Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1858-05-29
THE BLACK COOLIE PROJECT.

Our readers recollect that at the
late session of the Legislature an
"African Apprentice'' project was
sprung upon the people Of the State
and attempted to be forced through
it in indecent haste without allow
ing the people time to give any
expression Of opinion in regard to
it. The manifestation Of indigna-
ton in this city against the measure
were all but unanimous, and we
doubt not that all but a score or SO
Of the twelve thousand. fiveshun-
,dred legal votes would, had it been
necessary, have signed a remon-
STRANGE against it. We felt called
upon to speak very plainly in re-
gard to the matter, as we were
pretty sure the community expec-
ted it. We felt equally certain
that the people of the State at large
would stamp it with with their decided deeiidd d
reprobation. We did not permit
ourselves to doubt for moment
that they would fail to d:scounte-
nance it in an unmistakable man.
ner. Nor have we been in the
least disappointed as we shall proceed
presently to demonstrate. They
have spoken through the country
press i'll such voice that nobody
can mistake it. The character of.
the bill, as it appeared upon it face,
was simply that Of black coolie
bill. It proposed to hire free Afri-
cans and "apprentice" them for a
term not less than fifteen years in
Louisiana. How much longer than
fifteen years the contract might be
made to extend the bill was silent
about.
He have seen it suggested, how
ever, that the term Of apprentice
ship could be extended to five hun
dred years, at the expiration OF
which period the apprentices should
be at liberty to 60 where they
pleased !; It was supposed that This
arrangement could be effected with
the gentlemen from Africa" since
is understood they are not remar-
lable proficient as English scholars,
and since the dialect OF Milton and
Shakespeare was to be used as the
medium through which the high
contracting parties" were to enter
into stipuiations.
In view of the professed character
of the bill, we charged it was op-
posed to the spirit OF the uniform
policy Of the State for years past,
in discountenancing, as far as it could
be done justly, the increase Of the
free colored population an nong us.
We charged that the people had
never expressed any dissatisfaction
with this policy; that they had not
in any manner authorized their
public servants to reverse this policy
and flood the State with free ne
groes. No journal in the State
had asked for this, no public meet
ing had demanded it, no voice had
been raised either to protest against
the settled policy Of our legislation
on this subject or to contend for a
change. Taking the bill according
to its own reading, we asked what
was to be done with the free ne
3roes at the end of the fifteen years?
W ere they to be taken up and sold
nto slavery for being found IN the
State 9m co1atrave11z1on Of 1Ga0 q
" driven to the colder region Of
he North ? or were tt hey to wander
about as so many stalking ghosts
>yer the State? Oh no F.! none of
hese.. They were to be sent back
% Africa as missionaries Of civili-
zation and Christianity! Louis
ana, was thus to be turned into
great missionary society for the
,onvertion Of the heather And
we're staid, straight forward citizens
0 be supposed capable Of swallow
ng this with sober contenances
v ere we expected TO treat serious {
y such a proposition? Surely the s
greatest wag could not expect this. 6
The coolie trade, it has been gen. I
rally admitted, by both Northern |
nd Southern writer's, is far more |
Objectionable than the .riginal
lave trade. The Coolie has all
ha dicaduantanoc withnl1t anu oil {