Wisconsin herald, and Grant County advertiser. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1844-1845, 1845-11-22


likely to instruct as well as amuse our
readers, than the following sketch of
an address delivered lately in New
York, by Mr. Webster, son of old
Daniel; who, it will be remembered
went out to China with Mr.. Gushing,
in the capacity of secretary Of lega-
ton:
From the New York Tribune.
i The Address consists principally of
facts and incidents which fell under Mr..
Wcbster's personal observation while
on his recent official visit to the Celes-
tial Empire. Mr.. w. began his adj
dress by a few words relative to the
mission to China from our Government
its purposes, history, effects, &c.
&c.-and then passed to a notice of
The island of Macao, the first place
which the wanderer to China falls in
with. Macao is small, rocky pro-
montory about 90 miles south of Can
ton and connected with the low sandy
island of Honan. Macao somewhat
resembles Nahant 1t is an ancient
Portuguese settlement and contains
about 10000 inhabitants. Portuguese
and Chinese. The former have three
forts on the island, and on the North
ern end is a cave in which it is said
that Comoens, the great Portuguese
poet, wrote his grand Epic, The La,
siad. A wooden monument and lead
en- images disgrace the spot. On the
South end are several Chinese temples
fantasticalIy built and filled with idols,
affairs. and other emblems Of their reli-
gion-every thing, the idols particu,
larly, very pleasantly ornamented with
gold leaf and tinsel. In China there
are three sorts of rcligion--that of Con
fucus for the learned and liberal clas-
SEES; the religion of Lansa, 1--WE didn't
catch this name very distinctly and
haven't time to test the correctness oil
our spelling.) for the middle class, and
Buddhism for the poor. The Empe-
ror is an hereditary Buddhist but is also
afolower Of Confucius. There is nopro-
hibition Of religion in China, nor any
established State religion. Not even
the Christian religion would have been
prescribed had it not been for the quar-
rels amongthe early missionaries them
selves, who after much pickering had
had called in the authority of the Pope
to settle the matter. This interior
ence of foreign potentate in the at
fairs of his Kingdom aroused the deep
est indignation of the Emperor, and its
immediate result was the prohibition
Of the Christian religion, under pain OF
death, throughout his vast empire
Mr.. w. then proceeded to institute a
comparison between the Catholic reli-
gion and the Buddhism Of the lower or
dcrs of the Chinese. Both had their
idols, images, worship and prayer TO
saints. gifts, &C.; both burn incense;
the priests shave their head, &c. &c.
The Chinese, however, are constantly
asking their gods and saints for the
most trivial things, and do not pretend
to perform any act Of the least impor-
lance without invoking their aid and
protection. In every house is an inn
age of the God of Longevity; and he
is faithfully and devoutedly worship
ed, too. The Chinese Pantheon is
pretty extensive. Mr.. w. counted in
a single temple theimages of GO deities.
The Chinese are deplorably ignorant on
religious subjects, and Mr.. w. related
having coaversed with one of the low
er class, or Buddhists, who had never
before heard of such thing as future
state of existence. The personal APP
pearance of the Chinese is just such as
we see them pictured; and when
stranger sees them for the first time
strutting and waddling about with their
long tail or queue dangling from the
centre of their shining polls. his first
and almost irresistible impulse is to
catch hold of these tails and pull their
owners over. Mr.. w. gave very
amusing account of an interview be-
tween his party and four Chinese dig
nitaries who brought letter from the
Emperor to the Embassy. The cere-
monies were peculiar. First, the par
ties met with their hats on (this being
the sign ofhonor there;) then the Chi
nese shook their own hands nj their
friends, which was another distinguish
cd marx of politeness. Then the guests,
who were seated according to Chinese
etiquette on the ketf Of their hosts. WISH