The New York Herald Newspaper, May 27, 1868, Page 4

4 THE DEATH PENALTY, san nan Barbarous and Inhu Murder in North Carolina. Fatal Result of Miscege- nation in the South. eee Execution of Reuben Wright (White Man) for the Murder of Silas Hair- sten (Colored). Danperry, Stokes Co., N. C., May 21, 1868, Again has conviction followed circumstantial evi- dence; again the scaffold’s victim protests against the stern decree of the law, and the terrible death penalty was to-day enforced on Reuben Wright, a white man, for the murder of Silas Hairsten, a negro. Never perhaps has there been a case so sin- galar and peculiar, in which the murder was so @wfully atrocious, the victim so innocent, the per- trators of the crime, though no adepts, so barbar- jus, and the whole aifair is possibly without an equal in the long list of murders that have been expiated onthe scaffold, Here in the mountains of North Qarolina, at one extremity of an adjunct of the Blue Ridge, the murder created the most intense exclte- ment among the population, by no means exempt from the commission of crime, and where murder, though not now rampant, has been of no unusual occurrence. . THE SCENE was on the plantation of Mrs. Ruth Hairsten, situ- ated in this county, on the banks of the Dan river, ({l appears that out of eleven hundred slaves held prior to emancipation by this lady only about on undred remained, mostly families, who because o! Such encumbrances were prevented from roaming at large over the country. Among these were Silas Alairsten, a negro, and his wife Minta, a handsome mulatto girl of about twenty-one years of age, There were also several white hands employed upon this plantation, among whom was Renben Wright, a man of about sixty years of age. Wright had been married, but his wife died without issue nearly one year pre- Vious to the date of this murder, thus leaving him, who, though an old man, was hale and hearty and full of all the vigor of youth, alone and without a companion in his dectining years. Daily labor in the field brought all the plantation hands in close con- tact, white and black, nién 4nd women, and here it Was that an acquaintance was first formed between Retben Wright and Minta Hatrsten, Both were in the feld .every day, and by adroit manceuvring on their parts they managed to keep close tq each other, and thus acquaintance ripened into an intimacy that ruined the happiness cf @ confiding husband, creaied fn inveterate hatred on the part of Wright against tim and finally resulted in his assassination. The cabins on the plantation are built somewhat after the fashion of so) pie winter guarters, care- Tully laid offtin stréets, that of ht was ad. jacent to Silas Hairsten’s cabin. % this he became & frequent visitor in the absence of the husband, and. gs crjuinal intimacy was carried On successfully be- jg him and Bairsten’s faithless wife for ¢ num- er of Months, not, however, Without the knowledge of He apoanans, who more fran once caught them lagras delictu, aud who by his wate! ness ren- rah A ate canting fiat on the part ny 3 is paramour. Matters nN thig way until the husband was for tothe neces. ir of speed A gut wo cuesontitine Bae Visita ta jouse, avowing at the same time that he “woul Mand such shaineless condugt no longer.) So de- termined Was the injured indignant spouse and wile that for quite w eughe of ume Ao ebpctaass of time no © aD ‘Was afforded the pair of coke ng on cide unholy smours, and to rid themselves of obstacle not their entire alm. A PLAN ‘Was soon matured between them which, in their esti- mation, would successiuily remove the cause of their t etabarrassinent ang leave them unrestrained @ accomplishment of their wishes, Several at- mpts, Which from various causes proved futile, to Pl es into execution, were made, and 1 ble and foul. Was act contemp! ted that though @ man of exceedingly strong n two boys, one of them ‘the nephew of ten, Co assist him in the perpetration of 6 61 Their names Ww reen and Prior, and under promise of some mo! and other Dresenta the; ed to participate ih the murder of Silas, bay @ assurance beforehand that » his poe r ene of a Fab Ne, and would not only ae ery facliity, but Would actually assist oclug 60 Tune, 1 duh and aanupiol, 10th And on that the arra: ug ht of the 16th , Was selected te i“ THR MURDER, ht, when Silas returned from his work, he was aufprised to find his wife complaining bf belng very sick, 80 much so that she was unable be Be. The husband expressed his sorrow and ‘Was assiduous in his attentions to his handsome but gale wile, offering to do everything in his power © alleviate her suffering, Slie, however, helo | hateyer he suggested oF gifered, and as thid was bu ¢ first act in tug bioody tragedy that was about to follow, sue desired him to make @ pallet on the Door in front of the tire to sleep on and ve her fh entire possession of the bed, as she was “so reste ”” This be cheerfully did and without a uspicion a the pat aE) hb was Playing him. Bal a mself upon the pallet and was Boos Wookea in the arms of Morpheus,” Not ao with er, however. There was no sleep for her that BS he night, and restiess indeed she lay, watching i expiring Roy upon the hearth d@s gradu: ‘er and blacker until darkness h. 1e form of ber husband irom her view. About © hobr af mm sht the door of the cabin, which wag ol ‘Was 0} oiselessiy, and thi fren rontereds one. of tee Proceding ai. rectly to the . ‘These were Reuben Wright ae fre al. — and ts the ie after ve e at the fann the embers until a sufficient twas obtained to see istinotly the form of Silas, Who Was still in a sound slumber, Ws t Faised an axe and deait the vet the head from the, body pape whine ine upon wi murdered man 6; to his feet With outstrevched arms and fustan' Saieeneane lo the @xe and bya fon, bad ‘yerwoo strong ts to make lange cute Ip 60 strong as cut the house, and soon that was deluded wi. which, save the murderers, no one witnessed bu phat ux Sokoess anne CEALMENT OF THE BODY Was well managed, but not so effectually as to vent discovery. It was first carried to a neigi and there submerged without @ chance Delng soen, and as the spring was dirty and um Re iprderers Cousidered the . Soon, how- ‘ef, Silas was missing, not only by the hands on re- ir. the diantation, but by the superlutendent and all the Belg inquiry rea i obtaln- it from his wife the persistent: reply that he had On Monday nfght—that of the murder—to visit at e rs Lamed Gentry. Other reports were set that Bo ue 8 party, had gong down the river @ Canoe toh frolic. A vigorous ‘ch was instl- and so alarmed ai: m rs become that urdere! ak the ban riker Sere id ey thought it to remove the body from the it somewhere beyond the possi! and accor cori eecond Right anak " . boay a e Be attached theta Par ron a! attaage of Wie, by 8 youn; man while cross ue eeieceas be fiataten was ‘elied out of Ue river by Blackburn Green and Prior, the two were ac- cendories to the murder. A hue ory wes at once Talsed, and as the first step 7 oermsers yy was onan —— whom yu and Weakness at once accused Reuben Wright Sessoriege r arrestéd were all facade fit term of Stokea? & aperio, Court bby Reeantally as above was elicited. During cooartts Spng the following conversation morning after the mutd Fanart: “Nancy, #ay, what you look : “tte Maney, ee dimaing ‘bout Si pes VY, Nahcy say, ‘Si done gone down a Tsay no. “ a Nauay “How you know 7" Tsay, “ Tscod Mr. Wi ignt KA Dim, rot “whe Mr. right Kili itm 9% , and J Ni “she to tell daca ed: 8 down tan, Mr. W may bel Over Afty witnesses were examined, Nancy, t1 sister of being he principal; an’ ‘an o new trial wae accorded at the term of the court the same facts were established gna Sine Tinvence was Reuben Wright aire oy tee anes to be carried into ertect on ‘the ast day A who as the of the execution EiWicre Sites.“ enceaes omenar Was how: | ever, apptied for in her behalf, and she was NEW YORK HERALD, WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 1863—TRIPLE SHEET. granted a respite to the 28d day of October by his Excellency, Governor Worth. Green and Prior are still to un- dorgo trial as accessories, and something pos- stoly be developed at this suMeiently extenuating to spare the community here the barbarous spectacie of a woman being hanged, Keaben Wright was years of age, had gray eyes, long gray, hair and whiskers and a face of exactly the type of Daniet Webster. There ia nothing lis Countenance to denote the hardened assassin, but on the contrary a serene expression that would totally banish thas ii ion. Minta Halsien, twenty-oue years of age, isa bright mulatto, of medium height; has long, wavy black hair, black eys and-wos quite handsome before her imprisonment, r form being well proportioned and well developed, Her features, formerly very at. tractive, have now a pinched, careworn’ and ble expression. . THE LAST NIGHT of ee. congemanied. man was pare ta. a a Oita sleep; an ere the streaks a strag- Rung, through tie bars of his window cell Reube: Wright arose and paced slowly backwards and for- wards the extent of the narrow confines of his cell. ows, the Jona | mae hours of this mney bere ng ragged ir utes, which seemed ages to t! doomed man, to the hour of breakfast, when the panied’ by Rebecca, “an elderly bat eae ni an TI bedi "kind colored 18 who been the constant and faithful attendaut of Wright for the past elve months. At this time he seemed overish, but still maintained hat and stern fortitude that characterized his whole imprisonment, He spoke freely to both his visitors, partook of his meal, but ate very litle, take seeming to be forced down his throgt. He .constantly Spplied a wet handkerchief to his forehead and temples, as if to cool the fever and keep. his brain clear for the terrible ordeal that he knew well was approaching slowly to him, but awfully fast. Left alone after his meal for a while Wright seemed to be engaged in prayer, and shortly rewards he was joined by his Spiritual adviser, with whom he joined fervently, iqiiee nota litile of the peculiar demeanor of the “Hardshell Baptdst” denomination, of which he was a member. This ended his jailer again en- tered, accompaniea by two assistants, who pro- ceeded to robe the condemned in 4 SPOTLESS WHITE LINEN SHROUD, much resembling the surplice of an Episcopal clergy- pans Ee that it was girded at the waist and totally devoid of anything like a coliar and not even. hemmed. Following this ceremony, which was per- formed with the most impressive silence, was the adjustment of the fatal rope round the neck of the condemned. At the sight of the horrible noose Wrizht’s lps were convaisively pressed together, his stern gray cye quatied, and a visible shudder passed through his fs but with, an almost superuuman effort It passed of, and the same calmness as before Was resumed. The rope on his neck, large drops of Perspiration oozed from his forehead, the satur- ated kerchief was frequently ‘called into requi- sition, beyond this there RED token that the implacable resolution of the man“ had given way in the least, : WHAT HE SAID. About nine o’clock A. M. the condemned was via- ited by your cor: dent. He was seated on a low stool and exhibit & singular appearance, in the long, loose white robe, with the noose round his neck, its ling robe reaching to the nid, at, and the wet & wide lea! slouc! black felt ‘ide leafed slouched fel handkerchief in his hand, After the usual saluta- tions I remarked, ‘Weill, Mr. Wright, I suppose you are pispares for the sad event now soon to happen.” “Yes, sir,’? woly iutbuessiveiye “E think I am,?’ “Have an ‘ledge of the crime for which ou no know: ‘ou are about. to die?” “None Whatever, as I will soon stand in the pres- ence of my Maker,” very solemnly, “Have you any family. “No; none I was married, but my wife died about one year previous to my arrest and imprison- ment here,’? ene long had you lived with Minta as your mis- 88 “But @ very short time, air, and not for months previous to the time the murder was committed.”” Then you had given her up entirely?” me sir, I had, and never meant to visit her again. Sabie think she knows anything about the crim “Certainly she does; howcould she help it, being there whén the murder was committed!” WHAT THE WOMAN SAID, Such were the remarks elicited from Reuben Wright, and hearing these I was escorted by the jailer into a cell on the lower floor, confined the girl Minta. She looked ghastly, her yel- low skin having assumed a tint thai conveyed that expression; her form was emaciated almost to that of a mere skeleton; her dark eyes were sunken and holiow, and her black, bushy, thick hair, not con- fined by either st , hairpin orfomb, stood out and poem asort of half circle that gave a weird look to her features and rendered her tliness still more horrible. A conversation of some length ensued, and she became very earnest in relating her version of the whole affair, which beyond a doubt made Wright culprit; she denied having been the mistress of Wright, and stated further, and nr that no intimacy of a criminal vehemently, nature had ever occurred between them, notwithstanding that he had persecuted her for months, She said her hus- band and herself had lived very amicabi; and but for that man penny Wright] living so still, When informed she was respited for me months she scarcely seemed to appreciate that er awful doom had been averted that day, or rather she did not beforenand appreciate how near she had been to eternity, The woman looked as if upon the verge of ‘erased, and has now a littie of the ap- ce Of @ maniac whose but slumbers. PR THE PRELIMINARLES were all complete under the supervision of Sheriff Gentry, @ competent armet guard was present in holiow square in front of the jai, and at ten A. M. the condemned was led forth between the sheriuf and and deputy sheriff, accompanied by two guards. A cart, or, more properly, a Wagon, drawn by two mules, was pla in the centre of the guard, in which was the coftin designed to re- ceive the earthly remains of Wright. Large crowds of eager spectators, male and fema, blacks and wiites, were assembled upon the out- 8 of the guard, and when the doomed man made his appearance with his long sepuichral shroud, his fatal dangling rope, his venerable locks floating in the mountain breeze, a thrill of horror ran through the multitude whose morbid curiosity had drawn them to witness the enforcement the terrivle death penal. With a firm step and a nerve that was unfiiuching Reuben Wright took his seat in the cart on a U4 that was piaced athwart the side- boards, gazing intently upon his coMn. The Sheriff, Deputy and a Baptist clergyman followed, seating themselves upon the coffin, and THE SOLEMN PROCESSION began its march to the scaffold. slowly over the rugged mountain roads toiled the wagon with its death freight, now on an tmmense mountain emi- nence, now in a ravine, throt which ran a siivery bavbilng brook, seeming to tell that life was but a shadow until at length the scene of the ly was reached, and here halted. On the way the con- demued pn freely of his approaching fate with the Sherlif and clergyman, to the last of whom he expressed strong bo if not an actual certainty of forgiveness by his Maker; still, however, continuing to assert his entire innocence of the crime he was about to expiate, THR SCAFFOLD ‘Was an original structure, and was a combination of lows and scaffold. It was indeed unique, novel A ws comprising two poles about: Crosspiece on top, which duri to exccute & negro convicted o} ; and beneat! which together, would be the hills shetved up fo immense has ion at Dembutys Ar bettie, piace cont Set Nano een chosen for a'pablic exhibition of ang kind, 1s it LJ formed an amphi in which no spectator could be debarred TP clear view, and, as the sequel will how, the audience this time was quite numerous. SCENES AT TRE SCAFFO! During the whole morning and under the broting crowds the Dn al Et rte eERSEcE ii . the cusine department, .industriously thet te Sih ehh ey re minded one ca alter the arrival iteedented the ceremoni ‘Soon a ey the ~ one this the led mulutude ‘e @ne that was no doubt popular hie A followed, and thea by Invite: (on of the friends and ofthe were itted within guard to take a one hundred came forward an With Wright, who all the while sat unmo' one end coffin in the cart, and this More of the nature of a reception else. A large numi these were among whom came, sobb! e woman who att right bis imprisonment in the jail, This poor creature not only the crowd imme diately around but Wright him seit, Marah indy +) to moisten as he @rasped the hand Of the old woman. With @ Re enive, effort she ons the wore ‘Good bye, 8 foba wane no looger ‘ne left the scaffold. This conctuded, and preparatory wo THE LAST SCENB the Sheriff asked the condemned if he had any- to the assembled r Re bat he re- ty to say to piled that he. had not; ana this was’ followe:i by the remark that he was entirely innocent of tie murder, and had no kKnowled ze of it whatever. Wright, a8 he said this, did not 100k the hardened assassin that the cireumstances would indicate, His venerable features wore a calm aad collected look, he spoke with a clear an in‘onation of volce, and even his hand did not bd: the nervousness Sud tremor usual to one of his ‘The hour being now & quarter past twelve M, the sheritf asked the condemned how soon he would wish thy execu- tion to take placo, which he answered with tno greatest composure in these words—“Whene\ er you . 1D subsequent couyersation nothing further was developed, gx Was apy change observabie in the demeanor of mun, and ai tea minutes to one P. M,, the cart backe! up to the rade ladder longing to the seaifold, Wright cow- menced to ascend, He stumbied on the sliroud with which he was enveloped, when tie Sheri, Mistaking this for fecbleness, offered ass! which was promptly declined; and with a markable for a man of. his age he reachod form and stood erect, Amid “a slleuce tuat was ay palling the white cap was placed over the liead of ¢ loomed man, the rope was fastened over the gal- lows, his 1egs and arms were pinioned, the death sentence was read, and at one P, M. precisely the fatal Gooptelt and the large and powerful body of Reuben Wright was suspended between heaven and earth. The women commenced to weep and many there were who turned their heads from the horriv!2 Sight. ‘he fall was only two and a-hall feet, the | neck was not broken, but there was only a slight | muscular tremor, scarcely Observable by even the at- it, tending physicians, Drs, John Pepper: and Win. A. Lash, both of whom declared life extinct at twenty- five minutes t one o'clock, the pulse beatiag twenty-two minutes. After hanging forty minutes the body was cutdown and conveyed to u grave al- ready prepared for it in an adjacent ravine. Thus passed into eternity one about whose galt | serious doubts are entertained by several citi here, but who, if guilty, exhibited the most sng’ and extraordinary callousness, and wito must i been one of the most heartless wretclics and de ate criminals that can be found in the anials of crime. LECTURE ON LIGHT, An interesting lecture on “Light,” illustrated with various new and remarkable experiments, was livered by Professor Henry Morton at the Aca’ of Music, in Philadelphia, on Jas’ Saturday ev: The lecturer is by birth and desoont a New York grandson of General Morton, 80 well and favorably known among the Knickerbockers of a former gen eration, and now holds the position of resident secretary of the Franklin Institute and editor of their Journal, while at the same time occupying the chair of chemistry and physics in the University of Penn- Sylvania, an institution corresponding in its an- tdquity and character with our own Columbia Col- lege. ‘This lecture is the fifth which has been delivered by Prof. Morton in the same place, and had for its special subject “Sunlight.” Notwithstanding tho stormy character of the night the house was densely crowded, both in seats and standing room; ali seats had been sold several days before the lecture. To give even an outline of the subject as developed by the lecturer during the two nours for which he riveted the attention of his audience would require far too much space; suifice it to say that the nature of the sun, the source of his heat and the properties of his light were most fluently and clearly explained, the various Points being illustrated by a series of pictures Projected with wonderful brilliancy on an immense Screen, forty feet Square, covering the front of the Stage. The thing that most impressed the audience was the number, beauty, success and promptitude of the numerous experimental Llustrations intro- duced throughout the lecture. An able corps of as- sistants, under the direction of Mr Coleman Sellers, Vice President of the Franklin Institute, an eminent American mechankal engineer, and famous both in this country and Europe for his inventions and pro- ductions as an amateur photographer, placed at the lecturer’s hand or operated at his signal everything at the moment it was required. The lecturer placed himself and apparatus ona platform secured to One of the stage traps, and then was raised to a great height above the floor, at which elevation he burned in the compound blowpipe a Piece of thick steel wire rope. ‘The fountain of scin- tillating sparks and drops of melted steel—which, descending in a broad sheet some fifteen feet in height, poured upon the stage and rolled in a torrent of flery hail towards the footlights—was a sight never: tobe forgotten. A wheel five feet in diameter, sup- Porting clectric tubes, was rotated, while flashes of electric fire from the largest induction coil in the world, belonging to the University of Pennsylvania, were passed through, producing a dazzling star of constantly changing colored rays. , The drop curtain, descending for a few moments, rose aguin, displaying a briltiunt palace acene, tlla- minated by numerous lime lights judic'ously placed. There then marched in a great Kumber of masked figures, in costumes represeuting the coiwrs of the rainbow, and bearing baaners with briliiant devices These, taxing positions, formed a tableau equal ti brilliancy and ity of general effect to anything we have ever seen upon the stage, Atasignal the white light was extinguished and its place supplied by pure ge, light, equally bright, when every trace of color disappeared, and the entire phalanx became oF eget company of spectres bearing banners of white and black, The means for producing this igor light is a device of Professor Morton's, en- rely new and eminently eficient—in fact the entire house was illuminated’ with it from the stage, so that the same wonderful chauge was manifest in the faces and costumes of the audicnce, These are but a few of tle experiments shown, and repeated and enthusiastic applause tesiilled tho natural delight of the audience, BOOK NOTICE. GENERAL NATHANIEL LYON AND MissouR! TN 1861. A Sonograph of the Great Rebellion. James Peckham, formerly Lieutenant Colonel Eighth in- fantry, Missouri Volunteers, New York: American News Company, publishers. This is small, neatly printed volume of some 450 pages, largely made up of oficial military corre- spondence interwoven in the genoral narrative. The purpose of the author is to show that the failure of the Missouri secessionisis, including the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, State civil oMcers and militia oMmicers and Legislature, to carry off Missquri in 1861 into the great rebellion after the fashion of South Carolina and her confederates, was mainly due to General Lyon, although second only to Lyon in his bold, sagacious and vigorous movements in behalf of the Union cause stood Francis P, Biair, Jr, The secesh Governor. ©. F. Jackson, and his secosh Legisiature had cut out the necessary work in view of the turning over of Missouri to the confederacy at the appointed signal. Commissioner Russell, & rebel envoy extraordinary from the seceded State of Mississipp! (January, 75361) had been received in Great state at a joint meoting of the two houses of the Missouri Logislaturo; a bill for a secession com- vention was next passed, and measures for organ- izing and arming the militia, and various schemes Were adopted for suppressing the Union men of the State and seizing the property of the United States, especially the arsenal at St. Louis, This arsenal and the The z Hi i 33 i ie i ; i : i i 3 i i tf 4 ef i 58 fi | § i 5 i 3 A 5 oa as Z * THE CHINESE EMBASSY. The Mongolian as an Idiosyncrat—At Dinner— On the Pave—At the Theatre=Iu the Photo- graph Gallery=His Views on Eastern and Western Systems of Civilization—What He Thinks of Hlmself and of Jou Yankee—In | ye piseratare aud Ast the Park—Visitors and Cards. Equally with his Caucasian congener the Mongo- lian gentleman is idiosynoratic. He nas his likes and dislikes, His temperament is not, except perhaps that it has a littie more lymph io It, 80 very widely separated from that of the European. What if he was born on the otherside of the Caucasus? Is he less a “tan and a brother?” The boasted lineage of the Israelite is modern compared with the men “of far Cathay.’? When Moses was leading the forlorn hosts of the tribes, “Inden with the spoils of the Egyptians,” throngh the wilderness, was not he “present in lls ancestors In China,” as Oonfuctua writes? Of the proud aristocracy of Europe who araong thems worthy to loosen the lachets to the shoes of M’sicu Liom-hea-heuan, body servant to Sotjen Sun? We mean no disrespect to those who | are of yesterday when we compare them, wearing the round, bine eyes of the European, with the Ca- | thayans of almond orbs in which are ires of darkest | hues; but we must exalt these sons of the Sun, these descendants of the old and all but forgotten eivill- zera and philosophers of that populous land which, from the day Marco Polo visited tt until Padre Huo | wrote his two volumes on {ts social condition, was ‘sealed’? and jealously guarded from intrusion | of outside barbarians by the derdest of dragons § in scaled armor of the national color—yellow. The | educated gentleman of Pekin is, as we have hinted, a being governed by his internal eductions and ex- ternal impressions, The nearer we approach him the better we like him. He is not snobbish—happlly for the Empire the works of Thackeray have never been transtated by any enterprising publisher at the Cathayan capital, and therefore “‘suod” forms no | part of its written or oral language—he is satisfied with his anetent blood, and ts not therefore particu. | larly anxious that every one ho meets shall be tin- | pressed with his descént or his social importance, | With him Ife 13 a serious thing, It was not | given him to fritter away in idleness, spond. | juz freely that which his economical and labo- rious progenitors, witt impecunious intent, gathered | together “that thelr coadlns might be sandal | wood.’ And, in life, nothing with him commands so much of the time he gives to meditation and the | “moralities,” a8 how best his stomach shall be | “lined,” that his days may be numbered by decades of years in the land given to his people—the Central Land of Flowers, DRESS AND CEREMONY. When your sofern pays you a visit of ceremony, | or even culls at your chop “with speculation m his eyes,” he decorates his person with rich and gor- | goously colored garments made frem the brocades of his weavers; but when he approaches the | table he removes his costly attire, and, | peal speating, rolls up his sleeves; for with him dining means work—of a most agroe- able character, however, When your Chinese gen- tleman robes nis person for state occasions na West- era beile can outvie him in the magnificence of the | materials he employs, But when he “retires to the | suades of private life,” to ponder the wise saws of the | the Westminster—of the number were Mr. Peter Cooper, ex-Ooliector Baryey, Mr. Charles E. Porter, welaeni ans waa tieehoe basing Ae Bae a thers—who, x iin ame ‘absent of business connected with his charge, left their cards. CHINA AND CiINESE. of the Middle King- dom—Oriental Modes of Thought as Come pared with Esropeau—Proverbs of the People as lustrative of Their Hubits of it—How a Mandarin Curses. The study of the manners and morals and modes of thought common to the people of the Middle King- dom reveals many points of similarity to those of the Hindoos and the races of Southeastern Asia in general, with the exception of one or two of these races which have heretofore proved remarkable for military prowess. Notwithstanding the fact that agriculture is particularily encouraged, the subjects of the five-clawed dragon have always been a com- mercial people, and are, in fact, commerciat in their ideas ond instincts. For several centuries, and, in fact, since the first attempts of European diplomacy to open tho ports of the East to free trate, the great obstacte in the way of tolerable freedom of intercourse have been the Jealousy and extortion of the mandarins, who have pretty well controlled tho son of the dragon in his foreign diplomatic relations; and, though the entire instincts of the people have been commercial, there has been on’ the part of the government a general disregard of these instincts and of the true theory of political. economy as based upon the geographical position and resources of the kingdom. The inter- course with foreigners. consequent upon trade rela- tions has, however, had the effect. to disabuse the minds of considerable of their national prejudices, most of which may be © dated from the adyent of the Hon. Anson Burlingame as ; Minister from the United States and of Sir Frederic Bruce as English or British Minister at Pekin. More accurate knowledge of the topography of the coast has also developed the fact that no line of seashore of the same length in the world is furnished with so many excellent harbors and with so many facilities for commerce, and no reason san be assigned why the Middle Kingdom should not with proper treaties become one of the wealthiest com- mercial natious in the world. Latterly, also, the overnment has manifesied a. laudable inten. jon to be fust to the barbarians, as all foreigners are termed, somewhat in imita- tion of the Greek national egotism, and in one or two instances, as in the case of the Formosa murder, active measures have been taken to bring the perpetrators to justice, A great part of this avating of the national prejudice has, un- joudtedly, been due to the education of numbers of the higher classes abroad, some few mandar ns hay- be graduated in institutions in the United States, with more or less credit to themselves, Asa rule the natives learn languages with facility, and man- darins are now numerous who speak the English language with more or less facility. Another cause has been the emigration of considerable numbers of natives to California, and their frequent return to bring back thelr wives, mothers and fathers to this country; though no native is permitted to leave the imper.al domain without taking be oid thne graybeards of his vast country, absorbing as it does oue-tenth of the habitable giube, he forgets, in looking into the well of trath, tat he 18 aught but @ man—n0 better, no greater, no more exaited in the all-percetving eyes of Josh than his valet, Herr Choou-chi-tiam, who has the one felicity of being superior a8 a caligraphist to his master, and couse- quently a candidate for a mandarinship. Sociably your Tajen, no matter how great or small in the public estimation or in political rank he may be held, is a tine tellow. He ‘puts on no airs.” The man of @ lao, provided he is not eoee in know- ledge or politeness, is a3 his guest, eyually honored with the great man of a miilion of lacs His idiosyncrasy here is that brains are even more val- uab.e than dollars. A wisé and polite gentleman, you perceive, is the gentleman from China. But if | We jiave our Way we Wii! change all this. Our grand civilizing system will teach tue Uathayan that mouey preferabie to bral provided he is blessed with half a dozen fashionable daughters who dearly love the glitter of gold and the scintillations of the diamond, and three or four “boys? who are fond of Bourbon and “sport.” And here itshould be remarked that Chinamen, as a rale, are abstemious; not that liquor i3 with them altogether an abomtna- tion; but they have a spice of inquisitiveness about them, and they ask questions. Of course gentiemen Wao are analyiicaily inclined and who are given to making interrogatories are not particulariy anxious to spoil their appetites by deglutitions of benziae, even if it is labeled “‘ojd Bourbon.” ON THE PAVE. ‘The weather being eae agen our Embassy pre- fer the veuicuiar to tue peripatetic system of Locowo. tion, They do not object to the Occasional use of their limbs on the pave; but they are economical, and will not if they can help it have tneir gorgeous raluent spotted bY piuviat showers which, tn the words of Andrew Jacason, in this couniry “fall alike on the just and the wujust.” Wheu, however, the thermometer aad barometer agree to sometilag like permanency and, tie President has 10 Wledgres tueir presence tn the “Great Kepubiic,” you will Gad our V.sitors from Pekin peekin’ in at the windows of tue stores on broadway, aud crivicising with expres- Slons tuat at least wul ve novel Whatever in the way of art, be it tn luce or coiton, silver or guid, alabaster or bronze, 18 preseuied to their gaze. At present even tie sixteen servanis of tie ayens Sun and Clik pre- fer the ciose carriage or Uie open barouche, THE “WHITE FAWN” AGAIN, On Monday eveniug many of these were introduced to the “Wate Fawn,” at Niblo’s Garden, and not one of them—and they all have three syllables or | fuiries and gen’ nore to thelr names (@notuer Idlosyucrasy)—but is Witioul tue employment of opm iiiusions wortay of the greaiest magician, in weir minds the man persuaded he has beavid with bis own eyes and | principal imaginative stock. these Yelatives with him, unless it can proved that the relatives in question have sufi- in no wise become a burden to the State. This regu- lation amounts, of course, to an approximately posi- tive hibition of all emigration, though means are ‘often found to evade it. Slight as has been this tenure of Srlgrenan ae. means for the spread of knowledge of the true strength and civilization of European races among the natives at home, it has, nevertheless, proved more effective even than al! the dipiomacies of Europe; and, in this regard, it may be said that California has done far more to en- lighten the races of the Middle Kingdom as to the comparative fallacy and weakness of their civill- gation than have ail the countries of Europe put to- gether, It may be said, therefore, that to an extent te old-time civilization of that country has been loosened of its hold upon the popular imagination; that the race is inthe inception of that transition ac which, in the course of a ini will be jikely to sweep away essentially the oid grooves of thought and feeling, and that the day is not far distant when this most remote of ali Mongolian races from the European civilization will have put | cient property to take care of themselves, and could } | on its garb and adopted its customs. It is a mistake to suppose that, because the Oriental civilization has remained what it is for centuries, therefore, tifo Orl- ental mind is wanting in flexibility. On the other | hand, these rdces are as a rule remarkably imitative and remarkably subtle in their perception of the alvautages of the Indo-European culture over their own; and already Tartar tue brink of social revolution. the course of a ceutury, therefore, material m cations of the mauners and customs of the Mongolian races ma: be oxpected even from this limited contact will other phases of civilization better adapted to develop tiie resources Of @ country and more liberal tn its culture and modes of thought; and out of these must spring a new literature w ich cannot but super- | sede the old. Of the present literature of the Ceies- ‘urkey lingers upon id | tiais, in fact, the less said in praise the better, uniess one were to adopt the theories of Macaulay as developed in his essay on Millon—vig, that dra- gons, gorgons and weird superstitions are neces. sury elements of poetry, and that to appreciate imaginative literature — necessarily presupposes a certain unsoundness of mind, The elements of Mongoltan poetry are made up in a large degree of tis class of labulous creation, ome as a rule the Mongollaa races are far more material in their imag- inlags than are the Semitic races. in the literature and romance of the former one hears very littie of tuough hardly less of talismans and of the latter genii constitute the The former deals with grotesque distortions of the natural; the latter with tie supernatural, which, to the imagination of the amulets; in thal who got up the scenery da the “White Fawn" ismore | Arab, is forever manifest, not in the natural itseif, feruile in inveution than even the great Josa liun- self; dud as for tne angels wio disport on the stage, gyraung sv entrancingly to tho sound of music, Wi, luey are, these Chinese, Candid enough to acknowl. edge tuat uot even iu the Court of tie Brotuer of tue Sun wouid such geuudexions. and gestures, aud poses, and exposes be permitied; and yet they acknowledge through tae interprevers, Tung aud feb, that in an esthelic point of View, the ladies wao sow tier ful proportions in the Course of the play are wortuy to be wives even fo tucir sacred biaster, tiie ruler of some hundreds of mullous of Tartars loyal and Cni- nese disloyal—it being ail tue Same to Lim #0 long as the revenue 1s collected, LONG AND SHORT NAMES, In one other talng ia the gentieman from the “Blowery Kingdoiw” ular, i¢ is in this—tho higher he asceuds oa the sootal ladder the smaller (in name) he sings. Sun (800n) is a mandarin of ihe second oruer; and two consonants and a vowel ig the Oniy verbal handle he van present to the worid but as an element to coutrol it. ‘Ihe saue peculiar distinction ig inuerent in tue art of both stocks—that of the nutlo races having @ vastness and sublimity of mysticism about.t, which is not partaken of in the coustivution of the former. Weird dragons, monster bais aud distortions aud ex: phenomena form the materials through which the iongolian imagination retiects itself; while the Semitic unagination creates its seraghs, its houris and its ‘geet all vaguely spiritual in outline, though | invested to a greater or less extent with human | attributes, Of the two the latter is more ideal, and tue former more grotesque. The latter has elements of just insight about it, emi more uniquely ; the distinctive instinct of the beautiful; the former constitutes the eloment basis of a certain gro- tesyue humor like th which i maniiested in most of the conceptions of Gustav Doré and his imitators, Both diifer from the European imagination proper in essential he Kuro- to save iim from honentity ; Whereas hj3 servants are not to be put olf with than from turee to alxor eight 8)lavies—Lion-hea-heuan, Hung-pung- #2 Hwel-lian-iol; and as for dagen Chih (or ki), le nds it necessary to expead breath while addressing himself by nawe to tus lowly followers, such as Choou-chi-iam, Shaou-clen-peau aud Leue-sie-ee. If this 1s a ruie absuiute in the polity of the Chiuese | of the! government, or ts @ subjects, Wilat names, Involving those of Kuropean royaly, iQouniers of the wae and even of Can toa, must sport, and how tuuni and sound the surnames of tie high and mighty ones! AT BRADY'S AND AT GUKNEY'S, At two o'clock yesterday afternoon, accompanied by Captain Dolliver, Wa@appears Ww take great in- terest in the weifare Of Ue members of the Luabassy, ‘whether Fes o sinail, caused eight of the seryan accompanied by Tung as interprever, to be coilvey: to Brady's gallery of puotographs, Where they wel taken singly and in groups, thelr uaquestion of sovial rank among iia} dividual excepiions can smal tn orthography | approximate to the Oriental in quality, belt basing Lis art Instinct rather upon the ideallza- lon Of the Batural than upon the realization of the supernatural, which is Spon or the realization of the grotesque, which is the Mongolian instinct. In other words, both in art and literature, as well ag in logic, the Buro) Taind is inductive, while that of the Uriental 1s deductive; und in the whole range and art of the former but three in- be pointed out, viz., Poe, audelaire aud Voré—the former two in literature the latter in art. The creations of these eve] B fn essentially tho same instinct—the rea of the grotesque and supernatural in art form. In the drama of these races the dragons and mon- ster bats and toads of theirs are mostiy di led except iu tictr farce, which is clumsy and wanting in comic or satirical point. The dramas (native) in vogue in the Middle Kingdom are almost without po based upon historical incidents, and con- stitute in their @ very fair dramatic eeueloas Geiight, as ail could see tn their broad facca, which eee dynasties, They are mostly of alls feutap admirably when tlley smiic or laugh, These | mo! puotographs, some of them of Luperial size, will of course be prepared in Brady's best styie, an: on exhibition bly to-day, “subjects” for brady’s camicia ‘Were:—Choou-ont-i Sbaou-chen-peau, Leue-sie- » Lion-lica-hedaa, Hung-punig-joo, lMwel-iian-fol, -hoo-t and Chauy-hux-wen, Barierin the day the a ha ge Ay the way, 6) oar tongue fuentiy aud witn bul ry slight acgerk), Ts and ic¢h, culled on Gurney aud “eau” for cartes de visite. ‘Tleir stay was of short esterday afternoon duration, but while there they conversed ireely with | tinctions of period who men answering Tre eivilization, highs those w! jpproached hesitation even questions Of @ persona: cuaracter, ‘TS VIEWS BNTKRTAINED BY THE TAJENS. ‘They assured inqguirers that their chiefs were purpose, are clumsily constructed and gener- ily inetestive’ ‘The race 1s, hot, in 1act, easel will be | dramatte in its'instincts, as it might be supposed no The names of the | race could be, the instinees of wan are ‘cpentially Lome to the true dramatic purpose. Farce for the jongolian, spectacle and ant for tie Semitic, drama for the Kuropean, These ductions of the meutal habits of the three as dis- tinguished the one from the other; and these mental havits are but the logical results of in mentai constitution. ‘That these are essential distinctions—netther dis- of development nor of stage but of natural tendency—in! ire from @ cosmo, but for this there is neither time nor space. i vorubly 1 with the ie and their cus- uropean mind is essentially deductive and our wen ee course knew Tieuitng of one internal acientific; tuat of the Asiatic co} ly ise, Itfe of our citizens; bat, judging from external ap. The European thinks and thinks clearly; the Oriental cet Were satisied that our social system Wi dreams—sometimes very well, but dreams always. cir 1 ited, however, to those of | The European is an astronumer; the Oriental our grade of civilization ouly. It was a question | astro! The a. wonders with with thom whether the eniirhtened cust or ;, the Oriental with magic. The former ex- rather ners; of the Occident were a his Rropensess the latter must character that be engrafted with ad- juggle is his ipa 0 been abundant! vantage on the political and sucial in tion to which the art of of the ancient poilty and civilizauion of China, To quegiery. Leg ty by the Japanese and their hectusl, moss is phn in ert stores eaithy— thee ‘outgrowth of the Faves, one were fie hav’ een mace exceedi raphe pain ea Hat ou tiv iy! see Me suaigus taatr totes cf hieceh?, Tautage ment than cou Kttial, Sad porainung te evergeay. ie. Forts emai oiecait pres eis wena with thet atinchce, tain Doiliver |, bly for Nien wash the “To ieok for Gra reosen' soak” where fora | & ins yh olyiously various eatnetto: of toulng pins'in tho ocean, the lofier Rot eat Toe bate | Retake secs mao iee Tree humor ied seemed never tired look- | @ needie at and crit Works of art as are in the “A cat statuary, ‘of sculptures in the og, eon ae fe, with iy unity anda Tow trent, Fretephorical tor re to Park, = ning, continued with cougar” —a' sola of Unt the return 1 toate v den erations of natural | in an shell”to sorte atrendy) in| io A bad hen picking vor entan exe ayy wo without oxi; - bing & treg 0 foUNe ae ari deere pestle for horical expression for ol ik om the mt 7 a PBOVErANCE; » * , re are ‘ears ” ut to "Walls haveears, anda Samate in sib wind, expressive we of coust — ait these are proverbs which for tio cnecen ts aan < £) nation, not even by the A m verbs, or by the Italians, m mine in ead ap) cee ve ‘Correct yoursel lore you correct others” 13 expressive of moral sense inet it is worth otings “An ox with a ring in his nose’? for a man ho con- trols his passions, or “A calf without a ring in his nose” for an ungovernable youngster are two proverbé which have no European equivalents and express most immediately a couple of the main prinet of tue philosophy of Confutsee; and “After the pig ig killed then speak of the price,” for to take abvens tage of accidental circumstances for extortion, is so raphic that it is a wonder that it has not ere now oem universally adopted. Again, the aor “Where there is musk there will be odor without standing in the wind,” to ex. press the idea 4hat talent and worth will exhibis themselves in spite of unfavorable circumsi is worth Tomerapeney besides conve; @ useful gon to persons a lit He too intensely inclined to win their own bugles. “The heart of a man and the maw of an ox,” expressive of avarice, has, on the other hand, less merit about it; while ‘To mistake a sq’ for an emperor,” not to discern essential dif- ferences in things, is ‘happy and applies elsewhere than in Canton. “A rat and a cat to sleep together,”* bad people to attempt to agree, is expressive eno: in its way, though there are several better ones English already; “A thief's mouth with pearls in it,” for a mbiing villain, is more felicitous; while “The dog lords it over the cat’s rice,” may be imagined very hie when accompanied by a rea} mandarin shrug of a pair‘of shrivelled shoulders. Bx+ rexsive of comme! shrewdness and withal very ‘oreible is “A basket of grain toa pound of meat, for an unprofitable investment; while an “Oily mouth and a heart like a razor’ is a proverb demon. strative of the fact that villains are not particularly scarce in that country; “A toad studying astronot ina Bo for a person with Gee ine ae graphic enougy an ue eno' for a man rin to find no fault with it; and “To nourish a rat to eat a hole in one’s bags” is far more subtly sarcastl¢ on the ingratitude of men befriended that even the hackneyed ‘To warm @ snake to be bitten by it’ which dates from the old classic fable. ‘Every day four ounces of sia’ {s good theology according to Confutsee as well as according to the West minster Confession, though the proverb has the advantage of the Confession in point of terseness and vigor of expression. ‘The man has puernres in his head and they bite him,” which Italian for @ man with @ dozen hobbies or a man of hobbies and nothing else, though celebrated, has hardly any pith in Spitperison with the way they express the same idea in Pekin, viz:—“To have fleas in one’s head,” whtch has never been exceeded in its metaphoricai application to the oppressive, resticss biting of a special hobby in one’s head. ‘The curses of the mandarins are less forcible and would strike @ European as rather bombastic and boyish. ‘May the five emperors seize you,” that 1s, may yoube stricken with pestilence; “May you be fried in 9 caldron of botitng ol; ‘May your tongue be cut off ;” “May you be thrown on & mountain of knives;” “May the flsh devour you;? “May you be devoured by the dragon; “May you be buried in ® white co‘fin;” “May the crows pick your eyes out;”? and “May your corpse be eaten by dogs’’—all these are curses which would hardly. startle a Euro- pean, though to a mandarin they ure strong enough for ordinary purposes—forming the articula! rope: shot of conversation aud answering exceedingly well for want of something more forcible, and ‘as the curses of a nation are national the above examples will serve sufficiently to illustrate the. national temper, though it must be added that, for obcenity in their cursing, of which specimens cannot be offered, the queer denizens of the Middle Kingdom and the tea-gatiierers of the earth must be permitted to wear the cap and bolis of the utmost proficiency. THE BOARD OF HEALTH. An Inspector Charged by an Editor with Making a “False and Frauduleat” Return to Be Tried. The Board of Health yesterday afternoon held tte regular meeting, Judge Bosworth.in the chair. ‘The counsel to whom was referred the letter of Mr. Robert Bonner, complaining of an alleged untruthful report against certain lots of his in Sixth avenue, reported that he had written a letter to Mr. Bonner asking him to make a formal charge against the in. spector if he knew that he (the inspector) had been “seen,” as he had given it out in a former letter.-To this he received a reply, which he read, in which Mr. Bonner, while reiterating that the statements of the inspector's reports were false concerning the unhealthy stagnant waters on his lote in Sixth avenue, contended that he could not be exe pected to go about humting up evidence as to the Eispector’s being bribed, but that it was current reported in the neighborhood that the tng; been “seen” neverthetess. In conciudi ir. Bonner sald that he had been obliged to abandon his country scat in West Morrisania, which he had bought Ie od his wife and left to save his e life.” Board had not acted s0 as to put an end ® ti healthiulness of the neighborhood, caused b; un jtagnant pond in the vicinity. On motion the original Papers relating to the pond in question were referred to the Sanitary Committee for investigation. A motion also prevailed that » full investigation be maite into the char; preferred against one of the inspectors by Ty Bonner, that the inspector had sent to the board a “false and fraudulent” return as to the condition of certain certain of his, (Mr. Bonner’s) lots in this city, The investigation will take place on the 20 of June, when Mr, Bonner will be summoned before the Board. It was resolved on motion to commence suits against 189 tenement house owners for violation of the tenement house law—the first suit to bé against one Burna, of Brooklyn. A resolution that an inspection of the water closets of the ferry, steamboat and rallroad companies in the Metropolitan district be made was passed, ‘The following report of the Registrar of Vital Sta- tistics was received: — METROPOLITAN Boarp oF HRALTH. BOrrAay OF VITAL STATISTICS, May 26, 1868 In the wook that ended on Saturday, tbe 280 inet U ere were 407 deathe in New York, including 79 in public. Inatite- tions. There were 127 deaths la Le jes 11 others that were returned as having occurred fn the county instiva- tions and streets beyond city limits. The difference in the death rates of the two cities week and all the spring is worthy of remark, for ft is the reverse of the experience of the Jast two autumns, death rates last week compare as follows in these cities, omit. ting @ few institutions not strictly belonging to them:—Thet of New was an 26.37 in 1,00 inbabitante annually, and that of Brookl; 290. But in September He, rate of “morality was aa Ob in}, fn the former, and as 82.20 in 1,00 fn the latter city, An’ in- spection of the local conditions under which occur Great fluctuations in the hea'thfulaess of the two cities and particular fn ach will show that the canses are nob aiMicult to disoover, Concise thatwhile in New York the chi oansing among. the p b. ing, ee TS ys ng the Sixteenth and the satu: inde of the th and inth are reducing the ratesthere. But in New York there are evils that no sewer commiasion alone cam remove. No less than 70 per cent (23) out of 823) of the were found last week to have occurred in crowded tenements, while only 98 persons died in all other hotels, ton in the city Miseases havo rapidly tncreasod during. the for yet scariating, whic week in the two cities alone, f* epitemic. Of infant mortality in Aith dle—28.98 of all per cent of all in. Brook age. It was the rain ‘The total rainfall years. water. The mean temperature was 55 — Fubrenbett, the f heric humidity was sreceittTog 6. “rate tt ee tte aoe {o four weeks, end the ave ~ itary wante in the ‘we know that even the poor- tnt clastes fare better tran ta Gtk bet yw, where the death rate fas 31 per 1,000, and in Vienna, where’ It wi ,000 fourth week In +4 But London steadily re arate only 22 per 1,000. i Teer HARRIS. NEW JERSEY. Jersey City. CAPTURR OF AN ALLEGED BunGLAR.—On Saturday last @ man entered Allen’s Hotel, in Hudson City, and taking advantage of the absence of the inmates from certain rooms in the house carried off $150 worth of clothes and articles, On the same day the same individual entered the residence of Postmaster Greene, in Grand street, Jerscy City, Mra. Greene be- ing the only member of the family in the house at the board a ferry and arrested him as he was stepping off at the foot of Cortlandt street, whence he was Gost sy back to Jersey. Tis man, it ts all ie the tl tn both instances. He gives his name Patrick McCabe. SctppeN DeatH.—A man named Daniel Murphy, who resided at the corner of Washington and South Eighth streeta, died suddenly on Monday night. The friends of deceased did not notify the coroner, but the Jatter will inquire into the,cause. . Hudson City. OYER AND TERMINER CovRT.—William Miller was found guilty yesterday of being an accomplice of the Se fm the robbery at the Weehaw- AvramerHD Svictn&—A prisoner named Thomas Moloy attempted to commit suicide by hanging himgelf in his cell on Monday night. Fortunately !e ‘was discovered by # watchman before it was toe he was quite insensible when do" A pret it of romance is given in the Molloy received a letter a few di fi Grin ok LAL a , heard by hie fe,iow ae to declare that he would put an end 6 his Guwanat. WRIOR? th put forward for Congress thie” fall, The injustice done bir, inst clection by the: LTS a OS 4