The Union and journal., 1869-12-17
Prom the Editor.
.feross fhe Continent,
SAN Francisco, Nov, 1866


N . .
| SAN Francisco, Nov, 1869.
In former letter did not mention all th'
features Of the Josse Temple. Besides being
place Of worship II is also an asylum on q small
scale, for aged and dccrepit Chinese, who wer'
attendants and filed the ante rooms. The wor
sbipful audience-room is in the second story
Going down stairs We entered room equal,
large, apparently used for storage purposes and
for place for keeping the tablets Of the race IN
this State.
There are six Companies by whom or through
whom all Cinnamon are brought to this coast
They either advance the money for their passage
or If they immigrate by means provided In any
other way Every few, If any, do SOY, they eIer-
else quasi protectorate over them. Tho heads
Of these companies are the leading Chinese mer'
chant houses in the city. Here the laborer'
make their headquarters. and if they become
helpless, disabled, or out Of a job, they come to
these companies. Here the name Of every Chi
namsn is recorded and when he dies or returns
to China his name is erased. His whereabouts
is also kept, and they make SIRE when he dies
that his bones are boiled and sent home to be
buried. II you wish to hire boy, and do not
find one on the street, you can 80 to these
houses, and secure such help rs you need. My
friend Ar Ying is very anxious that l should
take over with me boy he can recommend, and
is sure shall like him. This means. Of course,
that shall pay the boys passage, and | daren't
do any such thing, for fear that John might
die, and then should have to boil his bones
and do other cheerful things in his behalf.
In an antc-room Of the temple we found four
Johns, one asleep and one smoking tobacco
The tobacco smoked is "6ue cut" The smoke
is drawn through water, and only one Whit is
usee to burn all the tobacco put into the little
brass tube which is the bowl Of the pipe. The
ashes are knocked out after the Whit, pipe re-
charged, passed to another who goes through
tho same maneuvres. and then passed TO third
and so on. Not that l suppose every Celestial
smokes thus, for II would take longer for an old
smoker to get "smokec nuff," than II took to
build the Chinese wall; but evidently this is
considered the most luIuriant way Of smoking.
On table were an opium pipe, lamp and jar Of
opium. The consul suggested that they smoke
little to let the "Melicans" see how the thing
Is done. They were very reluctant to do so,
saying only bad men smoke opium and they
never smoked. (Thc room was already greatly
contaminated by opium fumes y The pipe
looks just like a fute, large size, and near the
end and on the side is disk about three inches
in diameter perforated in the centre. Near this
hole the opium, which is like paste and is dip
ped from the jar by wine, is placed and
then held in the fame, where 1t is fried by
smoking The whias are long and ii must be
replenished every two whitfs, five Of them usual.
ly succeeding in "laying them out"
The books Of the merchants are all made in
China, are Of uniform size, OF rcctangle shape,
and are very nicely kept. The Ink is a very
thin paste, and their pen is a camcl's-hair
brush held perpendicular on the paper. Their
.writins" is thus really painting the letters.
but they write very fast. The language is mon
osyllsbic, and. is noted for its paucity, there
being but 5000 characters in it; consequently
the words John picks up are "bad." "good, y
..eat, :" "damn," "fool," and other serious and
explanatory items in our vernacular. When
ordinary Joha has accumulated. enough in
d.
this country to pay his passage money over and
back with surplus of $3.50, he packs his traps
and goes home. With that sum Of money at
home he Is rich man. No Chinamsn has yet
some to this country to stay; he invests no mon
ey in real estate, brings no capital here, brings
no family with him, and carries away rs much
capital as he can. This is q bad feature Of his
immigration; but he would be unwisc to now
do differently. This State win not allow him to
testify in the courts; consequently he has no
rights which others arc bound TO respect, and
no protection except such as his enemies choose
to give him. This law Is clearly unconstitu-
tional, = and is 50 patent fraud on the part Of
democratic officials, that such state Of things
cannot last long. There are Chinese at home
with fabulous wealth who get little or no inter-
est there. Could they enforce their demands in
our courts, protect their property, getting in
this State one aud two per cent. month, they
would invest their capital here as consequent
matter, while this country would thus realize
an addition Of both capital and labor.
Il T. IL L.. L. G.. f.~ks
height. II is difficult to tell their age,
since with shsven heads they oil look
50 much alike. The poorer clas, wear blouses
made Of cambria or some such light material.
with sailor-like bare throsts. Josh Billings
statement that man who could wear paper
collar week and keep il clean. would be ct for
nothing else, can not apply to this race. for they
wear nothing about their necks. They are Of
spare rather than full habit, but are very mus
cular and very hardy. They are characteristics
ally industrious and labor without stint until
their days work Is done. Set an Irishmsn al
work sho,eling sand, and after two shOvelfals
he mus, stop and spit on his hands amer two
more he must load and light his pipe; after a
few. more he must take drink. and IL the boss
has left. win station sentinel on the brow Of
the hill to give warning when he approaches,
when tie shovel is laid aside and he sqt1ts 10
enjoy his smoke. do not say that all Irish
gangs will do this, but have seen this pro-
grammc carried out repeatedly.
Al our 6rst stopping place on the Central,
since our return We have received letter from
our ffieud. saying that he now has "yally good
ploy," who would mako . good printer, and he
could be responsible for him.
\ since the above was written the supreme
Court Of has decided that under the Slvth
Amendment the State Law forblddins Chinese testi.
mony In the courts, ID Unconstitutional. now ooo-
dition OF things In regard 10 tho Chinese In that
state will ensue.