The Portland daily press., 1882-03-31
From Lecture Delivered by E. B. Drew, at New
York
The Chinese at Home

The Ch1n6S6 at Home
The chief characteristic of the Chirese, as
nation, the speaker said, is industry. Their
working day begins at dawn and lasts till sun
set Schools open at sunrise and do not close
till p. m, there being but one short recess
during the day. The emperor and his court
rise soon after midnight and court audiences
are given between and o'clock in the morn
ing. This same industry is exhibited by all
classes After sunset very few people are in
the streets, the Chinese, like domestic fowls,
retiring early to rest. There is no day cores
ponding to Sunday, and only few holidays in
the year. Busily as they toll, these people
are never in hurry, are never nervous, and
are not given to worrying; but are steady,
cheerful and sober. They rarely quarrel, and
even il they do seldom come to blows. There
will be little queue-pulling, some calling OF
hard Names and then the bystanders will
quietly separate the combatants 1t IS not
physical timidity, but sensitive conscious
ness of the disgrace of fighting that keeps
them from engaging in brawls. That they are
not towards is we'll proven by the fact that
they submit without tlirehing to the most
severe sergical operations without ever using
anasthetics. They MAINTAIN that it Is very in
furious to health,to be nervous, to worry, or to
give way to anger.
AS people the Chinese do not desire a voice
in the government. The common people are
not public-spirited and are not only through
ignorance, Indifferent to beneficial reforms,
but they oppose them strongly il they are apt
to increase the taxes. The government oil
China is not nearly so aristocratic as foreigners
are accustomed to think II is, but when the
popular voice is once aroused II is sure TO nave
great force. In any case where there is con-
fiict between the mandarin or governor OF
district and the people, If the people are patient
and commit 10 acts of violence, the mandarin
either yields or Is removed BY the government.
The people have the profoundest respect for
precedent, and are, in fact, constitutionally
conservative. Although in the main they use
the same implements and materials known TO
them for thousands of years, yet their religion
itself is an importation from India, and they
use foreign watches, needles, kerosene, sulphur,
matches, cotton fabrics, etc. They are, as
people, excessively polite, and their ceremonial
of social intercourse is to foreigners painfully
elaborate 1t is an error to suppose, how
ever, that they are a cringing races they
assert their rights vigorously enough when oc-
cason calls.
They are not truth-telling people. They
give false evidence in trials, furnish false sta
tistics, and even officials present reports that
are tissues of falsehoods. Is is impossible to
shame them by exposing their untruthtulnesS.
They are not addicted to thieving, however.
There is much said about the gross immortality
of the people. In China, at least, II 1t exists IL
is not seen. There are societies for the sup
preston of immoral books. The sacred writ
fngs contain not one indecent word and their
painting and sculpture are perfectly pure.
Vulgar language is never heard above the low
est classes. All Cinnamon drink some wine, a
native beverage made of rice, but drunkenness
is absolutely unknown, so that there are none
of the evils of intemperance there 20 common
wife-beating, brawlng and violence OF
all kinds. The habit that curses the nation,
opium-smoking, enervates the physical, mental
and moral nature, but does not lead to vio-
lence.