The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1869-11-24

of garbling or Misrepresentation is likely
to attach. Whilst on this point, we say
again that our report Of these remarks is
correct and further, that Mr.. Carter has
not produced a Coolie who did not nuder-
stand his contract, nor is it believed by
any one that he can. Nor does Mr.. Carriers
saying that he had seen one who could not
read it, or would say that he had not
signed it, prove very conclusively that
some one else had.
Continuing along in comparing reports
we find that we reported the Junior Ed
itor correctly in the matter of Egyptian
Bondage-their own paper being authority
and that we may be sure to do so now,
print directly from their issue of Oct. 30
"There is not one redeeming feature in
this system. 1t is founded in deceit and
maintained by force. Egyptian bondage,
which was so signally punished by God, was
freedom compared to 1t. The Hebrew slave
had every seventh day, every seventh year,
the privilege of all family festivals. He
could redeem himself, or his friends could
do so, whenever they had the requisite
amount, and the law required that it should
be equitable. If he escaped from his master
he was never to be restored. He could not
be sold or transferred. he was not chattel,
but man."
Upon this we remarked that the first
sentence was an oratorical flourish"
since the speaker did not condescend to
inform US upon whom, or by whom, the
deceit was practiced, and we may now
proceed to comment on the remainder of
the sentence, which we find that we re-
ported IN very nearly the same words as
he did, himself. 1t is, certainly, sufficiently
absurd-and we pointed out one or two
features of absurdity-such as that the
Chinaman had entered into his contract
voluntarily, and having only FIVE years to
serve, could not well have ONE year in
SEVEN out of them; that he had not only
had one day in seven-Sunday-but like
wise part of one day in six-Saturday-
and in addition to these, his contract not
only calls for all the holidays recognized
among this people, but for three days
besides
Now, it is generally supposed that most
men-even those whose historical and
literary education is very limited-know
something about the incidents and his
torical events mentioned in the Bible, or
if they do not, inasmuch as copies of the
Book have been greatly multiplied, and
are very cheap, and in the hands of every
one-(now, don't say, "you lie," if you
hap pen TO find man who don't own one,)
it is very easy to refer to it. Therefore,
it was with some surprise and amusement
that we heard that the Hebrew was ever
bought and sold by any one in Egypt that
he was, during the latter part of their
dwelling in Egypt in any other position
than an oppressed race-not being 1NDI-
bondman to any one. 1t was
surprising, as well as amusing, to mark
this flower of rhetoric-this fight of elo-
quence-because one naturally asked him
self, if this be the extent of this man S
learning when using the Bible for illustra-
ton, what must it be when he draws his
from other sources? If his
reading in this most common of all books
has been no more accurate than to allow
him to confound the law which Moses
gave to the Hebrews, for their own guild
lnce, after they had passed the Red Sea,
With their political and social condition
to the Egyptians, before they
commenced their Exodus, what must be
he amount of erudition, in another way,
which is likely to fit him to be director
If public thought ? But one thing was
most to be admlred,-the height of auda-
;ity, or depth of ignorance which can
'peak such things to a presumably intelli-
yent audience and still more, publish
uch things as spoken by himself, and the
modest assurance which can
lyle it "eloquencel''