New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-25
JrDJCJAL UATHS FOR CHIHAMEN

A Philadelphia court OF justice brought con-
tempt upon itself last week b.: ridiculous en-
bibition described in the newspapers rs the most
solemn OF Chinese oathS.' though In fact wholly
unknown TO the judicial procedure OF China. ana
having no binding effect upon thu cons enc" OF snv
subject of that Empire. ~ the ccTcnon!. 50
called, wis accepted by the Court rs perfectly
valid and cilicacous and ~ attempts ma" he
made TO introduce 1t In Othrr courts where tho
testimony OF Cinnamon is required an exposure OF
its worthlcs,neSs and absurdit.' i desirable. In"
performance was conducted in the following man
ncr:
A rooster brought into court and st down
be.idc the witness stand. whri" HIulr" Of muslin
had been placed Candles and JOS. StckS wcrr N:hici
I'm a cusplIUr The witness then cut oil The rONicrH
head and signed wth qnill dipped In IA" dead biids
hinnd tho psprr frum which the oath had been read
10 him The paper then burned In IN" curphlnr.
The presiding Judge would have done well 10
take warning from the court interpreter, who. on
being questioned distinctly stated that oa'hS ar"
not administered in Chinese tribunal. and that his
only experience Of display OF this sort had b'cn
in Portland, OREGON The fact i beyond dispute
that no native OF the Middle Kingdom is sub
jectrd by the law Of his country 10 processes sup
posed TO affect the welfare Of his soul. On rlrr
and unusual occasions, OrdcalS involving the
theory OF punishment in this world are imposed,
but nothing IN inc nhIu.f OF II DIlNl Ihl
ton. with H., reference u future state OF exist,
ancc is recognized or tolerated. IL Is onl.' b.
Europeans AMI Americans that efforts have been
made 20 discover methods OF nttcstation for
hcathcns entailing the spiritual con cpucncrs Of
perjury The difficulty Of authrnticating tho tcs-
timony OF Orcntals his. indeed. been a subject Of
legal consideration In England since the middle Of
the last century, when, in the memorable case Of
| Omichund the JUDGES were constrained to decide
that witnesses from the East should be- PRIVILEGED
to choose for themselves the form Of oath IN which
they attached most weight. This however. i'm
| piled TINT some form OF oath WIS indispensable,
| and In course OF time inquiries bean n be made
as TO the usaqes OF Asiatic Tribunals. remark
able precedent was established inrsO4. when. on
the unsupported declaration OF n Chinese inte:-
prefer, an observance adopted which has
ever since been followed. notwithstanding the
ridicule invariably cast upon it by those for whom
| 1t is alleged to have melnin=. Although now
| known 10 be the invention Of a crafty lSnave. II
| is Cravely enforced By British magistrates. in.
| Guiding those OF most OF the Eastern colonies
| Tho witness is made to break saucer into pieces
| by knocking IL against hard substance. and i
informed that II he Is untruthful his bod--or his
soul-will be cracked in like manner. This par
ticular piece of mummery does not appear to have
| constituted u puEb VI III
delphia last week, possibly because more go
tesoue and prcposterous order 81 exercises WI,
available.
The burning Of the paper, with the accessories
of ioss-sticl1s and lighted candles, is Formally
| OF British courts in various parts Of Asia. 1t IL
supposed to have been first suggested by an IT,
norant missionary in Mnlacca, and 70 have been
adopted some fifty years ago in the Strits set
Elements" where it still continues &c excite the
derision Of the Chinese 1t was in vogue at Hong
Kong from ls43 until 1851 lmprecations are
inscribed upon the paper and Its destruction by
fire at the hands Of the witness is understood By