The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-06-26

appears that the new plan embraces these particu
lars-viz.: that Messrs Hyde, Hodge & Co., of Lon
don, have contracted with the Court Of Policy of
British Guiana, to- convey Is 900 laborers from West
Africa to that colony, commencing from the first Of
July last, on the following terms:-First, Messrs.
Hyde & Co. are authorized to hire laborers, under
indenture for British Guiana tor three years at
average Of ten pence for each days work; with Q
claim to return passage, after an industrial resi-
dence OF such duration as may be agreed upon, with
permission to Messrs. Hyde 4 Co. to advance them
two months wages, it necessary. Secondly, that
Messrs. Hyde Co. are to be paid in London by her
Majesty commissioners for each adult of ten years
and upwards, male or female, landedin British Guiana
from the kroo Coast IL, and for children f3 lOs.;
and for any sent back to the Kro0 Coast CA los for
adults and f2 5s. for children. Thirdly, they are
to be repaid the advances made to the immigrants
the production of certificates and fOurthly, the
contract to continue for five years, and Messrs.
Hyde IL Co. to import during that period Is 900
Africans. 1t is also understood that the same par
ties have made similar proposition to legislative
committee of Jamaica, to introduce into that island
an equal number OF Kroomen, and that this same
committee is in correspondence with the authorities
of the colony relative thereto.
These people (the Kroos) are scattered over
almost the entire west coast of Africa. They are
the watermen and sailors OF the naval and merchant
vessels visiting that portion of Africa, and are
hardy, industrious people, noted for great love OF
country. Competent judges estimate their entire
population not to exceed 10000, of both sexes and
all ages.
Several experimental trips to induce these people
British government, have invariably proved complete
failures Free laborers, in the proper OF the
term, could not be found; and beyond this, it was
discovered that the greatest disincnation mani
Tested BY the kroO Chiefs headmen, to allow their
people to emgrate, because those who had previous
1y been permitted to go to Guiana, the condition
of their return within specified period, had not
been returned. The Kroonen are under the auth0ri-
tyof Chiefs and dare not act independently Of their
will They cannot leave the country, or even ship
themselves on board any vessel for short period,
without the permission or appointment Of the
headmen, who receive in ADVANCE" from those
anxious to secure their services, "twO months
wages - and on their return, for that forms ne
eessary part of the stipulated agreement, these
probably, it is said, "for the debts of the family,
contracted, it is presumed, during their absence.
There were several Kroomen examined on the west
coast of Africa in lsl7, from whose evidence
gather thather that of the king has small dash,
present, he will let the people gO' but if they re-
fused, she would make them like to go.' In fact,
the Kroomen have no liberty Of choice in the matter,
and therefore to regard them as people capable of
entering voluntarily into any labor contract is to
oppose all the evidence which has been collected on
this important point.
from British Guiana, visited the Kroo coast on a
visit of inquiry; and from his report it appears that
all emigration must be conducted through the chiefs;
that nothing can be done without them; and that so
absolute was their authority that 'the mandate of
chief would stop emigration at once, from any par
or portion of his tribe This fact is corroborated by
the report of Mr. T. G. Bagot, another Guiana agent,
who visited the coast in 1886 In ls47-4S the coast
was again visited by Mr.. Hamilton, an agent OF the
government
At Great Nefou, he says, he held " grand pala-
YER" 1.-THE burden OF the discussion was the want
OF dash. or present, in money or goods. and the
expression ofsurprse that the white Queen had never
sent his sable majesty present, by any of the
sells which had called at Neffou for emgrants, and,
as had not presented ourselves with presents, we
might return on board our ship" This says Mr..
Hamilton, was both explicit and decisive The
kroOmen were not to be obtained without money or
goods in exchange. The same fact appears on the
face OF the report Of Mr.. Fisher another Govern
ment agent specially appointed in 1850, to visit the
coast to procure emgrants though, unlike his prede
cessor, he was well provided with presents to conc
ate the Chiefs In the official report, printed few
months ago, of this transaction, 1t is said -
Nothing could exceed the cxertions of Mr. Fisher,
the liberality with which presents were made to
rious chiefs, or the patience and perseverance with
which it was endeavored to render the scheme sue
cessful, and yet it failed altogether" This failure is
accounted for by the SurgeonSuperintendent, Mr..
McCrea, who accompanied Mr.. Fisher in the expedi-
ton, and is worthy OF special attention. He says
that the chiefs who came on board their vessel at
Nefou, =" told US it would be folly part to at
tempt anchoring, as they would not permit single
man to emigrate, giving the same reasons for their
hostility to emigration which had been alleged in
other paces;'' namely that the people they had
permitted to go to Guiana, few years before. had
not been brought back, according to promise And
srch," Mr. Crea says, is the result that must al
ways accrue from breach Of faith with the African
race" Putting these things together, it is clear
that the kroo chiefs will not permit their people
to leave the country, without receiving, first, a
dash, or present, representing portion OF
their wages; secondly, that they expect to derive
considerable profit from them, out Of the
wages they may have received during their absence
An easy and profitable mode of dealing in the labor
OF their peoples and far more advantageous than the
ordinary slave trading Transactions and, thirdly that
they trust to the honor of those with whom they
ter into arrangements, to enable them to reap the
Gpllh han nAf nff hnrp .f~uaf
1t will be seen throughou the whole Of the agents
reports, that the parties with whom they invariably
put themselves in communication were the chiefs, and
not the people; and they always assumed the right
OF these chiefs to control their movements. To dig
nifty such mode of obtaining emigrants a. Free is
delusion and mockery.
Even allowing were the greatest precautions taken
il is impossible to conceive that the krO0 people
could be made to understand in their own country
the nature OF contract the character or the amount
Of labor they may be called upon to perform the
laws or regulations to which they may be snblngated
or the relative value OF the money they will be paid
for their services Ignorant of the language OF the
colony to which they may be taken, unused to the
customs Of the people among whom they will be
thrown, they will be reduced to a state Of semi
slavery.
Notwithstanding the unfavorablencss, for the pur-
pose intended, OF the repeated and unsuccessful
efforts made, the last arrival from Liberia furnishes
the intelligence that the contractors actually en-
gagged endeavorng to fulfil their contracts and it is
feared, without regard to the rights and feelings
of the poor noifensive, and really worthy people,
whom it ia thus intended to transform practically
into slaves.
T. To induce and secure emigration, Messrs. Hyde
Co have offered advance of ten dollars for every
lab0rer who can be induced to emigrate thence to
the British colonies This advance, it Is believed,
will have the effect Of revvDg the slave trade. As
it is, some of the rebelous native chiefs who refuse
10 submit to the Liberian government are reported
to have engaged with the British agents in question,
to furnish a number of laborers for the West India
colonies; and these honest sub contractors are
known to have lately made number Of captves
by predatory incursons, whom they have collected
in barrac0Ons near Grand Cape Mount. II is not
astonishing in view of these facts, to hear that
plant has been lodged with the President of Liberia
that these poor wretches are to lie sent off without
their own consent-just as slaves are to Cuba or
Brazil.
The President of Liberia has acted in q proper
manner in this juncture He has issued his proca-
nation directing that, in order to prevent abuses
the vessels carrying, or intending to carry away emil