Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-11-20

ror indignant at this presumption forbid to all his
subjects the profession Of Christianity under the
penalty of death. His anger did not subsde, nor
were its effects removed until the conclusion of
treaties by the Americans and the French BY the
18th article of the treaty with this country we are
allowed to build hospitals, ccmetries and churches,
in each of the five free ports. And without any
breach of confidence, it may, and in justice to
! Uhnng with whom our negotiation on this point
was carried on it should be stated that he consent
ed to this stipulation with the utmost readiness. and
out of respect to DIR. Parker with whose aid the |
negotiation was carried forward and who is highly |
and very Justly esteemed by the Chinese
The Boodhist is the religion Of the lowest class
"A class which requires something to strike the
senses, which is not capable of arising to abstract
notions of the Divinity but which must have WISH
Bile and tangible objects OF worship. Their tenn
pies, like the Catholic churches in Macao, have
decorations, pictures, &c. They worship the Nr- |
gin mother-make prayers for the dead, have nuns
and monks and petitions for every thing from de-
iverance Of their friends from purgatory, to a
handsome wife or a rich and worthy husband
Besides, every shop has an idol Of the god Of
wealth. and every house has god of longevity, TO
which devout and daily prayers are offered. Most
Of them are utterly ignorant Of the existence even
Of future state; but they receive instruction
gladly.
In the streets, the Chinese appear just as they
are depicted. They walked with a swagger, and
their long tails present an almost irresistible
temptation to sleze and pull them over. While the
legation were amusing themselves with looking
about town it was announced that they were about
to be visited by four high officers of Canton. Eve
ry thing was prepared for their reception. On the
day appointed terrible discord was heard two
Iill-lookng fellows with wire caps, one with whip
and the other with an axe, were seen leading the
procession. These were eXecutoners, who always
accompany high officers Then came some twenty
dirty, ragged soldiers next men on wretched pO-
neys then a band OF music and finally the sedan
chairs, on which were borne four large, hne-ook
ing persons who proved to be the officers. They
entered with their caps on shook their hands at us,
and the chief presented the letter. 1t was read by
the Interpreter; and after short silence they
commenced the conversation by asking our names.
Informed upon this point, they next asked our
ages.
Luncheon was soon announced, and we entered
the dining room. Each was provided with chop
stick. Our guests ate but little, but they evincod
a wondrous fondness for those barbarian drinks
champagne and cherry bounce They spoke in
an dstonishingly loud tone Of voice,-easily heard
in the street, as each was required by cti-
quette upon every toast TO empty his glass, they
soon became as elevated as their voices. Cvilites
were exchanged with the greatest urbanty 1t is
the fashion for each to help himself; the very
highest mark of regard is for one to seize a rnorse
with his own chopstick and thrust it down the
throat of the friend whom he desires most es-
pecially TO honor AS they are by no means nice
in their eating, this would gladly have excused :;
Y but there was no escape, and all that left us
d was retaliation, which we accordingly practsed.-
o After an hours entertainment we retired to the We
f randall; and here we were favored with more of
their delicate attentions, for they began to examine
our apparel, piece by piece and with the utmost Gu
rlosity. As Dr. Parker informed us that this the
very acme Of politcncss submitted and recipro-
f Gated with all due diligence After two hours of
= this intellectual converse our guests retired.
Adv. nj nt,I it,-tr iptCr
/ course with the Chinese, is of course impossible.
# They are the reverse Of us in everything They
are ignorant Of everything that we know, and they
e desire no information which we possess. Our Min
lister resolved TO acquire the Manchou Tartar the
0 language Of the Court; and Mr. W. was despatch
h ed 10 Canton for a Tartar a teacher. The voy-
. age is pleasant-made in boats kept and hired for
the purpose, and very prcttly furnished and man
d AGED with the greatest deXterity. Smaller boats,
by which the others, which cannot approach the
n land, are reached, are constantly kept by women
: who thus obtain living, and who pass their lives
on board.
l. These boats are very numerous and of all sizes
0 many of them fitted up to appear like i'm
mense blocks of houses flo ting on the water
a Shops of all kinds are kept in lhem and thus at
l. least 100000 persons obtain living-born upon
the water, living there all their lives and finally
e dying on board their boats About 30 miles above
- Macao is the mouth Of the river. Forts stand or
= :.
h These forts look formidable, but soon seen tc
80 be quite useless They simply walls. open al
it the top, and not placed upon the summit Of the hill
N SO that they are easily commanded from the top
= They have numerous port holes, as large each o
II them as barn door and guns at all mounted
Of The population of China Is very varousy est
to mated. The Chinese accounts have not been re
to ceVed correct, and Mr.. Webster said he coult
IN not but think injustice had been done them. The
I'd have every means Of osccrtanng the actual popu
re lation; and when VIC compare the asserted popua
err ton Of that Empire, with that of Western nations
Sc there can be good reason for Withholding credi
a from them. France, for instance, with a surface O
ed 100000 square miles, has 300O0,000 of people,
We $50 to each square mile Her soil, climate, &c
are no more favorable than those Of China nor ar
her people more industrious, frugal or temperate
Is China proper is fertile and as well cultivated a
en- France. Its southern portion produces two crop
ST. year; and it was well tllled when Cesar con
nd quered Gaul, as now. Her people are the most in
TO- dustrious and frugal in the world. For 200 year
they have not heard Of war; marriage is encoura
ire ged, and emigration is strictly prohibited.
we China proper Is thus capable of maintaining
ro- population eight times that of France In Chimes
lp- Tartary, the people are mo nomadic and are
Ct course comparatively sparse. Suppose then thu
he this part Is peopled two-thrs densoly as Russ
pot which has 20 10 the square mile Ii China prop,
is as dense France, it would have 24000O00(
the and Chinese rartary 20 millions more, making3 &c
Pc OOOOuO III all VT giving 10 al hllke uenS
co. onethlrd that of France, the population would e.
OF coed 250000000. These accounts are very lorg
,ed and seem almost incredible but when the facts
in the case, and the the government has Of
al curing information are considered, they will n
IN. be deemed beyond belief.
eat Canton is built upon low ground; hills are {
&C. the east and Tartar station commands the cit
use The population is yarlously reported from 5000
ere to a million. The streets are seldom over eig
ess feet wide, and the houses are low and dark #
hard to distinguish the city proper from the subur
eli and so closely are the walls interviewer with Il
The dwellings that they scarcely be recognised
- The factories for the foreign merchants are on i
adj banks Of the river, and are much the finest bull
ec- lngs, except the temples, that meet the eye
hist Mr.. Webster said that he found Tartar,-n
lss- a natiYe, but Chinese scholar.-and secnred