, 1875-09-18
THE WEST INDIAN IN LONDON.

The Aborigines Protection Society have az
length found some useful work to do, and il Is
to be hoped that they will persevere in the good
pa'h which they have chosen. For a long
time past it was feared that they were doing
mischief, but they have recently shown such
a purity of motive and nobility of purpose
that it is with a sense of shame the misappre-
tensions which have been current respecting
them are remembered. The truth is out ao
last. Their real object is to bless while they
seem to curse BAlaam's well-known translorma-
ton of sentiment was ridiculous in comparison.
But it must be admitted that tho society keeps
up their appearance of cursing with remarka.
BILE force and fidelity. If they had gone on
much longer in the same way, it might have
been mistaken for real. But of course il is all
plain now. Their plan of operations is distinct.
ly seen. They are in reality the best support
ers of Coolie emigration to the colonies, and
they have done everything in their power to
evoke most important statements, arguments
and explanations in favour Of this system Of
emigration from the Secretaries of State for
India and the colonies. Nothing could be bet
ter than the means which they have adopted
to place coolie emigration in a thoroughly
good light before the English public. Their
method of proceeding was as original as it IN.
doubtedly was successful. In a rare spirit Of
self-sacrifoe they collected a lumber of doubt
full facts. and many statements and sentiments
supposed TO be philanthropic. They then
organised a grand deputation and laid these
before the Secretary Of State, who of course
gave them in return sound argument, trustwor.
thy facts, and sentiments of true philanthropy.
The deputation having thanked his lordship
for his courteous reception of them. then
retired, and tho operation was over. Contrast
of course ia always rhetorically effective, and
the manly sense of the Minister in dealing With
the subject laid before him becomes doubly
effective after the deputation have made their
observations. Lord Salisbury's speech, fog
instance, at the interview with the Society the
other day, would have been very valuable in
itself, but coming az it did after a long memo.
rial had been read and several speeches had
been made, 1t was invested with much addi-
tional force. His lordship laid down the doc
trine that il was the duty Of the English Gov
eminent to encourage what was good and
wholesome in the emigration, and to prevent
occasional abuses. "The native labourers In
India we're very poor. Their only capital was
their labour, and all the Indian government
said was that the coolies should be permitted to
mortgage their labour for FIVE years in order
to obtain the means of carrying it to a betteE
market. This struck him as being o perfSctiy
sound proceeding, but it was upon
the government to see that the labourers
thoroughly understood the nature OF the con.
tracts into which they were invited to enter,
and that when they reached the colonies in
which thew were to serve, they should be pro-
tected by lust laws v~igilantly and equitably
administered" These are the authoritative
words of Lord Salisbury. His lordship as a res