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Leader (1850-1860), 15th May 1858, Edition 2 of 2, Page 7, y Q . <m,_ MA.Y 15, 1858.] THE LEADEB, ....

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      Mr. Commissioner Yk1i. A*R Interesting P...

      : 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 teen to Chirm what TVentworth was to Ireland , and wished to be to England . His policy has teen ' thorough , ' aud he has-been able to work it out in a : reiga of terror unrestrained . He tells with a coarse laugh that he has himself sentenced to death 100 , 0-00 of his countrymen and countrywomen , and ho boasts that that estimate must be quadrupled if we take into account tlie towns and villages destroyed by his orders

      "In liis personal appearance , Yeh is a very stout and rather : tall man , about five feet eleven , 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 behind the ear , and 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 abettertail 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 side of a very obtuse angle . Seen in profile the nose is very remarkable and veryugly ; In the front face this , the most sitmal expression of the man's countenance , is mitigated . The eye—that round slit Mongolian eye—is the most expressive feature of the man who is sitting opposite to me , and looking rather suspiciously at nie as I am now writing . In his ordinary mood there is only a look of shrewdness and quick cunning in . this , the only mobile feature of his face ; but I have seen him in the turning moments of liis'life , when those eyeballs glared with terror and with fury . He has a large protruding mouth , thick lips , and very black teeth , for , as lie remarks , ' it never has been the custom of his familv 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 \ Vai'droom mess , and legged to be allowed to semi for " . full

      supply of Chinese tobacco . " Tip to this time , the only occasions upon which he manifested any vivacity were upon discussions as to his food- , ^\ isitors a nnoyed him . He was , or pretended to be , nuicfr * shocked at the dress of an English lady . Ho 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 liitn some portraits in an Illustrated News of ladies in ball-room dress . Yeh was scandalized .

      " Yeh is in his private life a very respectable Chinalnan . ; 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 amoieg no opium ; his ordinary drink is only warm tea ; he uses samshu only as a medicine . He eats twice adfly of four or five succulent dishes , and drinks nothing XThile eating . His devotions consist of sitting in the posture of a Chinese idol , his legs crossed and his face to ' . the cast . He remains in an abstracted state for about

      tea minutes , and the act of devotion is accomplished . When he first came on board he retired into this contemplative state several times a day . lie afterwards became much more remiss , and once a day appeared to suflujehim . He said , if he were praying he should turn to'the west ; but he is not p my ing . He turns to the cast because the cast is the ' song chi , ' the , principle of life , as the west is the principle of death . He says the four cardinal points agree with the four seasons—the noibli is the winter , the south is the summer , the east is Ukc-spring , and the west is the autumn .

      " ¦ In the practice of that virtue which wo Westerns ace glad to rank next to godliness Yeh is certainly not conspicuous . His daily ablutions ) consist of a slight rubbing of the face with a towel moistened in hot water . lie ' has a horror of fresh air , and , while in Chinese watera , never willingly went on deck . He loved to huvo tha ports cloaedand the skylights down . 4 l Ych Bleeps in a recess . in the captain ' s cabin , which 1 M prefers to . a separate sleoping berth . He goe . s to bed about eight o ' clock , and while wo aro rondiiur or writing , or playing chose ,, he sleeps tko sleep of , infancy . Thin aaoa-killcr , ; aftor alayicg hia hundred thousand human <» ings , enjoya sweeter sleep than an innocent London alcUnnan after a turtle dinner . So false are traditioiiB ; aorfalso aro tho remorfleful scenes of Greek , and lloinau atwl Engliah -tragedies . "

      Y Q . <M,_ Ma.Y 15, 1858.] The Leadeb, ....

      y . < m , _ MA . Y 15 , 1858 . ] THE LEADEB , ..:. _ 4 & 3

      -Ireland. 'Line Bjcmaot Tka ! F«Aitoh.—T...

      -IRELAND . 'line Bjcmaot Tka F « aitoh . —Tho Customs nuthorltiea Iwve aerved notices of civil action on almost every person whoao Tiftmo , . . 8 tood , fchQ b fe '

      John James Moore . To each of these notices an " appearance " in the Court of llevenue 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 from 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 EH is , were hanged at JSTenagh on Tuesday . Great exertions were made on behalf of the convicts , on account of the chief witness against them being an informer of villanous 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 . When Daniel Cormack ' came in sight of the people , he raised his voice , and said , in a loud tone : — - - " Lord , have mercy 011 me ! for you , Jesus , know that I neither had 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 Gal way , on the same day , Patrick Leyden was executed for the murder of his wife . He fully confessed his guilt . The Limerick Y ^ cakcy . —Mr . John Ball is in the field for Limerick , and lias the powerful support of Bishop [ iv-an , a popular . Roman Catholic prelate .

      The Orient. ' China. All Continues Quiet...

      THE ORIENT . ' CHINA . All continues quiet at Canton . Lord Elgin , by tlie hist advices , had reached Ningpo ; and , on the 21 st of March , Admiral Seymour left Hong-Kong—It i . s believed for Shanghai . General Straubenzee has returned to Canton . The- import market at Shanghai has been brisk . ' - . . - . ¦'¦ "

      America. . . ¦ Tins Deficiency Bill Has ...

      AMERICA . . . ¦ Tins Deficiency Bill has passed the Senate , and the Kansas Conference Committee ' s report has been adopted by both Houses . The Secretary of the -. U " avy 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 , n .-ival ofneers in the case of the frigate Susquehanna , the crew of which have suffered greatly from yellow fever . M . Kallersburger , tlie Swiss Consul at San Francisco , and member of a very respectable-. firm , is missing , lie has lost large sums in speculation .

      irom Granada we hear of the ratification of the Cass-Frizzari Treaty . The difficulties with the United State . * ,, respecting the riots at Panama two years ago , have been settled ; the isthmus is placed under the sale control of the United States ; and American , citizens arc invested with very- groat privileges . Castello has been appointed President of Salvador . Tlie contract between the American Atlantic and Pacific Ship Canal Company and the State of Nicaragua , giving the exclusive grant of the transit route to that

      company , made on the 10 th of Juno , 1850 , lias been ratified Uy the Legislature of Nicaragua , and received the Presidential signature . A conditional contract between the State of Nicaragua and the company has also been ratified by the Legislature ami sanctioned by the Executive . General Houston ' s resolution relative to the establishment of a protectorate over Mexico has been laid on tho table of the Senate , after some little debate . Money at Now York bus become exceedingly abundant .

      Nothing very important is -announced in connox-ion with the Mexican revolution , or civil war . The President Jurncz and his Cabinet were , on tho 11 th of April taken on board the steamer John L . Stephens at Mazanilln , 11 ml convoyed thence to New Orleans , whence Juraoz intended to proceed to Vera ( Jruz , where his Government is now established under Zmnora . Tho rebel leader ( . iaiuLnra lias been defeated aud lulled . Genera Pesquiora engagiuMiim at JiUiiuro , when he was routed and shun , with one hundred of iris men .

      The state of lluonos Ayros is at present apparently tranquil . Its army is still on the north-west frontier in pursuit of the hostile- Indiana , who have been obliged to rotiro into . thu desert , with Home loss . The head-quarters are at Salinas , which was ujitil very lately occupied and entirely surroinnlod by tho Iiuliau tribes . The elections for tho House of Iteprosentativos took place on the 250 th of March last . Tho result was wholly in favour of the prcHont Government , not a single deputy ol the Opposition party having oflferal himself as a candidate . The yellow lover was raging in the port .

      Tho Washington ormspondunt of tho New York Herald snys that the Claytou-. Hulwer Treaty will bo abrogated , hard Napier not having received any instructions from tho l > urby Administration on the . subject , ho will not attempt to reopen negotiations for the present . A Mr , V . Lobd , who lms just mado hia escape from

      America. . . ¦ Tins Deficiency Bill Has ...

      Salt Lake City , gives it as his opinion that the Mormons will not light the United State 3 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 3500 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 Rossini House , Toronto . There was a large attendance of members of Parliament and others .

      lhe steamer Ocean Spray has been burnt in tlie 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 Iiad 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 afterward ? , a live coal fell on tlie wood , and the whole was soon in a furious blaze . Water was thrown upon 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 was 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 .

      Continental Notes, That Narrow And. Unch...

      CONTINENTAL NOTES , That narrow and . unchristian feeling" is to be conderaned . r / hich regards with jealousy the pro "" re 33 of .-foreign iiations , and cares for no portion of the human , i-ace but that to which ' itself belongs . De . Abn ' old-FRANCE . The commission appointed by the Corps Legislatif to report 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 also 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 in . Paris ,, and that this amendment has bean accepted bvthe Council of State . " In tlie debate in the Corps Liegislatif on the 8 th , " says the Daily News Paris correspondent , " objections against the Paris Improvements Hill were urged with considerable force ami spirit by several members . The bill was voted by ISO suiirages against 45 , and , the session being over , the House separated with , the customary cries of ' Vive l'Empereur ! ' The minority in a House consisting , with four exceptions , of Government nominees , is strikingly large . One hundred and sixtynvo bills have been : presented during the present session , of which one hundred and sixty-one have leen voted . The four which stand over till next session are the bills relative to the conversion of woodlands into arable or private estates , the customs laws , the manufacture ofT percussion ca ;> s , and the law of patents for inventions . " An interesting discussion took place on Friday week in the Corps Le ' gislatif , on tho bill having reference to titles of nobility . The tribunes were quite full , and many ladies with tickets were waiting in the lobbies , unable to obtain seats . Among the opponents to tho nioasurv were M . Uelinontet , M . Taillefer , M . Lelut , M . Legrand , and M . Eimle Ollivier . The last mimed mado an admirable and most eloquent -speech . He said : " Suppose , gentlemen , that tho Government were , to present to you 11 bill enacting that a son should b . i responsible for the crime of his father ; that if the faults of a guilty party had . not been expiated in his lifetime , his memory should be branded , and tho property of hia heirs should be forfeited ; in such a case , would not the Home -unanimously protest against the proposal ? Would you not say , wo will not go backwards—we will not revive the-abuses of tlvj old monarchy , whieli . the lie volution of ' 69 swept awny—wo are tho Vliil . Iran of that Revolution . And yet , what is now proposed to you is in principle precisely the same . If punirfh .-inents nre not hereditary , rewariU ought not to bo either . " Those words provokod 1111 explosion of murmurs . When silence was restored , M . Ollivier proceeded : — " Gentlemen , if there be in this assembly but si small leaven of justice and good feeling , you will no-t only hear me , but you will talce the ; troulilo to uuder-. stliml what I wish to say . You love , you adore thfl constitution ; it in the theme of all your spuoches ; tho p-rineipie * of 1780 are inscribed on tho frmitispieoo of tho constitution . Are they there for ornament only , or is it meant Unit they shall bo acted upon ? If tho latter , allow hid to toll you thuit in 'HI ) tho principle- of pcraounl responsibility was .-itibstitutod i ' or tho old hareditnry priuciplo . The Convention first applied tho now principle by declaring that tho children of criminals condemned to uonth were children of tho afcuto . lloru-

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), May 15, 1858, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_15051858/page/7/