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Leader (1850-1860), 15th May 1858, Edition 1 of 2, Page 463, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      man . of the empire . He has exercised high offices for more than a quarter of a century . He has ruled with , an absolute despotism 30 , 000 , 000 of souls . His sentences have been tortures , his lightest words have been death . He has been to China what Wentwprth was to Ireland , and -wished to be to England . His policy lias been ' thorough , ' and he has been able to work it oat in a reign of terror unrestrained . He tells with a coarse lauo-h that he has himself sentenced to death 100 , 000 of his countrymen and countrywomen , and ho boasts that that estimate must be quadrupled if we take into account the towns and villages destroyed by his orders . ....

      " In his personal appearance , x eh is a very stout and rather tall man ^ about five feet ele ve n , with the long thin . Chinese moustache and beard , a remarkably re ceding forehead , a skull in which what the phrenologists call ' veneration' is much developed ; a certain degree of rotundity behiiul the ear , anil a moderate development of the back head .: Shorn nearly to the crown , and very thinly covered -with hair in that part where the Chinese mostly cultivate their hair , our Mandarin offers every facility for craniological examination . His tail is very paltry , very short , and very thin . The smallest porker in China has a better tail than her highest Mandarin .

      "His face is heavy . There is more chin than you usually see in a . Chinaman—more jowl and jaw , indicative of will and obstinacy . The nose is long and flat , the nostrils forming one sitle of a very obtuse angle . Seen in profile the nose is very remarkable and yery ugly ; in the front face this , the most simial expression of- the man ' s countenance , id mitigated . The eye—that round slit Mongolian eye—is the " most expressive feature of the man who is sitting opposite to me , and looking ratlicr suspiciously at me as I am now writing . In his ordinary niood there is only a look of shrewdness and quick cunning in this , the only mobile feature , of his face ; but I have seen liiui in the turning moments of his life , when those eyeballs glared with terror and with fury . He lias a large protruding mouth , thick lips , and very black teeth , for , as lie remarks , ' it never lias been the custom of his family to use a toothbrush . ' "

      At first , Yeh . behaved with insolent defiance ; but , finding that we had no deadly- intentions towards him , and only designed ' -to . " keep : him a prisoner , he relaxed . " He gave up playing the high Mandarin , conversed with affability upon indifferent subjects , preferred a request for a daily ration of six pounds of fresh pork , presented a portion of his stock of oranges to the Wardroom mess , and begged to be allowed to send for a full

      supply of Chinese tobacco . " Up to this time , the only occasions upon which he manifested any vivacity wore upon discussions as to his food . Visitors annoyed him . He was , or pretended to be , much shocked at the dress of an English lady . He kept his eyes studiously turned from'her , and remarked afterwards ' . that her throat was not covered . Mr . Alabaster [ the interpreter appointed to attend him ] showed him some portraits in an Illustrated Neios of ladies in ball-room dress . Yeh was scandalized .

      " Yeh ia in his private life a very respectable Chinaman . He is entirely free from all suspicion of those detestable habits common to his countrymen , and for ¦ which even the virtuous Keying was but too notorious . He smokes no opium ; hia ordinary drink is only warm tea ; he uses aamshu only as a medicine . He eats twice a . day of four or five succulent dishes , and drinks nothing while eating . Hia devotions consist of sitting in the posture of a Chinese idol , liis legs crossed and his face to the east . He remains in an abstracted state for about ton minutes , and the act of devotion is accomplished . When ho first camo on board ho retircJ . into this contemplative state several times a day . Ho afterwards became much moro remiss , and oiiec a dav appeared to

      suffice him . He said , if he were praying ho shoulu ^ turn to the west ; but ho is not praying . He turns to the east because the east is tire ' aeii tf chi , ' the principle of life , an the vrost is the principle of death . He s : » ya the four eardirtal points agrci with the four seasons—the north , is the winter , the south is the summer , the east ia tba spring , and the west is the autumn . "In the practice of that virtue which we Westerns ore glad to rank next to godliness Yeh is certuiuly not oonspkuous . His daily ablutions consist of jv slight rubbing of the face with a towel moistened in hot water . Ho has a . horror of froaii air , am ] , while in Chinese waters , never willingly went on deck . He loved to have the ports closed and tho skylights down .

      Yeh sleeps in a recess in the captain ' s cabin , which lio profors to a separata sleeping berth . Ho goes to bed about eight o ' clock , and while wo are reading or writing , or playing chess , ho sloupa tho sleep of infancy . Thin man-lullor , after slaym hia hundred thousand human barag * , enjoys sweeter sleep than an innocent London nidonnan afcer a turtle dinner . Si > fulao arc traditions ; so falao are the remorseful sconea of Greek « nd lloman and ISngliah tragedies . "

      Untitled Article

      IRELAND . Tins IJklfast Tua Fkau ™ . —Tho Customs mitlioritifla Wave aorved notices of civil Action * on almost every person yrhose nnmo , as , i buyer , atood in thu books of

      John James -Moore . To eacli of these notices an " appearance " in the Court of Revenue Exchequer must be entered ; and the tea-dealers will be put to great expense , no portion of which can be recovered from the Crown , even in the event of its defeat . Emigration tbom the North . —The bark Flora Mino , with one hundred and sixty emigrants for Quebec , obtained her final clearance from the Government officers at the port of Belfast last Saturday . This spring , the emigration tide seems to be chiefly from . the northern counties . Executions . —The two brothers Cormack , convicted at the last assizes of the murder of Mr . John Ellis , were hanged at Nenagh on Tuesday . Great exertions were made on behalf cf the convicts , on account of the chief witness against them being an informer of villauous character , and one who had participated in the murder ; but all was in vain . The wretched men to the very last moment of their ' existence persisted in their innocence of the crime . AVhen Daniel Coniiack came in sight of the people , he raised his voice , and said , in a loud tone : — " Lord , have mercy on me ! for you , Jesus , know that I neither bad hand , act , nor part in that for which I am about to die . Good people , pray for me . Lord , have mercy on me ! " The brother made a similar declaration . In Galway , on the same day , Patrick Leyden was executed for the inurder of liis wife . He fully confessed his guilt . . Thk Limerick . Vacancy . — -JMr . John Ball is in the field for Limerick , and has tlie powerful support of lJishop liyan , a popular llomaii CaihoHe prelate .

      Untitled Article

      THE ORIENT . CHIXA . All continues quiet at Canton . Lord Elgin , by the last advices , had . reached Ningpo "; and , on the 21 st of March , Admiral Seymour left llong-lvoni ;—it is believed for Shanghai . General Straubenzee . has .. returned to Canton . The import niaxket at Shanghai has been brisk .

      Untitled Article

      AMERICA .- . The Deficiency Bill has passed the Senate , and the Kansas Conference Committee ' s report has been adopted by both Houses . The Secretary of the Navy has addressed a communication to the Secretary of State , requesting him'to express to the British Minister how highly the Department appreciates the kind offices of her Majesty's naval officers in the case of the frigate Susquehanna , the crew of which have suffered greatly from yellow fever . M . Kallersburger , the Swiss Consul at San Francisco , and member of a very respectable linn , is missing . He has lost large sums in speculation . From Granada we hear of the ratification of the Cass-Frizzari Treaty . Tlie difficulties with the United State . ' , ' respecting the riots at Panama two years ago , have been settled ; the isthmus is placed under the sole control of the United States and American citizens ura invested with very _; reat privileges . Castello has been appointed President of Salvador . The contract between tlie American Atlantic and Pacific Ship Canal Company and the State of Nicaragua , giving the exclusive grant of the transit , route to that company , inaJc on the 10 th of June , 1850 , has been ratified by the Legislature of Nicaragua , and received the Presidential signature . A conditional contract between the State of Nicaragua ami the company lias also been ratiliid by the Legislature and sanctioned by the Executive . General Houston ' s resolution relative to the establishment of a protectorate over Mexico has been laid on tho tnble of tho Senate , after some little debate . Money at IS ' ew York lias become exceedingly abundant . Nothing very important is announced in connexion with the Mexican revolution , or civil war . Tlie President Jurac / . : iiid his Cabinet were , on tho llth of April , taken on board the stormier John L . Stephens at Mazanillrt , and conveyed thonce to New Orleans , whencn Juraez intended to proceed to Yera Cruz , whero his Government i * now established under Z ; unora . The rebol loader Gaiuhira has been defeated and killed . Genera Pesquiera engaged him at Jucinto , when ho was routed and alain , with one hundred of hia men . The state of Buenos Ay res is nt present apparently tranquil . Its army is still on tho north-went I ' rontlor in pursuit of thu 'hostile IiuU . ins , who have been obliged to retire into llio desert , with aome loaa . The head-quarters are utSitliiins , whieliwus until very lutoly occupied and ontiroly surroumliMl l > ytho Indian tribes . The elections for the House of lleproaeiitati ve . s took placu on the 30 th of March last- The result was wholly in favour of the nresont Government , not a single deputv of the Opposition party having olFerud hinnelf as a candidate Tli « yellow lover wan raging in the port . The Wn . ihiiiy ' ton cnrrespimduut of the Naw York Herald sny » that the Oliiyton-Bulwcr Treaty will bo abrogated . Iji > rd Napior nut having received any in . itructions from the Derby Administration on the subject , ho will not attempt to reopou negotiations for tlie present . A Mr . F . Lobn , who has just made hia escape from

      Salt Lake City , gives it as his opinion that the Mormons will not fight the United States troops , after all their boasting , but will make off , as they are very ill provided with cannon and military stores , and could only bring about 8500 fighting men into the field . He also states that the condition of the women is deplorable , and that they would gladly welcome the arrival of a force which would relieve them . A dinner was given to Charles Mackay , on the 26 th ult ., at the Kos 3 ini House , Toronto . There was a large attendance of members of Parliament and others . The steamer Ocean Spray has been burnt in the Mississippi , about five miles from St . Louis . At the time she took fire , she was racing with the Hannibal City ; and , to keep up the highest possible speed , orders were given to throw turpentine on the fire . Previously to this , resin had been thrown on ; and , a barrel of turpentine being produced , the head was stove in , and the fluid was dipped out with a bucket , and sprinkled over the coals . Some sticks of wood were also dipped into the turpentine , and placed between the barrel and the fire . Shortly afterwards , a live coal fell on the wood , and the whole was soon in a furious blaze . Water was thrownupon . it ; but the flames were thus only driven towards the turpentine barrel , which soon caught fire . The mate ordered that tlie barrel should be thrown overboard ; but , before this could be done , it wa 3 upset , and the fiery flood at once poured all over the deck . The vessel made for the shore , and the passengers frantically leaped overboard ; but about twenty appear to have been killed .

      Untitled Article

      CONTINENTAL NOTES . That narrow ; aiid unchjistian feeling" 13 to be condemned which , regards , with' jealodsv the progress of foreign nations , and caves for no " portion or the iiumaii race but that to which , icself beloug-s . Dfi " . A . ENOLD .

      l'KASTCE . The commission-appointed by tlie Corps Legislatif toreport on the . bill '• ¦ presented' by the Government , approving the convention concluded between the Treasury and the city of Paris for the opening and completion of various new streets , has concluded its labours . The report commences by setting forth the objections entertained by the commission , to the large expenses proposed to be incurred , and to the destruction of so many houses occupied by the working classes . The answers of the Council of State are \ a \ io given . It appears that the commission insisted on a reduction of 45 , 000 , 000 francs on the sum required by the State for public works ia Paris , and tliat this amendment has bean accepted by the Council of State . " In the debate in the Corps Legislatif on the 8 th , " says the Daily News Paris correspondent , " objections against tho Paris Improvements Bill were tnrged with considerable force anil spirit by several members . The bill was voted by ISO suffrages against 45 , and , the session being over , the House separated with , the customary cries of ' Vive TL ' mpeieur ! ' The minority in a House consisting ' , with four exceptions , of Government nominees , is strikingly large . One hundred and sixtyiivc bills have been presented during the present session , of which one hundred and sixty-one have been voted . The four which stand overfill next session are the bill 3 relative to the conversion of -woodlands into arable or private estate * , the customs laws , the manufacture of , percussion ea , » s , and the law of patents for inventions . " An interesting discussion took place on Priday week in the Corps Le '_; Uli » tif , on the . bill having reference to titles of nubility . The tribunes were quite full , and mam' ladies with tickets were waiting in . the lobbies , unable to obtain seata . Among the opponents to the measure wjra M . lielniontet , M . Taillefer , M . Lelur ,, M . Lagrainl , , inil \ l . Emile Ollivier . The last named made an admirable and most eloquent speech . He said : — " Suppose , gentlemen , that the Government were to present to you a hill enacting that a son should b s responsible for the crime of his father ; that it" thu faults of a guilly party hiul not been expiated in his lifetime , liis memory should be branded , and tlie property of his heirs should be forfeited ; in such a cine , would not tho House unanimously protest against the proposal ? Would you not suy , w . j will not go backwards—wo will not revive the abuse * of tli-J old monarchy , which the Revolution of ' 89 swept invar—we are tluc ' iil liun of that Revolution . And yet , what is now proposed to you is in principle precisely tho saim . If punishments are not hereditary , rewards oiurtit not to be either . " 'i'lieae wor < U provoked an explosion of murmurs . When Hiloncn was re-ttorail , M . Ollivier prociMiled : — " Gentlemen , if there be in thn nssif . iibly but a small leaven of justice and good fouling , you will not only hoar mo , but you will take the trouble to understand what I wish to rtuy . Y "< m love , you adoro the constitution ; it is the tluMiia of all your ' spiiechciH ; the [ irinciploH of 178 !) nvo , inscribed on tl » o r **<> iit ! .- » j ) i « uo of the constitution . Are thoy tliero for oriiuinont only , or is it meant that t . lmy aliill bo acted upon V If tho latter , allow inn to toll you that in ' Hi ) thei principle of personal responsibility was oubrititutocl for th « oil luireilitary prinuiplo . Tlie Convention first applied tho » -mv principle l > y deolnrin ^ that , tho nhililrou of criininiils condemned to death wore clvildron of tlio atate . Hora-

      Untitled Article

      ] STo . 425 LM ^ 15 , 1 S 58 , ] _________ ____^ - HE ! L ~ & A 3 ) E R . 4 < 63

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), May 15, 1858, page 463, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2242/page/7/