AustLit

Author's note: * Were it not that the 'auri sacra fames,' like every other debasing passion, destroys the moral perceptions of its victims, it surely would have entered into the imaginations of the pious advocates of Coolie slavery, to conceive some scheme for converting to Christianity the Coolie heathens whom they would introduce; but it would have been humane -and expensive-and was not therefore to be thought of! The grand objection to the importation of Indian labor, as proposed, is, that it would inflict a great moral evil upon the colony, by introducing heathens who remain heathens; who would, in the nature of things, become serfs or slaves; and who, from their compulsory celibacy, would become utterly demoralised-evils pressing at the same time with a deadly weight upon the Coolies themselves. Secondary, but far beneath this in importance, is the consideration that it would unfairly depreciate the value of European labor; the proposed good resulting from it, being, the improvement of our commerce, and our increased opulence. Better, however, that our commerce should languish-that our country should remain poor-nay that we should be 'steeped in poverty to the very lips,' than that we should inflict deeds of injustice and oppression upon any, even the meanest and most helpless of the human race.

Errata published in the Australasian Chronicle (24 January 1843): 2, column 3.