The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-06-10
THE PIGTAILS.
THE CHINAMAN BEFORE EMI-
GRITING.
Ward n Chinese God-Famf-
lies Sold to Pay for Passnge-British
Philanthropy to Chinese-Why the
South Cannot get Lnborers.
Correspondence of the New York Tribune.l

Correspondence of the New York Tribune.]
CANTON, CHINA, April 6.
Mandarin. priest, coolic and beggar seem to
be getting fair understanding of American
laws. Their constant theme Of discussion is
the probable action of the United States on the
0Chiuese question" Before the American
war wild tales of the gold mountains, OF wealth
to be had for the asking, of Chinese-loVlng
race that owned the land, were circulated.
Then, however, the higher classes discredited
these statements, and published books warm
Inc the people, and declaring those rumors to
| be sswily snares for the avarcious, leading to
| toll and death" But now new interest has
sprung up among the Chinese as to the United
States, owing to several new causes.
Within two years more than 5000 Chinese
have returned from California, either to make
a visit, or to remain at home. They have won
derful tales to tell Of wealth, present or pros
pective, and of the great liberty they enjoy. A
| few hundred, or few thousand dollars IS
great fortune for laboring Chinaman. Like
Marco Polo, the REALTORS have the diamonds to
show. The coolie In the rice field hears of a
land where lighter and more wholesome labor
receives twenty-five times his present recon-.
pense. The readmill operator In the rice-mill
thinks of the one hundred cents day In Call
fornia, and compares them with the five, or
perhaps six which he receives here. The farm
er or gardener is told of crops that bring fifteen
hundred per cent. more profit in market than
any in China. Thinking only Of thirty dollars
month";" never of the cost of living, they are
ready to embark at a moments notice.
| They suffer also from the increasing tyranny
of the Tartar Government. Forced to obey
| their conquerors, to pay eXhoroitant taxes,
and to sacrifice their lives ii called upon, under
| system devised by foreigners In which chi
nese have no interest, they contrast the prls-
ons, the starvation. the insults, and the toll OF
China with the liberty, the luxury, and the
comparative kindness Of which their return
ed neighbors tell
Another cause for confidence in the people of
America. and one which will yet outweigh all
others, is the act Of the Emperor deifying
Ward, the American fllibuster. They accept
slightest question. Ward was of great service
to the Emperor in putting down the rebellion.
His success was something wonderful to the
Chinese, and at the time when he was accl-
dentally shot BY his own men, they looked
upon him as the greatest general that
had existed for two thousand years.
At his own request his coffin was
left at Ming Pa, according to Chinese GUS
tom, above ground and uncovered. Nine
months after, (1s63,) the Emperor ordered the
body to be removed to Sung-Kong, and de-
posted In the courtyard OF the Temple OIL Con
iilcius. Within the temple was set mp tablet
bearing bis name rs the "Captor OF sung Kong
seen fit to 90 further and In recent edict has
placed him among the major gods OF China,
commanding shrines to be built and worship
to be paid to the memory OF this American.
The people are worshlpping him along with
the most ancient and powerful delties OF tlelr
religion as great deliverer from war and
| famine-as powerful god in the form OF
man. In every household, school and temple,
his name will be thus c0mmemorated. The
remembrance of millions Of people secures his
Immortality The dedication of this American
certainly will give additional intensity 10 inc
respect already entertained by the Chinese Tor
the United States. Any country in which q
Chinese deity was born s good enough for his
worshippers
The sacrifices and risks undertaken by the
Chinese emigrants and their relatives are truly
heroic. Before the passage ofthe law forbid
ding American vessels to engage IN the coolie
trade, the emgrant was bound to work GER
tain length Of time after his arrival IN the
| United States alta stipulated sum per month,
out of which the emigrants passage money
| was repaid. American employers and capi-
| talists being now forb' dden to advance money
| for the passage, as that would be directly en-
raclng in the coolie trade, emlgrants apply to
| the wealthy among their own countrymen,
and give their security here. In this IS the
coolie fall laborers are called coolies) goes to
the rulers or the elders of his town or village,
and with the consent of those interested,
| gIyes 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 his note to the
tlcket-brokers, who furnish the coolie with his
| ticket. The bond by which all the persons are
hound. given TO secure the coolies note held
| by the brokers, stipulates that 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
ndorsers will pay the same without question.
The sum charged to the cOolle for the ticket,
which costs the brokers but $40, is often as
| hirh as $500 or $500. 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 mandarin ut once. The mandarin pays
the note, charging heavy fee for so doing.
The elders pay the mandarin, 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 young
| est nirl. until enough is realized to cancel the
debt In this way whole families are often re-
dnced to slavery to pay for $40 ticket Two
| families were sold here In Canton last week
to satisfy such debt. One OF the notes was as
for $3.50. Two unmarried girls, each l3
wears old, were purchased by an Italian profli-
gate. at SIS apiece. One boy was sold for $50.
Six persons In all were sold before the requi-
site amount was raised. Girls however, often
bring higher prices, and sometimes the sale OF
handsome daughter will be sufficient. 1t is
not unfreuuent for different members OF q
family to urge that they may be sold instead oil
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
strong religious desire that their children
should be free, to pay devotion to their memo
ries after they are dead. When they sell child,
tlcy believe that it is sold body and soul, and
that it can never again be a relative of theirs,
either in this word 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 the sale Ola
family, the coolie returning finds portion of
the claim still unsatisfed, and he himself is
sold for it,.
The precautions which the Chinese take
against being buried on foreign soil OF in the
sea, are not because ofauy religious fears with
regard to the peace OF their souls, as is COM
monty supposed. II they were able to secure
passage for their entire families, and to own
land in the United States, they would be as
contcntcd with the prospect of burial there as
in their native villages. If the laws Of the
United States permitted the contract system,
this outrageous brokerage business could be
abolished, and for the money it now costs to
carry one person. whole family could secure
tickets. Another result would be in the cmi-