The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1867-02-23
THE OIeIENW.

Our readers will excuse Us for leaving
the disturbed field ofAmerican politics for
a moment, and taking II glance at some
other part Of the globe we inhabit, ~ there
i. not much ucrS expected here until the
ucrt Congress meets, which will be in
March. And, as we have concluded TO Wis
ii some other region, in opr Inauguration. We
will 20 10 the most d%i-tant-tlc far of
Orient.
"Distancc lends cncImutnlcnt to the
yicw,'-distancc, whcthcrin space or lapse
OF time. The mind clothes those objects
with which il is least familiar itl Image
rs the most captivating. We like to let
our fancy ascend the stream Of time and
rcycl amid the gorgeous wealth Of Baby
lon. the sublime and mysterious architect
TIRE Of Egypt. or muse on the mind Of
Greece and the majesty of Rome. In like
manner, we send our Imagination across
oceans and Continents, where we cannot
see The real, and we paint everything in
the most fascinating coIore, and almost feel
~poctical in their contemplation. 1t is thus
Ncoltcn think Of the mountains and val
lcys, the cities and peoples, of the almost
unknown East. When The sun has disap-
pcarcd beyond our western hills and
mountains, and sunk into the waves of the
Pacific Ocean, and darkness covers the
land. and we have entered our chamber,
closed our curtains, and committed our
selves TO the slumbcrs Of the night, We Of
ten remember that, az the "king of GAYS"
the same sun Is rising up out ofthc spark
ling waters of The Pacific, in the Orient.
and is gliding palace and temple, blazing
on the mountain top, chasing darkness out
Of the valleys, and smiling into the cham
bers of slecpcrs, calling them TO their daily
rounds oflabor or pleasure.
But we would like to have a nearer ard
3: matter-of-ilct view Of the great East
Asia, with her tccming millions-but how
little do we know of her past or present.,
Viewed iroma an historical stand point how
much the East OF to-day seems like the :
East of the earliest records of history! I
How stationary in everything--Low little ,
advance in anything, as the thousands of
years sweep by into the mighty past! s
Elements Ola high civilization, blended t
with u rude barbariSm, an abstiusc philos- n
ophy with a b~cui9h.cd ignorance of all l.
valuable science; n bigotcd exclusiycness :,
from the balance Of the world; an almost y
fabulous wealth, the most absolute despot-
ism in Government, and the most dcbased 0
idolatry in Religion, have ever character "
lied the nations Ofthe East. 10,
The wealth of the East hasalways tempt
rd the cupidity Of Western nations. aud In '
to possess which vast armies have, p'
from time to time, been hui led against the BIT
but without accomplishing their OBJ CT
.cct. This failure was not the result of =,
cllivalry, so much Us tue difficulty y.
# transporting armies and material of war
lch distances in early times. "
Notwithstanding the { ciuSiret oss of the al
.a't, there has always been an immense ca
carried On with it by the West. ni
has always enriched the 4,
that carried it on, from the ancient
alI Ion 10 these OF modern London. In
iei on by means of caravans of camcls. e;
'hich have been called the "ships of the CT
cert - but in modern times the ships of n,
Re ocean compose the fleets of COM !.
lerce." /"
his commerce con lists now. az il did IN w
he earliest times, IN the . P0r W'0R Of Eas- di
.'rn manufactures These manufactures er
we not of iron. brass, copper wood, cotton, ro
Imp and llX-things which 20 to make :
Up i'c material prosperity of the West. in "'
'eate and war; but they are silks. cash
nercs, ornaments Of gold. ivory and pearl, IL
ihd III modern times. Of tea and porcelain re
" ire, all of which are regarded il the West ,o
Is articles Of luxury. =
The distance Of the East has always "
made this a very difficult, slow. W
perilOus enterprise for the nations Of p;
Western EuiOpe-a voyage around Africa e,
b ing Necessary for it, accomplishment. n
Some centuries ago. nayigators were very h
much interested in finding a shorter route II
to India. Their efforts resulted in the dis u
coyery of America. The Emperor of the i,
french Is now having a canal cut through
Tie isiDmus OF Suez. which, If it proves IA
success viii y,ry materially facilitate the J.,
commerce with the East. Nv
Thou sndsO of years ago. when tho wo,Id Ia
10 within H. youth. there arose a power uj