The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-06-15

THE TRIALS AND RISKS OF THE CHINESE
EMIGRANTs AT HoME.-The sacrifices and
risks undertaken by the Chinese emcrantsa and
their relatives are truly heroic. Before
the passage of the law forbidding Ameri-
can vessels to engage in the cOoie trade,
the emigrant was bound to work certain
length OF time after his arrival in the United
States at stipulated sum per month, out of
which the emigrant's passage money was re-
paid. American employers and capitalists
being now forbidden to advance money for the
passage, as that would be directly engaging in
the coolie trade, emigrants apply to the veal
thy among their own countrymen, and give
their security here. In this is the worse fea-
ture of the whole business. The coolie (all
laborers are called coolies) goes to the rulers
or elders of his town 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 man.
DARN in turn gives his note to the ticket-brok-
ers, who 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, stipulates that in case the coolie fails
to pay the sum charged for his ticket, includ-
ing the fees of brokers, mandarin and elders,
within specified time, then the indorser will
pay the same without question. The sum
the brokers but $40, IS often as high as $500
or S400. In five instances out of ten, he will
fail to meet his obligation. If he fails to pay,
the brokers here demand payment of the man
DARN at once. The mandarin pays the note,
charging heavy fee for so doing. The
elders who pay the mandarin, also charge
another fee, and demand the amount from the
coolies family. They being unable to pay are
sold OIL, one after another, beginning with
the youngest gill, until enough is realized to
cancel the debt. In this way whole families
are often reduced to slavery, TO pay for $40
ticket. Two families were sold here in Can
ton last week to satisfy such a debt. One of
the notes was for $50. Two unmarried girls,
each 13 years old, were purchased by an Ital
ian profigate, at S75 apiece. One boy was
sold for $50. Six persons in all were sold be-
fore the requisite amount was raised. Girls,
however, often bring higher prices, and some-
times the sale of handsome daughter will be
sufficient. 1t is not unfrequent for different
members of the family to urge that they may
be sold instead of some loved one that is offer
ed. The heads OF families sell themselves into
servitude to save their families. Chinese, be-
side the sacred family ties common to all man
kind, have a strong religious desire that their
children should be free, 20 pay devotion to
their memory after they are dead. When they
sell child they believe that it is sold, body
and soul, and that it can never again be a rel
atve of theirs, either in this world or the next
and unless they leave children to pay them
certain kinds OF devotion after death their
souls will wander forever, naked, cold and
hungry, through an eternal waste of darkness
and terror. 1t has sometimes happened that
after sale of family, the cooie returning finds
portion of the claim still unsatisied, and he
himself is sold to satisfy it.-Canton Letter to
the Tribune