Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-02-01
4 STRANGE CAREER.
The Life and Adventures OF "Chinc.er
Gordon

Ebo Life ana Adventures OF 'Chiupse"
Gordon.
General Gordon, of the British Army.
known in history as "Cbincse Gordon" who
has just been detailed by the Gladstone
Cabinet to take control Of British interests
in Soudon, is a remarkable man and has had
a most remarkable career. No Enplishman
Of modern times has had more influence in
adjusting the affairs Of m.barbaric peoples
than this same quiet, selfsacrllclng molder
Of uncivilized thought aud action. His career
IN China alone stamps the genius OF the
man. Called in 1860 by the influence Of Ii,
the governor general of the Kiang provinces,
tocOmmand the army operating against Tien
wang, the commander Of the Taipings, he at
once displayed qualities Of craftsmanship and
| gcncralship which won him worlds an
| plausc. His operations were one u1broken
success. He took command when the
lmperalsts were in a desperate plight
their army feeble and disorganized and
their spirit broken. He began by
aggression. lie first captured Fushan and
relieved the garrison at Chauzu. Then with
5000 men he laid seige to Taitsan and took
il with its garrison Of 10 600 Then h. cap
tured Quinsln and Soochow, and finally
marched on Marking, the headquarters OF
the rebellion. This capital he invested in
face Of overwhelming numbers and many
natural difficulties, but his genius and de-
termination overcame everything, and with
the fall OF Marking ended the TAPPING re-
belion.
For this distinguished service Gordon re.
fused reward from the Chinese government.
| WCnl1
ton Of any kind, and lie left China poorer
than he entered it. lie returned to England
and courted obscurity. His fame had, :of
course, preceded him. but he refused to be
li9hi2ed. lie dctested publicity he refused
to have his biography written; he ceased to
read newspapers which praised him he en-.
tered upon life of rigorous sef-repression.
In 1860 lie was appointed royal engineer at
Gravesend, and remained six years in seclu-
sion. Ills lille there was a marvel of self
abnegation and Philanthropy A recent
writer says his mania for sell-;acrifce was
an eccentrcity, and adds:
In work-house, hospital and Stun he ia
terested himself in the sorrows Of his fellow
creatures, like a lion-hearted missionary.
His house was refuge for the unfortunate
and h me and training school for boys
rescued from the gutter. Many Of these
urchins he clothed, ted and lodged, teaching
them TO read and write in the evenings and
finding good berths for them on vessels.
He correspondent with them when they
were at sea, and followed their adventures
by sticking pins into llrge map of
the world which hung over his
mantel-piece; and on whltever sea thew
were sailing he prayed for them every night
lie taught classes in the ragged schools, and
his scholars attested their love and adnlira-
ton by chaklng on the fences, &c I'd Bless
the Kernel" He allowed poor families to
add to their scanty means by raising veget-
ables in his garden. He dined on salt beef
and made his supper of pot of tea aud a
stale loaf aud what he could save from his
income he gave to the poor. When flowers
and fruit were left at his lor he sent them
to the nearest hospital.
But he carried his ldiosyncracy still
further. Decorations and medals he refused
invariably. The Empress of China sent bin
a gold medal. He erased the inscription,
sold it for $50, and sent the proceeds anonym-
ously to Manchester for the relief of the
sufferers by the cotton famine. Ali his Chi
nese trophies, such as battle flags, etc, be
gave to the ragged schools Cf Gravesend
He lived for others, his purse was always
empty, and he held the belief that nob1dy
should have more of anything than enough
for his bare needs. He was at once q med
ieval ascotic and Cromwelian Puritan
Gordon was urged for the command of the
I Ashantce expedition, but he scorncd political
influence and Wolseley was sent in his stead.
II was not until 1874, he being then British
commissioner to superintond the dredgin!
Of the mouth of the Danube, that Gordon
came again into prominence. lie was per.
mitted by the government to take service
with the hhedive, succeeding Sir Samuel
| Baker as governor of the tribes of Upper
Egypt. He was offered a salary of go, 900 a
year, but refused to accept more than $4,000
| Just enough for his personal expenses.
He remained six years in the Khedive's EN-.
poY, and had varied experience. He broke
up the Infamous slave trade of the Upper
Nile, won the confidence of the natives, con-
cilated hostile tribes, restored the Khedive's
authority in Bahr Gazele, which had been
usurped by the slave dealer Sebehr, disbanded
peaceably 5000 Bashi-Bazouks who were
used as frontier guards, but who we've in
variably bri5ed by the slave dealers, aud
finally built upa hourishing trade aud Sc
cured fair revehue in the widest anarchy
in the world. His career as governor gen
eral of the SouIan, which ended with the
accession # Tewfik, was wonderful sue
cess, and disclosed the same dauntles. cour-
age, habitua self-contidence and mItsy
sagacity which had been displayed in China
Gordon met with a hearty welcome in
England, but, as usual, declined all honors
| Lord Ripon invited him to 60 to India as his
| secretary, place which Gordon accepted
but resigned when he got to Bombay. Sur
sequently he was called to China by his old
friend Ii to give counsel to the government
in reference to the war then impending with
Russia. TsO and Prince Chun were the
leaders of the war party; Ii and Prince
Kung were in favor Of peace the issue be-
tween the factions was doubtful. Gordon
turned the scale. He conferred with Ii and
all the great satraps of the empire, and earn
estly advised pacific policy. The adoption of
this policy was perhaps the greatest triumph
of his life He then returned to England
and the government made him major gen.
cral and sent him to South Africa, but there
was little here for him to do and in five
months he asked to he recalled. Recently
the King of the Bcginns offered him ser
vice in the Congo country, but TO this the
British government refused its assent, for
reasons which, though they called forth crit
icism at the time, show now that the minis
try want to retain his services in higher
field General GOrdon's return to the Sou
dan, where he enjoys the confidence of all
the Tribes, can hardly fail to lie Of benefit to
The Egyptian government and British inter
tsts in that distracted country.
New EHglands First Choice.
From the Woonsocket (R ~ Parlot.l
Among the Republicans, Gen. Logan,
Gen. sherman, Blaine and President Arthur