The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1865-02-17
Chinese and American Official Corrup-
ton,

Every ones ears are made to tingle from
day to day by some new report Of fraud and
villiany perpetrated in our Custom Houses,
our Navy Yards and navy agencies, and
by officials, contractors and employees of
every grade and in every department Of
the public service. The heart sickens
over the shameful details, as they appear
in the papers, and sinks almost iuto de-
spair 10 view of The dark future Of our
country. Virtue and patriotism expire
together, and good government perishes
with good morals. An old gentlemen,
unhapply rather skeptical, remarked the
other day that he had disbelieved hereto
fore in the existence of old Sodom aud
Gomorrah, but he could doubt no longer.
Ii they did not exist in a BY gone age,
they certainly did in the present if not
in Asia, certainly in the United States !;
for he saw them with his owa eyes, and
was compelled to wade as best he could
through their depths Of pu'ridity and foul,
ness.
But official corruption is not confined to
our own country. This beyond all other
causes has been the curse Of the great en-
pire Of China, for ages, and through the
rebellion which it created, has brought i.
to the very verge of destruction. Every
thing became venai, with the Emperor and
the court down to the lowest officials
and literary degrees, which are accassary
for civil aud military positions Of every
grade, were as saleabIe as any articles in
the market. Even the essays prepared
for the examinations were manufactured
to order, and accepted by tho mauaarins
who presided over the examinations, even
when they were known to be spurious =
In this way they introduced their own
SONS and favorites into public life, or else
filled their own deep pockets with the
brides which were offered A striking H.
lu,tration is furnished by Ki-cheu, a lead
ing member Of the imperial albnet dur
ing the English opium war, which COM
menced in 1910. The narrative is con.
tained in an interesting French work be.
fore US, which was found by friend in
Cnina in 1860.
Ki-cheu was descended from II )ble Tar
tar family, aud WAS about forty years old.
Remarkable for his fine and mauly cxter-
or, he united the m Jst finished politeness,
the most insinuatns manners, omeuity
which nothing could disturb, aud tn. ap-
p.arauco OF extreme Difference for the
opinions Of others, with the utm )st obSti.
macy in his own. Ealowed with remark
able sagaclty, ineShaustible resources and
expedients, a courier and at the same
time man of business, he was Distinguish
ed for his practical genius and tact. H.
was an influential member Of the Cabinet,
and one of two or three of the most dis
tingulshed men of the empire. But his
master passion was the love of money, to
acc imuIate which he sacrificed both his
houo- and all the rivals which stood in his
way. H had been raised to the Govern
Or Geueralship Of several of the most pop
ulous and Important provinces Of the en-
pre-, whish is one Of the highest AMI most
lucrative positions iG the gift Of the En-
peror.
When the opium war broke out, he was
Governor of the Province of Pochi.l in
Northern Crina, in which, the capital of
the empire itself is situlted. From Pc
chilli, he was transferred to the province
Of Canton, still higher and more lucra.
tive position, as an acknowledgment of
his services ip certain affair.". when in
fact he only deceived and bcfcoled the
Emperor by Il false despatch. At length
he sold the Island of Hong Kong to the
English, which 50 exasporated the Empe
ror, that h, wrote on the margin of the
last despatch of the Governor G ,neral of
Canton: "Kl-cheu has sold himse t.
the barbaraus, He deserves dsath -
Let him be condemned and punished"
This great statesman and high manda-
rim, who had made his iriumphal entrance
Into Canton in November, 1910, left in
March, 1911, with chain about his ueck,
as he proceeded on his way to Pekin to
undergo trial Here he was condemned
to suffer death, which, however, the EN-
peror, upon second thought, commuted for
Imprisonment in common Jail, after con-
tiscatin5 aud putting into his own pockets
the immense wealth which Kicheu had
accumulated by his exactions and oppres-
sion III the provinces he had administer
cd.
In the palace of this high fanctiouary
were found Sl2, 900, 900 in gold, silver to
the value of S3l, 400, 900, and eleven box
es filled with precious stonos. He pos
sessed, besides, great number of splendid
houses, and real estate whose annual i'll
come was about $40, 100000. In addition,
he had large interests in pawn-brokers
houses, which are innumerabc in Gina,
and also in the farming of salt, which is
a government monopoly. Besides all, he
had the dearer treasure of twenty hand
some concubines, which were sold at auc
ton aud commanded high prise. In
short his whole property was estimated at
between forty and sixty millions Of dol
lars, the greater part of which was oh.
famed by unlawful means.
When the possessor of this immense for.
tuno reached Pekin, he could hardly ob.
t,;n :. fou c,, ma I,- tha lnwoet donnn,;,o