The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-11
THE AUSTRALIAN SLAVE TRADE.
Revival OF Human Bondage ut the Anti
es-Frightful Atrocities Of the Poly
nesian Slave Tranic-The British
Flag Waving Once More
Over BOndmen.
SYDNEY, Oct. !, 1868,

QTess and ever increasing proportions or the recently
introduced "Polynesian labor SYSTEM IN Queens
land. Within the past month abundant and inds-
putabe evidence has been produced I'm regard to the
real character OF this last development OF Anglo
Saxon civilization at the Antipodes and it is now
nrmiy established that the labor system
lately called into being in the semi,ropcal
section OF Australia is simply q revival In q
slightly altered form Of the domestic institution
which nourished but q few years since In the South
ern STATES and which has been abolished at such q
Iearu cost OF blood and treasure 1t has been clearly
proved that the most hdeous and revolving features
OF the slave trade and OF tAe slave system already
characterize the operations OF the labor scheme
the horrors OF the middle passage the forced break.
ing up Of family relations the canking Of fetters
the crack Of the overseers whip the conversion OF
human lives and human souls into gold. II matters
little that the system bears the innocent and fair
sounding name OF contract labor" the fact remains
unchanged that under the auspices OF q British
government the 1endish enormites OF the
slave traffic have been revived in the
South Pacific, and that, with the sanction and
encouragement OF a colonial Legislature, enforced
servtdde has been established In the most produc-
tive portion OF the Australian continent There Is
certainly strong feeling OF indignation among Aus
tralians not Interested in the new system OF the
appalling cruelties recently brought to light and
petition praying for the interference OF the home
government was few months ago addressed to the
Queen. But in the meanwhile no measures are
adopted TO abolish this glaring wrong the new In
sttutlon is every month permitted to assume larger
dimensions and take deeper root; every ship arriving
m Brisbane and ROckhampton lands o fresh cargo Of
human victims, and the 'vested right" ia this ni-
quitous tran1c IL constantly acquiring greater
strength ana more serious importance
The origin and history this new Institution NJ
fords sngularly striking ana forcible illustration
Of the principle that similar temptations produce
similar crimes, or, to put the same idea In some
what milder form. that similar conditions OF climate
and SOIL combined with similar opportunities and
inducements viii bring about similar develop
ment Of civilization The colony OF Queensland
possesses the Same physical capabilities and the
came obstacles to their utilization which In all other
slave countries have formed the main inducement
for the adoption OF system OF slave labor. It's eli
mate, though equable and not very unhealthy, is
decidedly tropical, and white labor is by many
considered to be impossible while those who
dissent from this theory admit that white laborcrs
suffer greatly from the heat before they are
thoroughly acclimated. The soil is wonderfully
Tich and seems adapted for the growth OF all tropi-
cal and semi-tropcal products, while it is especially
Wei fitted for the culture Of cotton and sugar. The
high price Of cotton during the blockade OF the
Southern ports diverted great deal OF Australian
capital into the production OF that staple and with
,ns most Satisfactory results, 50 long as the war
most entirely whte) employed. Large districts in
queensland were cleared and fenced on into planta-
tons, and until the close OF the rebellion the
consequent depreciation In the price OF cotton, all
went well. But then, OF course the one great
difficulty in the development of this industry, the
ruinously high price Of free white labor came to the
surface. Unless some system Of labor very consider
ably cheaper than that hitherto used were adopted
n ugt 10
abandoned as pecuniarily hopeless, and this, Of
course involved also the loss OF whatever capital had
been sunk In retaining the land and preparing II
Tor cultivation.
The idea OF utilizing the inhabitants OF the south
6ea islands, and OF removing them from the tempta-
lions Of ideness and the responsibilities OF freedom
to less perious state OF slavery and Christianity
was first conceived, so far as Is known, by gentle
man named Clarke. originally from New Orleans and
more recently from San Francisco. Mr. Clarke, about
six or seven years ago. entered into an arrangement
Islanders TO be employed at the Chncha Islands in
the guano trade. Rumors Of kidnapping and &C
nate Polynesans selected for the Peruvian service
both during the voyage and after their arrival In
sydney and tremendous storm OF virtuous indlg-
nation ensued. Meetings were held under the fos-
tering auspices OF the local press and the local poll
ticans, supplemented by cloud OF parsons and
missionaries, and resolutions were passed
protesting in the strongest and most nn.
IN human lives and human souls recently inaugu-
rated IN Polynesia by INSCRIPTIONS adventurous
tan and civilized governments. II did not seem
likely however that the Indignation OF the people OF
Sydney would produce much EFFECT effect; out few
city take away some Of the natives OF Tahiti then,
rs now, under the protectorate OF the tricoor The
French government ut once took summary measures
for the release Of the Tahitians punished as many OF
the guilty parties they could ind, and suppressed
for time the infant slave trade OF the South Seas
when the necessity for cheap labor, however, in
Queensland became extremely urgent, the leading
shipowner, squatter and cotton grower IN both New
scheme which had only q few months before appa-
Tently been finally crushed In fact, IN the introduce
ton Of labor from the South Sea Islands lay the only
hope Of the Australian cotton planters Chinese
coolies had In various instances been tried but II
away and Joining the scores OF thousands OF their
countrymen who reap what seems TO Cinnamon a
fabulous harvest on the gold fields. There was also
the yet more troublesome disadvantage that China
men know too mucn, ana that they learn to speak
English far too speedily to be Of any permanent
vice; for IT Ii q well established principle In India
and Australia that as soon as Bengalees or China
men acquire acknowledge OF the Ango-Saxon tongue
tney become unmanageabe and useless
The shipments Of Polynesans to Australia In any
Hppreciable quantities began about two years ago,
and have steadily continued ever since, until now
there are at least 5000 OF these unhappy b0ndmen
toiling In the plantations OF Queensland. How
many In all have been removed from their island
homes Of incidence, happiness and plenty cannot be
compu5cd that a large percentage OF them have
Eckened and died on tue voyage, or persisted after
their arrival, under the kind and thoughtful care
Of their taskmasters, or being FUSED upr and trans
formed into cotton and gold pieces is certain; and
yet Il Is estimated that at least 1900 still remain
alive in the colonies. Their numbers, too are con.
stantly being AUGMENTED; their misery every month
Ia shared by few more cargoes Of their country
men; not q season OF the year goes by without
giving them O sadder earnest OF the probable speedy
enslavement OF their whole race aud the dcpopuIa-
tion Of the islands whence they were abducted.
the real character OF the new system was at first
carefully veiled under the convenient descriptive
epithss OF "frec emigrationn and contract labor"
and the sympathy OF the public was invited for
scheme which It's advocates claimed would nscessar-
lily result in the civiizing and Chrstianzing OF the
Polynesian race, while IL would, at the same time
conduce in an almost fabulous degree to the pros.
perity Of tropical Australia Very soon, however.
whispers began to be heard In reference TO
the cruelties practised upon the imported
laborers. Then ship, belonging to the
merchant VINO frst revived the Polynesan
labor scheme, put into sydney, filed with
sick and dying ISLANDERS Many OF the unhappy
men who formed the original cargo OF the ship had
died on the passage from overcrowdng and nj usage
and starvation: such OF them rs we're left were in