Year: 1870

BOSTON, Oct. 3, 1870.


or all that has recently been written ana said
about the absorbing questions OF the Cinnamon and
their introduction as aborers into tie United States
there has been little given 10 the public which is
likely to throw more timely ana intelligent light
upon the subject than work shortly TO be issued by
Boston publisher Ii is the effort OF Colonel Russell
ii. ConwelI, OF this city, young and observing
Yankee, who has just returned from the "FloWery
Kingdom and having had rare aud favorable oppor
tuDitIes TO ascertain something OF the Caucasian
race, as well as 10 inform himself OF the causes
which inspire them to desert the land OF their ma
tyity for the shome Of the oppressed of all naons
ne has supplied much information which at this par
tcular time is highly important and useful
10 the American people OF all Classes. During his
absence the Colone gave very clever newspaper
letters over the signature Of ''Russell,o but he
seems TO have reserved for his work just prepared
his more elaborate accounts and conclusions con-
corning the Cinnamon "a race, and their probable
influence upon the destnies Of the American re-
public. The title Of his book is ''Why and How"
and what 1t endeavors to explain is why the Chinese
emigrate and how they contriye to reach America.
Having had an opportunity Of perusng some OF the
advance sheets, am enabled TO give the HERALD
readers an exclusive and early account OF what The
forthcoming work viii contain


INTRODUCTORY.


In his preface the author lnduges in a few gen
eral remarks upon the subject OF European imrni-
grafton, altributing the a vague idea OF a
land without tyranny, and a general hope for the
material Improvement OF their social, moral and
financial condition, remarking IN the course OF these
observations that if the nations OF Europe recog.
nized the sublime principle that ''all are
created free and equaln our forests would wait
mucn longer Tor the axe and our praires bear many
more crops Of wild grass than present appearances
would seem to Indicate Feeling that with their
many privileges they are still oppressed the Euro
pean peasantry leave their native soil TO avoid
further suffering What, then, he asks, shall be
said OF the Chinaman. who, under severe
penalties leaves land dearer TO him by far than
Europe Is TO the European, and leaving his family
behind crosses the Pacific with hope OF citizen
ship when he shall have arrived at his destination
Is 1t oppression at home the mere love OF gold
Let us see.


THE PATRIARcHAL GOVERNMENT OF CHINA.


Abiding TO the harmonious working OF the go
vernment OF the empire, with four hundred millions
OF people under It's sway, all directed by single
minu Colonel Conwell declares the laws OF China TO
be worthy OF the greatest judicial minds of the age.
Their code OF laws he believes to be simple concise
easily understood, and, with the exception OF the
penalty for treason, scrupulously just. Notwlth-
standing this, however he observed a discrepancy
between the perfect state OF society for which the
laws provided and the deploraole condition OF the
people whom he around him.


THE LAWS IMPERFECrLY EXECUTED.


Where the law provided FOR plenty there was scar.
city, and where by the code there should be entire
freedom there were tyranny and slavery. Nothing
In the appearance OF The people country won Id
suggest to an unprejudiced observer the existence
OF such equitable laws fonnd in that code nor
would any person acquainted with Cninese society
and the dsintergrating elements or which it is
posed, account for the stability of the empire by
reference to the code. On inquiry OF mandarin,
whose business 1t was to execute the laws
in his immediate locality, ] received this
rather evasive repy:-"You Americans have
holy CODE which you cali the Bible
and hear that its precepts are excellent. But
never have seen American obeying those precepts
literally, and often hear that in the ports, they
utterly disregard them. Now when you viii tell me
why YOU pay little attention TO your code shall
be able to explain why we make so little OF ours
No doubt 1t is an excellent thing II we could only
practice It," The Chinese nation to-day appears to
the traveller in the provinces like conquered coun
try still under martial law Every oce except those
occupied by few petty village officials, IS liled
by direct appointment from the Emperor or by
high officials IN his The VIII OF every oncl al
Is law in the district which he is appointed not
withstanding the existence OF this excellent code.
One OF the reasons for the long and firm standing
the empire, the author thinks Is the systematic and
well appointed tenant system carried out.


RECONSTRUCTION NEEDED.


What is required IN the devastated districts OF
China, in all other countries, is, IN the first
place. labor and capital TO prepare and TN the so
Next to these, II at all Inferior are the
means OF transport. II may almost seem
paradox to affirm that labor s scarce in China, yet
all experience goes to prove IT.; hundreds OF poor
wretches wan der about nestle the large cities
but most of these now bear the undeniable brand
OF confirmed mendicancy. Tne features 50 easily
recognized among the followers OF the Tlcn Wang
will seldom be looked for In vain among q crowd Of
Chinese beggars the habits OF rapne and cru city
fostered In the TAPPING ranks were far too strong
to be eradcated. But even with Il snperabundance
OF labor the settler on the deserted soil finds
G impossible TO bring his land under cultivation
without capital. The old ties OF family are broken
up; he finds he must pay for his daily labor as well
for the seed TO put IN the ground Unless he meet
with some exterior support he rapidly falls to the
condition OF squatter; and such in fact is the posi-
ton Of most OF the Inhabitants.


CHINESE RELIGION AND SUPERSTITION.


Among that class Of Chinese who emgratc to
America there is In reality no established religion.
In lact the tenes OF the different religions in
iermngled that the priests themselves have cOnsid-
erable difficulty In deciding which is Tauist and
which Is Boodis Boodism consists In the worship OF
divinity which, in connection with inferior spirits
especial regard for good works aud rewards those
who live virtuons lives WITH, VIII happy m or ooyious
ton OF souls, and In q former state OF existence,
when the present souls OF men we're the spirits or
Kind or purgatory TO when a souls go after death
10 be prepared for their future existence as earthly
beings During Their stay u m ana the ena
on earth must supply them VIII money or they Wili
suffer. Tausm Is kind OF materialisn tne de-
yotees OF which believe that the earth, the planets
and each separate thing upon them Is endowed with