The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-06-08
THE DAILY DISPATCH.
LETTERS OF THE CHiNAMEN TO HIS
EXCELLENCY GOV. BIGLER.

SAN FRANCISCO, April %, Ioo2.

>tB:-The Cinnamon have learned with
sorrow that you have published a message
against them. Although we are Asiatics, some
of us have been educated in American schools,
and have learned your language, which has
enabled US TO read your message in the news
papers Tor ourselves, and to explain il to the
rest of oar countrymen. We have all thought
great deal about.it, aud after consultation
with one another, we have determined TO write
YOU as decent and respectful a letter as we
could. pointing out to your Excellency some
of the errors YOU have fallen into about US.
When YOU speak of the laws of your own
country, we shall not presume TO contradict
you In ours all great men are learned men,
and mans rank is just according to his edu-
cation keying, who made the treaty with
Mr.. Gushing, was not only a cousin of the
Emperor bat one of the most learned men in
the Empire, otherwise he would not have been
Governor OF Canton. Just So we doubt not, il
sin California aud other enlightened countries.
But It will not be making little of your attain
mens TO suppose that you do not know as
much about our pie as you do of your own
You speak of the Cinnamon as "CO0lies,"
and in one sense the word is applicable TO a
great many Of them; but not in that in which
Won seem to use it. 'Cooy" is not a Chinese
word it has been imported into China from
foreign parts, as it has been nto this country.
What ITS original sgnlfcatIon was, We do not
know; bat with US II means common laborer,
and nothing more. We have never known il
used among US a desi gnaton of a class,
such you have in view-persons bound to
labor under contracts which they can be forci-
byconpeled to comply with. The Irshmen
who are engaged in digging down your hills.
the men who unload ships, who clean your
streets, or even drive your drays, would, if
they were in China, be considered "Coolies,"
tradeSue1, mechanics OF every kind, and pro-
fessional men, would not. If you mean by
Coolies" laborers, many OF our countrymen
in the mines are Coolies, and many again are
not. There are among them tradesmen, me-
chanics, gentry, (being persons OF respectable
~ and VINO enjoy certain rank and privllege,)
aud scb0Jllnasters, who are reckoned with the
gentry, and with us considered respectable
class OF people. None are "Coolies," if by
that word you mean bound men or contract
slaves.
The ship Challenge, of which you speak in
youf message as bringing over more than five
hundred Cinnamon, did not bring over one
who was under Cody" contract to labor
iHabwa, who came in her as agent for the
charterers, one of the signers of this letter.
states to your Excellency that they were all
passengers, and are going to work in the mines
iOr themselves.
As TO our countrymen coming over here to
iabor for IS or 81 per month wages, it is un-
Reasonable on the face of it, and is not true
That strong affection which they have for their
bwn country, which induces them TO return
FiIh the gold, they dig, as you say, would
prevent them from leaving their homes for
fages SO little, if at all better than they could
set there. The Cinnamon are indeed remarka-
DE tor tAe.- love of their country in domes-
b Pc way they gather together in clans in
lstnctS and neIghhorhoods, and in some vii
j fges there are thousands and thousands of the
h ame surname, focking around the original
tml!y home. They honor their parents and
ge generally with respect like religion, ami
hye the deepest anxiety TO provide for their
descendants. TO honor his parents is the great
hty OF the son. A Chinese proyerb runs
j smewhat in this way: "ln the morning,
Men you rise, inquire after your parents
rtalth, at midday he not far from them and in
tie evening comfort them when they go TO
s fst: this il is to be pious son." With such
Z iehngs these, it is to be expected that they
E VIII return with their gains to their homes, but
e IDS foolish 10 believe they will leave them for
4 Min inducements. To the same cause you
K HtIst LOOK iOr The reason why there are no Chi.
nFe drunkards in your streets, nor conyicts in
L y.lr prisons, madmen in your hospitals. or
otlers who are charge of your State. They
LIE orderly, work hard, and take care of them
n selves, that Ihev may have the means of pro-
n yding for their homes and living amidst their
families.
4 The other matter which you allude to, their
leaving their families in pledge as security for
n the performance Of their contract, is still more
Il Inconsistent with their character, and absurd.
b Have YOU ever inquired what the holder OF
b such pledge could do with them. If he u.s.
ed any force towards them, he would he guilty
oi an offence, and be punished by the laws,
Just as IN any other country, and if he treated
them well, they would only be burden, and
an additional expense to him. Sometimes
'ffy rich persons who have poor men in their
j. employment al home or abroad support their
idihliiess through charity, particularly if they
are relatives. Sometimes they bind them
Il selves 10 do II by their contracts, but this gives
81 'hem no power over them as hostages or
Y pledges.
E We Will tell YOU how it is that the Chinese
II poor come 10 California. Some have borrow
n Gu the small amount necessary, to be returned
II win unusual interest on account of the risk :
b some have been furnished with money with.
Y out interest by their friends and relations. and
some again, ont much the smaller nortion
have received advances in money. to be re.
turned out of the profits of the adventure -
The usual apportionment of the profits is
about three lenths 10 the lender of The money
and rare!y f ever any more. These arrange
menls made al home seldom bring them fur
ther than San Francisco, and here the Chimes,
traders furnish them the means of getting 4
II the mines. great deal of money is thus len
Ii al nominal or very low interest, which, /
81 the credit of our countrymen, we are able I
Il say, is ALMOST invariably faithfully rapaid.-
s. The poor Chinaman does not come here as