The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-12-11
Chinese Criminals.

Hong Lee is an intelligent Mongol
engaged in the enterprise of a wash
shop on Mission street, and has been IN
the country sufficient period to ac-
quire ready command of the language.
Although he makes no special profess
sion of Christian faith or attachment to
high moral principles, his observations
of civilized life have enabled him to
perceive the error of the heathen ways
in some measure and the elevating in
huence would probably restrain him
from falsehood tending to his own detri-
ment, or stealing anything himself that
was not within convenient reach. In
fact, Hong Lee deplores the evil pro-
pensities of the great proportion of his
countrymen in this city, and converses
on the subject with evident feeling.
When questioned concerning the cause
of such an alarming prevalence of ras-
cality among the race, this sagacious
heathen declares that the laws in Cali
fornia are no good-meaning, no doubt,
that the manner of their execution is
defective. Hong Lees further expla-
nations on this subject afford some in
teresting facts not generally understood.
The Chinaman is totally devoid of any
such embarrassing quality as conscience,
for the reason that his religion does not
embrace the doctrine of retribution for
crime, other than that visited upon him
by human laws, which is regarded as a
mere dispensation of bad luck, if it ov-
ertakes him, and nothing more. Il he
Is detected in crime, and is capable of
escaping the penalty by perjury, or
whatever intrigue, his good tact and in
genuity go as much to his credit among
his countrymen as would the proof pos
tive of his innocence. He may offend
@e l., L
this has nothing to do with the viola
ton of human laws, and the injury may
be repaired by offerings to the dis
pleased deity, or such achievements as
may be calculated to regain the appro-
baton of the Joss. If Chinaman has
incurred the vexation of any particular
Joss by the bungling manner in which
he has robbed chicken house, the Of
fering of portion of the stolen poultry
would ordinarily suffice to appease the
mighty wrath or if he has slain a
bTother heather whose death may have
frustrated or discouraged some design
of the gods, as imaginary signs may
lead the assassin to suppose, the killing
OF another and more acceptable victim
would as likely be the remedy of the
evil as any other reparatioc. A China
man who has suffered the irreparable
wrong of murder is expected to get
even with his slayer in the future life, if
the opportunity is convenient for OBJ
tanning that extent of satisfaction and
this is all the heather murderer has to
apprehend, if he escape the vexatious
penalties of mortal prescription. As
far as the gods are concerned, crimes of
whatever degree are as likely to meet
their approval as displeasure.
It will thus be seen that the dread of
certain and speedy justice is the only
restraint that can be put upon Chinese
criminals; and with the comparative
Immunity they enjoy in this city, and
easy facility of escape through the SUBJ
terfuge of perjury, which is a species of
ofense inappreciable to the heathen
mi I'D, it is not surprising that the Chi
naman will murder when his purpose
prompts him, steal wherever he can,
and lie invariably. Says the sapient
Hong Lee: "Chinaman no care for
Bible, or for put him in Jail if they cut
tee off head, like they do in China, that
make him fraid. San Francisco CaU