Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-09-03
The Chinese.

| THE first Chinese temple erected in Sal
| Francisco was built on speculation by al
| old Chinaman, with an eye to business
| who did not like to see his countrymel
neglecting their gods. He therefore bull
a temple (Which still exists at the corne
| of Mason and Post streets), adorned anl
beautitied it eheaply with paper, tinsel ant
| silk, set up the usual array of gods, anC
drove thriving trade in the charms in
cense, and candles which he kept for sale
| He is said, too, to have sent around sub
| scriptiOn papers every now and then, an(
| to have made pretty handsome thing ou
| Of his credulous countrymen. There ar,
| not now, nor have there ever been, any
Chinese priests in California; they cvi
IDENTIFY do not believe in missionary effort
| or else do not place much faith in theil
hold on the people directly they get out ol
the Flowery kingdom. " s,aa
Alas cannot say much more for the
noise which they consider music than that
| would about as soon hear concert ol
hurdy-gurdies and bagpipes. Only re
Gently, many complaints have been lodged
against their theaters and gambling houses
in our city, on the ground that no white
man or woman in the neighborhood could
hope to get wink Of sleep, or attend to
any business requiring care, while their
horrible din of tom-toms, gongs, cymbals,
drums, and what not was going on. AS to
their language, 1t does not sound harsh Ia
me /; there is kind of sing song" in il
not absolutely unpleasant to the ear.
The first of these points is delicate sub.
ject. have heard of imoralities amongst
them which l should be sorry to- repeat
On the other hand, question whether as
a people they are worse than the inhabit
ants of countries which ought to be far
ahead of them. Among themselves they
are extremely charitable and liberal, and
their care for their aged parents is repeat
edly attested in every work on Chine,
Every steamer TO China from San Fran
cisco takes hundreds of petty remittances
some of them "for value received ~
quite a large number Of them gifts to their
families and friends. In small things
have found them especially honest. i
never lost an article of clothing at d Chinese
laundry. could not make the same state
ment of some French and other establish
ments which have tried in San Francisco.
In my rooms, daily cleaned out and set 10
rights by ChinamaD, L leave wine OF
whisky out il remains untouched.
Further, have on two occasions offered
drink TO Cinnamon working in the house,
and in both cases II was refused. II seemed
to me as though they were anxious to keep
their places, and, while in them, had
strength Of mind enough 10 avoid ali drink
ing Among themselves, they do indulge
in kind of wine, or rather spirit, imported
from China. The better class here-mer'
chants and tradesmen--quitea respectfully
large clique too, indulge In anything
|ifom champagne to hottied porter. They
do not use tobacco or cigars immoderately
but we have hundreds of opium smokers
principally in the cities7who are killing
themselves of very rapidly.
In their home life, the. women holds a
secondary place. In China man and
wife never walk arm in arm, or even side
by side; the woman follows at a respect.
ful distance At social gatherings, the
sexes sit at different tables. A Chinanan
looks with pious horror on the familiarity
in which he considers we indulge. Why
we not merely sit down indiscriminately
among beyy of young ladies, bat rather
seem to like Il Terrible And as TO OuI
balls and dancing parties, he not merely
thinks that we exert ourselves unneces
arily, when we could set the servants 70
do il for us-Or at least hire band Of pro
fessiOnals for the night to caper In oul
presence-bat the way in which we waltz
etc, is a scandal In hise % -rF. aff
The Chinese qaarrelavery l.ttle amope
themselves, and as Tesidents---l will mol
call them citizens-they VIII compareyef
fayorably with any other as quiet, peace.
able, and iuoffensfye men We have had
Chinese burglars and thieves, in the cite:
! principally, but their ppmbeT has never
been laFga16aa ztr@rfjspOl 6br, 81. LoH'
/ )em0onafs.h .fIt1a a .saff - ola,s3 ~ v a
~ -~---s-aa~-sS4T-sss Ass1s
: --KAnsat City has tailor whose name
is A.. SwindleT. ..