Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-08-29
THE CHINESE.
Return and Report of the Agent Of
the Memphis Convention.

from the New Orleans Times Of Thurs
day.
We had the pleasure, yesterday, of
meeting and eOnversing with Gen.
w. r. Miles, who has Just returned
from California. to whichState he was
sent by the Immigrant and Labor
Convention held at Memphis last
July, for the purpose OF investigating
and reporting upon Chinese labor, its
a~daptability to the wants of the South
and the p-racticability OF its cheap in
PRODUCTION.
Gen. Miles is well known to our
citizens as a former distinguished
lawyer and merchant Of this city.
Having performed a gallant and con-
spicuOus part in the late war, he has,
since its close, settled upon his large
cotton estate in the YaZOO bottom, and
has been one of our most successful
cultivatOrs. Deputed by the COnven-
ton to proceed on the mission relative
to Chinese labor, he left Memphis on
the 9TH Of July by the Pacific Rail-
road, arrived safely at San Francisco,
devoted one month to travsiing, ex-
aiming the country. and observing
anu ItA1N Alz AAAE PCBBAG AAAA AAaEAA
institutions, and returned in one
month and twenty days from the day
Of his departure. At the time of our
interview with Gen. Miles, it was
his seventh day from San Francisco.
He is now at N~icksburg, and will
promptly furnish the public with a
report of his views and conclusions on
the subject Of his mission.
In advance of this report we a
state that the General confirmed the
opinions Of all intelligent and
impartial persons who have visited
California, a to the great value, SUI
/ periOrity and cheapness of Chinese
labor. An active, sagaciOus and in
quisitive gentleman, he made a
thorough and minute examination
into the manners, habits and customs
| Of the Chinese. He visited the vari-
Gus establishments in which they r
employed, the wooden factories, the
machine shops, the fOunderies, the
farms, the mines and on railroads; in
| every department Of industry and
manufactures; and he found in every
relation and position they were re-
| garded as the cheapest, most reliable
/ and trustworthy labOrers in the State.
/ As house servants they are esteemed
a incOmparably superior to all others
in their cleanliness, dOcility, and
| fidelity. Their labor can be obtained
| at about one-third the rate paid for
other labor. 1t is for this reason they
are prosecuted and oppressed by eer-
tain classes in California. These
Glasses, embracing a large number Of
| voters, political aspirants and party
| leaders, find it to their interest to
sanction the denunciatiOn of the
/ Chinese, but even these admitted to
! Gen. Miles that for the Southern plan
tatiOn there could be no better
labOrers. The want of protection by
the law has somewhat discouraged
immigration to California, otherwise
the only limit to it would be the
amount of transportation, which
I could be devoted to the business of
bringing them Ovef. This business is
very different from the COOlie trade,
which has been reprehended by the
civilized world, and Is prohibited by
an act of Congress. The contractors,
who have been extensively engaged
in this business, and are willing to
embark on a still larger scale, obtain
their emigFants from the ipteri0r and
I agricultural districts of China, and So
far from employing any violence or
| deceit to induce them to emigrate, are
annoyed by the unfOrtunates of these,
who beg 10 go There are few, in
/ deed. OF the labOring class who would
not leave that country to come to
I America if their passage were secured.
/ They are willing to bind themselves,
and the contractors will guarantee the
mIfillment Of their pledge to work at
a rate, to be agreed on, until they REIN
I burse all the advances made for their
transportation. In fine the whole
system of the Chinese emigration is
arranged in strict consistency with
acts of Congress which have been
passed in regard to European con
traees.T The right of these parties to bind
themselves, and the validity OF such
contracts of labor, to reimburse par.
t IS affOrdingt them the means OF tran
spOrtation, has never been questioned.
So far from requiring any special laws
to protect them from fraud and im-
position in such contracts, Gen. Miles
assures Us that the Chinese are more
than ordinarily shrewd in making a
bargain and taking care of themselves.
All they ask Is protection when they
come into our country, and the enjoy
ment Of the rights which have been
promised to them underline BUrling4
game!treaty.
Though tre mission and purposes gf
Gen. Miles were seriously fnterferea
with and discouraged by BOutTell|a
letter to the Collector of New Orleans,
he had every assurance that if proper
security be afforded against any at.
tempts on the part Of the Government
to prevent the introduction of these
labQreFs, the full demand of the
south could be In a few years satisfied,
at rates which would render it the
/ cheapest and hest labor ia the world,
and thus add enormously to the pro-
duets, wealth and Improvement Of
our section.