Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-07-23
CHINESE COOLIES.
FOR THE NATIONAL IsrELLroEscER..


experience.
II may not perhaps be generally known that the lower
or working part of the Chinese population is by
dsinclned to seek out of China opportunities to better
their condition and fortune For this object they voun
tarily embark by ten thousands, aboard Of the unks
which leave the southern ports Of China yearly early in
the northeast monsoon FOR the straits Of Malacca and for
other Of the islands Of the Malayan archipelago There
two classes of coolies those from Shanghai and other
northern places generally known in the countries there
abouts Hokeans and Fookeans These usually pay their
passage whilst the other class from Canton and Macao
having at hand to defray their expenses
received aboard Of the unks speculation These latter
are more than the Others and disposed Of
arryalon the best possible TERMS that u.s. able handfo
the of from to fifteen dollars which is paid to the
captain Of the junk by employer engages to work for
the employer for year without wages but receiving
meanwhile food and lodging and certain articles Of cloth
ing, amounting altogether to the Of twenty dollars
thus the service Of able is had for about thirty
two dollars for whole year. They seldom given to
agriculture, and are mostly engaged by tradesmen and
merchants and for house servants particularly cooks
The Hokeans and Fookeans, on the contrary, devote
themselves to gardening and husbandry and being free
to let themselves out the best advantage they usually
obtain from three to four dollars per month with with
out food from the employer may be agreed upon BY
the saving Of their wages in few years they in
position to have garden, field, or pepper
and gambler plantation of their own and when after
years of industry they find themselves in condition to
return to their country they depart with the fruits
Of their industry.
The Southern Chinese, or the Canton and Macao man.
after serving his twelve months of engagement during
which time he has acquired knowledge Of the country
and Of the Malay language and looked sharply around
him for the best business agoing, takes share in
Az 80. %
brickmakers, lumber and timber sawyers perhaps
his master tailor, or barber or shopkeeper and
having learned the trade he sets up for himself and
always goes prospecting For though he be little adj
dcted to gambling he has not yet arrived at the higher
civilization of drowning his in batons Of smashes
juleps, brandy cocktails, &c. but he carefully lays up
money to enjoy green old age in his native land.
Having for term of about fifteen years employed
gangs Of from eighty hundred and upwards Of Chi
nese coolies, estate out Of China had oppor
tunty of forming opinion Of them in the capacity of
agrcuturists tradesmen and servants and that opinion
on the whole is very favorable to them found them
generally punctual to their engagements Industrious and
honest. They entered yearly into written engagements
to serve for twevemonh at the various Of wages
according to the nature of the work. follows To field
laborers, from three to four dollars per month
penters and masons six and eight dollars blacksmths
and steam-epgine tenders ten and twelve dollars
wants, four and FIVE dollars they finding themselves in
food and clothing and drawing half the above rates of
wages monthly the other half payable at the end of the
time of engagement For this they worked ten hours
daily that is from A. NJ. to H. and from to P. NJ.
But few years experience proved that it was in every
way more satisfactory to oil concerned to give them
direct interest in the products Of their labor than fixed
wages Being very greedy in the accumulation of money
the Chinaman works with greater good will and energy
for himself than for master.
Great complants.are made of the coolies whilst on
shpboard and after their arrival distant places arising
in most instances from nattenton their peculiar habits
and education that is by insisting that people do
every thing contrarywise from what to do
must be compelled to adopt instanter modes.
The Chinese from his seclusion from the other people Of
the EARTH contracts narrow and exclusive notions the
tendency of which is to make him conceted of his
tionay. Having hardly heard Of any other people but
his own, and looking upon his country paradise he
looks with disdan upon the stranger with the red yellow
black skin and hair arrayed in such strange and FAM
tastic garments, very different from his And
hence the conclusion that al outside people barba
rians Now, with such notions Of selfmportance and
pride what may be supposed be the feelings Of Chi
nese when he finds himself roughly treated, too often
harshy So by people for whom he entertans the
profound contempt and who in his own land he would call
foreign devils? Is 1t strange that constant series Of
what he conceves to be unbearable humiliation and de-
graduation should at last make him break open re-
sistance - mental and physical suffering and avenge him
self on his tormenters! have much Of this and Of
what to them is the worst Of all the deliberate cutting of
Of their quieu TAIL the greatest offence that be Offer
ed to Chinese. One Of them, very reputable and
sensible man, told in Hong Kong when speaking
in very bitter terms Of certain functonary Chow can
Il speak otherwise Of who for slight offence
orders the tails Of my countrymen to be cut off? Why
sir, how that after his tail is cut of present
himself to his family, his friends before his people
He cannot sir He cannot SMILE he is degraded beyond
your power Of conception"
And then, again. equally serious complaints made Of
them by planters Of the former slaveowning colonies
And why is this Plainly because their native habits
education, and customs not understood or studied
The planter insists this man. newly landed and SO full
Of home preudces working alongside Of and being
ed in all things like his blacksknned and wooy headed
feow-laborers, who probably he for the first time
and who from the bottom Of his soul he believes to be
SO many black devils II the Chinese objects to what he
considers degradation unable to express his thoughts
feelings, he is Immediately treated q stubborn and
rebellous spirit and punished accordingly.
In few words, such the difficulties attending the
employing Of Chinese coolies which little reflection and
consideration the part of Europeans would in most
instances obviae Whilst the planters Of the islands Of