Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1853-09-17
Later from the Chinese.

SHANGHAI, China, May 81, 1853.
Mn. EDITOR -
In my last communication
] gave you an account OF the reyolu'
tionary party which started some
weeks since in tho southern part OIL
China, but was then in possession Of
Marking. Since that time the Brit
ish steamer Hcrmes, with Sir George
Bonham and suite, has been up to
Marking to learn something definite
concerning this revolutionary party,
as only partial and unsatisfactory ac'
counts could be obtained on the coast.
1t will doubtless DO gratifying to the
Christian world to learn that they
found these people worshipping the
true God, though they are not, as
might naturally be expected, Invested
of all their errors. Suffice it to say,
however, they have dailyprayers, ask
q blessing before meals, take the ten
commandments as their moral code,
are rigid teetotalers, prohibiting smo-
king as well as drinking spirits. and
punish adultery with death. They
have discarded all necromancy, and
cxpungcl ,helncky and unlucky days
from their calendar as useless trash.
They seek light from higher source,
as their Chief, whose real name is
Hung scw.tscucn, processes to have
occasional communications from henv-
en-. 1t is but justice to him to state,
however, that he claims no right to
alter or ahrilge the Scriptures; but
seems to hold them up as the rule OF
fui,h and practice for his followers
They seem fully persuaded that they
ere specially called to overthrow idol,
airy, with the corrupt government
now in existence. and to establish q
Christian government in the land
They profess friendship for foreign.
ers, and speak Of tho whole human
family as ono brotherhood. In the
event Of their coming to Shanghai,
they say they will give the foreigners
three days notice in order that they
may protect themselves against rob.
bers, &c. Commodore Perry relies
so much on their good faith, tina. as
soon as tho Hermes returned, he star.
ted of on the Japan expedition, leav'
ing only tho Plymouth to protect the
Americans in case Of danger. This
the Americans protested against, bu'
to no purpose. The people do moi
fear tho army SO much rs the plum.
dorers and banditti that always prowl
about at such times. especially in hea'
then countries. But to the point
The rcvolutionists are now in posses
sion of Marking, Chin-kiang and the
town opposite chin'kiang, where the
Grand Canal enters the Yangtz-ki-
ang on the northern side. Thus they
have perfect command Of the grea,
thoroughfarc to Peking. These plu'
ccs they are strongly terrifying, while
the government makes but feeble
resistance. The chief Mandarin al
Shanghai has bought some foreign
vessels, and hired foreigners to take
charge of them. These he has SEM
up the river, and they have made sew.
eral attacks on Chin.kians; but with
out any effect, as they were not sup
ported by land force.
If any of these foreign hirelings
should fall into the hands Of the ROY.
dictionary party, they will fare rather
badly presume, and meet with little
sympathy here.
After tho return Of tho Hcrmcs
the Rev. Mr.. Taylor, Of the Metho'
dist Mission, embraced the opportu
nifty to so up the river in ship.pro'
visioner's boat, which was sent up to
carry articles to the foreign vessels If
the Chinese employ. He wentas fa'
as Silver Island, two miles below
Chin-kiang. and could get no further
rs the boatmen became alarmed q
their proximity to the enemy. He al
SO might have been in danger, rs he
came directly from tho foreign feot
and the rcvolutionists might very nal,
urally conclude tina, he was spy
At Silver Island ho found the magnif
icen, temples empty. Tho gods hai
been cas-, down, broken to pieces
troddon in tho mud, aud many of then