The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-06-25
The (ShtaCac


interest the Eastern question nave natural
-, . sood aa., of attention towards the
Chinese, especially in England 'ae "~'el y, -.
c.t..,rr M, content with arguing the
s.,,.,,.o "a ;,noI,cv of hostile measures, are en-
ss.,o,,,, % r,.le the Chinese very excellent
;,,.,,,.,, I'd r.,i,e people far superior, in many
-, 49,. ~ eivi,iz a,on TO the mass Of their
...rrr,.n We cannot pretend to sit "a
-, tho comparative merits of the lower
,o-. If China and Great Britain Too little is
tnorn with accuracy of China TO afford fair
.,.rd.rd of comparison Nor is 1t at all material to
the questions at issue between the two countries
W. pi,v John Bull however If the lost degraded
of bis population are sunk in al low an abyss OF
moral degradation as the Chinese, provided we
may rely upon the most intelligent of the few fo'
rsigners who have ever penetrated the Celestial
Empire, and enjoyed that rare coincidence of OPP
portuni,y ard fitness so essential to relaoie
narrator of travels in any country, and to none
more than in the Central Kingdom"
Among the travellers IN China who have fulfilled
these essential conditions, who have enjoyed faci!-
tiles of free intercourse with the people, keen
vision to see beneath the sniface of THINGS anu
the talent to record his observations in an intes
the Rev. " Hue, French clergyman, who, some
two years ago, published "A journey through the
Chimes. EnDi-., and whose work is acknowledged
10 be the bes. authority now exlant on China and
the Chinese NJ. Hue, though a clergyman, is
spoken of as person of far more worldly ssgacity
than is usually possessed by laymen, and pro-
found Oriental scholar. Before the commencement
of tha, las, and great journey, of which his book
10 oI Ia China
and acquired SO thorough knowledge of the LAM
guage that it is said even the practical ear of the
educated Mandarins could not detect any foreign
accent 10 his speech. He had lived in disguise in
various places in China, and mingled with sill
classes and conditions of society. The accoun. he
gives of the Chinese is certainly no. calculated to
sustain the high estimate of their character which
Is protested by Chinese sympsthisers in Great
Britain.
The administration of justice in China, accord"
ing to NJ Hue is based on a system CT corrupA
tion AID violence. The Msndarins, who acs as
Judges, extort as much money as they can from the
people. One of the judges said to Hue 'If it
be allowable to make fortune by trade and com
MERGE why rot also by developing the principles
of jus.ice," This development of the principles
OF Justice consisted in sending out to hunt
the parties in every The penal code is the raos
cruel in the world hejudge may torture SEN
tence the prisoner TO doath, as it pleases him
In cases Of treason, the law declares that 'al the
male relatives in the first degree OF the person
convicted, his father, grandfather, and pa.erna IN
ces, as well as his sons, grandsons, and sons of his
unc,es, shall be Unfortunately beheaded." Its
common, when Chinese policeman catches a sus"
I'D inf oDdb aa pst nd 4 fiah
TO nsi his hands to the car. in which he is convey
ed to prison.
Dishonesty and lying, according to NJ Huc, are
the ruling traits of the Chinese character. Their
only object in life Is trade and money. Traffic e-
gal or Illegal Is the ruling passion of the Chinese
from the cradle to the grave They carry gamb-
ling to such extent, tina: they will often bet off
the clothes from their backs aud then play for
their fingers, which they cut off with the most
frightful ssoicism. Sometimes a Ratchet is placed
on the table. and the winner fakes the losers hand
lays it on stone, and chops off the finger won the
loser thrusts the stump into vessel of hot oil
which cautery 80 the wound"
Their forms of poteness are excessively exag-
gerated, and 80 well understood that no native is
ever deceived by them. NJ. Hue tells the follow
ing amusing story on this head;
On festiva! dsy the master of the house adoin.
ing the chapel posted himself, after service was
over, in the middle CT the court and began to call
to the Christians who were leaving the chapel
Don't let any body go away. To-day l invite
every one to eat rice in my house And then he
ran from one group to another, urging them to
stay. But every one alleged some reason or 9TH
er for going and went. The courteous host ap-
peared quite distressed. At last he spied a cous1
In of his who had almost reached the door and
rushed towardi him saying: What, cousin, are
you going tool Impossible. This is holiday
and you must really stop No. said the other Il
have business at homs that / must attend to-
Business WHAT to dayl day of rostl Absolute
ly you must stop, ] will not let you co. and he
seized the cousins robe and tried to bring him
back by main force while tie desired guest struR-
gled well as he could ard sought to prove that
his business too pressing to allow of his re.
naming. Well said the hest since you posi>
lively cannot stay to eat RICE we must at least
drink . few glasses OF wine together Ii don't
take much time,' replied the cousin, to drink =
glass of wine and he turned back, and they en-
tered the company room The master then called
10 a loud voice, though without appearing to adj
dress any one in particular Heat some wine, and
fry two eggs
and began to gossip then they lit and smoked again
but the wine and eggs did not make their appear
ancs The cousin at last ventured to inquire Of
his hospitable entertainer how long he thought il
would be before the wine was ready. Wine J. re.
piled the host, wine! Have we got any wine
heres Don't you know very well that / never
drink wine 2 1thurts my stomach In that case.
said the cousin, surely you might have let me 90
Why did youpress me to stayF Hsreupon the
master of the mansion rose, and assumed an st,i
tude of lofty indignation. Upon my word said
he, any one might know what country YOU come
from. What! have the poteuess to ask Won to
drink vice, aud you have not the poli,ene to re-.
fuse! Where IN the world have you learned your
rites! Among the Monsos, l should think p
And the poor cousin departed, stammering some
words of apology"
Woman in China is held in low esteem. When
manageable, they are sold to the highest bidder
and are considered as not altogether belonging to
he human race. AMandarin once asked Hue why
women became Chris!ians9 ITO save their souls
Ike the men, was the reply. "Bu, women have nc
souls said the Mandarin; you can't make Chris.
tians of them" The Frenehman yainIv tried tn
convince the Mandarin of his error He only laugh.
ed and said: when get home will tell nv wife
that she has got soul. She will be little aston.
ished, think"
Even the literati the only Chinese aris;ocrscv.
from whom the Mandarins are selected, have be.
come corrupt, and employ poor men of letters r.
compose their works. The political world is rot
ten to the core. Every public functionsry of the
Emueror Ia a rascal Tho aruv q. a b,,,L,- IN =.