[To TEE EDITOR OF THE " seseTATon.'] STR, — You appear to
be under the impression in the Spectator of January 13th (p. 47) that this so-called " slavery " was the creation of the late Government or the mine magnates. Far from it ; it was the creation of the people of South Africa unconnected with the mines, who were afraid that the Chinese would swamp the country unless severe restrictions were imposed on them. For instance, in this self-governing Colony (Cape) several Chinamen were sent to prison for changing iheir addreds from one part of Cape Town to another. This was a provision mainly due to Mr. de Waal, the secretary of the Afrikander Bond. Thus the slavery so denounced by the Liberal Party is actually principally due to the Boers and Dutch who are the friends of the Liberal Government ! "Heaven save me from my friends !" the Liberals might with justice cry at this juncture.—I am, Sir, Sze.,
[We have again and again pointed out that we have no prejudice against the Chinese, but objected to the Imperial Government framing an Ordinance under which the Chinese were introduced under semi-servile conditions. When the Imperial Government found that public opinion in the Transvaal would not allow the employment of the Chinese except under objectionable conditions, they should have refused to sanction the importation of the Chinese.—ED.
Spectator.]
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