"Rottmann to Basel"

The effects of the Emancipation have so far been small - only a few slaves have made use of it, and most masters have only lost one or two. He has no certain information about happenings in the interior or in Fante, but nothing striking has been reported except that several weeks ago he heard that the king of Akim had lost allegedly several hundreds of slaves. Perhaps this result is at first sight surprising, but when one considers what light duties most masters give most slaves one is not so surprised. In many cases it must seem to the slaves more advantageous to stay on their master's land, than to break free and face the demands which settling in a strange place involve. They enjoy the master's protection and support if necessary, and in a sense they are members of his family. And those who actually work in the master’s house are well treated and assured of a comfortable livelihood The full effects of the Emancipation will probably thus be felt only by degrees, for every slave now legally forbidden to sell or buy slaves and time obtain his full freedom. Fears of a poor proletariat or the growth of bands of robbers are thus quite out of place - in any case since the Asante expedition there has been plenty of work, and with the disappearance of cowries and the increasing use of silver wages are if anything rising. Indeed people on the coast are pleased at the growth of the free labour force which this measure involves. As far as he can see there is no need for the Government to do anything in respect of providing land for the ex-slaves - there is plenty of land with either no owner, or only a nominal owner which can be had free or for a small sum of money. Slave-owners with large tracts of land would almost certainly rather see their ex-slaves remain on the land and pay them rent in kind than drive them off it. In the interior the slaves had a harder lot and the results of the emancipation have been different.

30.06.1875

30.06.1875

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4 pages