the latter as we
know they do in the former.
Case. Hongkong from ito island portion
is totally unsuited for Emigration purpose, & the fort wd act wisely under present Circumstances to set its face against it. Even in Hongtong kidnapping.
Carried on
to
Large
8xtent
a.d
is
the
reports of the Police will show
"hat the subject is exciting public attention
the 3 Extracts from
the local
newspapers I enclose will show.
THE CHINA MAIL.
HONGKONG, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 1868.
CHINESE EMIGRATION. THE opinions expressed by the Harbour Master in his recent report upon the sub- ject of emigration have again called attention to a question of vast public importance. The foreign community rauge themselves under one of three beads, Those who approve of Chinese emigration in any form, good or bad, because it puts money into foreign pockets; those who approve of lawful emigration properly conducted by respon- sible officers, but vehemently oppose the iniquities of the "Coolie trade"; and those who oppose emigration, free or bond, in toto. The argument adopted by this latter class, of whom the exponents were Mr Whittall and Chief Justice Smule, is one which few endorse.
They admit that the British West Indian system and the Hongkong system may be good, but arge that we have no right to indulge in any act which may be made the handlo for a tu quoque on the part of the venal wretches who live rather by man stealing than by honest aid to free emigra- tion. The impulse which leads them to avow this principle is doubtless com- mendable, but if carried out in detail is likely to interfere somewhat strangely with one's every day life. He who so guides his conduct must not drink wine or brandy, because many become drunkards. He must not in fact do or say anything which is in any way sus ceptible of abuse, lest the force of his example injuriously affect his fellow men. The analogy is too absurd to follow fur- ther, but we refer to it as illustrating the doubtless sincere and well-meaning, but very weak, ground upon which the oppo- nents of all eunigration take their stand. Did they assert their belief, that no emi, gration scheme could, even at Hongkong- be carried out without involving certain abuses, we should be able to understand their position. We have had something to say before this upon the illicit procur- ing of emigrants, and the only question at issue appears to us to be whether coolie emigration as carried on at Hong kong can be warranted free from this abuse.
Mr Thonisett has, in his report, appa- rently answered the question as to the general good of the system to his own satisfaction. But he leaves totally un- touched the abuse against which our pen has so often been directed, and which has been proved to exist even in ships clearing from Hongkong. The truth is that the matter lies not with the Colonial officials --we will go further and say not even with the agents who, we believe, are anxious to obtain purely voluntary emi grants--but with the Chinese employed to collect the coolies, But after the recent exposurea respecting Chinese agency, we cannot acquit any, whether it be the government or private firms, of something stronger than carelesstices so long as they allow any Chinese agency whatever in coolie emigration. "But," they reply, "in that case we cannot get coolies," Very well; the only alternative is to go without them. And on these grounds
we support the opponents of all coolie emigration until emigration be made a purely personal affair between the coolie himself and the foreign agent or the Colonial officer. It has nothing to do
with the question that a "stolen mun may become an independent land-owner in Batavia or in the West Indies, it he be in the first place deceived into leaving his native place. The injury inflicted is not upon the man at all, but upon the good name of foreigners in the neigh- bourhood of his home. And the fact of his settling down as a prosperous farmer in some distant quarter of the globe will not mitigate the popular hatred of his would-be benefactors ono iota. The re- turn of successful emigrants may, and does, favorably affect native opinion, but it is but too apt to regard them as men who have drawn prizes in a lottery with an overwhelming number of worse than blanks. And it is this question of supply which Mr Thomsett has entirely failed to touch. We do not of course mean to assert that all, or even a considerable number, of the cooliesshipped from Hong- kong are deceived innocents. Nor do
we
mean to imply that Mr Thomsett neglects any means in his power to en- sure fair dealing. But with the recol- lection of certain matters in 1866 and 1867 before us, we think that his congra- tulations upon a system shewn to possess radical abuses (beyond his control we admit, his instructions not meeting them) are somewhat premature.
The matter, after all said and done of late upon this vexed subject, resolves itself into very few words.
Free emigra tion is good for the coolie and for the place he goes to. If Hongkong emigration is literally free,--that is, that no Chinese agent is allowed to act as Middleman--it is a good institution. If, on the other. hand, Chinese agents (for whose conduct it is impossible to vouch) are employed, it possesses an element of abuse even that element be not always developed, and as such we oppose it. And this, we be lievo, to be the opinion of all thoughtful readers, uninterested in the trade, in China,
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