MISS KINGSLEY AND THE HUT-TAX.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."] SIE,—I should be much indebted to you if you would permit me to correct a statement made regarding my opinion on the taxation of native races in the Spectator of August 6tb, in the course of your notice of an article in the Fortnightly _Review on the Sierra Leone Hut-tax War, an article I have not yet read. You say that I say that the African object's to taxes on dwellings, but would pay a poll-tax. I have not said so. I, as a mere student of Early Law, stated in the Spectator in March what all students of Early Law know, mamely, that races in the culture-state of the natives of Western Africa regard all forms of taxation on personal property as confiscation of that property, as it vests the property in the person to whom the tax is paid. It does not signify whether the said property be land, house, or anything else. I should also like to remark that among the peoples of the true Negro stem—i.e., those from south of the Gambia -down to Cameroons—the exceedingly elaborate system of law regarding pawns enables them to realise the true nature of -direct taxation instantly. Regarding poll-taxes, I beg to say that I have not said this would be an acceptable tax, because, of course, this is again a form of direct taxation, and a poll-tax means enslaving the African population on which it is put, according to the African way of looking at things. Even I, palm-oil ruffian as I am said to be in my sympathies, would shrink from putting on a poll-tax
for the sake of the children. It gives me much pleasure to see you will not allow the officers of the Frontier Police to be condemned. Many months ago I said this would be a vile thing to do. I myself entirely agree with that party, repre- sented so ably and with the weight of knowledge of genera. tions of men who have dealt with West African natives, the Chambers of Commerce of Liverpool and Manchester, which is not quite one and the same thing with the Aborigines' Pro- tection Society, as you are doubtless aware. It is the expressed opinion of the party whom I follow—the mercantile—that the existing taxation of the West African trade already affords a sufficient revenue wherewith to administer any of the English West African possessions. The trade of Sierra Leone has been taxed before this war broke out to the extent of 30 per cent. This means I think, Sir, I stand to correction, that the native is taxed to the extent of 35 per cent. on all the benefits white interference and intercourse give him. I think, therefore, that an additional tax of 25 per cent. on personal property in the shape of the hut-tax — even apart from its confiscating character—is oppressive ; that a system of government that calls for 60 per cent. on black and white trades is a system of government that is bad. I will not go into the reasons that have led England into such a system, but you will find them in a great measure stated in the very best book that has been published on West Africa since the seventeenth century, Dr. Freeman's "Ashanti and Jaman" (A. Constable and Co.) The truth is, Sir, we are giving to the African, in direct taxation, greased cartridges. Greased cartridges were not the one and only cause of the Indian Mutiny, but they were an important factor in it. Nevertheless, the English public must not hastily lay blame on the Frontier officers just because they were nearest to it when the row began. If an officer of the Frontier Police receives orders to collect hut-tax he has got to do it ; but the blame is not on him; the blame is on the people in England I believe; and not primarily on any one who is now in Sierra Leone ; but I patiently await the Report of Sir David Chalmers, though how he can be expected to find out the Truth, just when no one else is expected, because of the rains, to do easier things than Truth-hunting, is more than I know. Still, he is a lawyer, and I have a great faith in lawyers and in our present Colonial Secretary himself,—a faith that nothing less than the publication of a Report that flies in the face of Science can shake.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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