The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1882-09-27
Corea.

The steamer Arabic, which arrived
from China on Friday night, brought to
this city Commodore Shufeldt and his
daughter on their return home. A re-
porter called on him yesterday at the
Palace Hotel. Commodore Shufeldt
stands six feet, weighs 200 pounds, and
although nearly sixty years of age is as
straight as an arrow and walks with
youthful energy. His hair and beard
are literally streaked with gray, his
forehead high and broad, and his COM
plexion Drowned with the sunshine of
the Eastern seas.
"Of course you know" began the
Commodore, s'that Corea is a country
that has long been inaccessible to the
world. / believe am the first white
man who has ever trod the soil of the
interior, and, therefore, perhaps 1 am
curiosity. So far as 1 saw them, the
people of Corea are greatly attached to
their country, have no disposition to
emigrate-which accounts for their eX-
clusiveness heretofore-but are pos
Sessed of lively curiosity. On landing
in Corea to meet the two Ministers ap-
pointed by the King 10 negotiate this
treaty, two officers accompanied me for
some distance into the interior. We
were unarmed, but were not molested.
The roads over which we travelled were
lined with people for miles, attracted
probably by their first opportunity to
look upon the face of white man. In
some instances they crowded around US,
and, suppose, commented upon our
strange dress and appearance, but they
made no attempt to molest us. We par
dOned their obtrusiveneSs, because we
were probably great mystery to them"
" In what respect do the Coreans re-
semble the Chinese?"
al could see but little resemblance.
The Chinese of different localities look
very different, as you know. The Mon
golians of the North do not very much
resemble the Mongolians of the South,
who mostly come to California, and the
Corean looks much unlike either class.
Their complexion is light, their hair
dark, long and wiry, and their eyes
black. They remind me of the North
American Indian, and believe the re-
| scmblance is sufficiently close to justify
the belief that Corea furnished the ma
terial to populate this country original
ly. All the difference between the two
races could have been produced by eli
mate and mode of living after the immi-
grafton here. Owing to the fact that
naturalists have never had an opportu-
nifty to investigate Corea, this resem-
blance has not been carried out to its
logical conclusion.
"Al the occupation the Coreans have
is agriculture, and the product of the
soil is mostly consumed at home. They
export little rice and a few beans to
Japan, but they have no commerce and
no marine. All their carrying is done
| H., 81
boats on the rivers. They appear inof-
fensive and not disposed to 60 to war
with anybody, and yet the mass of the
people are said to be curious in regard
| to outside affairs. The country is ruled
| by King, who in his own dominion is
an absolute despot, having complete
| power over the lives and property of the
most noble of his subjects. He is assist
ed in governing by a council selected
from the nobility, who have charge OF
| the various partInents-Judicial, War,
| Financial and Interior Departments.
| The person of the King for centuries
has been absolutely inaccessible, and no
| person of his own race, much less a
foreigner, has been able TO get into his
presence. 1t is sacrilege to utter the
name he has received from his Suzerain,
and that by which he is known in his
tory is only given him after his death.
1t is high treason to touch his person
with q weapon of iron. Notwithstand-
ing the monarch's exclusiveness, how
ever, in theory his ear is always open to
the people. and an appeal to him in al
grave matters is nominally permitted
The interference of the nobility in poll
tics is also high treason, and the princes
of the blood are excluded wholly from
power. About a year since plot tc
gain control of the Government was dis.
covered among the mobiles, and every
person in any way connected with il
was beheaded. This treatment of the
participants in the imbroglio was g
salutary lesson. Although the King
wields such power, there are two politi
cal parties among the mobiles of Corea
One party is called the progressists, the
other by q name which Implies their an
tipodes-those opposed to progress
The former party is at present In power
a tact which rendered the negotiation
of our treaty possible. San FrGnciso'
! Ghrontele.