The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1872-03-30
The CooIIc Traffic.

Mr.. EDITOR Time was when to commence an
article with this caption would be to call down up
on ones head the anathemas Of a very large, anu
NAV also say, a very respectable portion of our
island community when the honest and conscien-
lions efforts of an individual to ameliorate the con-
I dition of the victims of the dealers in the a." article
man. were STYLED Philanthropy on the Ram
mage, >; by journalists who laid claims to respecta-
bHitv: but / trust that time has so far tempered
Judgment that even those wEo sympathized with
the traffic will dispassionately read the following
extracts from the corresponding OF David H.
l2a}ey. Omitted States }memen sent mon 2ngl WIN
tn"I sion would save travelling expenses by comm.
ova suicide before they st8nt, As this wicked W
5a'!J goes, a man had jnsul at Hong Kroat than
the State Department at Washington, L. c.
fer at this time to quote the Consuls remarks with
out an additional word or comment.
Letter of April 9Th, 1871.
g" l have the honor to forward you the with
in inclosure (No. II containing an elaborate and re-
markable decision, just delivered by Chief Justice
Smale OF the Supreme Court of this colony. in a
haheas corpus case involving the legality of The
Macao cOolIe trade.
Il have said the decision is remarkable. and it
is. first, because in effect it declares that ships en-
ployed in the Macao trade are engaged in piracy: |
second. that such ship are slaye-ships engaged in
the slave trade"
The Chief Justice takes very high ground. very
DoId. and, OF course, many contend very dangerous.
The decision speaks for itself, is complete in itself,
therefore It Is not proper that l should enlarge
on 1t IN this dispatch. l will say. however. that the
whole coolie trade of China. at Macao. Hong Kong.
aud elsewhere is 50 full of fraud and all sorts of
InIqulty as to make necessary some such STARTLING
decision to arouse western civilization to a sense Of
duty concerning this new and infamous slave
.rade.
If Great Britain sustains the decision of Chief
Justice Smale, the Macao coolie trade, with all its
Will be at an end but as this traffic is
profitable, and getting money is the
passion, at least in this part of the world,
t Will only shift its base, and reopen under color
# a new authority and disguised with a front of
more seeming decency. Already | am informed
regulations are pending for the establishment OF
Extensive barracoons at Canton, and the opening of
he coolie trade at that port under the auspices of
he Chinese Government"
Letter Of April 25th, 1871.
The subject of Chinese emigration
this port to the United States. has claimed nv
aretul thought and patient investigation for the
asst four months, with u view to get at the facts.
nd to understand it in its surroundings and bear
lgs. The whole subject is an anomaly. Rules I
bat will do elsewhere in the world. when applied !
I considering questions OF immigration, have no d
ppllcatlon to Chinese immigration TO the United &
tates. Immigrants to America from other parts 1
the world go Of their own volition. free and vol d
ntary. Emigration from China to all parts of the 7
'Orld Is an organized business or trade. in which |
len Of large capital, and hOngs OF great wealth. /
ngage as u regular traffic. by which men are L
ought and sold for so much per head. precisely !
Il piece of merchandise is handled, at its market q
alue. The poor laboTer of Europe applies his r
Sn scanty means to get to the land Of promise, or a
assisted by his friends. charitable societies, or c
institutions, to reach a place where be I
To nave MS toll properly requited. where his y
will lnure to his own benefit. The cody OF d
hIna is bought by the rich trader to serve his e
Irchaser at low wages for a series of years in a +
reign country. under contract for the faithful Il
OF which. in many instances. he gives 81
on his wife and children, with q stipu-
ton that at the end of his term Of service he is to r.
brought back to China by his purchaser. This "
'ntract is sold by the dealer through his agents in "
United States and elsewhere at a large advance.
Id Is a source of great profit to capitalists who p
we the means to buy and sell large numbers of d
en-. ms contract. IN the United States, IS no 10
'ubt null and void, but nevertheless the coolie Ii
III comply strictly with all its terms, a copy Of Ct
IN Chinese characters is always in his pos r.
Ssion, and this he will do because his purchaser <
Ids his household tdres in tie land to which he OF
ways hopes and expects to return, in pledge for
q faithful performance OF his bonds. The central O
"a of q Chinaman's religion, II he has any religion -
all. Is that OF the worship Of the tombs of his an an
stors. The superstitions Of Fung-Shusy domi- f..
Il him wherever he may be in the world. The r..
billie mysticisms OF China so strangely govern all =
people IN their social. political. and quasi re-
lous life, are a. a hook in his nose. b. which his p,
rcbaser controls him at all times and in all =,
aces and thus this relation of master and quasi in
no matter how many miles apart. Is welded
the mystical links Of religious superstitions.
nIIy ties. aud rights Of ancestral tombs. which 80
ltrol and regulate the reciprocal duties Of trader T..
i cOolIe in the home land. l
ne means oil obtaining coolies are as various Nc
the ingenuity Of man can devise. and are as cor eli
as tie incentive TO large gains can stimulate ba
i invent. Men and boys are decoyed by all sorts Re
lIchs. oriaies. and lllusory promises. into the ID
1nts OF the traders. Once in the clutches of these
by a system Of trrachery and terror A
connIved at by the local Chinese authorities. ha
ose chief business in life Is to &" squeeze" the nc
Dple, the supplied c0olie is oYer-awed into max wi
u contract under such Chinese Influences and Br
as give it n sacredness of character on
where els" known in the world. From that mo- ! tn