Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-10-12
CHINA SEEKING LIGHT.

sncien, of all established principles and
Imperial dynasty, has concluded to send
to this country a Commissioner. who is in
fac, a Mandarin Of very high caste and
grea, intelligence, to examine and report
upon the sources Of our greatness and
strength-our railroads, steamboats,, in.
ven,ions of all kinds, especially our great
guns. monitors and similar contrivances.
The Japanese sent such a commission a
few years ago, and profted BY it. But
while the material inventions seemed Of
most consequence to the officials, the i'm
material spirit Of our institutions is al
ready at work there, producing revolu-
tons tina, nus sweep away what is de-
caying and rotten IN their Government.
The Chinese Commissioner. Yed, is un-
ders,ood to come with secretaries, to make
note Of all he sees worth reporting upon
to the Emperor. Whether this will en-
brace a very full account OF the working
Of our institutions, our freedom in reli-
gious opinions, our popular education,
and our democratic forms Of government,
both State and general. We cannot say.
But there is every reason to believe that
all Of these subjects are to be investigated,
and reported upon. It is well known the
Chinese Government has secured, through
one Of our missionaries, the translation Of
Wheaton's International Law" and has
publicly announced to European Govern
ments. as well as our own, its adoption OF
tina, work as its rule Of dealing with other
nations in matters of international law.
In less than a century the world may hear
OF Congressional meetings in China and in
Japan, so rapidly are the principles Of the
United States system of government
spreading through the world, and so COM
pletely is this country becoming the chief
seat and center Of the principles and pow
ers tina, are some day to govern mankind.
Our engines of war. our commerce, and
our political theories Of human rights, are
making US the leading power of the worlds
future history.
From Chinese Tartary, the extreme
East, we can now trace the progress
round the globe of emisrans races,
languages and religions; all have
travelled to the westward, and grown
and aourished in proportion. until
now China, which has remained most sta
tionary, growing slowly and quietly at
home, sends its commissioner to meet US
as we come round again to its " side
OF the globe in California, as nearly as
the Pacific Ocean will allow US, and re-
port upon Jul progress. Strange to say,
that commissioner will find that some Of
the most immutable Of things are Lam
guages. Our English word typhoon, for
a great wind, may either have been derived
from our sailors navigating the China
seas, or from the Greek typhoon. But it
comes originally from two bi-literal roots,
Chinese roots in common use now tai,
great. and phoon, wind. According to
Webster, this is a word which must have
been carried through the Greek round the
world. still meaning great wind" as
when it started, how many thousand years
ago few would venture to guess.
This plan Of sending commissioners to
examine and report upon the progress Of
the various nations of the earth as to all
matters for which they become famous,
would probably be more largely adopted
by this country, were 1t not that our trav-
elers and philosophers are so constantly
reporting freely on these subjects. Still
we have sent out our exploring expedi-
tons. We also sent military commission
ers to the Crimean war. We have sent
medical commissioners to examine disea-
ses like the cholera, and to test proposed
remedies and preventions, and to examine
and repor, upon European inventions.
Our Ministers and Consuls in foreign
countries, also, do much Of sort Of work
continually. Yet there is no reason why
commissions should not be appointed, and
report on many other subjects now en-.
,irely lef, to unofficial knowledge. The
country might thus be furnished with
much official information annually, and
many valuable results secured.
The international exhibitions Of various
nations bring, indeed. to almost all the
more enlightened countries Of the earth
much that is worth seeing, but there is in
the spiri, and institutions Of every nation
an intellectual life-a vital energy of its
own-of the utmost Importance to other
nations, tha, canno, be transported, but
mus, be soon at work naturally.