The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-10-01

themselves up into such a state of excitement and
desperation. that the severest repressive measures
became necessary for the rest of the voyage, TO
prevent them from pitching all hands overheard
and squaring away for China-an event which too
often has occurred, and probably in a great many
instances has resulted from equally trivial begin
nings. Two of these coolie ships from Macao have
touched off the port lately one had had Sc days
passage, the other ~ days. On the first every
thing, according to all accounts. was admirable
no discomfort, no restraint, perfect health-no bar
ricades to be seen. The other with the long pas
sage had the men sick and no doubt discontented.
as well they might be. Winds and weather were
against them. In this state of discomfort precau-
lions had become necessary. 1t is possible that
both ships started on an equally good basis. We
may often see two clippers arriving in San Francisco
from New York on the same day, and which started
in every respect apparently under the same regu-
lations and the same in every detail as far as can
be known, and with good masters. officers and
crews. One. on arrival has half the crew in irons,
whilst on board the other all is pleasant and COM
Portable. A searching examination will sometimes
fail to discover where the blame rests-the captain
accuses the men, and the men the captain. The
trouble may be caused by one bad man amongst
the crew, or one fool amongst the officers or it
may have arisen from an accidental s~quabble be-
tween a seaman and an officer, in which neither
were very seriously to blame. 1t should never be
forgotten b.. landsmen that the law Of the shore is
not and never can be the law of the sea. AT sea
you cannot get a sailor out of irons by a writ Of
habeas corpus. Severe, even high handed F"
measures are allowed by law, and often become
necessary with comparatively intelligent European
or American seamen. How much more should
such be the case with Eve or six hundred of the
dregs of the three hundred million of Chinese,
cooped up for months in a ships between decks,
the officers and crew not understanding them when
they speak, or they the crew. The wonder is that
there are not more outbreaks.
We assure our Reverend friends that whatever
may be stated of us, we do not intend, If we know
it, to advocate slavery, i%nhumanity or injustice.
Further. we are anxious for their good opinion and
the good opinion of the community. and we ask
that they will reserve their Judgment till they have
given us a fair trial. We think we shall show, as
we go along, that a senseless clamor has been got
up connected with this Chinese labor question.
with what object is not SO clear. Preposterous
and rumors have been set afoat, which
may be regarded as silly stories by silly men, or
as the inventions Of designing men who know bet
ter, which have been taken up as truths by con-
scientious men who don't.
In view of the bard names that are freely given
to those of us who do not believe all these stories,
we would in self-defence remind all whom we
wonld wish to have as friends, that a too easy
credulity may sometimes become almost criminal ;
and that by a too ready belief in &" kidnapping"
stories, started also by designing men, the popu-
lace of Tientsin have just in a 6t of resistless
popular wrath conscientiously massacred the
Roman Catholic missionaries there, having become
thoroughly convinced that the young Chinese chill
dren taken in by the Sisters of Charity were cut
up to make medicine of.