New-York tribune., 1871-06-30

these five years, during which we have pacineu
our domestic quarrels, cemented peaceful re-
latons with the Western snations, and intro
duced New-York morals and Puget Sound
lumber to the admiring attention OF Japan
and China. The blood of the martyred crew
of the General Sherman cries to us from the
stones of the Corean coast, and Angl0-Saxon
civilization, in pervasive and persuasive mood,
stands eager to pour its revolvers and prayer
books. sewing machines and bOmbshells, into
the vast unknown land, peopled by hardy,
industrious, and numerous race. grand
naval and diplomatic expedition, with great
faith in the power of ideas, but keeping Its
powder dry withal, sails for Corea to ask
EXPLANATION of the General Sherman affair
and open the gates of the long-isolated king
dom-peaceably if we can, forcibly II we
must.
Five Corean sailors, rescued from sinking
junk, afford providential olive branch for
these heralds of a bOmbshell civilization, and
the squadron, with much pomp and display,
we may be sure, enters the harbor nearest
the capital and casts anchor. There Is the
gallant Admiral with his flagship, represent
ing the mailed hand Of the Great Republic
and there the courtly Minister to CHINA,
full of compliments and suffusive with the
distinguished consideration of the State De-
partment. The formidable feet, with Its
frowning brOadsides, its cloud-c0mpelling fire.
junks, its shrieking water-demons, and all the
strange enginery of war which these foreign
devils have brought with them, strikes a mo-
mentary terror to the souls of the natives.
They silently receive their restored country
men, but without much show of gratitude.
Five Coreans, moro or less are not of much
account in dense population, where Malthu-
sian fears prevail and female children are
suppressed in infancy. The main thought of
the simple semi-savages is that their sacred
seclusion has been inyaded-that this
mighty force has come to break down
their wall of domestic defense and
hale them forth to the outside world. The
same animal instinct of preservation which
bade them fire on the wandering crew OF the
General Sherman rallies to their relief, and they
open fire valorously on the dreadful strangers.
Vain! Of what avail is the diminutive media
val brass gun of the Coreans against the one
hundred Founders of the Colorado and the
high flying bombshells of the Beniciaf 1t Is
arquebuse and culyerin against Blakely rlile
and needle-gun; it is Abyssinia's weak and
gallant defense over again. Diplomatic artil-
lery wins the day; five forts are taken In de-
tail, though eleven thousand Coreans defend
them desperately; hand-to-hand fights carry
the strongholds and when the smoke clears
away the Admiral finds himself in possession
of four hundred and eighty-one little brass
guns and small arms galore; and two hund-
A. 10 nd
"promiscuous-like.r The American expedition,
for such it is according to British authority,
has captured the forts, and market for apple
parers, rum, and elementary school-books may
be established at Kiang-kO.
Have we killed Coreans enough to avenge
the names of the slaughtered American
sailors If so, let us haul off and say no
more about it. But if Minister Lows instruc-
tions impel him to the capital, which is seventy
five miles inland, the difficulties of the way and
the brutality of this bombshell diplomacy
may well give lis pause. When the Feeieeans
ate our shipwrecked sailors, we exacted pen
atty in coin of the cannibal islanders, and took
a mortgage on their kingdom until it was paid.
But the large -statured, brave, and warlike
Coreana will never to such tormsS and
whether the violent blows which the Amer-
can expedition is now hammering on the
Corean sconce be meant in vengeance for the
past or civilization for the future, we
shall find the contest long, expensive, and
resultless. They can afford to part with
many thousands of their people. Men who
commit suicide as we give compliments set no
great store by their own or their fellow-coun-
trymen's lives. 1t is plain that we are not
wanted in the Corea. Whether we go with
olive branch and Yankee notions, or fire.
brands and war, we are alike unwelcome.
Why should we force the privacy of an
ancient nationf Why break in upon the
seclusion of ages because it has existed for
ages 7 Is our sort of civilization so saving, so
precious, that men must have it forced upon
them at the cannons MOUTH We have surely
split blood enough to wash the stain of the
original Corean barbarity. Now let'us stay our
hand, nor think we shall compel the COrean
of to-day to be civilized Christian gentle
man, like Admiral Porter, by holding pistol
to his ear.