The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1869-07-29
The New York Post and tho chinese.

The New York Ere,up9 Post, in its bitter ha
tired of the South, opposes the introduction Of
Chinese labor there, and yilliiirs the Southern
people iu language that is. disgraeptul 10 a pub
lie Journal, The Post insists that the impesta-
ton of Chinese, ander contract 10 work out
their passage money, sis merely u revival OF
slavery under another name" When sixty
thousand Chinese laborers were imported ex-
prcssly far the purpose Of constructing the
Western half of the Pacific Railroad. the viz
tuous Indignation Of the PoISlupt surenely.-
But now that Convention has been held at
Memphis, aud company organized for the
purpose OF obtaining Cinnamon to work on the
cotton, aud sugar, and rice plantations az the
South, the Post is stricken with horror at the
enormity Of the scheme. II charges that the
purpose OF the Southern planters is 10 bring
over thousands OF the most ignorant and bru-
tai Chinese, the scum Of the Chinese cities as
bond slaves" The resolutions adopted by the
Convention look, on the contrary, to the sclec
tl0n Of the Chinese laborers from rural districts
OF the interior. Not to ''thc scam of Chinese
cities" as the Post will have Il; but TO that
dense industrial population, which draws its
subsistence from agricultural pursuits, and Is
already perfect in the knowledge Of the best
methods Of oultiYaung cotton, and rice, and
the sugar cane. And wherein Glj the differ
cnee between contracting for the laNor OF Eu-
ropean immigrants at Castle Garden and that
of Chinese Immigrants at San Frs icisco or
MHhlAlh AUG laNtct Au HOl lutl1stlNt1 pay
their own passage money, we are told, and,
having TO reimburse from the proceeds of their
labor those who agreed to pay 1t for them, they
are there ore nothing else than coolies, and 10
be a eoolie is TO be a bond slave.
Is this so7 There are thousands Of poor but
industrious people in Europe who are anxious
to come to this country, but are prevented
from doing so by reason Of their poverty. They
would gladly enter into an engagement with
responsible agents 10 work out their passage
money in any pursuit TO which they have been
trained, IL the opportunity were offered them.
Would the Poa stigmatiEe these people as COO.
lies, and those who expended their means in
bringing them over rs endcayoring to revive
the slave trader During the war, Massachu-
sets having prudent regard for the precious
lives OF her puritan sons, imported vast mum
bers Of foreigners on q contract that they should
serve in the army for three years paid their
passage over, SEd scut them, forthwith, Rs a
part OF her quota, TO the Slaughter fields Of Nir-
ginia. These men bound themselves, IL not
Killed or otherwise incapacisted, to serve for
three years or during the war. They had no
quarrel with the South. They could not even
speak the English tongue, aud most of them
were utterly ignorant Of the causes Of the..w
They were simply hirelings who had entered
into y contract Of service and labor for term
OF years that service being to shoot and be
shot at, and that labor, the building Of earth.
works, or any other manual duties they were
ordered 10 perform. They were rigidiy held
to their contract. If they were mutinous or
insub0rdinatc, they were punished. II they
deserted, and were caught, the penalty was
death. Which il the worst to contemplate,
these "indentured servants" Of Massachusetts,,
hired to spin the blood % Southern men, or
Chinese labOrefs, hired to till the soil Of South
ern plantauousg Did the Post denounce Mas.
sachusctts for contracting with these "Ilcssians"
to spill human blood No neither in that
airocious case, nor the more recent and per-
fectly detensible one of the importation Of
Cinnamon under contract to work on the paci-
fic Railroad, did the Post utter one word Of
rcbuke. But now, when the Southern people
enter upon project hieh promises to bring
once more under cultivation their ruined and
dopopulated plantations, aud which BY increas-
ing the annual product Of cotton, and sugar,
and rice, would also add largely to the pros
pority Of that section, and TO the aggregate
wealth Of the country, the Post dcnounecs their
praiseworthy efforts, and says, with a sncer
alt IL pitiful To see men who pretend to lead
and inform their neighbors still dwelling
about new ways 10 develop their States, and
catching eagerly at every means Of reriving
that system OF slave-labor which has been the
curse OF the Southern States; and the cause
the only cause, that they are less populous, and
that their people are less wealthy and prosper
Gus than the region further North"
The Post well knows that. in many districts
OF the South, plantations cannot be cultivated
by white labor that the climate fntbids il, and
that this is the reason why white Immigrants,
capable Of doing service as field hands, will not
20 South, but seek employment at the Vest
This, also, Is the reason why the Southern
States care less populous. and their people less
wealthy aud prosperous than the region farther
NORTH The only races capable of withstand
ing the tropical heat, and the subtle malaria
OF the South, are the African and the Asiatic.
Where the European immigrant, laboring, day
otter day, on plantations would speedily
die, they keep in vigorous health, The ne
gro, as freeman, can no longer be held to
steady, persistent work, and, as an evidence of
it, statistics show that the cotton crop is now
only one-half what 1t was before the war
whilst the sugar and rice crops have fallen OF
still more large ely. On the other hand, the
Chinaman, suffering deeply from tina; extreme
poverty, which is the inevitable result OF a
dense population and an oyersiocked labor
market, is anxious to better his condition by
migrating to other lands, where wages are
higher and the demand for labor is unlimited
II is 10 reach this new and inviting field he
agrees to reimburse, out Of the wages be re-
ceiyes, those who pay the expense Of transport
ing him to places where, instead OF earning
two dollars month, as at home, he can OBJ
tain twelve dollars month and rations, why
should the fact that others do for him what he
is unable to do for himself be made the ground
for denying the right Of the Southern planter
to employ him p Balfimore Gazette