, 1842-07-09
The English Apprenticeship Sys-
tenn.

has been suffered in those Colonies
from a scarcity of laborers. There
were negroes enough, and there are
enough now in those islands to cult
vate the estates-but the difficulty Is
to induce them to work. For some
years past there has been an annual
falling off in the productiveness Of the
Colonies; and the newspapers in ia
maca and other Islands have been
filled with complaints and with ex-
prcssions of fearful forehodings at
the prospect of ruin and decay which
seemed TO await the planters.
Alter many attempts to supply la
borers by immigration, the plan now
in course of prosecution is TO bring
native Africans into the islands. But
in as much as it would eve do for
phiIanthopic England TO encourage
the slave t~rade--seeing she has gone
forth as the champion Of hI;siendom
TO suppress that traffic. and for this
purpose employs her armed vessels
and claims the right Of searching the
vessels of other nations in tie name
OF humanity, even at the risk of a
quarrel--since. therefore, it would
er do for England TO engage in the
Slare trade, she has fallen upon the
happy idea of giving it an other name.
She trades in apprentices.
The mode of conducting the traf-
fic, so far as we can ascertain it, is to
stipulate with q native chief On the
African coast for a cargo of negroes.
who go through the ceremony OF
signing articles of .indenture in a Ian
guage which they know not a word
of, by which they bind themselves to
90 they know not where, 10 do they
know not what, and for a period they
know not how long. Whether this
clear and satisfactory arrangement is
made with each s~everally. or with the
chief alone, we know not-nor does
matter much. In either case the
adaptation of the plan 10 the
wei! known principles of British in
must be strikingly apparent.
The nominal term of service is four
teen years-and forthis. we presume,
an ample consideration is paid in cot
ton bandannas and red calicoes, TO
each apprentice. with rum and tobac-
CO enough to keep him in a happy
state of stupefaction until another
cargo is wanted. The New York
Express states that as late as the 18th
Of Feb'y. of the present year, vessels
were in the river Gambia. taking on
these apprentices. In a vessel
Of 500 tons. 500 negroes were en-
barked, oil n negro for every ton.
By this new species Of slave trade,
by another name, the British
planters in the West lnies are procur-
laborers TO cultivate their planta-
The system is a SOFT Of sup
plement to the Emancipation Act
4 species Of remedial legislation which
altogether without a parallel among
he inventions Of the age. The in
yenuity which fell upon this felicitous
ievice will probably discover before
ong that fourteen years mean an
ndefinite period in certain cases.
ProfdnitY.-We know Of no vice
needs a more thorough rcfor-
than the low and vulgar prac-
ice Of profane swearing. No one
who walks the streets of our city, in
he evening especially, can fail to
perceive the prevalence of this most
.bsurd and shamefully wicked prac-
ice. And it appears to be on the
Increase. Our schools and institu-
ions for moral and religious instruc-
ion would seem TO have done little
owards the suppression ola habit, the
,reat extent of which argues Il laxity
morals which does no credit to us
s a people.
1t is absolutely shocking to listen to
he oaths and curses uttered by boys.
Dung men and drunkards in the pub
streets. 1t would seem that they
lbored under a mistaken idea that it
manly; that it adds to their
phemeral Importance, and if they
an place themselves behind a cigar ;
nd blaspheme their Maker with i'm
they are acting like men. In
ANY instances this is true-they are {
citing like men, if they may be SO :
allied, who SO far forget their duty {
, society and their accountability to ,
eaven, as to be gilty of So mean, low
nd vulgar a practice. 1t is a crime
'hich no gentleman will commit. {
Ye who are in the habit of wan c
'nly making idle use Of the name of t
our Creator, reflect; it is setting at r
n Of his commandments '
:. if you are not swayed by the fear {