The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-12
rht Authorl,le, ci,ed by MIR. noddy


To rms EDITOR OF THE SUS-Sr: IS TuE SuS
said more than year ago. the Immigrants who have
! been coming into our country since the middle OF
B the last century have been OF higher type than
I those who came here In the formative period OF the
/ American Colonies In support OF your views YOU
quoted a part OF speech Of Congressman jack
SON Of Georgia. In discussion In the House OF
Representatives, In May 1850. OF the bill on duties
and Imports. Mr. Jackson said that ~ ever the bill
came forward again, he hoped 1t would compte-
bend the white slave as well as the black" These
white slaves" he said were Imported from all
the jails OF Europe. wrcichcs convicted OF the
most fragrant crimes brought In and sold.
cBeuton's Debates In Congress, Vol. l., p. ~
Bcrnheim. in his History OF she Lutheran Church
in North and South Carolina" says that "outcasts
OF London prisons and swecplngs from London
Kennels and disappointed scions OF respectable
families sent to the American colonies, lest
they should tarnish ancestral honors By feons
fate Al home"
Parton. In his fAic OF Thomas Jefferson" makes
the statement that many Of the settlers Of the
Colony OF Virginia were discharged soldiers. men
released from prison aud sent 20 Virginia TO get nd
OF them"
Mr. Alfred ~ Hcston of Atlantic City, y. J., IN
an address delivered before the Monmouth county
Historical Society on white servitude." gives eyl-
dcnce TO the same effect
That the New England colonies were not free
from this fashion OF Increasing their labor market
may be inferred from the remarks made by Mr..
Dana OF Connecticut. 10 iso0. in the House OF Repre-
scniauvcs The price paid for their passa ge affords
pront 20 our merchants" CBenton's Debates
Vol. l.. acJ The practice Of carrying on the sys-
tenn OF lndcntured and redemption scrvitude pre-
vailed In the early history OF our country Men
who called ~nowlandrrs" or soul drivers
would 80 down 10 the docks OF our seaport towns
and purchase the human cargo, In blocks OF hfty,
and then drive them through the country. dlspos
ing OF them 10 the farmers and other settlers. Lord
Altman. British Lord was In this way sold TO
Pennsylvania farmer and was caught ana placed In
Jail at Columbia. Pa. for having run away from
his master. tScc GotueIb Mlttelbergers Journey
to Pennsylvania In the Year 1902
This species OF white slavery common In
Great Britain long before the days OF the Cavaliers
FOR Talne t~tllstory OF English Literature" p. 30
Informs us that there time when men and
women were bought In an parts Of England. and
then sold into Ireland. When persons had been
convicted OF any offence. were liable TO be
whipped OF burned In the hand. such convc's were
TO be sent 10 "hls Majesiys colonies and piHn.s-
iior In America" such was act which went into [
force In tho year l7i7 (sec "RcdcmpuoncrS and T
lndcntured Servants In Pennsylvania by Kan +. F
Geiser. p. ~ Many OF tho convlcts after serving 7
their seven and 10 some cases fourteen. years. TO 4
land owners or merchants, became tree. could move
to another part Of the colony and be.ln NE over
again
while New England. strictly speaking seems
not to have BEEN penal colony, nevertheless. since
She received acccssions of cOnyicts She was a par
tccps crimi Is 30 the system. and may therefore
he placed, at least morally. In the same category
with Pennsylvania, Virginia and other colonies
TO which couVlcts were sent Nj James Davic
Butler. In an article in the American Historical
Review" October. 1873, entitled British Couvicis
Shipped to America" SAWS that New England
transported convicts and even offered bounty
for their coming Maine also had a large criminal
element among It's early settlers tS"e historians
History ofthc World Vol p. y jsll
THIS habit Of sending convicts from the mother
country" to she colonies Benjamin Franklin called
a cruel Insult Kari Gcscr, In the wors already
cited. page 1000 makes passing reference to the
morals OF class OF women who imrnisrated here,
while j. G. Ballagh IN bis White ScrVtudc In the
Colony OF Virginia IJohns Hopkins University
Studies Vol. 10. =. on treats the same subject At
length.
Isaac shsrpless. the Quaker president Of Haycr-
ford College. Pennsylvania, In his Two Centuries
u Pennsylvania History" praises the lndcntured
immigrants as progeniors n merchants scholars,
Governors. and tho most prominent persons in tho
state. JAMES NJ. BOLDLY
Troy, Jan, TO-