The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-31

stand how the planters become millfOnnaires-at
the Dense Ofthe tears and misery OF the wretches
who t0il Tor their benefit. That such system can
he permitted to exist among men pretending to be
Of mankind. When I see the repl esentatives OF
this abomination kneeling before altar OF the
God of the Christians ! regret the thunderbolts
tell us, smote IN their indignation such criminals.
After sharp ride through extensive fields
Get Se sVerysnw but the Beauty and
fertility by which we were surrounded, II II
were not for the erect and solderlike form OF the
dable machete, while the Ornamented handle ola
dirk peeped out from his girde. These realities
reminded me constantly that the peace and happi-
ONLY ON THE SURFACE.
During the ride this man told me that from time to
time tso q the ntG ne ss
obtain food, they were obliged to return and
give themselves up to the authorities, by
masters. II is certainly astonishing to my
mind how it is that the slaves do not rise and kill
s and at viii
can be used as weapon as well as an Instrument
of cultivation. ! was surprised to find that
carried firearms. the moral effect Of their authority
being sufficient to prevent any serious resistance
no means 80 tractabIe, and are more revengeful
and dangerous as class than the blacks. This, OF
course, is due to their superior inteiligence ana
their keener sense Of the wrong done to them.
On our return from the fields oranges were pro-
duced, and proved grateful and refreshing alter
the sharp ride in the sun AS soon as
THE SLAVES HAD FINISHED THEIR FEED,
for 1t would be misuse OF language TO call 1t
meal, they were mustered In front OF the ma
and placed 1t in the general heap These being
counted and found all right the men and women
were divided into squads and assigned TO various
duties. II had never known anything OF slavery
but what l saw In the few minutes that
parade lasted there e was enough mo 20 make
All nj vi n r brutalitV committed. for
sucn occurrence took place, and am quite willing
to believe, as the directors assured me- that cor
inflicted on the slaves. 1t Is not necessary, how
ever, to ascribe this Renteness to any consdera-
ton of humanity put simply 70 the acs tnas IS
cause in order to escape the inhuinan
lash, even these degraded beings sometimes
make them fly to the woods, where they become
the most terrible and the most implacable enemies
OF the white man.
PRErERRING DEATH TO SURRENDER,
in the midst of almost impenetrable woods, these
escaped slaves defy the chivary Of CASTLE and
given. Now as an able-bodied slave is worth
1900 and is becoming dearer every day. the run
ming away of slave inficts serious injury on
possible r'ae A''t to replace him, as the de-
mand surpasses by ever-so-much the supply.
Knowing this, / was not much surprised when the
director told me that, except in extreme cases. 1t
was not the custom on the estate to resort to Sc
we're corporal punishment. II would De Impossible
the slaves as they stood in half circle before the
director and his assistants. the clothing
coarse 0H stun. 0 out t Of which coffee bags are
made the only difference being that the men
wore something intended to represent pantalOons,
while the garments Of the women came, In most
cases, only little below the knee being fastened
round the waist with rude cord. There seemed
NO DIFFERENCE IN THE AMOUNT OF WORK
expected from the women or the men, and, in
deed, at first sight, it was not easy to discover any
on this estate are Congo blacks; but num-
Der OF them, and nearly all the children,
creos win Se "a Ssr vens
the older slaves all traces of human intelligence
have almost disappeared, and their labor seemed
to be performed mechanically, under the direction
OF the Oversecrs. In the faces Of the women not
vestige remained of the soitness and femlninity OF
character which we look for In those whose destiny
of the overseer's whip all thoughts and feelings
planted by Heaven had been crushed out, the
created for noble end reduced to the level OF q
brute of the field, whose only use was to minister
to the
BASE PASSIONS AND AvARlcroUs GREED
Of master. View slavery from whatsoever side
we may, we shall be able to perceive nothing but
moral turpitude as its immediate result. Tram
ping all laws. human and divine, under foot, we
shall see the slave master and his assistants hand
their esn ana Sne q s their
own children to the lash of the taskmaster.
That this terrible crime against humanity Is
of the children born on the estates, and who, be-
cause they are not so white as their iathers. are
condemned to slavery system m capaoie OF SO
change men into monsters must be regarded by all
honorable men as accursed. In presence Oh TINS
STAKEHOLDER is rich and powerful True to Its con-
servative Instincts,
as represented by the rich and chivalrous slave
driver, who sells his own child into slavery or
hands his daughter over to satisfy the caprices OF
some new master. 1t Is only when the poor and
the weak are unjust that the modern church can
thunder. Not word is uttered against Nhe slave
master here, who IN defiance OF all laws OF morality
and justice, robs the slave of the sweat OF his
brow, and degrades him by forcing him to live In
that very socialism which the Church denOunces in
owners Of these estates in Havana Madrid and Paris
are Christians OF the first water II is said not to
be unknown that many reverend fathers have an
interest in human chattels. Owing TO the bad
treatment and hard work which the slaves I'M
dergo they die usually at much earlier age than
the white population. since tne st ,n OF tne
Guilty of supplying the places OF those who have
died has been constantly felt on the estates. The
experiment Oh CHINESE 1.ror
has not been altogether successful. 1t has been
disastrous in its effects on the immigrants, OF whom
about seventy five per cent die during the eight
years they are forced to labor by their contract.
Very few OF them can be persuaded to renew the
contract, and the severest and most unjust laws
are enacted in their regard to force them to work
either for the benefit of master or for that OF the
government. In cases where they have succeeded
in overcoming all obstacles and establishing them
selves in business, they are exposed to
the extortons of the police, who can ruin
them at any moment. Owing to this the condition
OF the coolie after he has fulfilled his contract is
almost as bad as while he is on the plantation. In
many cases these cooie immigrants are
VERY BAD CHARACTERS,
and prove anything but desirable acquisition on
the estates. owing to this, and the fact that they
are more malicious and Infinitely less tractable
than the negro there is considerable prejudice
against them among the nigger-drivng fraternity.
In some cases the immigrants come voluntarily, I.
but am inclined to think 1t Is very few.
AN ANONYMOUS SOCIETY IN HAVANA,
at the head of which Is one of the richest planters
on the island has gone largely into this business
which, under present conditions, Is more remunera-
tive than even the old slave trade used TO be Before
left Havana visited Spanish steamer that had
just arrived from Macao with cargo Of Ceestials,
some eight hundred and eighty-nine souls all told.
As mounted the gangway the shaven heads and
round faces, with piercing eyes, OF innumerabe
Chinese were popped over the vessels side and they
seemed as much amused with my appearance as
l was with theirs. Everything on board
the ship was in apple-pe order, and
If 1t had not been for the threatening looking iron
gr'iue that cut OF all approach from the coolie