The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-11

That petitioners bsve to believe that Of
false deceptive rsprsssn,atons while
should Be eonreysd home within iwese monSs that ths
has mot .. the s oSsy ho
hey ' sassssa ss. NC '.''
Your petitioner. hay. regarded with a.may u. introduce
supplant the British and European laborer will have
cssses OF the colony emgats here
arss numbers by the hope Of finding in Queensland an In
would earnestly advert such
opposed 70 the constitution Of the colony and the intention Of
whsTsiors Mais.s humble petitioner. mos. humnly
hbs this .rac in human beings being Development OF
Vie slave trade with ts attendant evils In in most modern
And yonr Most Gracious Majssiys petitioners duty
Signed BY at III. unanimous request and on
behalf Of the said public meeting s,,r. ,p.vs c..,.
| BRISBANE, Queensland, Jan. IL, 1858
1t also came to light that some correspondence on
the subject OF the kidnapped South Sea lsancerS mad
! taken place between the home government and Sir
George Bowen, the Governor OF Queensland. A let
| ter had been received from Captain Luce, OF her
Majesty's ship Esk, al the English Colonial ONCE,
stating that accounts had been received OF the loss
OF several vessels ana the murder OF several Eu.
| ropeans at certain OF the South Sea islands, and
further, that 1t appeared by letter written by
trader In those seas that the natives said that they
| the loss OF many Of their countrymen, VINO were
carried away TO Queensland and the Feejee
Sy to them IN We
months" The Governor OF Queensland made
quasi investigation Immediately into tho condition
mept that the islanders were ..wel treated in every
respect' and were perfectly happy and contented.n
ton inaugurated against their free immigra-
tion scheme" and with an eye probably TO the pos
the matter being shortly instituted took the precau-
ton to give the system legal basis and thus invest
1t with the permanence OF vested interest" A
"Polynesian laborers' actn was 0bbied through the
Colonial Legislature avowedly for the protection OF
the natives but in reality to cover up the hideous In
from responsibility BY this act provision
was made for the registration Of contracts and for
should be to see that The islanders were fairy treated
and that the terms OF the contracts were observed
BY both masters and slaves. II was also enacted
the aborers and that they should each year receive
two shirts and two pairs OF trousers" Care, how
islanders should be left much at the mercy
OF their masters, and the working OF the act has
ton whatever to these miserable I Sond% U.s
The contracts are certainly registered but
the natives. ignorant Of the tongue IN which
OF the nature OF an agreement, have idea either
OF their rights or legal position. The inspectors
varably are appointed by the interest OF the slave
owners and only serve to invest the taskmasters in
the eyes OF the islanders with more terrible power
No provision whatever has been made for medical
attendance In cases Of sickness, and the slaves only
get their wages df they ever do get them at the ex
piraton Of the contract.
presented IN letter addressed by one Of the mem
bcrs Of the Queensland Legislature, sitting for Bris.
passage Of t the Iaborers Act" Alter giving ms hs
own observations upon the working OF the new sys
tenn, Mr.. Brookes says
has been pointed again, one has
s @ Sea ss 4 on
act Is itself proof Of this for attempt TO iegsale
denounced Illegal Then, until then this Sin was
introduced to egaze .sac which 70 admitted to be OF
lawful saysry was abolished BY an &C. Of the imperial Par
and her Majesty has entered into treaties with almost every
civilized pSwern the world and also with barbaroas
-. Upon full consideration Of all the circumstances
o. any reasonable and Intelligent person that the
ossnoT hs. no alternative ba. % 1.-The Poynesisn
The Questions involved in the Introduction Of South SEA-
bu. Of national and importance 10 the great
sss q humanity and u.cs Win n" BE- that the
pose schsme and The dsnounesd as revival
msn. and numaniIarian" opinions Su. are .so
S$sS :: Ss s;r Nc
sssraed y WIN eopismp. and ndSersnes
Queen vic.o. both Of whom have given convincing proofs
s, Of n. :.vs trade and The
this S s mot s be as IN
meeting in LONDON Tor tho abolition Of slavery deeply
ssss 1'i
End e. s sa OF snS g Ss PH s q
Christianity and tbs best feeling. Of our nature"
and ~ xs,s.y Ss:sa :asss.a
good Prince Albert responsive every brs..
ssiea.:. 1s q Ss. .Aosa Become y s.ls.:
ss s s sys e ~ ss sss r. ssss.;
s" Pesa a. surely :. % . s q
Queensland.
Having thus briefly sketched the general history Of
this Ubiquitous system, shall now give some account
Of its practical working. In the first place. there IL
abundant evidence to show that In the collection OF
the islanders and their transfera to Queensland the
atrocities Of the slave trade have been revived. The
South Sea Islanders may be divided into two classes
heathens and "Polynesian Christians.r Far the
greater number Of the Qeensland islanders belong TO
the former class and for obvious reasons the savers
find much ess difficulty In disposing Of pagans than
Christians to the planters. These unhappy savages,
Of course, speak no English. and are generally forc
bly, kidnapped from their homes. II they show any
disposition TO be troublesome on board the ship their
caplors sdorn them with pair of handouts and
duce them TO silence and submission with liberal
Application OF the cato'nine tails In the Christian
captre, though In the treatment OF the slaves after
they are fairly slowed away in the hold the Chris
ans receive the same usage as their less enlightened
compatriots. The Christian natives are invariably
enticed away by the most tempting promises. Ac-
cordng To the slavers statement they have IL In
their power TO aail away TO land overlooking with
milk and honey where, by few hours WORK day
for year, the term Is never represented As longer
than q twelvemonth) they can earn enough TO make
them rich. The captain Will take them tout OF pure
kindness and good nature) TO this poor mans para
disc gratutousy, and he will also see that they
sacredy returned to their homes In year. The
poor natives then take leave OF their friends and az
coon as the ship has weighed her anchor, they are
safely consigned 10 the Storage.
The mortality during the voyage although the
passage is not generally more than three or four
weeks. Ia very high. Ten, fifteen. sometimes twenty
per cent OF the human cargo perish, partly from
partly from starvation The only object OF the SLAYER
IL To land living human beings, with a few excep
tionaly lively specimens. He then portions his
cargo ont INTO lots, and the planters take their
chances OF getting their moneys worth out OF these
purchases The price paid IL not generally heavy
only about seven pounds sterling, thirty-fve dol
lars per head but II shows constant tendency to
RISE and taking into account the brevity OF
the voyage the business must pay remarkably
well. cargo OF hundred Is frequently