Slavery in China — The question has been frequently asked whether slavery exists in China as it does in other parts of Asia. A recent letter from that country says, that the city of Canton contains 100,000 slaves, all females. The male slaves are employed in the fields, but these are Chinese, and Africans, sold to servitude, mostly serving women, or secondary wives for the rich, who are purchased at a high price according to their beauty, varying from two to five thousand dollars. The manner of replenishing the slave-market in China is somewhat curious. A man will sell his wife or children, or sell himself into slavery, to pay his debts, such is the idea of good faith which prevails there. Orphan and destitute children are sold for maintenance.
(Liberator, Aug. 7, 1846, pg4)
