The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-07-03
Our China correspondence.
ON BoARD STEAMSHIP FIERY Cross,
U~pow CNc ApopE tn CALCUTTA Feb. "a. 1880

The Philosophy Of Chinese History-fae Lessons Witch %
Taehes- Secret Political Societies IN the Celestial Empire
Their Objects aud hauenceThe War Of Ggoat Britain 10th
C1aa-Hs Benefits ne Commerce Of The Worat-Origin AZ
De Present Reeuiop-hs True Causes Erplliaed-Chrts
aaay No M Maiaspring Enormously Srppased-Coot-
rarsoa he Roaih and Protestant Miotaries-Re-
sembanee teSeen e Romtsh and Buddhist Forms 81 Worship
Extraordinary Syead Education among he Ches Popa-
Z latioa-Nationdl Characteristics &C. g.
Four hundred millions of human beings, whose ances-
trail history shows civilization before the Western world
whose wonderful country reaches some three thousand
miles from north TO south, and two thousand miles ffoi
east west covering the broad eypanse Of some five or
six millions Of square miles, of mountains ranges and
fertile valleys, lakes and rivers-thc immensely Of which
Of astoDishmcnt to all who make the inquiry
whose religion Is older than the Pope or the ProestantS
Bible coming down from ages before Buddha, the tradi
tonary prince whs knew every language whose virgin
wife possessed thirtytwo virtues and lived thousand
years before Sayours time, though Confucus, thaa
wonderful scholar morast and divine whose Light COM
menced shine six centuries before the Christian
era and whose doctrines have found their way into moro
temples households and hearts than any other sage or
imposor that wrote composition, not forgetting
Aahome (whose strange birth, life and DEATH bril-
liant author Of the Hudson has invested with addionas
interes) and licncino, young when Coniucus
getting gray also had received his share Of posthum0u
fame-whose strange habits manners are taught the
rising generation Of the West their earliest session at
school-whose enormous productions Of teas and silks
porcelain and Of ivory Of cotton of RICE artce
of and luxury, than sufficient for their
own wants have done much Of late years-hc former
two particuarly-for Anglo Saxon and European
merce-I say that such wonderful race equal to nearly
one half the population Of the world, governed by ono
head and governed far better than modern nations
scattered over country whose magnificent public works
startle the beholder into admiration for their very mag
tudc creates surprise Such people and such country
may well the subject Of the deepest contemplation
The fact Of ones having been at the outer gate OF
such an immense Emprc-termed, in the fowery Ian
guage Of the people, that of the Ten Thousand Kingdoms
and II the Four Seas under the Hcavens'-of having
lived and moved even for a short time, with them and
among them, and visited some Of their chief sea coasts
Cities food for much reflection. The geogr aphica pic
book Of the primary school makes familiar with
the mammoth border wall, twenty centuries old
which, however, no more credit 70 the Chinese con-
queror Of the border than the grand canalha
LIBERATED work made by millions OF men, and costing
millions Of dollars-the great national highway Of the
Middle Kingdom, credabe TO its originator and the
Mongol monarch who completed it, Each asonsh, both
captvate the mind, for their very grcatoess. thou
sand ears ago ancestors, before Alfred, could
boast such civilization the natives Of Asac China
Even in the thirteenth century feuda England and en-
ghtened Europe laughed at the glarng statements OF
the great merchan, and navigator, Marco Polo when he
returned from his long residence in the imperial DOM
mons; and later the same wise men would nos
give credence TO the wild stories OF the sailor con OF tho
This was an important time the history Of the nation,
for was about the commencement Of the Ming dynasty,
which for three centuresfrom 1868 TO lJi4-cnrched
the Empire with those great walls massive and so
strong and canals whore utility Is still acknowcgeds
works which have been SO instrumcntaI in Developing
the prolific resources Of the Kingdom Pagodas on the
hin SIDE towering over forest trees, and more often
the mountains summit; temples Of rich and elaborate
workmanship, and Buddhist nonasteres that "" Of long
years Of patient tolal were constructed during this
reign.
But is a mistake TO imagine that politically, during
nrst has sigpay been CONFUSED with Internal rcyolu-
ton. Between the years 1s2o (says Hue in. his in
ierespr Of his through the heart Of the En-
pirc) when Gaul entered By the Franks and l64s
The year OF the Tai conquest the age OF The Fourteenth
wars and ambitious statesmen changed ihc reigning
dynasty fifteen separate times but France all the while
Before the war western nations knew bat little and cared
ess What took place from day 70 day, and hence feSs
thought Of the fearful political Storm dnrng me perioS
country hut In lt44 the boldness and skil of the
madic tribesahough the odds we're so mach against
temgave the Tartars China for they crossed the walls,
onquored the celestial ory, with the help mcst likely,
OF seine Of s own officers took the country and made
fekin Of the chief cities Of the pacc-afes Nankin
the capital Of the Empire. This age Il commerce.
and Of change England was hard at work n India
Holland overrunnng the native princes OF the ISLAND
Archipelago; the Portuguese &, ting fothold In
Macao the Spanish were introducing Their iron rule to
the ISLANDERS the Philippines; and the Pilgrims fur
Their, slowly driving the aboriginal American fur
her inland; while Tartary conquering China rhey
succeeded and the long tail and shaven head which The
ChIaman fond or Il only badge OF scrv
tud,-,he emblem Of the Nanichow monarch 10 show
In is4s the Tartars overthrow the existing monarch,
and in spite Of all orpo.uon. Empcrors have died. ane
their have allied Their places, cab nets have
faded away and been replaced again; revolutions have
been made and rebel leaders executed and the Man
ehowe sti hold the rein Of government, Even the late
king TOu Kwang In 1850, laid IN bis omega grave
and the present boy emperor was placed IN the miras
palace without the least POLITICAL movement BIT, never
hcss secret societies increase IN magnitude aud the
ncrt sacred oaths iakea 70 overthrow when the o
por,uniy occurs tic rgning dynasty aud the cry of tn.
n.fnAh pry
which dare no, express sdcath the Tartar The
Dragon the kad and other party socees are ever
had 10 hgh II out some eighteen months pgoa political
squatblc mat ended in great loss Of cand hal the
Europeans inerircd like The bloody hgbi b,iwcen The
scntish cians in the iar Maid Perth they woul
have conquered each otLer or died
Tracing. have done. running bistJry Of tho pa
toni politics Ihouh have omitted The period OF tho
fngsh war, or, AZ the Chinese term 3 thai d The South
Harbsrians the Ped Headed Bevs OF the West
have however introduced IL into the opium chapter
yoeterdays letter and oiy ailude to bring tho
With In half million of men and wonco, Tow occ.rsr
The very city where sr Henry fo,tngcr any and -
tfaeoii!y ooneiudcd thc treaty q fsi2 which opened
NJ Tie five Ir 10 British commerce, and raved the
for 6uzo GA the part II the French King, and Cushing
for tic American nation, in lsiI, TO n,rclai smlr
ties behalf ~ their respective govcrnme Mt.
The oIium qucsiou--,he treatment of he British NOR
chants by In and the exclusive measures u Inc Chi.
nese government, .ioned remonsranccs mr., ano
then action; and the bcIdrcss Of the assault only
ou,cone ~ is The rapcitv Of tho battles mh
well astonish 80 slow people ~ the Chinese and when
fotold after smother surrendered, the imperial
march began 70 pse and think q Ia persona, safe
ty--orc following the oihf in farid sacscss,on-Amoy
and Chussn towards the ,iosc of al and Sn.po aa
Chirr hae IN March, Cbareo, wcc-ung, Shanghai epc
Chin kangfoo. shortly after ia Isaiah before tbs
rh force, startling the whole Chinese ns;oa from IA
cTa;c siumbers, and weakening every vctory The
1artar's power-no worecr the Aantchow King gave
hmty Instructions "a his rusty sta,osrcn, Kcyying
leo TO top The raysgcs Of the unsorq seTable harh
rians, and make treaty matter what the tasms
aigrarc widely tnrf,ni from ,be hsrsh, ,es,si r,s
vhNh tho same monarch gave % kshap aad Ian
few ytsrs only beofe No wonder that be raIstrms'.
uefa nd trfr tlsuf rr H.
be bad made arratg, ments 10 nee INTO h- Tributary lie
sort In baIchowss for "a all appearance t-its
81 he hish would shorty kaork down all the si,ies
the Kingdom. believe nj this tine 20 frightened was
The Eo,tffHent tia, the English nation could have ~
fIy regulations they cho2c-spistors ~ prkn, al
tofs otsned. foftigncgy ratwaized ard ec ade anc
ff,c arccss thictlhou, the territory pct was Eng