Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-04-24
ChIn..e CIrIIInnlIon.

CnlueSe ClVtlIAdttOns
Some person has written book wherein
the civilization of England and the United
States is represented as far below what we
are In the habit Of flattering ourselves It is.
China Is referred to by the author as exhib-
iting much higher degree of civilization,
because, as he alleges, men are appointed
to Office exclusively in consideration of
having undergone thorough preparatory
education, and mott consideration OF birth,
wealth, OF military services, as is common
in England and the United States. The
Chinese may havea higher order Of civili-
zation-may educate their people more
thoroughly, and may require at the hands
of their officials more intimate knowledge
with book learning. This we will neither
affirm nor deny here; but, owing, perhaps,
to ingrained prejudice, or todefective civil
izatlon, there are features connected with
Chinese civilization that do not particularly
commend themselves to our admiration.
Doubtless, the Radicals of our country, who
profess little higher civilization than they
are willing to credit Democrats with illus
trating, would be happy to have one of these
features put into practical operation in this
country at this time. We refer to the pun
ishment of criminals and conspirators
against the Government.
A letter from Annoy, dated December
3lst, 1865, which was copied into the Hong
Kong papers, details the execution of a
Chinese named Yun-tan, native of Tong
wha, who about north before had been
arrested for, tried, and found guilty of con-
spiracy and rebellion, and condemned to a
slow and lingering death. This slow death,
in the interests of a superior civilization,
was inflicted in this wise: He was dragged
to the place of execution so heavily ironed
as to render it almost impossible for him to
walk, and was guarded by about three hun
dred Mandarin soldiers, headed by the Hal
Hong, carrying the warrant of the power of
. life or death. The rebel was compelled to
kneel, when he had three hundred blows
administered to him with the bamboo. He
was then taken to cross that had been
erected for the purpose; he was lashed to it
in an upright posture, with arms extended,
when the civilized executioner commenced
operations. He cut the flesh off above the
eyes first; next the ears, and then the
breasts; then he cut throu gh the muscles of
each arm, laying the bone bare, the flesh
being allowed to hang, while the blood
spirted out and bespattered the executioner
at each pulsation OF the heart. The mus
cles of the thighs were then cut in the
same manner. Having done this, the
executioner laid aside his small knife
and took up another one about
ten inches in length and an inch
broad, and cut gashes on each side Of the |
mans chest, leaving the ribs bare. Then
he ran it into the body of the victim, enter
ing just below the strenum, in the middle |
of the chest to the full extent of the blade,
cutting downward with the knife and let
ting out the entrails. He then cut open the
stomach; and then, with yell, ran his hand
in and seized the mans liver, and cut it
out, passing the bleeding, quivering mass
to his assistant as coolly and In as business
like a manner as though he were opening
and butehering pig. A short time after |
wards he decaptated the rebel.
Now, that is a ue'y refined way of "mak-
ingtreason odious," we take it. May it be
a long time before our people attain to such
civilization as will call for the inficton OF
punishment in this form to intimidate men
from committing what is denominated
treason. 1t ought to occur as strange to
those of our people who affect to believe
that the only way through which treason
can be made odious is through severe cor
poreal punishment, that men should plot
treason in civilized China, where it is pun
ished in the manner stated.