The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-11-01

in Europe, elsewhere in Asia, compared to which
indeed the kingdoms OF Europe but of yesterday
in origin and but provinces in power and population
Yet changes OF ynasty have occurred in China from
period to period having been for long series Of
turles pure Chinese, then Mongol and then Chinese
again, and now Manchu The form Of government is
hereditary monarchy The sovereign i called Ia Hon.
angie, commonly translated by the Roman title OF En-
peror. But this Translation is erroneous and made
quately represents the force OF TaHowang- re which
imports something divine, sacred celestial IN addition
to the idea of temporal sovereignty The term il
Chinese and is employed by the Tartar and other SUBJ
ects OF the empire proper name, without ranslati1g
it; that is, Following Tie is the appropriate and pecu
Emperor is of the Romans Gar OF the Russians Sui
of the Turks Calf of the Arabs Pope Of the modern
Roman State. Like Pope it implies both temporal and
spiritual power and sovereignty, The reigning sove
reign is commonly called Tor Kwang; but this illus
rates one peculiarly of the Chneseit is the
of the sovereign bu, that Of his reign since il is cons
dered sacrelgious act to pronounce the OF the
ing Of the title is, Illustration of Reason" The prnci
Pile of government is the paerna relations the sovereign
is the father Of his people This is the radical idea which
runs through all the laws, usages habits and morals Of
the Chinese And though fiction, it quite a.
the fiction of loyalty in Europe, under Of which
the arsocracy of landholders and rich capitalists carry
on the government; while sentiment, motive, or
principle of action il certainly is higher purer and bet
Ter than that furious bgotry of party spirit which con
stitutes the prevalent principle OF action and the
time the blot and shame OF the United States The
neraton OF parents is in China the leading idea OF So
cial organization 1t is common to ennoble parent
other ancestor for the good deeds of the SON. and is
part of the religion for children to make annual oe
at the graves of their deceased Rel ntess
punishment also awaits any failure of respect duty
parents the part of children. This feeling the pa
ntal and ia relations constantly ncucated by go
vernIhent likewise. The empire the family, of which
the Talowang TIE the head ruling such and such
regarded with religious veneration The organization
OIL the government IL as complete ana perfect as lar as
regards the details of law and its administration, that
of any in Europe. II is detailed in a work called Ia
Using Heumg Teen, Collection of the Ia Using Sta.
tutes This organization consists of
lst-The Sovereign
2d-The Ming Ko, or Cabinet Council composed of
four principal and assistant ministers who are one
half TaTtaIs and one half Chinese To assist these in
this he highest function OF government there are OF
course many subordinate officers
Bird Kwang-ke Chu, literally council of the ar.
my" but in fact performing the functions of general
council OF government, the principle to all
the Tartar people, OF considering the nation camp
This numerous body of high officers Of state anaa.
gous to the British Privy Council in character and func
tons consisting half Chinese and half of Nlanchus
Tine council is also aided by great number of inferior
4th-The six Huh-Pu, Supreme Boards for the ad-
mnisration OF China Proper viX; l. Board of Civil Office
| appointments ,, OF Revenue g. OF Rites ; OF
| more properly, Public instruction a. of War s. OF
Punishnents. 8, of Public Works These Boards are all
constituted, in the OF the Cabinet and General
Councils, OF half Manchus half Chnese their functions
sufficiently denoted by their titles OF designations
5th-The Ii Fan Yuen, separate Board for the adm.
nstraon oil the Mongsl and other Tartars, composed
wholly OF Tartars.
6th-The Twocha-yuen, or Censorate for the gene.
raj censorship and inspection OF public affairs, with
duties OF police.
7th-The Tung-ching.sze and Tale.sze which are in
the nature OF high courts Of appeal.
sth.-The Hanlin yuen, or Imperial Academy, which
branch OF the political administration and in the
mnaon and presentation of candidates office eXer.
| cises important functions in the government
9th.-The government and other local officers of the
| twentyone provinces OF the Manchus and of China
l0h.-The Hans, commonly called by us Khans that
| is the Chiefs OF the various tribes of Tartars.
llth-The army, composed of the troops of the En-.
tiers the garsoning OF the forresses the maintain
ing the authority of the Emperor especially in China
Proper where the great military officers and large pro.
| portion of the troops TaTtars.
Such is the political machinery of the Empire Let US
leyO To ot,np
There is however, curious fact which should be here
mentioned and that the expedient adopted by the Tar
tar dynasty on its accession, to its power
The Chinese officers were permitted to remain before
hut Tartar placed in Off for every Chinese and
! and thus the supremacy was insured. The o.
the sovereign power illustrated by the fact that
mage to the sovereign Is religious we'll political
act II consists IN three successive prostrations tu
length at each prostration touching ground thre
times with the forehead This is the Tartar ceremony.
| European embassies have failed. 1t is a ceremony
the same in substance which in China sees
temples at the shrnes and affairs of their religion and
the tombs of their ancestors The submission of
subject to his prince OF the child to his parent that
ii men to demgod; and the Chinese are mbued with
this sentiment from infancy to the grave, not merely by
he punishmens inflicted on them for disobedence to
r dsrespecuul treatment OF their parents but also ia
the only universal religious worship Of China-that OF
| deceased parents and ancestors. The functions of go.
vernmen are professedly and to great degree truth
bestowed upon merit, intellectual and moral All the
lces open to all men; there hereditary rulers
and leg ators, as in Europe; uar rank is, indie ed,
possessed by few families chiefly among the Tartars
nut it is unaccompaned by power Learning and virtue
things held in the highest estimation Scholars
constitute the first rank i'll the empire, and intelec
tual and moral qualities and acquisitions ascerained
public examinations are the established road TO distnc
ton OF all kinds. These examinations open TO all
the poor and the humble we'll as the rich and the
titled; they are conducted by the government and those
candidates who prove themselves the most merotious
are selected for appointments to the Offices
the first or the lowest degree They attain promotion
gradually through time and merit just officers in
The army and navy; and guilty OF improper conduct,
| are degraded sometimes through or more some
1 tnng all
but again recover their position by deserving
| again To comprehend this fully, suppose that in our
navy captain who had incurred punishment, instead
being suspended deprived of pay for term OF years
should be degraded to the rank of lieutenant Of MD
shipman witn however, the right to work himself up
if he by merit, to his former rank This is the uni.
versa system of government in China. The rank
OF ocerS IS denoted by their costume and more espe
caly oy knob worn on the top OF the hat, rather
cap. The rank called Mandarin by us is unknown in
China, ana Is purely a port word The general term
among the Chinese is public officers Public opinion is
regarded habitualy by the government of China as
much as in Great Britain the United States and all
public questions as much argued by the people
Newspapers abound, and it is frequent TO observe nand.
bills posted the walls containing elaborate discus
SONS and deences OF important public They
nave their redbook, exhibiting, like our blue book a
list OF all the public officers and the Tungching.sze
branch the government specially appropriated to the
reception of complaints anst officers the part of the
people. Besides all this there periodical addresses
made to the people by the sovereign incucang moral
well as political duties, and OF the monarchs have
been voluminous and successful authors. Further
guard against evil the part OF the rulers the 1oo-chse
yten, or censorate is bound to watch and reprove, if
need he, the sovereign as well as all others
thority One feature in the policy of the country
Is the great annual agricultural ceremony at which
the Emperor takes the plough in the presence Of the
assembled myriaas of people and great officers OF state
ana army-to testify his respect for agriculture the
primary art of human life and the true foundation
oil the opnlence and power OF the empire. The wri
ungs oil Conucius upon religion. &c, consisting
chiefly, however of moral and political preceps,
universally read by all scholars and expounded those
unable to read, and they have had think,
influence in China than the Bible in Christendum
Herein we may efficient OF the stability
aud subordnation which chacteriz, the social organ
zation OF the empire. The Chinese literature is very
copous. They publish much and a. cheap rate
as in the United States. All read and lite,
hey ond what find to be the ia Europe that is
there are very many more out of every thousand
IN Europe, VINO cannot read aud write than in China
The language is wholly peculiar. Originally in part
herogly pho by Infringement the picture aracer OF