The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1853-07-08

gone much nearer to the truth; for they have |
neither invented nor discovered single new |
passion, a single sentiment, which does not /
belong to the rest of the species; and 1t 'sl
only in this way Chinese life may be explain
ed and understood. In reality, the Chinese
are men like ourselves, and their history does
not differ essentially from ours. We are ac-
customed to regard them as great nation,
which for centuries, and even before our his
torical epoch, lived in the midst of regular
unity, most harmoniously constituted; but
this is scarcely true. That there is prin-
cipe of unity with them is incontestable;
but am not sure it there exists SO much
real difference between an Andausian and a
Finlander, or ID itchman and an Austrian,
as the most superficial observer may remark
between an inhabtant of Fokien and one of
Pechei, between the Manchous shepherd and
the Yurnan mountaineer.
Enclosed on all sides between impractic-
able deserts and seas which none but Eu-
ropeun genius could master, they at last sue
cceded in uniting themselves under the same
order of'cvlization and the same sceptre;
but 10 attain this how many centuries Of dis
cord, anarchy, intestine wars and revolutions
had they not to traverse! And yet nature
! seemed to have taken pride to defend so well
all access to their territory that they should
be free to labor, without being disturbed from
abroad, at the great work of their constitu-
ton; and yet they were so unskilful laborers
as to have been twice conquered since the
time their annals wear the character of his
torca certainty--in the 18th century by the
Mongols and in the 18th by the Manchous.
The docilty with which they submitted to
the yoke of conquerors who represented n
minority which was quite imperceptible,
would prove, were proof necessary, that they
have not the horror of foreigners so frequent
ly advanced as one of the principles of their
moral existence. That which proves this still
clearer is that they have undergone the re-
| ligous conquest of the Hindoos, have accept
cd u religion which came to them entirely
from abroad, which was imposed on them
simply by persuasion, and that for thousand
years the immense majority of them have
been converted and have remained faithful to
Buddhism; which further demonstrates that
they, no more than other men, are Indifferent
to religious feelings, however coarse an OBJ
ect may be the form religion may have taken
with them.
The Chinese are Asiatcs, not only by their
geographical position, but also by their char
acter, their habits and manners, their frame
Of mind. know only one point by which
they distinguish themselves from the other
nations of their continent, and Oet it be said
to their honor) this is by virtue-by labor.
Is it an especial favor Of Providence to them !!
Is it the result of tn, climate and the physical
conditions in which they are developed! In
habitants of a country situated at the foot of
the greatest chains of mountains on the globe,
and furrowed by nearly all the waters which
escape IRON the snowy submits of The Him.
malaya mountains, and the frozen table lands
of Thbet and of central Asia, they have been
able to conquer their territory from tho ocean
and from these rivers only by the aid of
gigantic works, which have cost them the
greater pains and efforts, as they are not very
sklful engineers. Condemned TO this labor
OF incessant patience, which makes their
country resemble in more than one respect
Especially the district lying south OF the
Hoand-Ho) another Holland, but a hundred
times larger, is it in pursuing this eternal, this
duly work that they acquired those laborous
habits which distinguish them above the peo-
pie OF Asia! 1t is 80 possibly. Be this as it
may, we cannot call too earnestly the readers
attention upon this disposition of territory
which is more watercd than any other of the
world, intersected in every direction by canals
or water courses, which are SO numerous that
all transportation in China is effected by
means of boats, which will allow squadron
OF steamboats, to penetrate every way to per-
form police duty, and upon this characteris-
tic virtue of the Chinese, which makes of
them the race the most enduring of labor
that exists perhaps in the world. | know
very well that the European aborer, more
polished, better cultivated, aided in his labor
by instruments ofan incompatible superiority,
mayin given number OF hours produce more
than Chinese; but am not so sure if he
can give without becoming worthless, or per-
haps succombng, the sumo number Of hours
OF fatigue the Chinese furnish daily, and the
latter knows no Sunday. No matter at what
hour of the night walked about the Chinese
towns visited, have never failed to be
struck with the number OF workshops which
pie saw in their shops or in their houses,
prolonging their vigils until the latest hour,
or anticipating the day in the middle of the
night. 1t is not in China they :hink of ma
king laws regulating the number of work.
hours in manufactures, and upon the obser-
vance of one day of rest during the week.
Another thing which ali foreigners have OBJ
served, is, that in his preserving, obstinate
labor the Chinese always maintains a sercni-
ty Of mind and calmness which is really
The European laborer (and es-
pecally the English laborer) often works at
his task with passion which contracts his
,hysiogomy, and indicates violent and pain
ul condition, not only Of his muscles and
members, but of his mind also. The Chinese
s,always gay and in good humor, He does
lot believe, he never believed, that labor was
imposed on him as an expiation.
In all OF er regards the Chinese are like all
ther Asiatics. Like them, they are fond of
urding their discourses with the finest moral