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The Dream of a New Ireland in the Carribean.
Although politically tumultuous, the years following the French Revolution were quiet on Jamaica. Few slave uprisings occurred, and wars seemed to be finally at an end. However, when Britain called for the end of slavery, Jamaica's planters were faced with a situation they certainly did not want. WI Convicts (including Fenians) landed on the shores of Jamaica instead of Australia to fill the cheap labor gap left by the freed slaves?


Much of this draws upon Australian Colonial History including the Bush Ranger Ned Kelly becoming President of a Jamacian Republic. I used related events in the Fenian Movement and Hawiian induction into Statehood.

1788
Anti-slavery sentiment in Britain had been growing for approximately two centuries before finally coming to a head in the early 1800s with the passing of a ban on the importation of slaves in the Caribbean colonies, as well as a law declaring slave trade illegal. The House of Assembly in Jamaica claimed that the slaves were largely contented and objected to British Parliament's interference in island affairs.
As a result of their concerns, the British Parliament agreed to compensate the Jamaican landowners by transporting skilled convicts who had committed minor crimes to the Caribbean as well as to the new Australian colonies. The Jamaican House of Assembly initially rejected this offer fearful of the menace posed by an influx of known criminals. However the promise of cheap ‘white slaves’ proved too tempting so they finally acquiesced.
1790-1800
Included amongst the first group of convicts to arrive in Jamaica was John "Black" Caesar. Caesar was born in the West Indies, probably in Jamaica in 1764. Deemed to be a petty thief and pickpocket, his knowledge of the local population was considered an asset by local penal authorities. He was also a big man who needed more food to survive than the meager daily ration issued to the convicts. Therefore it was probably more in desperation than for any other purpose he stole a musket, cooking pot and some rations and bolted. Over the next few years he proved to be somewhat of a nuisance as he never ventured far from the Kingston settlement. Occasionally he was joined by other convicts and they would either steal food and clothing or live on whatever fish and game they could catch. John Caesar was captured several times but always managed to escape. He finally escaped to the Us and was never heard of again.
Romanticized versions of the ‘Black Caesar’ and his exploits spread throughout Jamaica turning him into a heroic rallying point for the aggrieved the black population whose emancipation was largely ignored by the Jamaican Land Owners.
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