Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1882-06-08
Fr9in Lecturc Delivered by L h Drew. al Sew
York
The Chinese at Home.
y iNt>ptC'I4iIN
WENDELL BENSON.

The chief characteristic Of the Chinese
Is a nation, the speaker SAID. IS industry
Their working day begins at dawn and lasts
tai sunset. School. open at sunrise and do
not close till p. m, there being but one
short recess during the day. The emperor
and his court r.-e soon after midnight, and
court audiences are gwen between and ;
O'Clock N the morning. This same industry
Is exhibited by al classes. After sunset
very few people are IN the streets, the Chi
ne,e, like domestic fowls, rctiriug early to
rest. There Is no day corresponding to
sunday, and only few nollday, IN the year
Bu,.y they toll, these people are never
IN q hurry, are never nervous, and are not
given TO worrying but are steady, cheerful
and sober They rarely quarrel, and even If
they do seldom come 10 blows. There will
b. a little queue pulling, some calling of
hard names, and then the bystanders will
quirtN separate the combatants II Is not
physical umtdity. but sensitive conscious
ness OF the disgrace OF fighting that keeps
them from engaging in brawls. That they
are not towards is well proven by the fact
tina, the, submit without fInching to the
most severe Surgical operations without ever
using anasthetlcs. They maintain that II is
very injurious to health, 70 be nervous. to
worry. ur 70 give way to anger.
As people the Chinese 10 not desire a
voice in the government. The common peo-
pie are not public-spirlted and are not only g.,
through ignorance, indifferent to beneficial
reforms, but they oppose them strongly If
they are apt 10 increase the taxes. The
government of China is not nearly 80 arIs-
tocratic as foreigner. are accustomed to think
II Is, but when the popular voice is once
aroused il Is sure to have great force. In
any where there is a conflict between
the mandarin or governor of district and
the people, If the people are patient and
commit no acts OF violence, the mandarin
either Yields or Is removed by the govern
ment. The people have the profoundest re-
spect for precedent, and are. In fact, consti-
tutlonally conservative. Although in the
main they use the same implements aud ma
terials known to them for thousands of years,
vet their religion itself is an importation
from India, and they use foreign watches,
needles, kerosene, sulphur matches, cotton
fabrics, etc. They are, as people, exces-
slvely polite, and their ceremonial of social
intercourse is to foreigners painfully eiab-
that they are a cringIng race they assert
their rights vigorously enough when occa-
sion calls.
They are not a truth-telling people.
They give false evidence in trials, furnish
false statistics, and even officials present re-
ports that are tissues of falsehoods. Ii is
impossible to shame them by exposing their
untruthfulness. They are not addicted 10
thieying, however. There is much said
about the gross immortality of the people.
In China, at least, if it exists it is not seen.
There are societies for the suppression OF
immoral books. The sacred writings con-
tain not one indecent word and their paint
, ing and sculpture are perfectly pure. Vul-
gar language is never heard above the low
est classes. All Cinnamon drink some wine,
a native beverage made Of rice, but drunk
enness is absolutely unknown, so that there
are none of the evils Of intemperance there
so common here-wife- beating, brawling
and violence of all kinds. The habit that
curses the nation, opium smoking, euervates
the physical, mental and moral nature, but
does not lead to violence.