The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1845-11-25
EXTRACTS FROM MIR. F. WEB
STEERS LECTURE ON CHINA.
As Ttp0Ileu J0T THl " II O07E'' 10 > S0'F
Adre.iiSer.J

STEERS LEU IbkE YIN Ctil4NA-
las reported for the n Y Courier s Com
Adre.iiSer.D
The government of China is. patriarchnl
n pure, unalloyed dcSpotism. tThe Car
Of Russia is less absolute than the Chinese
Emperor. The soil OF all China is his: the
lives property and honor OF the people are
i, his hands i he is TO them the Sun oil Heav-
rn-the source OF law and religion, and Is in
vested with every attribute oil power and SOW
ereipnty. The Empire is divided into prov
inces; each province into districts, and the
districts into Towns. villages and hundreds.
Each officer OF each division is responsible 10
his immcdiate superior. Grimes or accidents
are punished moi OILY upon those by whom
they are committed, but those also BY whom
they should have been prevented.
In any serious disturbance in town the
authorities of the district and the province III
which il is situated are punished IN various
d,:r,ces Families are held responsible Tor
the behaviour of aCh member OF Them. IL
SEEMS TO us cruel 10 punish family tor The
O fence of one or 10 r;Ivage Il district l0r
crime of some OF lis Inhabitants. But the
theory is that all the members OF the empire
a-. bound To preserve order and peace. and
are responsible for lis illraction; us lii Eng
Land and this country, where 10 vns are hell
Iithl. for property destroyed by mobs And
- China this theory is never allowed TO be-
anne deadleiier an harsh us ii may seem,
IL cannot be denied HAT experience has prov
ed il of wonderful ctiiracy in the prescrva
ton ofquiet and tranquility.
Mr. Webster related one incident 10 lllus-
iri;e lis operation. In passing through
d .nse crowd. in the night, an American was
robbed of his watch. OF course ii was i'm
po;sihie to identity The offender, but he made
his complaint to the Mandarins, who told linn
that in three DAYS his watch should be return
ell THAT very day all the police officers oil
CANON one OF two hundred in number, were
arrested: ana ono of them was brought he
fore the Mandarin and told that all he resi
would be kept in close confinement, until the
witch should be returned. Each OF these
o.icers had l,l.niiy dependant upon HIM Tor
s Ipport Each had numerous friends inter.
C .tcd in his wcliire and each OF these h.Id
other friends whom they could easily e2!lSt
il his behalf The whole population oil Can
TN was thus converted into police force
Every man, woman, and child, became Il
tliei-taker; and the result was that on The
third day the watch was found in an obscure
hat. twenty miles from Canton and lurIh-
WIN TeSiOTtu 10 llS OHiiti- al hh''iiN' ~
stance where silver coin had been stolen in a
household, all the servants were seized and
bamhooed until one confessed the theft.
The membcIs ofihe legation. on their ar
rival al Macao, were warned against burg
t,rs. These strip themselves, oil their per
spns, and put sharp knives in their hair. the
only part by which they can be seized, so as
t. cuI the fingers of any one attempting 10 ar
rest them. They never enter dark room,
thus reversing the practise OF their profession
il Ibis and other countries.
But everything must he reversed there
Tie Chinese do nothing us we do. Their
ni -hl is our day their West our East; two
friends when they meet shake their own
hands at each oIher,-a safe pTartice, GER
iI.n!v. whore, as in China, cuancous dlsea-
Sc, are common; their mourning dress is
white; their Compass points 10 the South ;
rhry put their saucers on the tops OF their
Guns: tLev are certain that The sun goes
Yr;nd the earth, aad they hnOp that the
earth lie fat aul square. Pa,:'iiS are reward
ei for the Writings Of their cliiJrGn; and IN
deed they have every lining peculiar OF Hem
scvra. And of Iurse the habits of thcir
There's must be pccii!i.ir also.
One OF the gentlemen of the legation fell
as,cep. leaving the iniuw OF his bed room
oncn. Two burglars. by The aid OF a bam-
boo scaled the window. looked in and seeing
!he gentleman WAS fast asleep, stepped with
OIL, noise into the chamber. secured his load
eI pistol and drawn sword. and while one
probably closely wa;.hcd him, The ohcr strip
pei the room and dccampcd. In the morn
ing there WAS great excitement, and had Tho
gentlemen been willing IN punirh the limo
cent with the guilty he might lruhi!css ha,,
recovered the whole oflhc property. IL
preferred, however the opposite course, an'
The matter WAS allowed to pass over.
Where n foreigner takes house. said Mr.
Webster, some one presents himself lis slrw
ard. or comprr,lor. generally n person of snuI
property, who oilers security Tor his ahhIi,
and honor.
He is hired Al so much month, or under
takes his dnies for 4 commission on all h.
purchases, and rnp ,itum Tor each servant
He has charge of every thing in any va,
connected with the domestic affairs of III
household lie hires all The servants, is re
srnnsiblc for them all. holds al the keys, an
relieves The owner al every possible care.
any thing is lost or stolen he must replace II
and he in turn hnl Is all his underlinGs re
spnrsibe 10 him. lfany thing is desiroyc
bv lhat-wiih us-si m<c.IicvOus person, y,
I1dy. the servants must combine 10 make
IN; ami in The case Of theft already mention
ri. had the loser ri HE cnods followed il ~
he steward would lave been responsible Il
the caadnct Of The .v.Iichmnn and prnbabl
n,i ,l,. scrrans would have been bnmhoor,
By this system one great pniht always ain
ell at By Legislators, is secured ;-namrly ii
certainly ol PUNISHMENT lnr every crime
Some o ne is sure To l,c held responsible. A
rain i. proporiioncd 10 The evaporation: So
nnnishme,:t 20 crime; and il China. punis
incnt, like rain alsn falls upoa the just an ii
ua.ust-
M[RADEAU'S EULOGY ON FRAME
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