The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-05-17
/ evolution In China.

distng ushed writer Justly observed OF China that iii
may almost be said TO have no history, for bias so few
revolutions record that It's annals Use in but small
degree above the limits OF chronology Al long inter
walls, however this political monoony is interrupted by the
occurrence Of rebellion and change Of dynasty As lar
as the world of outside baIbarans is informed polli-
cal convuson has shaken the Celestial Empire since the
Tartar conquest, and the establishment Of the Mongul
dynasty in 1864, by the famous Kubai-khun But
within the last twelve months vague rumors of the prog
ress and ravages Of rebellion in the southern provinces
of China have reached this couny-witbout exciting,
how ever any special interest By the last advces from
the East we learn that this rebellion has made such
headwsy and gathered such force in lis progress, that in
all probability The reigning monarch will be unable TO
ares, il. Napkin has already fallen into the hands OF
the rebels, and Shanghai is threatened.
No satisfactory account OF The origin or aim OF the
rebellion has vel been given except the vague allegation
OF discomfort with the existing order OF things This OF
itself, is most significant fact. That the desire OF
change and the impulse OF political social reform
should disturb the profound repose in which the vast
popu alton OF China have sumbered for centuries,
circumstance which foreshadows consequences OF great
momen, to the civilization Of he age.
In their habits, customs, and social economy, the
Chinese are not very different from h cir ancestors OF
thousand yeats ago. Before the discovery OF America
and while Europe enveloped in the darkness OF
diava barbarsm the and popuous empire OF China
was enjoying many OF the comforts and refnemens OF
civilization. The art OF printing. the manufacture OF
paper. and the composition OF gunpowder, were familiar
TO The Chinese long before The birth OF Roger Bacon
John Guttesberg The grea, wall, one OF the wonders
OF the world built before the Christian and
the canal Of Yn-ho, hundred miles in length and
two hundred fee, WIDE constructed about fourteen
hundred years after Christ Conucius osrshed before
the birth OF Grecian philosophy. AT very early period
the Chinese bad carried husbandry and the ART of
featuring TO great perfection Literature cultivated
with splendid success no ars,ocfacy was known but
that Of superior learning, and every class OF the people
enjoyed The advantages OF education But Chinese cyi
cation knew no PROCESS The jealousy Of government
and the presdices Of the people shunk from all contact
with the world They imagined that they bad attained
the very summit OF knowledge that every step forward
was descent and every change but nutsiion OF per-
lection staguau reservoir, fed by living stream. is
a ht type Of Chinsss civilization competent, writer
says: "The Chinese are nation of ncurabe
lives They the very transcript, OF the ancient world
living in the presen, day; they the costume,
cisey in The same way and they exist to all inten,s and
purposes in the same social and intellectual condition
their foreathers did two thousand years ago This uni
ormy may be almos, sad 10 have been ordained BY Ma
,ure; for il is remarkable fact that the Chinese are so
much like each other in personal appearance that II Is
difficult for European TO distinguish between them"
Now, whatever may be the ultimate issue of the re-
beon in China the fac, OF s partial success, and the
impression il has made upon the empire, indicate an
awakened energy. a restlessness, and disposition TO
change, which foresbadow era in the Celestial En-
pre There fingers still spark Of vitality in that motion
less and torpid body, and il is no, altogether nsensbe
TO the touch Of external influence. The sun OF Christian
civilization having completed lie circle round the globe.
returns pcchance TO accomplish s greatest achievements
on the theatre OF its earliest trumphs The civilizations
of The Old and the New World me, the shores OF the
Pacific and il may be that by contact with the energy OF
young America the most ancient empire OF Asa may be
awakened from the lebargic sIumber OF centuries.
We have no sufficient data upon which to construct
accurate estimate Of the wealth of the Chinese empire,
but that its far surpass those OF every other
nation is evident from the statistics with which VIC
furnished by The imperfect researches Of travellers The
embassy OF Lord Mccartney from England brought back
the first Information respecting the Chinese
pire territory OF more than FIVE millions Of square
miles, four thousand walled cities, population OF three
hundred and fifty millions. army Of nearly two mil
lions OF soldiers, fleet of thousand sail. and
nual revenue OF two million. Of dollars are some OF the
evidences of Its inmeasurable wealth. Among The pro
duehon. II it, coil every OF which the highest
state Of cultivation. nearly all The richest Of
Ierngs Of The vegetable and mineral kingdoms rs mana
fsoues especially OF porcelain and silk are unsurpass