Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1882-08-30
SELECT.
Reported Massacre in COrea.
And Story of the Treaty with
This Country which led 10 Ii.

| days ago from the EaSUJ Stateu tndl
the trouble in Corea had eliminated
in a general insurrection, and that
both the King and Queen had been
assassinated The Japenese Legation
was attacked, and japanese war
ships have been sent to the ports of
the country. The success OF Com
modore Shufeldt in negotiating a
commercial treaty between Corea and
the United States, encouraged the
japanese to attempt to open the
country to commerce with them.
This was resented by the anti-foreign
party of the country and the insure
ton and massacre have been the re-
suit Corea is o country were massa-
cres of terrible magnitude have taken
place during the present generation
owing to the religious prosecutions
caused by the success of missionaries
in making converts. China has GER
tain suzerain rights in the peninsula,
but Russia has made several efforts to
obtain control of the northern section.
A fanatical hostility to foreigners has
always been a characteristic trait of
the Coreans.
THE STORY OF THE TREATY.
A correspondent who took part in the
United States expedition wrote the
following account of it:-Projecting
from the northest coast of Asia and
stretching out to the southward and
eastward. between the waters of the
Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea, is a
large pininsula, whose people, after
policy of non-intercourse, which, ac-
cording to themselves, has lasted for
1000 years, have to-day opened their
gates to the commerce and civiliza-
ton of the West. And here, as in
Japan, the United States have been
the first to overcome the barriers
which for so many centuries have kept
them secluded and peculiar people.
Few, even of we'll informed people,
know more of this peninsula than that
it is called Corea, and that its interior
appears on the maps very similar to
the interior of Africa great blank.
Through the Dutch, who for years
had settlement at Nagasaki, Japan
was far better known when Commo-
dore Perry anchored his ships on her
coast and by display of happy
combination of frmness and tact sue
ceeded in forcing upon her reluctant
people civilization of which to-day
they cannot get enough. Corea has
been literally "foibidden land" :"
Familiarity has bred for its people
none of the contempt that familiarity
invaribly does breed for the Asiatic in
the minds of all foreigners. They are
| represented as tall and athletic in person
with compilations much lighter than
those of the Chinese, and as wearing
full boards and mustaches. They are
said to be naughty and domineering
in their manner toward strangers, but
courteous and dignified, although
| somewhat grave, in their Intercourse
with friends. They are reported as
brave and warlike, and even cruel in
their dispositions. Their country is
described by some as overilowing
with plenty, by others as poor and
sterile their mountains as glistening
with precious metals, and their King
as possessed of fabulous revenues
Men war anchoring or surveying OF
their coasts have been warned off anC
fired upon. A peaceful trading shiI
ascending one of their Flyers was
burned, and her crew murdered
Roman Catholic missionaries alon
have effected anything like an entrance
into their country, and they and thei
. converts have at intervals falle
sacrifice to their caprice or passion
: of the rulers. Today the gates c
: this terra incognita are thrown upon t
the United States.
1t remained for Commodore ShV
feldt, notwithstanding his two unsu,
cessful visits to Corea, which impress
ed him strongly with the fact that tt
country must soon either be opene
peacefully or taken possession of b
some one of the great powers, to thro'
down the remaining barriers and il
duce those backward people to entt
the family OF nations. Thorough
familiar with the methods of Easter
diplomacy and knowing the workir
of the Celestial mind almost by.intu
tion, snd (perhaps above thesel eDdoN
ed by nature with commandin
! peresence and kindly, courteo,
manner exactly calculated to impre
the always suspicious Oriental Wi
respect and confidence, he was en-
uently fitted for his task. After b
y return home in the Ticondercga
Sc went to China, where after some d
re lay he succeeded in inducing Lii Hur
&C. =. Chang, the practical ruler of tt
Chinese Empire to interest himself
: his plan of opening CoFea. Fro