The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-12-29

The details Of the entry of the Allied army
into Pekin, and of the fight Of the Emperor and
his thirteen wives, and the sack Of his palace,
read more like pageant or fable conjured by
Oriental imagination than q simple record of
actual occurrences. In olden time the tale
would have burst upon the wondering world
with more dreamlike enchantment and mar
vellous effect than was ever produced by
Pizarro's brilliant but bloody conquest of
Peru, or the only less daring deeds and grand
achiey ements OF Cories in Mexico But the
world is strangely altered now, and this great
and unparalleled event in the Flowery Land
has had its lustrc dimmed by the simultaneous
revolutions going forward in Italy and our own
country.
In any other Eastern country, India
especially, the flight Of the Emperor and
the surrender of his capital would have
resulted in the immediate overthrow Of
his dynasty; but the latest intelligence
from China, subsequent to the occupation Of
Pekin by the Allies, informs us that peace
had been concluded with the Emperor, who
ad returned TO his palace, or rather the wreck
OF it. for but lii,le was left unbroken and un-
pillaged by the rude and eager hands of the
victorious troops Even the magnificent mir
rors and other costly ornaments were wantonly
destroyed by the fr,uch in revenge for previ-
Gus insults. The spo,ls appear to have been
large; but rs these became the private perqui-
site oil the army, British and French taxpayers
are not likely to rejoice much over their
capture.
The restoration of the Emperor and the
speedy peace seem to have taken Europe
agreesbly by surprise. 1t was anticipated that
Lis fight would be ne signal tor the Tae-Ping
chief TO usurp supreme authority over all
China; but although those antieiPstions have
been unrcalized, there Is no doubt that the
humiliation and loss Of prestige infic.e1
upon the present Emperor will give moral
lower to the insurgents, and contribute more
to their ultimate and speedy success than any
other even. that has ever occurred. What
ever tends to weaken the existing dynasty
necessarily tends TO strengthen its rival; and
lat the Tse-Ping rebels will eventually be
successful in becoming the ruling power Of
the empire Is inevitable.
For thirty centuries China remained scaled
book to the rest Of the world. II was only ten
years ago, during the Dritish-Chinese war, that
the ice of their exclusivcness was broken. The
weakness Of the dynasty was then exposed,
and the spirit Of rebellion, which had been
long fermenting Ia he empire. was openly ex-
pressed, and took tho definite form which 1t
now wears. The Teachings have already
possession Of both banks Of the Great River
and the city Of Nankin, which Is presided over
by O so-eslied king Of their own, and every
year they are gaining In numbers and in power
L. The beginning, according to Biblical and
Other tradition, the march of civilization
was from east to wcst and gradually
the Western races OF mankind were
nearly destroyed by the Eastern tide; the Ro
man empire arose and checked 1t. Then
again, when II was subvcrted, westward once
more sped The course OF empire. But now the
nations Of the West are steadily advancing to
overwhelm the nations Of the Fast The am
bition Of Russia has been diverted from Europe
"a Asia; and although the means she Ii employ
ing yery from hose adopted by the British and
French thoy nevertheless are directed to the
same results, and The in sreets Of all the West
eln FeNcrs IRE idenlcsl Russia, II We mis-
take not, locks wish favorable eye upon ths
prssysss Of To Tss-Pins rebellion, tho seeds
Of which were doubtless sown by the
Christian missionaries in those parts; for they
have ever proved themselves at once the
cause and instruments Of revelation wherever
they have gone. The spurious Christianity
professed by these insurgents affords further
proof Of the source whence their religion ems-
mated.
II cannot be doubted that the eneet OF
the recent victory Of the Allies at Pekin will
be TO convince more strongly than ever the en-
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