATION.
Business Interests of the Island. Paralyzed.
ADDITIONAL TROUBLE FEARED.
St. Thomas, Nov. 31, 1878.
The beautiful island of St. Croix. so recently .rendered desolate by the torch of the incendiary black laborers, is quiet on the surface, but the causes which led to the trouble have not been removed, and there is plenty of evidence that a very bad feeling still exists, which, if not allayed, may lead to a repetition of the horrors already experienced.* Since its occurrence there have been many speculations as to the cause of the outbreak, and any number of theories have been advanced by those who have taken only the most superficial view of it. These theories have been but little better than ridiculous, and show how wilfully Mind men are to the wrongs of any system by which they prosper. The outbreak was in fact nothing more than a servile Insurrection by men who have been practically Slaves under the so-called "provisional" labor law which has been in existence for thirty years, and from which all the disadvantages of slavery have accrued to the laborer and none of the advantages. While it lias been and is still admitted that labor laws or vagabond acts of a stringent character have been found necessary in all those islands where slavery formerly existed, yet experience has clearly shown that good results have followed them only as kind treatment and a fair remuneration have been accorded the laborer.
DIFFERENT LABOR SYSTEMS.
In Jamaica the sentimentalisin which had its origin at the time of Wilberforce prevented the enactment of any laws for the regulation of the manumitted blacks, and so they were left to their own inclinations, which were to bask in the sun and eat the spontaneous products of nature, and as the result that once beautiful and thrifty island became little better than a desert. In Martinique the Vagabond law enacted by the French following emancipation in 1848 kept the negro at work, while having respect to his freedom as a man and the pleasures of his semi-barbarous nature, and giving a fair remuneration. The result, as is known, has been one of entire satisfaction to the employer and the employed, and Martinique is one of the most prosperous Islands under the sun. I refer to these cases as they constitute the two extremes in the treatment of the labor question following tbe abolition of slavery.
Herefter følger over flere spalter en komplet afskrift af St. Croix' Labor Act. Artiklen konkluderer følgende:
PRESENT CONDITION OF THE ISLAND
The evil effects of the outbreak have not ended with the destruction of the estates. The manufacturing and agricultural interests of the island are paralyzed by the want of confidence resulting from a knowledge of the fact that the cause of the trouble still remains and may, and not unlikely will, lead to further troubles. Men sit despairing amid the ruins of their estates, seeing no way to recover from their losses. The negroes - and they are comparatively few - who are willing to work for the wages prescribed by law are naturally regarded with suspicion, fears being entertained that they only seek an opportunity for revenge or additional destruction. The course which has been pursued in suppressing the insurrection and punishing the insurgents has not been characterized by wisdom. It has had the effect of practically establishing a color line, placing every negro in antagonism to the whites. It has resolved itself into a war of races, in which the governing class are only protected by their arms, of which the negroes are entirely destitute. The latter are peaceful for the time because they are powerless, but there are not wanting evidences of the feeling which controls them. Only last week a negro who had been instrumental in saving property belonging to Mr. Fintaino. the planter who was killed at the post, was murdered in his house, and this is but a sample of what is occurring. What the end is to be no one can tell. In the present condition of affairs it is evident no attempt will be made to conciliate the laborers and, without this, only the strong urni of military power and the practical reestablishment of slavery can induce them to return to their work. Meantime, business is prostrated and no attempt is being made to restore the destroyed estates.
(New York Herald, 28. november 1878)
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