Year: 1869

HHopo-The Old maneAo0ar1oo Aa1aM lie


1t was curious fact, shown on the same
page Of our issue on Tuesday, that while the
Burlingame mission is succeeding in Europe
the old missionaries in China are furiously
assailing it, Under the head of our European
news there was an account OF the iattering
and cordial official reception Of the Chinese
Embassy by the Emperor Napoleon, and in
another column was letter copied from
religious journal from Baptist missionary at
Swatow, China, attacking Mr.. Burlingame and
the object of his mission. According to this
learned Christian apostle to the heather the
governments and statesmen of America and
Europe are being nicely bamboozled by Bur-
lingame, the Yankee Chinaman without tail
and his associate Mongol mandarins with tails.
In fact, he AYERS that we are all deceived, and
that Burlingame receives forty thousand dol
lars year to humbug us and to check the pro-
gress of Western civilization in the Chinese
empire. This missionary calls himself an
American, though he sings the praises of
the British for their old bulldog policy,
or, as Mr.. Burlingame calls 1t, throat
policy, toward the Chinese. At first we won
dered what could be the motive or meaning of
this pious Christians attack, but on carefully
looking over his epistle we see what it is. He
opens with uplifted hands in holy horror at the
paganism of China and at almost the divine sur
roundings Of the Emperor. He says :-'When
the Emperor of China goes forth from his
palace into the highways of his capital notice
is previously sent abroad, and the houses along
the road are festooned with yellow. Even the
streets are sprinkled with saffron colored sand,
so that the so-styled Son of Heaven sees
nothing but the imperial yellow" How shock
ing that the subjects of his Imperial Majesty
should reverence him SO! All this display of
Chinese yellow is as offensive to Puritan eyes as
the scarlet vestments Of Rome. 1t is shocking
to think this pagan ruler has not been forced
to abandon the yellow garlands, saffron CO.
lored sand and gorgeous display and to dress
himself in drab and white choker, to suit the
and in the interest Of their Puritan
civilization. Indeed, the fleets and armies
of America, England and the other nations
ought to go up to Pekin and compel the
Emperor to be dipped by this Baptist mis-
sionary in the name of Christ and western
civilization" He does not like the Chinese
dragon, and exclaims, ''the missionaries are
not done feeling his claws, Notwithstanding
what Mr.. Burlingame says" In truth, these
old missionaries, these preachers Of the Gospel
of Peace, would like to draw the Chinese
dragons claws at the cannon's mouth and
through seas Of blood.


The Christian world has complained that
little has been done in converting the Chinese
to Christianity, Notwithstanding the number
of missionaries and vast sums Of money that
have been employed for this purpose. Can
we wonder at that when we see such ignorance,
assumption and narrow-minded bigotry in
these missionaries? Instead of preaching
peace and good will towards men they are
mischief-makers and irebrands. But their
role is ended. They belong to the times that
are passed. There are other greater and new


agents of civilization at work, and If the mis-


sionaries would be useful hereafter they must


fall in and cooperate with these. The new
Gospel of Peace, progress and civilization, is
found in the telegraph and steam power, which
will bring all nations and races Of men in close
contact and harmonize their interests. The
first step'to bring these agencies to bear upon
China country containing q third Of the
human family and incalculable resources-was
to abandon the old coercive policy and to bring
the Chinese into the family Of nations on terms
Of equality and reciprocity Of interests. This
is the grand object of the Burlingame mission.
The very selection of foreigner and an Ameri-
can by the government at Pekin for this mis-.
sion is tho strongest evidence of the liberality
and progressive spirit Of the Chinese govern
ment. Prince Kung, the regent Of the empire,


is an enlightened and far-seeing statesman,


and knows that the time has come when China


can no longer remain in her former state of


isolation. He wisely made the advance


toward closer relations with the civilized


nations Of the West when he sent forth the


Burlingame mission. The United States re-


ceived the embassy in cordial manner and


made q treaty with 1t in broad and liberal


terms. England and France are following the


example. There is no doubt the other nations


Of Europe will do the same This determines


the future relations of the civilized world with


China. She could not go back to her former


isolation and exclusiveness il she would. But


she knows she cannot, and we believe she has


no disposition to make the effort. The cannon


may have served its purpose formerly in


breaking down the barriers to intercourse


with China and in teaching the Chinese the


power of the Western nations; but that day is
past. We must now look to the free inter-
change Of views, to diplomatic action and to
the telegraph and steam communication for
progress and the adjustment of difficulties.


We have only to look at a few facts to learn
the progressive disposition Of the Chinese and