The Mountaineer. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1859-1861, 1861-02-09
CHINA AND THE EAST. I

Tue details Of the entry Of the Allied
army into Pekin, and Of the flight of the
Emperor and his thirteen wives, -atd the
sack Of his palace, read more like pa.
geant or fable coniared by Oriental iTnagi-
nation than II simple record Of actual &C.
currtates. III Older time the tale would
have burst upon tile wandering world
with more, dreunlika epehantnlept aud
marvellous effect Thai was ever produced
by PjzarroS brilliant but bloody conquest
Of Peru, or the oily less daring deeds and
grand achievements oE GGrtes in Mexico
Bnt the world is strangely altered now,
and thtsg great and unparalleled event in
the: Flowery Land las had its llsire
by the simultaneous revelations:
going forward IN Italy and our own cout-
try. 5>.:... Z. !. ~. .t 81 T.. r.
In any other Eastern country, India
especially, tbs flight OF the Emperor and
the surrender of his capital would have.
resulted ia the immediate ofcrttlFoN of his
dynasty; bat the latest intelligence from.
China, subsequent TO the occupation OF
Pekin by the allies, Informs US that, a
peace had been cenelutledj with the Elm:
peror, who had returned to his palace, or
rathcr the wreck of it, for but little. was
left uubroken and unpilagcd by the rude
and eager hand Of the victorious troops.
Even the magnificent mirrors and other
costly ornaments were wontonly destroyed
by the French in revenge for previous in.
suits. The spoiIs appear 10 have been
large; but as these bpcame the private
perquisitc Of the army, British and French
taxpayers are not likely to rejoice much
over their capture. - =, ,..:,-..'...< 49,. =
The restoration Of the Emperor and the
speedy peace seem to have taken Europe
agrceably by surprise 1t was anticipat-
cd that his fight would be the signal for
the Tae, Ping chief to nsnrp supreme till.
thority over all China; but although these
antlcipatious have been uRreatized, there
is do doubt that the humiliation and loss
Of prestige inflicted upon the present En-
peror will give moral power TO the in
.surgentS, and contribute more to their
ultimate and speedy success thanany other
event that has ever occurred. Whatever
teuds to weaken the existing dynasty me-
eessarily tendsto strengthen its rival; aud
that the Tae-Ping rebels will eventually
be successful in becoming the ruling pow.
er Of the empire is inevitable. - !.
For thirty centuries China remained o
sealed book to the rest of the world. 1t
was only ten years ago, during the Brit
ish- Chinese war, that the ice of their ex-
elnsiveneSs was broken. The weakness Of
the dynasty WAS then exposed, and the
spirit Of rebellion, which had been long
fermentlng in the empire, was 0peUly ex-
pressed, and took the definite form which
il now wears. The Tae-Pings have already
possession OF both banks Of the Great
River and the eity Of Nankin, which is
presided over by so,called king of their
own, and every year they are gaining 10
numbers and in power. <,rs Is. ~.
In the beginning, according to Biblical
and other tradition, the march OF ciyiliza-
ton was from east to west, and gradually
the Western races OF mankind were near
~ destroyed by the Eastern tide; the Ro-
tnaa empire arose and checked il. Theu
again, when it was snbyerted, westward
once more sped the course Of empire. But
now the nations Of the West are steadily
advancing to overwhelm- the nations Of the
East. The ambition Of Russia has been
diverted from Europe TO Asia; aud al.
though the means she. is employing vary
from those adopted by the British aud
French, they nevertheless are directed 70
the same results, and tue interests of all
Western Powers are identical. Russta,