The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1858-05-22
Select 4itistciIoun.
Autobiography OF Commissioner Xeh.

Autobiography OF Commissioner Eah
The Monitcucr de la Flcttc publishes til,
following report ofan examination of Com
missioner Ieh on board the Inncxblc, by an
English officer, before the mandarin in qucs,
ton sailed liom Hon Kong. for Cal"utta. 1t
is interesting. In answer To questions. the
cX Nicrroy said i was born in the village o.
koah-Tih, in the province of lioNan. Ny
father was basket maker and cked ont his
income by trading rice. We were fourteen
children. At an early age acquired taste
for reading, and whenever had any money
expended itin the purchase Of books. After
4 few years | was considered as a man of
learning among the boys of my age. and when
the inspector general of public instruction
who visited our province every five wears
came asked to he allowed to undergo an en-
animation. My request was granted. | came
into the school with an Ella boIatc commentary
On the Taliio, the great book of science of
Confucius and after tsee days successive
examination was appointed u Il" literature "
Of the third class. and attached as tutor to
the college of Kah.Fang, the chief town in
the province. The mandarin governor of Iio-
Mans attention was directed u me and he
chose me as his secretary. Two years later
he was summonded to the capital, and took
me with h!m During my sojourn at pckin
| acquired the degree OF litcrale of the second
and Of the first class.
My patron died. bnt had been noticed by
the head Of Sha Nuyko. in whose hands also
ncstcd the direction OF the Emperor g Cahl.
net y and attained the post of Vice President
Of the Hing Pou or Tribunal of Puni>hmcnts-
| won no small distinction in the discharge
of the duties Of this office, and in two mis-.
| sions which | was subsequently entrusted
with, had the honor Of being noticed by the
sublime Sovereign who rules over us. FL
nally III 1917 | was associated with the very
worthy and nuch regretted Iouang Nyang-
| Ionng, who was invested with the govern
lncnt Of Canton. The country was then a
prey 20 a terrible instruction, which it was
necessary TO suppress. The insurgents burnt
towns and villages, and slaughtered the in
habltants by thousands. II was necessary
to stop them. The Niccroy Tin, with whom
We were, gave no quarter to the rebels, and
WAS thus enabled to keep the instruction
within due bounds. lie died in 1888 and |
succeeded him followed his example, and
the rebellion gradually gave way.
The crncl;ics which he pracliccd having
been alluded to, he said
Hear me- One Of the rebel Chiefs was in
the hahi. of having all the prisoners he took
from Us sawn between two blanks. | info! m
cd him that would use repri>als his
put to death III the same way : Int he had
previously had not less than six thousand
lnen, many of them officers, sawn between
two blanks.
English Officers. many prisoners do
you Thank YOU have executed
lrh.-Ahout sixty thousand; but the
rebels have slaughtered more than three
hundred thousand.
English ofliccr.-You had many people put
to death who had nothing to do with the IN
Surreclion !
lch.-Why, fancy. The province Of Can
ton is a kind Of refuge for all thieves or MIR
lercrS III the empire who escape from justice.
| saw that crimes were frequent, and there
fore ordered frequent executions: hut the
people thus put 10 death were always thieves
or muricrors, who almost invariably confess
Cd their ines.
English Officer. .-Iou don't seem to have
been popular in the city
Nch. i never discovered that was nm
popular. | know the people feared me and
kept quiet. The public peace in the city
was not disturbed, trade proSpCred, and the
people grew rich. The Emperor, my mmor-
tai master, to reward me, had confcr(d upon
me the title Wantzip, tie highest of all and
had authorized me TO the surname Of Minein-
Chin. AS to The rcproach of having availcd
myself Of position TO accumulate wealth, it is
false. am rich in disnities and titles, !ut
poor III money. y great part af my income
| send to my friends and relatives. In the
village where | was born had temple built
a my own expense. and have had Scvual
dwellings, erected for families. My enemies
are chiefly in the upper classes. They wish
for my downfall in order to take my place.
The Moni eur dc la Flotte adds that the
arrival of the lnilcXiblc in Singapore Roads.
with Ich on board, had caused a great scnSa-
ton among the Chinese population. The
lnHeXb!c having struck on her arrival, a.ru-
NOR was got up that it was intended to drown
the Nircroy, but it fill naturally when the
tide ioatcd the ship of.