Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1882-09-21
waneS.

Shufeld said OF course you know
that Corea is a country that has long
been inaccessible to the world. / be-
lieve am the first white man who has
ever trod the soil of the interior, and
there -fcre, perhaps, l am a curiosity.
So far as | saw them the people of Corea
are greatly attached to their country,
haye no disposition to emigrate-which
accounts for their excluslveness hereto
fore-but are possessed of a lively
curiosity. On landing in Corea to meet
the two Ministers appointed by the King
to 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 aroundus. We pardoned
their obfrnai-euvSs, BECAUSE we were
probably great mystery to them"
"In what respect do the Coreans
resemble the Chinese?"
II could see but little resemblance.
The Chinese of different localities look
very different, as you know. The
Mongolians OF the North do not very
much resemble the Mongolians of
the south, who mostly come to Callfor-
MIA, 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 resemblance is sufficiently close to
Justify the belief that Corea furnished
material to populate this country orig
inally. All the difference between the
two races could have been produced by
climate and mode of living after immi-
grafton here. Owning to the fact that
naturalists have never had an opportu-
nifty to investigate Coea, this resem-
blance h not been carried out to its
logical conclusion.
"All the occupation the Coreans have
is agriculture and the Product of the
soil is mostly consumed at home.
They export little rice and few beans
to Japan, but they have nc commerce and
no marine. All their carrying is done on
animals or by means of imperfect boats,
Oh the rivers. They appear inoffensive
and not disposed to go to war with
anybody, and yet the mais of the people
are said to be curious in regard to
outside affairs. The country is ruled by
a King, who in his own dominion is an
absolute despot, having complete power
over the lives and property of the most
noble of his subject. Heis assisted in
gov rning by council selected from
the nobility, who have harge of the
various departments iudlcal, 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 abb to get into
his presence. 1t is sacri!ege to utter the
name he has received from his suzerain
and that by which he is Known in history
is only given him aftel his death.
1t is high treason to touh his person
with weapon of iron. Notwithstanding
the monarch's exclHsiveless, howeve~,
IN theory his ear is always open to the
people, and an appeal to him IN all grave
matters is nominally permitted. The
interference of the nobnty in politi IS
is also high treason and the princes of
the blood excluded wholly from power.
About year since pot to gain control
of the government was discovered
among the mobiles, and every person in
any way connected whit Was beheaded.
This treatment of the participants in the
imbroglio was a salutary lesson.
Although the King wields such power,
there are two political parties among
the mobiles of Corea. One party is
called the Progressists, the other by 6
name wich implies their antipodes-
those opposed to progress. The former
party is at present IN power, a fact
which rendered the negotiation of oul
treaty possible"