New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-06-26


their masters, massacred their overseers, and
kept the hastily gathered forces of Europeans
at bay until, shot down in heaps, handful Of
Coolies only were left to flee to the noun
tains. And few days since the world was
thrilled with horror at the story of ship,
laden with Coolies, bound from China to Peru,
burned at sea, six hundred men perishing in
the flames.
These are all natural incidents to the Slave
Trade of the Pacific. They are only a
few of the later instances which have found
their way into the public prints, and have
thus attracted some attention. People Will
ask to know something of system which is
80 often brought to their notice by such out
bursts of passion and desperation, and such
bloody sacrifices of human life. They will be
told that this last relic of the barbarism OF
human slavery is cOuntenanced and covered
by the flags of three civilized States-POrtugaL
San Salvador, and Peru. The shipping port for
the Coolie trade is Macao, an ancient Portuguese
possession on the southeast coast of China. The
slaves are entrapped by various devices they
are bought for debt; they are the luckless VIC
tins of civil wars; they are sold openly by
Chinese officials, who procure them by artlnce
or downright abuse of imperial authority. 1t
is easy to evade the lax local enactments con-
corning slavery, and after being gathered in
barracoons in considerable numbers, the poor
creatures are driven on board the slave-ships,
confined under matches in horrible duress, and
only allowed free air and exercise III small
gangs in fair weather. The agonies of the
voyage are those of the African Slave Trade.
Most of these slaves are sent to Peru, where
they till the plantations which are rapidly
covering the interior. Some are exied to
the Chincha Islands to dig down the hills OF
guano. Tahiti receives many to replace the
labor of the diminishing natives; others
are taken to New-CaledOnia, and not Few
have found their way to Cuba. An attempt
to introduce them into the Hawaiian ISLANDS
failed through the enlightened vigilance OF
the authorities though the lower class OF
Chinese laborers (miscalled COOLEST are common
there as in California.
There are many and specious attempts to
conceal the element of absolute slavery in this
miserable business The men are made to sign
certain documents; they are furnished with
clothing; and trihng sum of money, called
with grim sarcasm) advance wages, is
given them. But their bondage is, neverthe-
less. perpetual. Whether called Coolies, poems,
serfs, or servants, they are only slaves for
life. Whatever may be their nominal term OF
bondage not one of them ever wrought 1t out.
No instance of COolie being voluntarily re-
stored to freedom and his native Land was
ever known.
The vessels engaged in this latest variety of
the Slave Trade are owned and manned by
people of various nationalities. The flag of
San Salvador, State without navy or marine
service, is chiefly affected by them. But Peru
and Portugal are openly responsible for the
continuance of the traffic. Once or twice i'll
the history of Civilization it has been neces-
sary for Christian nations to combine to sup
press Slavery and Piracy. The time has come
when the maritime peoples of Christendom
must form a new pact to sweep from the seas
a trade abhorrent alike to God and man.