The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-06-24
CHINESE

The M~OnstrOus Degradation of Labor
which Drives Poor Cinnamon TO
America-Why their COTpses are
Sent Hack to China-ChInese Girls
Sold into Slavery.
From the Canton Correspondence Of the Tribune.
The sacrifices and risks undertaken by
the Chinese emigrants and their relatives
are truly heroic. Before the passage of the
law forbidding American vessels to engage
in the coolie trade, the emigrant was bound
to work a certain length of time after his
arrival in the United States at q stipulated
sum per month, out of whichthe emigrant's
passage money was repaid. American en-
ployers and capitalists being now forbidden
to advance money for the passage, SIS that
would be directly engaging in the coolie
trade, emigrants apply to the wealthy
among their own countrymen, and give
their security here. In this is the worst
feature of the whole business. The coolie
(all laborers are called COOLEST goes to the
rulers or elders of his own or village, and
with The consent of those interested gives
security on the persons of his family for
such a sum as will secure his passage to
the United States. The elders go to the
Mandarin and give him their united bond
for the amount. The Mandarin in turn
gives LIS uOlo W InO llChSl-DIOhSIs3 VIII
furnish the coolie with his ticket.
The bond, by which all the persons are
bound, given to secure the coolies note
held by the brokers, stpulates hat in case
the coolie fail to pay the sum charged for
his ticket, including the fees of brokers,
Mandarin, and elders, within the specified
time, then the endorsers will pay the same
without question. The sum charged to the
ccolie for the ticket, which costs the bro
kers but $40, is often as high as $500 or
S400. In five instances ont of ten he Will
fail to meet his obligation. If he fails to
pay the brokers here demand payment of
the Mandarin at once. The Mandarin pays
the note, charging a heavy fee for SO doing
The elders pay the Mandarin, charge
another fee, and demand the amount from
the coolies family. They being unable 10
pay are sold of, one after another, begin
ming with the youngest girl, until enough
is realized to cancel the debt.
In this way whole families are often re-
duced te slavery to pay for a $40 ticket.
Two families were sold here in Canton last
week to satisfy such a debt. One of the
notes was $3.50. Two unmarried girls,
each 13 years old, were purchased by an
Italian profigate at SIS apiece. One boy
was sold for $50. Six persons in all were
sold before the requisite amount was raised.
Girls, however, often bring higher prices,
and sometimes the sale of a handsome
daughter will be sufficient. 1t is not I'M
frequent for different members of q family
10 urge that they may be sold instead of
some loved one that is offered. The heads
of families sell themselves into servitude to
save their families.
Chinese, beside, the sacred family ties
common to all mankind, have a strong re-
ligious desire that their children should be
free, to pay devotion to their memories
after they are dead. When they sell a
child, they believe that it is sold body and
soul, and that 1t can never again be rela-
tive of theirs, either in this world or the
next; and unless they leave children to
pay them certain kinds of devotion otter
death, their souls evil wander forever.
naked, cold and hungry, through an eter-
nal waste of darkness and terror" It has
sometimes happened that after the sale ola
family, the coolie returning finds a portion
ofthe claim still unsatisfied, and he himself
is sold for it.
The precautions which the Chinese take
against being buried on foreign soil or in
the sea are not because of any religions
fears with regard 10 the peace of their
souls, as is commonly supposed. If they
were able to secure passage for their entire
and to own land in the United
they would be as contented with
the prospect of burial there as in their na-
tive villages. If the laws of the United
States permitted the contract system, this
brokerage business could
be abolished, and for the money it
now costs to carry n person, a whole
could secure tickets. Another re-
suit would be in the emigration of thou
sands instead of hundreds. The desire to
reach the United States is so great that
wen with the present bad system, vessels
enough cannot be chartered to take those
IN waiting. Two thousand left the port of
Hong Kong last week, and as many more
left behind for other vessels. Twelve
thousand emigrants went from that port to
last year. and from present indi-
the number from China will be
doubled this year