Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1884-10-21
THE WAR IN CHINA.
THE EMPRESS DoWAGER.
AND REGENT OF THE CELESTIAL
EMPIRE.


EMPIRE.
There are important reasons why
the recent fighting between France
and China at Foot Chow, Keelungand
in Tonquin, should be more interest
ing to the American people than for
eign difficulties ordinarily are. Tho
chief of these reasons are that we
have Il large trade with China, which
is injured by the !ostilities, and our
Minister TO Pckin is understood TO be
active in the endcavor to bring about
the return Of peace between the two
countries, acting in this capacity at
the request OF China. In 1882, the to-
tai of commerce between the Unite |
States and the Flowery Kingdom
amounted to nearly seventeen million
dollars. Our Government is watching
the progress Of events with the ankle
" natural to a power possessing such
substantial interest in peace between
the parties now at bloody variance,
aud some Of the largest vessels in our
Navy are on duty in Chinese waters.
Everything now relating 10 China
being important 10 our readers at the
present time, we present them with a
portrait of the lady who is at the
head of the Government of that coun-
try. The Empress D1wager and Re-
gent is a woman of great ability, Re-
gent for the second time. She is
about fifty years ofage and the wild
ow of the Emperor lIien-Fung, who
rcigned before the immediate prede-
cessor of the present Empero", Tsaii
'ien, who Is only thirteen years OF
age. The last Emperor, Tung- chi.
died at eighteen years old, January
22d, 1875. During his reign the i'm.
perial lady pictured above was Re.
gent and when he died unexpectedly
she and Prince Ch'un, father of the
present Emperor, pursuaded the two
prime ministers TO make TSait'ieu En-.
peror by acclamaticn, giving her tho
Regency until the lad shall be TWEEN
ty years old, when she will becom,
his adviser. Succession in China i
determined by the ruling Sovereign
who appoints his successor from
among the members of his family o
Il younger generation than his own
Puug-chi was Gu. of suddenly bi
death before he had made this ar
rangement, and the willy female dip
bmat who is our subject, so playet
her cards that she made herself Re
gent once more. She is assisted il
the Government by Prince Ch'un
who is said TO be in favor of 1ightin,
France to the bitter end. The unde
cided character of Chinese diplomac,
appears in the negotiations witt
France. Ii Hung Chang, the mos
eminent of the Celestial statesmen, i
an enlightened man acquainted wit
Western ideas and power, and is dc
sirous of peace without the sacrific
of self-respect of his country. Iii
powerful counsels will unquestionabl
be given in support of the offices un
dertaken by the American Minister
Mr.. John Russell Young.
The present Emperor is the ninth
succession of the Tartar dynasty q
Ts'ing, which succeeded the nativ
dynasty in the year lG44. Durin
about five hundred years previousl
the tribe of Tartars who supersedt
native authority, had gradual
strengthened themselves. Their il
cursions began in ll30, with the o.
cupation OF the Northern provinces {
China.
So far as antiquated ideas teacl
the Emperor of China is the most al
gust person under heaven, or, what
the same thing, in China. He is Il
only person qualified to adore hea
Ell, and is the fountain of all earth
power, rank, honor and privileg
Events of the last generation, recei
ly the force of French gunnery, ha
: dono something to knock arroga
sclf-conceit out of the Chinese, pa
ticularly those interested in the go
I ernment and trade of the Empire, b
n the enlightenment of China is We
partial, and the obstinacy OF its co
servatism marvellous. This will
broken down in time, however, a
= the influence of the United States
IS is great if not paramount in assisting
ar change which is very desirable. Z
is nyriads of Cinnamon who return
IS; rs; their native country afSer having i
re ed here for good number OF yea
. will do something IN the way of &C
,cs vincing the millions at home Il
st o. there are somewhere and somethi
ok outside of the Celestial Empire.
Ats szazSaazua.zz1..1u.11.z.a1E
ny
&c. The term of prisoner at Victor