The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-08-07
The Apprentice System and tho Slavo
Trade.


The policy Of introducing free labor from
Africa under cover of the apprenticeship sys,
tem has been n subject of discussion for some
time in England and the United States France
an spite Of the rcmonstrnnces Of the inhabitants
of Martinique has already taken measures for
trial of the system in her West India colo
mes. The aid of the English Government has
recently been invoked in behalf of the system
by persons interested in the British West India
plantations and who advocn nted the system
means of abolisling the Africa1hSlavc Trade.
In this point of view, it has also been support
ed by the London Times, but it is highly doubt
full whether it will ever receive the countcnancc
of the Government, as III the recent debates in
Parliament the expression of opinion by the
leading members, was decidedly against the
experiment.
In the following extract, from the Washing
ton States, We have q clear statement of the
practical operation of the system:
Great Britain has tried the scheme of Asintic
! apprenticeship atsCeylon. In that instance
the Asiaties were engaged apprentices for
the term of seven years but in no single in
stance ana III the apprentices survive the third
year. Their employers were interested in
making the most of the bones and sihews over
which their contract gave them. a control
- The same would be the result, no doubt of
the introduction of Africans, as apprentices. in
the British French and Spanish West Indies.
| Instead OF surviving their term of ten years,
end returning to Africa, to enjoy the fruits of
their iabors, and carrying with them the arts
and habits OF civilization, as has bean promised,
they will probably lny their bones at the feet
Of their task masters. But, if they survive
the ten years, how are they to return 10 Africa
and how are they to be supportcda Willthcy
not become practically, and to NIL purposes,
| The scheme is poor substitute for the rcvi-
OF humanity would be- tersconsmlted BY
removing all restrictions FROM sItsslave trade
than by the adoption Of the propSsed scheme.
Slaves are imported in families, while the
apprentices are to consist only of males. The
slaves and their families--effectives and non.
effectiyesIare to be taken care of, whether
's'ck OF well. and 30 long as they live. But the
| apprentice is denied the comfort of a family,
| and when his strength fails, will be abandoned
to famine and death.
| 1n' this country the apprentice system has
been fayorably noticed by two of the Northern
journals, tl.e Boston Traveller and the New
York Tines. The former treated it under the
commercial head, and as a means of promoting g
eastern commerce and manufactures The
- O"S Do'" o.t tehu0uslJ advocates The
scheme. but does not hesitate to avow the fact
that it would be tantamount in its result to a
restoration of the slave-trade.
There is, heSN2Her, no probability that, in the
united States the scheme will find any general
fiaTor, OF that it will ever be practically adopt
Inc United States Government ought, how.
ever, to consider its adoption by Great Britain
as practical restoration of the slave-trade.
tfend therefore violation of an existing treaty
for its suppression. The gtatex . -