The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1872-03-30
Correspondence.
LETTERS FROM JUDGE CATION.
No.7
The Heather Chinee I'm Cuba-His Prac.
uica. g zen 1ayrmt nt-'Ehe HeaShen AZ.
rican-Stmulaled Emancipation.

A walk along the covered wharf, where YES
sells are moo,ed, stern on, as close as possible,
and where their cargoes are discharged, presented
an interesting spectacle, giving one an ldea OF
the commerce of the place and the mode of hand.
ling iceights Nearly everything is done with
hard labor. Whites and blacks, grading down
through every imaginable shade, thronged every
where, some busy at work and others lettering
about, leaning on boxes and bales, enjoying the
luxury of idleness with zest that was truly re.
freshing. At one place little open sloop was
being loaded with oranges from pile of per.
haps 800 bushels lying on the pavement beyond
the wharf, whence they were brought in baskets
on the heads Of gang of negroes, who dumped
them into the vessel much the same as We would
handle potatoes in our country. At another
place snip was dischargng a cargo Of paving
stones-smal! squared blocks-which were dump
ed down a runway to the floor OF the wharf, from
whence they were removed in whselbarrows by
agaug of Cinnamon. A dozen of the little cubes
constituted bad for the laborer from the dow.
cry kingdom, while four such loads would have
been but playthins for sturdy emigrant from
alaerity which characteristics the actions of his
countrymen in California. I fingered around
till they suspended work for their dinners, and
observed them at their festive meal. Their f.
vorite rice was wanting. The meal consisted of
garbage, which appeared to have been gathered
from swill barrels. Bits of bread and sorsps Of
meat and vegetables were ished out from the
filthy mugs and eaten with an apparent relish,
which testified that the luxury Of 4 feast de.
ponds not SO much upon the viands provided "A
upon the habits of the guests and the demands
OF nature which 1t is required to supply. Ons
young fellow espied piece of the large tendon
which had once formed part of bullock's aeck,
and no doubt had once helped to push heavy
loads 1t was about four inches long and two
and half inches wide, and had apparently been
thoroughly boiled in some cheap soup house.
He seized upon IL AS upon rich prize, and COM
mented pealing off small strips and swallowing
them with relish. At length he stripped of
lber i portion and offered it to NANCY car that
stood by with an imporing look. The dog smslt
of the offered morsel and then turned away in
manifest disgust, as if inulted by the offer Of a
portion of what man seemed feasting upon.
Let Us stop here few minutes to allow me to
speak Of the Chinese in Cuba, for observed
them with some attention in the city and in the
eountry,-on tire wharfs, in the streets, and on
the plantations and in the chain gangs. OF all
pitiable objects TO be met with anywhere, these
demand most of compassion, and appeal
strongest to our sympathies. The condition OF
the negro slave is enviable compared with
theirs. They possessed of sensibilities which
point the sting that goads them to despair and
double every burthen which wrong and outrage
imposes upon them. Here we see exhibited the
hardness of the human heart, which has been
caloused to kuman suffering by the system Of
slavery which, in our southern states fifteen
years ago, when slavery there WAS thought to be
divine institution, would have been considered
disgrace to the name of man.
The Chinese were brought to Cuba under con
tract to work given tins at specified wages, and
to be supplied with stated ratons, and at tho OK
piraton OF the time to be returned home, or to
be free to go where they pleased. From tho
very beginning they we.e worked aud treated
field, and irto the quarters and at the table with
them proIniscuously, and, like them, subjected to
the lash of tho overseer. Their tastes, thisr sppe.
titles, their habits, their customs and their prs.
judioes were in no way consulted, but only how
could the most be got out Of them ut the least
cost and with the least trouble.
Perhaps the first outrage to which they were
subjected was the loss of their queus, which com.
PEELED them to consume too much time in max.
Ing their toilets to sui. plantation interests; 20
al! were sheared off at once, without saying az
much as with your leave, SIR" saw but one
Chinaman il Cubs who still retained that chsr.
ished ornament All are aware that the loss Of
this epI,ndage i, looked upon by them ~ mark
of DEGRADATION, and they felt it. But whs,
had their feelings to do in the matterp They
would a. soon have consulted the mule whether
he would be reached or not.
Nominally the law protected them Agaiast ua.
necessary .buse,--o 1t is with the nessro slave
but that law is never allowed to intrude is.eli
upon the sugar prut>;ions There the m ester i,
an un,es,rsiued depot, whose will il .bou,e
law, and from whose Judgments there cen 10 =,
appeal. There is no one 30 hear the cry Of tn.
oppressed, but the groaus II SUFFERING NINA,
waste themselves upon ~, breeze which csn,o,
wait them beyond the bounds of the c.ne field.
Practically, both the negro 81 We aud ,he China.
laborer ere beyond 'Ne re,ch of oil legal pro
lection.