The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1869-03-25
The Chinese.

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It is not a generation since-young men
still remember the time-when China and
the Chinese seemed almost as far from US
as if they lived in Mars or the moon
Now and then missionary returned to be
stared at as though he had slid down from
the skies on a rainbow. But though once
far off, they are now very near. Steam
and the telegraph have brought us close
together The civilization now rising on
the Pacific coast is two-fold-that OF the
anglo-saxon and that Of the Aslatlc. The
oldest people on the earth are brought into
daily contact with the youngest. Side by
side, are reared temples for the observance
of the religion of Foo as well as Of Christ.
These children of the east who now tread
the Pacific coast will soon be known also
to the western, and perhaps even the east
ern States. A project is on foot to
introduce a colony of them into Tennessee
to engage in the culture of tea. On the
completion of the Pacific railroad, the easy
and cheap transit to the east will doubtless
entice very many to emigrate into the older
and more thickly settled portions of our
country. All the results that will flow
from this emigration, or that must neces-
sarily follow such as has already taken
place, no human eye can foresee. Hither-
to we contributed millions to make known
to them the truths of the christian faith.
The converts were hardly counted by
scores, nor even by tens. But now they
are at our doors. They have not renounced
the land of their birth, but merely sought
to ameliorate their condition by taking ad-
vantage of our more easy means of amas-
sing wealth, still keeping in view return
to their native soil Nevertheless, we may
be certain that in the future, they anu
their descendants will be part of our pop
ulation. No large bodies of people leave
the land of their fathers never more to re-
turn unless life has been made burden
by oppression or misfortune. The men
who first emigrated from the Atlantic
coast almost all expected to return. AL
though Penn is called the founder OF
Pennsylvania, he died on English soil. Al
various times the reAux of the settlers t
the mother country threatened the des
truction of some of the American colonies
Thousands on thousands will doubtless re
turn to their own land, and each one VIII
returns will be an angel bearing good o
evil tidings of our race, our civilization ant
our religion. If the christianization Q
the world is not an idle dream, or if tn
christianization of any Of the heathel
lands is not mere fancy, there never wa
such an opportunity before presented c
making known our better religion an
better civilization than is now presentin
itself.
How then shall we receive these people
Shall they be made welcome? Shall the
be treated justly? We have all been use
from our youth to regarding them as sem
barbarians, and their government as
shameless despotism. We are now fndin
out that wisdom has not abided with I
aioze For our part We say, make the
welcome, treat them Justly, and guarant'
them freedom to exercise their own jud
ment as to whom they worship and no
and when. Our laws guarantee this to a
They place the Asiatic on a level with IL
native born ia all civil rights, yet the
treatment has been such as ought 10 brir
the blush to our cheeks. Scarcely n. 1nt
passes that we do not read some CONNER
ON the ill-treatment of christians (nomi
ally SOY in China in violation of ''treat
obligations" Yet not day, nor an hou
goes by that does not witness the CROSSE
impositions upon the Chin2man Of Califo
MIA. Does he have well paying ranch
he is driven from it without coler of Ia
or Justice. Public officers force from hi
the payment Of such sums as their rapaei
may suggest He is beaten on the stree
and asks in vain for redress But Il
other day, Methodist Episcopal chur'
ediGce was burned to the ground becau
the pastor insisted on laboring amor
these Chinese for their welfare and CO
version after having received notice fro
se ,aliforuia christians that be must q
his effortS--and all IN violation, not