Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1896-08-27

chang. the tlceroy of the Chinese en-
Mrs. arrives in this country from Lon
don soon on his way home from the
cars cor onation, the people of the
United States will have an opportunity
81 seeing one of the greatest men that
China has ever produced. Ii Hung
and his cortsge are booked to saul from
London the latter part Of this month,
accompanied by Louis Spitzel, an
American who is in The manufacture
ing business in China, and who is to
act as guide and interpreter for the
party during their tour through this
country. This celebrated Chinese
statesman has been Toasted and dined
by the royalty and state officials of all
the countries he has visited, and he
will be honored in many ways by the
United States government and by
prominent citizens of this city who
we're at some time residents of China
and are lesirous of pay ing respect to
the viceroy Of the Chinese empire. One
event Of interest while fl Hung Chang
was in Germany was his visit to Prince
DlslIdl IN at Il l0hl uut, Wn6I6 the
two venerable statesmen had their pic
ture taken together in the balcony of
the castle. Ii Hung Chang is a re-
markable man. He is somewhat above
the middle height, and his erect bear
ing and steady gait bear little evidence
OF the seventy-seven years that have
passed over his head, but his wrinkled
face and scant hair, plated in the
usual queue, prove that they have left
their marks; eyes apparently express
ionless, but really ceaselessly inquiring
and Observing; mouth proving dent
istry has been little patronized a thin
gray moustache hanging down and a
firm skin. The body dressed in the
flowing garments, but of fine silk text
ure, such as we see on Chinese pic
lures and tea chests: this is Ii Hung
Chang, who, old man as he is, can
make or mar the great Chinese empire.
The province of Human claims the
honor Of his birth. Who were his par
ents no man but he can say, and the
only feeling resembling religion
which the Chinese conscientiously Gull
tiyate, viz, that of ancestral worship,
would forbid him to mention those sa-
cred personages, especially to us who
are foreign devils in his sight 1t may
be taken for granted, however, that Ii
in his youth was a student, and that
his father was of the Mandarin class,
for ii would have been impossible for
him to enter official life without a sue
cessful examination, and Ii was a
young man when he first came in con-
tact with those of our race. He still
maintains a guard of Human braves
and was very unwilling during the
Chinese-J Japanese war to send them to
the front But, powerful though his
enemies are, Ii has influence enough
to thwart their plans.
The days Of the opium trade brought
Ii Hung Chang's name first in notice
to the history of China and the Chi
nese. although well pleased with the
exchange OF commodities with the out
er harbarians, exacted various and ex-
Ceedingly humiliating ceremonies from
the factors" who represented diploma
cy at the few open ports to which they
were confined. But the trade was
highly profitable, and our Human
scholar was confirmed in the belief of
the superiority of his race, and in his
contempt for Caucasians. AS an offset
against opium England dispatched mis-
sionaries, and it was this new creed
that was taken for pretext in the his
torieal Tai Ping Rebellion. It was at
this time that LIS former views re-
eeived a shock. He held a position
somewhat resembling that OF our col
lector Of the port, in the province Of
lhe Two Kiangs, Of which Marking is
the capital, and which is the richest
and most productive of the middle
Kingdom While the rebels were
threatening this capital Ii Hung
an nnassuming but very energetic
Young British officer, and it pleads
highly for Lis powers of discernmant
laat he entrusted the subjugation OF
lhe rebels to this foreigner Chinese
g2r#on, History tells the result, and
GORDON We're firm friends, and the trib-
4'a Haid to the dead hero after the fall
.. haartoum by the practical ruler of
S. millions was pathetic and spon-
4eaas But Lis share In the reduc-
a4 q The rebels had attracted atten-
the more so perhaps as he had
idence Of great personal conr-
nd when China's arrogance and
hla duplieity brought the armies
1and and France before the
q Peking; when the emperor ane
Sc curt had torsaken the capital ano
liating peace by which the rep
lives Of foreign powers We're
sl within the sacred walls was
Die Ii Hung Chang saw his OBJ
and seized It,
afnperor died while the enemy
the walls Of his capital, and
hung, more able and less OBJ
man than the average Manda-
aeeeeded In having the empress
IA - -