Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1842-08-25
WOODSTOCK, VIRGINIA: AUGUST . 1872


! tom the Mecnnas and foster-parent Of
all learned men, and as scholarship is
not merely esteemed, but venerated in
China, this circumstance contributes
perhaps, more than any other to make
this vast people eontented with THEN
slavery. They are, besides this, ira
ding nation; a ,Chinaman loves his
friends, his books, his. pursuits and his
gains, and from feelings of good sense
looks up with respect to the magistrate
who will protect him even in the par
tial enjoyment of these things. He has
not, however, forgotten that Taou
Kwang is foreigner, and has been
known to ask how it came to pass that
SO small a nation as the 'Fatars could
subdue SO great a one as China. The
question was once quito Us by an in
telligent native, who, without waiting
for a reply, wrote down teen e, that 1t
soas the acil Of Heaven.
Rebellions in different parts of the
empire and its dependencies have CIV
en- the Emperor much trouble, and cal
led upon him to display his peculiar
tact and resources for managing diff
cult,cases. In the mountains Of the
central parts of China, large tribes of
sthe aboriginal inhabitants Of the soil
still exist, who from time to time issue
from their Businesses, plumber the sur
rounding countries, and not unfrequent-
| ly put the imperial forces to the worse.
Taou Kwang, when he perceives that
compulsion will not do, dispatches
some Of his emlssaries, who endeavor
to sow disunion among the rebels, by
offers of money and rank to some Of the
leaders. His wrath, which he ought
to have poured upon his enemies, is're-
served for his friends, and the unfortu-
nate generals, by confscation, Danish
ment, Or death, drink freely of cup
that is fully mixed for them by the i'm
perial hand. In review of these dis
turbances, he is reported to have said,
that the signs of the times portended
that men would eat men. His mother
reproved him for these words, and
thinking they were ominous because
! they came from the lips Of such per-
son2ge, was determined to antedate
their fulfilment in the most harmless
way her charity could devise. She &C
cordingly gave orders that number of
men formed of pastry should be made,
and distributed among her friends, that
her sons prediction might be at once
accomplished. Taou Kwang is, a.
mong qualifications, well skilled in the
use of silver weapons, and so for exam
pie, when in 1889, a rebellion broke
out in Szse Chuen, he exhausted large
sums of money in bringing the ringlea-
ders to a proper and feeling sense Of
their duty. His timidity is of piece
with his pride, for when little vessel
in quest of traffic appeared off the pro-
montery Of Shantang, he asked great
STATESMEN if it would be advisable to
fortify the mouth of the river that runs
/ up to Pekln: but when the king of Great
britain sent a peer TO preside ov-
er the trade in China, he refused
him permission to communicate direct
/ ly,with the. local authorities. His lord
ship was not PREPARED to understand
the reason upon which this contempt
was founded, and for this offence the
trade was stopped, servants and sup
}phes were Withdrawn, and such load
of indignities and annoyance heaped
upon him, that, being in weak state
Of health, his life was sacrificed to ex-
plate his faults.
But the genius Of Taou Kwang
shone forth in all its lustre when its
rays were bent upon the opium traffic.
AS the use ofthe drug is acknowledge
ed by the Chinese to be very pernicious
where carried to excess he has had az
opportunity Of condemning it by edits
and inAicting all kinds Of punishment
under the sanity show of caring for
their morals. 1t has been an admira-
Ible state.engine for creating that most
necessary thing in despotic government,
fear. All the while, the officers Of his
ownappointnenthaye done theirutmost
to promote the trade, first by allowing
opium to be imported upon payment Of
stipulated brides, and afterwards by
destroying the smuggling boats and
taking the matter into their own hands.
By this means, the stoutness of Com
missioner Lin, and the pliancy of Her
Majesty's Superintendent, he has sue
ceeded beyond all precedent. British
property to large amount has been
given up, our flag braved and insulted,
and our countrymen driven from their
houses and their effects with precipita-
ton. Taou Kwang sees Britain at his