The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-12-26
The Cooiiss or Jamaica, aud the State OF
the Island.


From the New Orleans Mercury
we perceive ny our Jamliea nes, that the planters
Of the Coolies who are brought TO them from India
by the British Government as substitutes for negro la
borers The Jamaica Moratag JJarnal of the ID inst
contains petitions the subset from planters
merchants aud other citizens OF Jamsc to the Aeuse
Assembly In which they complain bitterly of the Cooley
system pressve and uojus The pa state
that they taxed IS SS annusy for each Cooley Ia
their employ tat there are not two or three out OF
every forty OF them imported who fit for agricuu
raboreIs an1 that the remainder ofthem are the
dreg' OF the population of CAcutta aud Madras They
were led to believe By the English Government that tbs
Coolies imported would all be good agricultural sborers
and that they the planters would have the preference
OF their employment for five years On the contrary,
the moment the laborers contract is ended the
titioners they wander all the country and large
number betae themselves begging and become cit her
nuisance 10 travellers iDmaE.s Of the poor houses
the remainder going from estate to the other for
work US suits their habits and convenience
Alter the first the Coolies refuse enter into
new contract with the planters, who nevertheless
taxed s. 50 annually for each Cooley The petitioners
peg TO De relieved from the tax Thelaw regulating the
Cooley system in jamaica alow but planters to
employ them, Imposing heavy penalty on all others who
take them into their services ut the time 1t makes
no provision to secure continuance ofthe contracts OF
the Coolies with the planters who thus only get their
much of their labor from sickness which invariably
tacks them and have pay besides all the Of
medical ttegdauce, medicine nourishment, sc.
Such are the results OF abolition and English legisa-
ton IN negro slavery in Jamaica The experiment has
now been fairly tried there the result that the
ricuturai interests OF Jamaica ruined The planters
ind 1t impossible to compete with the negro labor in
other countries The various petitions declare that the
cultivation OF cote and sugar their two chief staples Ia
10 Improbable us to be- nearly abandoned-that the
plantars barely able to furnish their families with
the necessaries Of fethat they chiefly depend the
sales Of live stock for subsistence that they ap
prehend great diminuon of the demand for live stock
owing to the sugar planters being unable to purchase as
formerly.
The condition of property in Jamaica Is low as re-
CARDS value and production as can well be ina xned vet
the people thsrethnk they have not yet reached The
lowest point and viii not for year or two. About
eighty sugar propertes thrown up not paying the
on To
rudo BEFORE the emanc patton the export of sugar
2eooOe hogsheads last year IL amounted little more
than 900. The coffee properties which are In the
mountains are doing somewhat batter; but bad is the
best All the white inhabitants able to leave the Island
have gone away
Reducsd to state OF distress and ruin the planters
jamaica have heretofore petioned the British Govern
ment, through ths Colonial Government for relief but
no concessions had been granted AS last resort the
distressed planters now petition the Colonial Govern
ment for reduction of SONS OF the heavy taxes which
they are still required to that slave
LABOR the means by which they formerly enabled to
pay taxes, is now taken away from them
The present state OF the aud of Jamaica is truly de-
porable and il may believe the speeches made
last month In the Colonial assembly the people of that
Island are bordering on instruction On the goth ult
the Colonial Assembly Of jamaica went into committee
the present state of the island when most deporabe
state OF things was developed One member stated that
out OF fortyeiSh estates in parish only three
able to pay their expenses lie called upon the House
10 look at the forlorn state Of kingston there the
beds might bee daily dragged from under the
OF the poor pay their taxes aad starvation and ruin
twelve months longer, without giving relief that
| delay would seal the country's fate"
Another member stated that it would be Of little
use for him to dlate on the dstresses of the country
they were brought no to the door OF every
OF the island whether engaged in agricultural,
mercal or professional occupation af the parishes
were insovent and there property lefS which
to raise taxesno further taxation could be imposed
II t were, the people would resist payment He mad al
ready petition from PARISH (Which, doubtless.
would be presented TO the Housed in which it plain
y stated that they would not pay the House persisted
In expenditures beyond their means They could not
pay aud the institutions OF the island could not be up
neld unless relief could be obtained from Parliament
The same member depores the sunken condition OF
morals education and the social system In jamaica all
of which had been the result of the abolition Of
Universal ideness and crime PREVAILS and is
| among the negroes aud laboring classes; no school
aystem whatever exists in the island foster better
state Of morals and the law courts TEEN with criminal
cases" The work OF petty sessions had 90 greatly
that in large parishes where four five district
| we're held monthly, they were obliged now In many
cases to BIZ held twice month";