Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Friday 28 March 1862, page 3

SLAVERY IN BENGAL.
I

(From the Indian Reformert December 134,

Two of our contemporaries, the Indian Mirror and the
Soma Prakatha, have lately been directing the atten-
tion of the public to the system of slavery which
exists in Eastern Bengal. That slavery did, to a cer-
tain extent, in former years, prevail ia the eastern
districts, is evident from the Parliamentary Papers on
Slavery in India. The Magistrate of Dacca, in the
year 1816, wrote as follows :-" I have to state in
reply, for the information of the court of circuit, that
I have found in this court several prosecutions for
inveigling away children and other persons with
various intents, and they are generally females ;
such
cases, however, in this city and district, are
not
very numerou*. The unfortunate per-
sons, who are sold for slavery, are generally
little children (females), or
grown-up girls, that are
enticed away from their parents or other relations in
the MofusBil, and unconscious of their fate. Person»
already in a state of slavery are seldom, as far as I can
discover from the records of the court, or from other
information, inveigled away with a view of being
sold but
; female slaves are often enticed away for
other purposes, sometimes by men, and sometimes by
"

1 women, keeping houses of ill.fame. Both descriptions

of offence are, I believe, very prevalent, especially the
former, though few of them comparatively come
officially to the knowledge of the Magistrate." Bad
as the state of matters was in 1816, it does not Beem to
have at all mended in the of 1861. Wit-
year grace
ness the following extract of an article in the last
number of the Suma Prakasha :

"
In Eastern Bengal, almost all zemindars and
respectable people have a certain number of purchased
slave, both male and female. They get no wages, and
are engaged life-long in the service of their lords.
The zemindars, and respectable gentlemen of those
their
S arts, on the occasion of the marriage of
aughters, make present of slaves, both male and"
female, who also are sold like goods. Everybody
oppresses them. If a bondman or a bondwoman
attempts to escape, effectual measures are taken to
prevent the flight, and the condition of the slave be-
comes worse than ever. In the eastern part of the
district of Jessore and the weat of Burdwan, almost in
all this evil custom is it does not

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Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Friday 28 March 1862, page 3 (2)

all villages, this evil custom is prevalent -,

does not
it

obtain only in Calcutta, Bar ase t, Hooghly, and other

adjoining districts, In Calcutta and other places,
there are brokers for buying bondmen and bond-
women. After convicting some low-caste females of
adultery, they employ them as servants, and on pre-
tence of travelling, they sell them at Vikrampore,
Dacca, and other places.
"
Those who buy the slaves take from them a bond,
in which they state that they owe BO much money to
their masters. The interest of that bond is always
increasing. Till the debt is liquidated they cannot go
elsewhere. They lead a miserable life. A great many
slaves are seen at Dacca, Vikrampore, Burrisaul,
Furreedpore, Pubna Mymansing, Sylhet, Tipperah,
and Chittagong, The largest number is at Chittagong,"

where male slaves are called golams, and female,

slaves bandit. There is difference
a
however, between, the slaves of Chittagong
and thoBe of Vikrampore. The former may have pro-
perty, and accumulate money, either by husbandry or
in the service of others who are not their masters, to

whom, however, they give a fourth part of their in-

come. They are bound by this chain for many gene-
rations. The condition of the slaves of Vikrampore
is similar to that of The Mirror Bays,
negro slaves.
that Government knows nothing of all this. That is
not the caee. In 1854, when Lord Dalhousie went to
Chittagong, some of the zemindars of the district
memorialised kia Lordship for legalising slavery. The
petition, of course, was not granted."
Are the ruling authorities really aware of the exis-
tence of such a disgraceful state of things ? If they
are they should lose no time in nutting a stop to the
evil. If they are not, they should immediately ap-
point a Commission of Enquiry. It is the just boast
"
of Britain that slaves cannot breathe in England ;"
why then should they breathe in England's best ana
?
brightest appendage ,

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