North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1869-02-17
Am erica and China.
From the Continental Gazette, Paris.


About six hundred years ago, when th'
Italian Republicans were the only centre
of general and commercial life and liberty
in Christian Europe, Venetian gentle
man of adventurous spirit exceeded tn,
usual limits of medieval enterprise anG
visited the mysterious Empire Of Cathay
Fascinated by the novelties, splendori
and wonders that he beheld, he remained
long in the distant land, observing and re-
cording the many strange and beautiful
things he saw, and when, after many
years, he came back, and in an unvarnish.
ed and truthful language he told what he
had seen, his people and his age discredi
ted his statements, and he received the
sobriquet of Marco Millione; for he
spoke to them of cities peopled by vast
multitudes far exceeding anything then in
Europe; of many men and valuable and
Ingenious; Of walls of mighty height,
and extending a length Of thousands
OF miles; OF rivers alive with
a vast and commercial and mari
time population of towers of porce>
lain many stories high; and of sundry
matters difficult to believe at time when
a large part of Europe was tangled forest
where the robber castles of German
Barrons threatened the wanderer along
the great highway of Modern European
travel, and when one hours railroad Jour-
ney was the work of q couple ofdays' hard
riding.
Marco Polo and his generation passed
away, and 400 years later the French
missionaries of Louis XIV, penetrated the
coast of Pekin, and dazzling the Emperor
with the scientific discoveries of Europe,
were able to settle down in the centre of
Cathay, to study its people, its tongue, its
manners and customs, and to corroborate
most of the statements Of the Venetian.
Yet China was forbidden ground, taboo
ed to the great commercial world of the
West. 1t could only be visited under pro-
test; 1T was not yet opened.
Some thirty years ago a German mis-
s.onary, Gutzlaff, who became consular
agent, published book called "China
Opened" 1t did not fulfill the expecta-
ton raised by its title; it only touched |
the borders Of the Celestial Empire the
howery kingdom was still in essential
points virgin soil. Ten or fifteen years
later French missionary, Hue, having
the difficult tongues of Eastern
and Central Asia, made long, adyentur-
ous journey through the wild, unknown
district Of Mongolia; visited, amidst
hardships and dangers, Lha Sa,
IN army Of men and monks, its Dalai
Llama, or BUDDHIST pontitf, rho nerer dies,
md on his return gave to the world one
If the most curious and instructive books
If travel we posses. Nor did this exhaust
lis general or his literary activity. Pene-
rating through China, subjected to indig-
lities, to bonds, and the danger of death,
= saw with his own eyes many of the
wonders recorded by Marco Polo. The
Key was in the lock, it had been turned,
he gate was just opening and gave a
,eep of wonders inside, but China was
lot.yet opened.
War and revolution followed English
Ind French troops invaded the sacred soil
md saw the Great Wall, the Pagoda, and
Pekin. The American flag appeared in
Ill Chinese waters. Great exhibitions fol
owed, with Chinese department, and, at
asst, Chinese Embassy and Chinese
reaty of commerce open up the great
Unknown to America and European enter
,rise, and prepare great future for the
'lowery People.
1t is difficulty to exaggerate the bearing
If these events; the Oldest and youngest
If the greatest historical nations are in
contact. How can we appreciate the re-
ults of this approximation? China, the
most conservative and stationary, as well
IS populous, Of Monarchies, welded to the ,
most elastic, enterprsing, and rising Re-
,ublic our earth has ever seen. In o.e ;
- IL. l.,
100, 100000 of people in the basin of the {
alone. Its influence must in {
he end predomipate throughout the {
American continent, reaching down to {
h c still greater basin of the Amazon. t