The Bangkok Recorder.

A Weekly journal will be issued from the
printing office of the American Missionary
Association, at the mouth of the Canal,
"Klawng Bangkok Yai" It will contain such
Political, Literary, Scientific, Commercial, and
local intelligence, as shall render it worthy
of the general patronage.

The Recorder will be open to Correspon-
dents subject to the usual restrictions.

The proprietor will not be responsible
for the sentiments of his correspondents.

No communication will be admitted un-
less accompanied by the name of the Cor-
respondent.

No rejected manuscript will be returned
unless as a special favor.

First, insertion-ten lines or half a square,
and under, ONE DOLLAR and each additional
line, FIVE CENTS.

Subsequent insertion, SEVENTY FIVE
Cent, for ten lines, and each additional line,
FIVE CENTS.

Advertisers must be particular to specify
the number of insertions.

Standing advertisements as per Con-
TRACTS.

Communications and remittances can be
sent to the subscriber, or left at the store of
Messrs. Virgin & Co.

By James Montgomery.

The Press! what is the Press? I cried;
When thus a wondrous voice replied;
"In me all human knowledge dwells,
The oracle of oracles;
Past, present, future, I reveal,
Or in oblivious silence seal:
What I preserve can perish never—-
What I forego is lost forever.

I speak all languages: to me
The deaf may hear, the blind may see,
The dumb converse, the dead of old
Communion with the living hold.
All lands are one beneath my rule,
All nations learners in my school;
Men of all ages every where
Become contemporaries there.

What is the Press?—-'Tis what the tongue
Was to the world, when Time was young.
When, by tradition, sire to son
Convey'd whate'er was known or done;
But fact and fiction so were mix'd,
That boundaries never could be fix'd.

What is the Press?—-'Tis that which taught,
By hieroglyphic forms of thought,
Lore from the vulgar proudly hid,
Like treasures in a pyramid:
For knowledge then was mystery,
A captive under lock and key,
By priests and princes held in thrall,
Till the redoubled Alphabett
Free their own great deliverer set:
At whose command, by simplest spells,
They work their mental miracles.

What is the Press?-—'Tis what the pen
Was thrice ten centuries to men,
When sybil leaves lent wings to words,
Or, caged in books, they sang like birds.
But slow the pen, and frail the page—
To write twelve folios ask'd an age;
And a pet babe in sport might spoil
The fruits of twenty authors' toil.

A power was wanting to insure
Life to work, worthy to endure—-
A power the race to multiply
Of intellectual polypi:
It came all hardships to redress:
And truth and virtue hailed the Press!

What am I, then?—-I am a Power
Years can not waste, nor flames devour,
Nor waters drown, nor tyrants bind;
I am the mirror of man's mind,
In whose serene, impressive face,
What can not die on earth you trace—-
Not phantom shapes that come and fly,
But like the concave of the sky,
In which the stars by night and day,
Seen or unseen hold on their way.

Then think me not the lifeless frame,
Which bears my honorable name;
Nor dwell I in the arm whose wing
Intelligence from blocks can wring;
Nor in the hand whose fingers fine
The cunning characters combine;
Nor even the cogitative brain,
Whose cells the germs of thought contain,
Which that quick hand in letters sows,
Like dibbled wheat, in lineal rows;
And that strong arm like autumn sheaves
Bears and binds up in gathered leaves,
From that dead tree's well cultured soil.
I am not one nor all of these;

They are my types and images,
The instruments with which I work:
In them no secret virtues lurk,
I am an omnipresent soul;
I live and move throughout the whole,
And thence, with freedom unconfined,
And universal as the wind,
Whose source and issues are unknown,
Felt in its airy flight alone,
And life supplying with its breath,
And, when 'tis gone, involving death;
I quicken souls from nature's sloth,
Fashion their forms, sustain their growth,
And, when my influence fails or ties,
Matter may live, but spirit dies,
Myself withdrawn from mortal sight,
I am invisible as light—-
Light which, revealing all beside,
Itself within itself can hide:
The things of darkness I make bare,
And, nowhere seen, and every where;
All that philosophy has sought,
Science discover'd, genius wrought;
All that reflective memory stores,
Or rich imagination pours;
All that the wit of man conceives;
All that he wishes, hopes, believes;
All that he loves, or fears, or hates;
All that to heaven or earth relates;—-
These are the lessons that I teach
By speaking silence, silent speech.

Ah! who like me can bless or curse?
What can be better, what be worse,
'Than language framed for Paradise,
Or sold to infamy and vice?
Blest be the man by whom I bless;
Accursed be who wrongs the Press;
The reprobate in prose or song,
Who wields the power of right for wrong
Wrong to outlast his laurel's tomb,
And haunt the earth till crack of doom!"

Dr. Kitto.

Of course, John was set to work, and
shoemaking seemed the pursuit best suited
for him. At this time, he commenced keep-
ing-a journal, and formed the valuable
habit of putting down his thoughts, clearly
and correctly with his pen. But a grief
happened at this time that nearly reduced
him to despair—the death of his beloved
grandmother. He had clung to her with
all the tenderness of one who had a heart
full of love, and none to call it forth, but
the friend who had been more than a moth-
er to him-—it is heart-rending to read his
remarks about his parents at this time.
“Will they not, when they think the edge
of my grief is blunted, relapse into their
former indifference? I expressed this doubt
to my mother. She assured me of her con-
tinued kindness. I would have said, but
did not, ‘Oh! my mother!’ representative
of the dear friend I have lost, would that
I were certain this kindness would con-
tinue.”

The sight of death and the grave solemn-
nised the mind of the youth; from this
time his journal contains frequent reference
to religion, and it was evident he was led
to God in prayer. A few months after he
felt himself completely alone in the world,
a man came to the workhouse to choose an
apprentice, and seeing John’s work, chose
him; but the youth demurred, alleging his
deafness, and perhaps not liking the looks
of the man, however John’s objections
were overruled, and he was bound. Poor
fellow; he had a hard master—-a brutal ty-
rant! who used in his fits of rage to strike
the poor youth with the hammer. That
head which was rendered almost sacred by
misfortunes and privations, was exposed to
savage blows from this wretched man. By
this dreadful treatment, John was nearly
driven to despair, but he took the wise re-
solution of writing a calm statement of
his condition, and it was given to the
guardians by his friend Mr. Burnard. This
paper was so respectful and so well-ex-
pressed that an inquiry was instituted,
which ended in the youth being released
from the wicked tyrant who had made
sport with his affliction, and added to his
sorrows. John returned to the workhouse,
where he was now an esteemed inmate. And
many friends who had not the means of
giving him much help, were yet useful in
providing him with good books, encourag-
ing him in his work of self-culture. He
never seems to have wasted an hour. Dil-
igent at work, and diligent to improve his
leisure by careful as well as copious read-
ing, the Plymouth Town Library was open
to him, and he gladly availed himself of
its contents. Even in his casual walks he
noticed with an intelligent eye all he saw,
and his powers of minute description were
aided by his yet greater powers of careful
observation. About this time, three little
essays of his, on Happiness, Home, and
Contemplation were inserted in the “PLY-
MOUTH JOURNAL,” and an appeal was at
length made to the public on behalf of this
youth, which proved so successful that he
was placed to board and lodge with Mr.
Burnard his kind friend, he thus had
leisure to continue his studies.

From this time his career was upward
and onward in all respects. The vows he
had made when bowed down with sorrow,
when he laid his griefs before God in
prayer, he did not forget when prosperity
dawned upon him, in joy as in grief, he
lived near to God—-and the Lord was with
him.

In his twentieth year, the once friendless
youth was received into Mr. Groves’s family
at Exeter, as a gratuitous pupil, and in
consideration of any services he could
render, was to receive £15 a year. After
a time by the aid of friends, he was
moved to the Missionary College at Is-
lington, to learn printing. But his love of
literary composition somewhat interfered
with his pursuits as a printer—-at length
the career opened before him, by which he
became celebrated. The Church Mission-
ary Society sent him with Dr. Korck to
Malta, and while there the habit of care-
fully writing down his impressions of all
he saw, was fully developed, and al-
though his deafness was a great privation
it seemed to be compensated by his in-
creased power of observation. One great
advantage at this time was the recovery of
the power of speech. From never hearing
a sound, the subject of our narrative was
in danger of forgetting the way to speak
words—indeed he disliked the effort of
using his voice, but while at Malta, he
overcame this dislike which threatened to
make him dumb as well as deaf, and so
practised his voice, that he could be very
well understood.

Some disappointments led to his giving
up his situation in Malta, and returning to
England in 1828, where after some delay
he agreed to accompany one of his best
friends, Mr. Groves, on a Christian mission
to Persia. The journey of the party was
made through Denmark, Russia and Tar-
tary to Bagdad. He made a considerable
stay in Persia, and became familiar with
Oriental customs and modes of life. In
1833 our deaf traveller returned to Eng-
land, his mind full of various learning.
The Society for the Diffusion of Useful
Knowledge ultimately secured his services
as a writer, and he wrote that most inter-
book, “THE LOST SENSES,” which attracted
much attention.

On September the 21st, 1833, he was
married to a kind and estimable woman,
who not only sympathised in, his literary—
tastes, but made him in all respects a ten-
der and admirable wife. With the domes-
tic happiness that was now his portion,
came the opportunity to devote himself to
a great work, “THE PICTORIAL BIBLE,”
his knowledge of Oriental scenes and cus-
toms enabled him to be a most valuable
expositor of Bible narratives, and no book
has done more to diffuse an intelligent ac-
quaintance with the Holy Scriptures. This
was followed by a “History of Palestine
and the Holy Land,” “The Christian Trav-
eller,” “Uncle Oliver's Travels in Persia,
a book for the young,” “The Cyclopædia
of Biblical Literature,” and “Daily Bible
Illustrations,” all works of great value.
Besides these vast labours—-he often wrote
most useful articles in “The Penny Mag-
azine.” He was anxious to promote the
instruction of his poorer countrymen—-
never in his prosperity forgetting the
claims of the labouring classes.

These continuous literary labours began
to effect his health, which had always been
delicate, and he was troubled with most
severe nervous headaches-—his family in-
creased rapidly, and with all his toils, his
means were never ample. It was a great
comfort to him, when our beloved Queen
ordered him a pension of £100 a year from
the Civil List, in consideration of his valu-
able literary services.

A diploma of D. D., was sent him from
the University of Giessen, and many learned
societies in England, Scotland, and Ger-
many, and America, united to praise him,
not only for his learning, but his diligence
and the way in which he made his great
talents the means of diffusing a knowledge
of the highest wisdom. Yes! the deaf
workhouse boy was known to the whole
civilized world as the famous traveler and
Biblical scholar, Dr. JOHN KITTO!

It was scarcely to be expected that a life
so afflicted and so laborious, should extend
to old age; and repeated attacks of illness
alarmed Dr. Kitto's family and friends.
He made many journeys to different parts
of England, in search of health, and at
length resolved to visit Germany. In
August 1854, Dr. and Mrs. Kitto, with
seven of their nine children, embarked for
Rotterdam, went thence to Mayence, on
the Rhine, and proceeded to Stuttgart: in
the latter place, his illness increased so
rapidly, that Dr. Kitto felt certain his
death was near. But the wanderers pro-
ceeded as soon as his strength permitted,
to Cannstadt, to try the mineral springs of
that district, and his health might have been
renovated, but it pleased God to afflict the
family by the removal of the eldest daugh-
ter, and the youngest son, in quick succes-
sion. The former had been her father's joy
and comfort, and the grief of losing her,
though borne with Christian resignation,
was more than his shattered health could
endure. On October the 27th, he wrote
what proved to be his last letter to his
friend, A. H. Davis, Esq., of Adelaide,
Australia. In it there occur these words,-—
“I began to perceive that, by these vari-
ously afflictive dispensations, my Lord is
calling me ‘up hither,’ to the higher room
in which He sits, that I may see more of
His grace and that I may more clearly un-
derstand the inner mysteries of His King-
dom.” In a month from the time of writ-
ing that sentence, Dr. John Kitto entered
into the joy of his Lord. In nine days
more he would have attained the fiftieth
year of a life, the first sixteen or seventeen
years of which, had been saddened by
poverty, pain and privations, such as sel-
dom have fallen to the lot of any human
being. Through all this, the “excellent
spirit” that was in him bore him up, and
by God's grace the youth, feeble, friend-
less, and deaf, was made the means of do-
ing a great work, and living a noble life—
his honoured name being a household
word in thousands of families in his native
land.

“Not by might, nor by power, but by my
Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts.”

China Summary.

In the extreme north the Imperial go-
vernment is attempting vigorous measures
against the rebels. In addition to the
2000 drilled troops who were sent a few
weeks ago into the Shing-king province,
6,000 additional troops have now been
marched to Moukden. In spite of this
movement however, the government seems
to rely more on buying off the rebels than
on crushing them by its military strength.
Proclamations have been widely distribut-
ed offering Mandarin buttons to the
leaders of the bands on condition that
they will give in their allegiance to the
Imperial government. The death of San-
kolin-sin seems to be confirmed. His son
now commands the Mongol Cavalry, and
he is reported to be advancing on the
rebels.

A frightful tragedy has taken place in
the China sea, on board a coolie ship
named the NAPOLEON CANEVARO. This
vessel left Macao on the 8th of March,
with 663 coolies on board. Some rumors
of an intended rising reached the ears of
the captain that day. One or two of the
ringleaders were flogged and put in irons.
The next day the whole body of the
coolies revolted. After a desperate fight
they set fire to the ship below hoping to
tempt the crew down. For the men to
have gone below, however, amongst them
would have been certain death. They
passed a hose to the coolies but this was
destroyed instead of being used. In a
short time the crew and captain finding
the fire irresistible, had to take to their
boats. The vessel was lost, together with
all but six or seven of the coolies who
were found eight days later by a passing
brig, clinging to a half burned spar. The
men in the boats were picked up by an-
other vessel and taken to Saigon, whence
they returned hither to tell their fearful
story.

A curious illustration of the way in
which the British government, in attempt-
ing to put down piracy in these waters,
is playing into the hands of foreign na-
tions, is afforded by the memorandum which
will be found in another column, of
charters and settlements at Hongkong.
Out of nineteen vessels now offering here
for the coast trade, only three are British
owned. This state of things which is not
of an extraordinary or exceptional char-
acter, will show how just it would be to
require from the various continental pow-
ers whose subjects trade with China,
contributions towards a force specially
devoted to the suppression of piracy.

The great increase in the export of tea
from China to the United States, during
the past season has already attracted
notice. It may be worth while to call
attention to the table of exports from
Yokohama, where it will be seen that
whereas to this date last year the export
of Japanese tea from that port to America
had been 1,749,813 lbs. the quantity sent
during the present season, amounts to
9,269,194 lbs.

Hankow.

The Imperialist troops in this neigh-
borhood have inflicted a severe defeat on
the Nienfei who evacuated Hwangpe and
were dispersed with great loss. The
disciplined Chinese force which M. Giquel
has been organizing is beginning to ac-
quire shape, and Mr. Giquel himself has
been appointed commandant. Important
correspondence has taken place between
the Hankow and Shanghai Chambers of
Commerce, in reference to a system which
has been adopted at the former port that
no goods should be delivered to Chinese
from foreign godowns unless on receipt
of five day's bankers' orders. In Novem-
ber last the merchants combined to enforce
this rule for the sake of greater security
but one or two individuals have infringed
it by discounting long dated orders; and
the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce was
asked to express its opinion in the matter,
which it did by condemning the latter
practice.—-IBID.

Japan.

It is our painful duty to record the
suicide of Mr. Patrick Dall one of our
well known residents. For some time
past he had been in a low desponding
state of mind, in consequence, it is believ-
ed, of non-success in his business affairs.
We are informed that twice before, in the
course of last week, he attempted self-
destruction, once by stabbing himself,
and again by taking laudanum, but not
effecting his object—-and being prevented
from making a third attempt, as he stated
his intention of doing by means of his
revolver, which was taken from him—-he
seems to have gone deliberately to Mis-
sissippi Bay, and there hung himself up-
on a tree, near to the cutting descending
to the seaside. The body was found by
a private of the Royal Engineers, about
4 P. M., on Sunday last, on the right of
the New Road. It had fallen down from
the tree where it had been hanging. The
eyes were half-closed, and he appeared to
have been dead some time. The body
was perfectly rigid. On being brought
into the settlement, Dr. Dalliston was
speedily in attendance, but found that the
deceased must have been dead some four
or five hours at least
—JAPAN HERALD.

Commercial.

Business has been excessively dull. In
fact, we are nearly at the end of the silk
season and the crop is evidently short;
this, coinciding as it does with a great
decline in the value of native coin, makes
money excessively scarce among the native
merchants; finding their calculations as to
the price of booms at fault, they are unable
to meet their engagements to take deliv-
ery of imports. At the same time they
will not give way in their demands for
their silk sufficiently so enable foreigners
to operate; hence a partial stoppage of
trade. The only solution of the difficulty
we believe to be a considerable fall in the
price of silk, which we confidently predict,
as likely soon to take place; for a large
share of the stock is in the hands of Eu-
ropean merchants and bankers, who have
advanced upon it to the native owners.
These cannot renew their promissory
notes and if foreigners are firm, which
their home advices are likely to make
them—natives must abate their present—
most exorbitant demands. We refer our
readers for more details to our Commer-
cial Report, and while leaving the sub-
jects, re-iterate what we have persisted
in from the first establishment of the
OVERLAND MAIL:—-that those European
merchants who think that the silk crop of
Japan is likely to be rapidly progressive,
are mistaken—until the whole country is
thrown open to foreign capital and enter-
prise there will be no marked advance
beyond the average of twelve to fourteen
thousand bales.—-IBID.

Pirates.

An article in the DAILY PRESS of some
days back on pirates has led to sugges-
tions which tend to show more plainly
than before how very possible it would
be to find the means of keeping on foot a
force specially devoted to the suppression
of pirates. We were pointing out that
the colony of Hongkong could not be
expected to bear the whole expense of
such a naval force as might be strong
enough to combat the existing evil, even
if the permission of the Home Govern-
ment, for its establishment as a water police,
or under any other title might be obtain-
ed. It would be natural, however, to
expect that the various governments of
Europe whose merchant navies frequent
this port, should in some way contribute
towards the maintenance of the preven-
tive force. We will set aside for a moment
the contribution which ought certainly to
be exacted from the Chinese government.
That would not be obtainable by reason.
Given? the deliberate conclusion of the
English government that it was right to
exact it and the rest might be left to Sir
R. Alcock. The European governments,
however might be loth to pay any direct
sum in the nature of a subsidy to the
antipiratical fleet, and indeed the Eng-
lish government might be loth to take the
contribution in such a form. It might
again be injudicious to raise the necessary
sum by anything in the nature of direct
impositions, which would more or less deprive
Hongkong of that reputation, through
the world, as a free port, which must be
highly advantageous to its trade. It is
now suggested that the necessary payment
might easy be made by each foreign ship
through the consuls of the power to which
she belonged, and that the pressure which
consuls might be empowered to use, in
case a captain made objections to the
payment of this quota, should be brought
to bear through the Insurance officers.
Certainly the Insurance officers must be
anxious to suppress piracy, and if it were
found impossible to insure a ship which
had not paid to her consul a certain ton-
nage due for the preventive force, there
would not be many defaulters. The
question would be how far it would be pos-
sible for the government to enter on a
line of conduct which would involve re-
liance on the action of private companies.
The government could not force the com-
panies to limit their commercial operat-
ions in a certain way, and in the first in-
stance it could only be by their voluntary
cooperation that any thing could be done.
There must be difficulty at all times in
combining voluntary co-operation and
governmental action, and this is the ob-
jection to the idea heretofore. It is look-
ing along way ahead no doubt to discuss
the way in which an antipiratical fleet
should be supported, but until the means
of doing this are clearly discerned, no
step could be taken towards the accom-
plishment of the great end in view. It
is desirable therefore to make out exactly,
if possible, the mode in which the scheme
could be worked and the suggestion now
put forward might contribute to this
result.

Bangkok Recorder.

The Present Crisis.

We are thankful that our _twin broth-
er"_ the Rev. Dr. has kindly allowed us
to insert in the present issue his private
letter to us, criticising our actions as
conductors of the _Bangkok Recorder_
and stating clearly his own views of the
present American Crisis. Although
"written for our private eye alone"
and from the spur of the moment, yet
like most of the hasty productions of
his pen, the letter seems to us well pre-
pared for the press, and will be likely
to do good in print,-—his own opin-
ion to the contrary notwithstanding,
"if we are not wanting in judgment"
as he fancies we were in our last lead-
er, and frequently have been in our se-
lections from foreign papers.

Though our "twin brother's" criti-
cisms seem to us rather severe, yet we
cannot but regard them as being in all
verity "goodness and severity" so hap-
pily blended that we feel determined to
say to the advances of bitterness and
resentment, be gone, and to love and
gratitude, come in and control our
feelings under the present crisis.

We are not at all surprised to learn
that our brother "does not like some
things that have appeared in the late
issues of the _Bangkok Recorder_"
for we do not and did not like them
ourselves, and we felt quite at a loss
what was our path of duty in the pre-
mises.-—But having asked wisdom of
God, hoping He would guide us in de-
ciding the question, we concluded to
give them a place in our columns, as
the usual characteristics of public af-
fairs, and hence, as we judged, lay open
for criticism through our paper. But
it was the uncourteous and unkind lan-
guage chiefly which offended our feel-
ings and taste, and we would hereby
beg our correspondents to be particu-
larly cautious in their future produc-
tions to avoid all such offences. While
it is right and proper to _hit_ the object
at which we aim by our pen and make
it a strong blow if we like, it is never
necessary or right to abuse any one
with vulgar or harsh epithets or any
ungentlemanly censure. It is far better
to take the counsel of Solomon, that
"a soft answer turneth away wrath"
and "a soft tongue breaketh the bone."
These counsels of divine wisdom un-
doubtedly comprise words that fall
from the pen as well as from the
tongue.

But our "twin-brother" seems to
have strangely mistaken what was
said under the head of _Present Crisis_,
in our last issue, for our own remarks.
They were wholly extracts from the
N. Y. Independent and inserted for
the express purpose of "giving our
readers some idea how the Radical
Republicans feel in regard to the
present crisis of political affairs in
the States." While we frankly acknow-
ledged that we deeply sympathized
with those Radicals, we distinctly de-
clared our displeasure at their impa-
tience and harsh severity. And if our
brother will read over our leading ar-
ticle, he cannot fail to see that we
have still great confidence in Presi-
dent Johnson that he will abide by
the Constitution, and, under God,
carry our country safely through the
present crisis.

That Mr. Johnson did use the lan-
guage we cited in our editoral cannot
be contradicted, and that he did thus
commit a sad wrong is equally
clear. The act of condemning such
conduct in a ruler certainly cannot
make us guilty of "speaking evil of the
ruler of our people." We wonder why
our brother did not consider that he
might possibly be condemned for the
same sin he fears is lying at our own
door, by making public, as he does, the
very damaging remarks he heard fall
from the lips of one of the Senators
against which Mr. Johnson aimed his
barbed arrows.

And to our "twin-brother" we feel
in solemn duty bound to say, that we
think, he has sadly garbled, though
unintentionally, a quotation he has
made from our mutual friend Rev.
Henry Ward Beecher, on the non-
equality of the negro race with the
Caucasian race. It is true that Mr.
Beecher and every other sensible man,
so far as we know, believes that the
negro race, as it appears now, is not
equal in point of mental stamina with
the white race. But we know Mr. Bee-
cher does hold firmly that before the law
the African is equal with the white
man and that the act of emancipation
virtually promised him that he should
enjoy equal privileges at the ballot
box with his poor and weak white
neighbor. Senator Wade of Ohio has
well expressed this idea of equality in
a late speech from which we have tak-
en an extract and given it place in
this No.

Not only our brother, but others not
a few, intimate that it will do no good
to agitate here, so far away from our
country the political questions that
are continually stirring her up from
centro to circumference. We must
frankly say that we cannot bring our
minds to coincide with this view of
duty in regard to the present crisis.
We believe that questions involving
the great principles of justice and mer-
cy should be agitated everywhere. We
regard Negro suffrage as one of those
questions—-It is the great question of
the age, and of the world. The
principles involved in it concern all
nations, especially such heathen na-
tions as Siam. To enjoy the privilege
of being an American citizen, or only
a citizen of the world, and remain dumb
as an editor on this question, would, in
our estimation, be a sad blot on our
name in the book of heaven where we
hope it is recorded—-not to speak of
the disgrace it ought to be in the eyes
of fellow sinners here on earth.

We have thus far, endeavored to
conduct our journal on the principle
of giving both the shady and the sun-
ny side of all political affairs that come
within the range of our pen. We have,
doubtless, more or less come short of
our mark in this matter as we know we
do in almost every thing we attempt.
it being convenient, and as we thought,
timely, we gave the shady side of the
U. S. in our last issue, fully purporting
to show the sunny side in a succeeding
No. And now as our “twin brother”
has written a capital article on that sub-
ject, we do with much pleasure give
it a conspicuous place in our columns
to day, being fully authorized to do so
by the following note.

Correspondence.

MY DEAR Dr. BRADLEY—In reply
to your question I may say that my
letter was written for your eye alone
and I have no desire for its publica-
tion. Still I think its views are sound
and true. If you wish it published it
is at your service as a whole—not in
part, but I see no special good in its
publication.

Bangkok May 17th, 1866.

MY DEAR FRIEND-—As your "twin-
brother"—-I propose giving you a
proof of my fraternal interest in your
work, and welfare by telling you that
I don't like some things in the late
issues of the Bangkok Recorder.
Some of the articles from your corres-
pondents are not sufficiently courteous
in language, and gentlemanly in spi-
rit, to entitle them to a place in a
public journal, presided over by a
christian gentleman; and disclaim as
you may, against all personal respon-
sibility in the articles you select or
admit from your contributers, you
are nevertheless, held in some impor-
tant sense, accountable for the senti-
ments and style of every article ap-
pearing in your columns. If not by
men here, surely by your readers abroad,
the character and reputation of the
Recorder and its Editor, will be mea-
sured by the intellectual, moral, and
political character of the paper.

Again I think you damage your
cause, do discredit to yourself and
dishonor your country, by the edito-
rial or leading articles of the last No.
in which you attempt to give your
readers, a picture of the present state
of things connected with the govern-
ment of the United States. In the
first place, I think you are mistaken
in regard to the facts in the case, and
next, even if they were true as you
suppose, there promises no good but
harm to result from their publication
here. You neither profess nor desire
to occupy the position of an enemy of
our country, and still no one could
take a stand better calculated to dis-
grace our country in the estimation of
her enemies and all foreigners, readers
of your paper than the one you take
in the last No. First then as to facts
It would seem that on the evening of
the 22nd of Feb. the most extrava-
gant and inflamatory reports of Presi-
dent Johnson's speech, on that day in
Washington, were sent by Telegrams,
and industriously circulated at the ga-
therings in New York for the recep-
tion of Gen. Grant and others. Spe-
cial pains were taken to inform all as
far as possible, that the "President had
openly thrown himself into the hands
of the Copperheads—that he had ha-
rangued a mob of whitewashed Seces-
sionists and Rebels in Washington—-
repudiating all connection with the
Union party,—-denouncing in the most
vituperative language the recognized
leaders of that party in Congress, and
through the country. It was declar-
ed in those despatches that no Union
man in Washington, even, professed
any longer to count upon his coope-
ration in support of the principles of
the Union party." The perusal of
his address, must dispel that delusion
and disclose the origin of the defama-
tion.

It would seem that a general meeting
on the anniversary of Washington, as-
sembled in the city that bears his
name, presided over by Philip A.
Fendall the oldest member of the
Washington Bar, and that meeting
was addressed by such men as Mont-
gomery Blair, Gov. Cox, Judge Kin-
ney, two or three Representatives
from different States, and as many Se-
nators of known patriotism and de-
fenders of the Union. At the close a
Committee from this mass-meeting
with the presiding officer for its chair-
man, waited on the President with
Resolutions expressing their devotion
to the Union and to his policy for
preserving it, after which the Presi-
dent was persuaded to address the as-
sembled multitude from the balcony
of the White House and hence the
speech in question.

The speech, evidently extempore,
was straight forward, manly, and pa-
triotic to the core. The great thought
that pervades the whole was his un-
alterable determination to STAND BY
THE CONSTITUTION, as the only guide
of his official conduct. I read the
speech carefully from the beginning to
the end, and failed to discover the
slightest intimation that he had de-
parted from the principles of the Uni-
on Party, or the grand policy of his
honored predecessor.

The position and principles adopted
by the President which have called
forth the hostility of a faction in con-
gress and the country, are sustained
by the Honorable Secretary of State,
who stood by the immortal Lincoln in
his life, and came near to following
him in his death, and whose patriotism
is still unquestioned. He spoke on
the same day, but in a different city
with the President, saying "I have
said I apprehend no serious difficulty
or calamity. This confidence arises
from the conviction which I entertain
that there never was and never can
be any successful process for the res-
toration of union and harmony among
the States except the one with which
the President has avowed himself sa-
tisfied" and then asks "Ought the
President of the United States to be
denounced in the House of his ene-
mies—-much more ought he to be de-
nounced in the House of his friends,
for refusing, in the absence of any
necessity, to occupy or retain, and to
exercise powers greater than those ex-
ercised by any Imperial Magistrate in
the world? Judge ye! I trust that
this fault of declining Imperial pow-
er, too hastily tendered by a too con-
fiding congress may be forgiven by a
generous people."

Again, the President and his policy
are sustained by Henry Ward Beecher,
the acknowledged leader of Radical-
ism so far as that may be in har-
mony with religion and constitutional
government. There are other radical
leaders who trample on all that is sa-
cred in religion and binding in poli-
tical compacts. I once heard one of
the persons mentioned in the Presi-
dent's speech, say before a public as-
sembly that he "would rejoice to see
the day, when every clergyman in the
land should be silenced, every church
closed, and the Union of the States
dissolved," The public avowal of
such sentiments may well entitle their
author to share in the honors and
awards of Jefferson Davis, and justify
the President in holding up his name
as a warning to the lovers of order and
the friends of his country.

Mr. Beecher, while he ranks among
the master spirits of the age, belongs
to a different school of politics and
religion. He has done as much, per-
haps, as any other man in an un-official
capacity for the freedom of the slave
and the liberty of the country, though
he has had the penetration to discover,
and the courage to say, that "we are
told by zealous and fanatical indi-
viduals that all men are equal. We
know better. They are not equal."
This gentleman, the Champion of li-
berty, and the advocate of the oppress-
ed, declares in a public address in
New York, his approval of the Presi-
dent's principles and policy in the
question at issue between him and
some members of the U. S. Congress.

General Sherman says in a public
address "I know the man at the head
of affairs at Washington, and all we
have to do is to trust him. Exercise
forbearance and patriotism and give
the President our hearty and earnest
support." The Hon. Senator of Wis-
consin calls on the Republicans of Con-
necticut to stand by the President. He
contended, that President Johnson has
carried out every requirement of the
Baltimore platform of 1864, and no set
of men have a right to bind him to
another. He adds that "Andrew
Johnson is carrying out the policy of
the lamented Lincoln," and that "he
has not, and never will betray his
trust."

The Rev. Dr. Bacon of New Haven,
spoke at the same meeting and in
sympathy with the same sentiments,
while he said he did not come espe-
cially to endorse President Johnson or
any body else.

The Hon. Mr. Raymond, says in a
public speech "It seems to me that the
course he (the President) has adopted
is not only the wisest, the most just,
but it is the one which in the end
must prevail."

The men from whose language I
have quoted above, are men of ac-
knowledged wisdom, some of them are
connected with the present Congress,
and enjoy special facilities for knowing
whereof they affirm, all are Republi-
cans, and for the rights of the freed-
men, and the preservation of the Un-
ion, of the country, and all recognize
the written charter of our liberty as
the guide of our conduct; and we may
safely regard that man the best states-
man who adhers the most closely, the
most conscientiously to the letter and
spirit of that great instrument. These
men all—-and many more in high
places in the land might be added to
the list, have expressed earnestly
and honestly their approval of the
President's course of conduct in op-
position to the policy of a faction, who
seem determined that nothing shall be
done though it meet their wishes, if
it is not done in their way.

I was therefore pained to read in
the last issue of the Recorder your
remarks under the head of "Present
Crisis" calculated to produce the im-
pression that our country having suc-
cessfully struggled against the rebel-
lion of the South, is now to be ruined
by a rebellion at the North. This I
regard as giving publicity to ground-
less scandal, calculated to produce per-
nicious results, inviting our enemies
to rejoice in our promised downfall,
and awakening needless fears among
the friends of our country, and bring-
ing the Editor under the reproof of
the divine injunction. "Thou shalt
not speak evil of the ruler of thy
people."

You will, I am sure, receive these
suggestions in the spirit of kindness
and candor which prompted them. I
have with you a common interest of
country, and a common interest in
the kingdom of Jesus Christ, and I
claim also an interest in the Recorder,
as an instrument of good to this coun-
try, and don't like to see you cut off
the right arm of its strength, by put-
ting into its columns matter to mislead
the reader, and cater to unprofitable
gossip. Your plan, to give to the read-
ers abroad, facts concerning the pro-
ductions of this country, the customs
of the people, or whatever may have
a tendency to bless this nation or en-
lighten others concerning it, is wise;
but the repeated allusions to anarchy,
suffering and slavery in our own
country, indicate that the Editor is
in want of matter to fill up his paper,
or wanting in judgment in the selec-
tion of his subjects.

My Dear Mr. Editor.—A short
time ago oil was Tls. 4 P 20 catties
it is now Tls. 5½ maw (a reputed 20
cattie jar, but which, if weighed, would
be nearer 19 catties.) I also get a
receipt for the oil, similar to an opium
receipt, and this I am told is because
the farmer alone can sell it and can
also charge what price he thinks pro-
per, and that it is very likely the price
will be higher yet. Do you think
that an article of consumption such as
oil, which every one must have, should
be so heavily taxed (directly or in-
directly) as it is? Is there no better
way of deriving a revenue than by
raising the prices of the ordinary ne-
cessaries of life?

Another complaint I have to make
is, that a great many of the scales, and
weights used by the market, people
are false, and that the Police refuse
to arrest the parties in whose posses-
sion they are found, on the plea that
they are all alike or nearly so, and
that when you purchase anything, you
are not supposed to do so by the cat-
tle (standard) but by the cattle as
marked on the Chinaman's steelyard.
This is certainly "buying a cat in a
bag" and a disgraceful state of affairs.
In buying rice the sellers refuse to
sell by my bucket, (being properly
made and marked by some Siamese
supposed to be duly authorised to do
so) but insist upon using their own,
not forgetting to point out a similar
mark on their bucket which is much
shallower than mine, now what is the
good of a mark on the top of the
bucket, if the bottom is allowed to be
knocked up an inch or more? The
cocoanut-shells too, with which they
measure rice are invariably coated a-
bout ½ an inch thick on the inside
with a kind of paste so as to defraud
the purchaser of a portion of the rice.
Why does not the Government ap-
point an inspector of weights and
measures, and heavily fine all those
found using false ones? The sum thus
realized would be surprising. I've
seen many things during my flying
visits to Bangkok which might be im-
proved with very little trouble, but I
suppose you who live constantly in this
atmosphere either can't see or smell,
or else you have settled down quietly
determined to take things as you find
them. Can't you get me a berth as
inspector of weights and measures and
allow me the fines as a salary? I've
been "taking notes" and you may
expect to hear from me agaiu soon.

DEAR SIR—You will be surprised
at the unintentional compliments which
your correspondent D. has paid me in
your issue of last week. I ascertained
by accident that the portrait he alludes
to, was taken by me, by order of His
Majesty, and the negative plates, at the
request of the king, were handed over
to the Siamese noble who printed
them.

Bangkok May 14th 1866.

Domestio Animals.

We propose now to write of Liz-
ards. These creatures may well be
said to be domesticated, for they feel
perfectly at home in all the habita-
tions of man in Siam, and all their
families are well pleased to have them
thus intimate. They seem to prefer
much the best kind of human dwell-
ings, and especially such as have white
walls and ceiling. Very likely this
preference is more in appearance than
in reality, for they are more readi-
ly soon in such houses than in those
whose rooms are all dark and sombre.
Persons coming from the western world
without any experience of lizards as
domestic animals, generally fancy that
it would be intolerable to live with
them as we do here in Bangkok. But
the truth is, that is a mere nervous
whim. Lizards are by no means
unpleasant companions in your dining,
sitting, or even sleeping room. They
never bite or sting, seldom fight or
have any quarrels, rarely steal and
then in such small quantities and so
genteelly as not to be accounted any
offence. They never nibble furniture,
and seldom soil books or clothing.
They make very little litter and that
not particularly unpleasant, and their
mode of talking and singing is of the
most quiet kind. The greatest troub-
le they ever make is, when they get
into your melodion or piano and foul
it somewhat, and lay there their beau-
tiful pearl white eggs not one
third the size of a sparrow's egg.

They are of positive service in
catching and disposing of flies, and all
the smaller kinds of bugs, and they
always to do this work by can-
dle light. You will see them every
evening all about your white ceiling
and running down on the white or
papered walls, charming the flies and
bugs to come within the limits of
their spring. We cannot tell how
they spell—bind their game: all we can
say is, that it is evident, enough they
have much power in that way. When
they have drawn their object within
a foot or more, they then dart with
lightening speed and catch it up in
their mouth and swallow it down,
usually, without doubting. But oc-
casionally they catch a creature which
is a little too large to swallow without
some preliminaries. Hence they stop
a few moments, and seem to consider
what it is best to do with it. Then,
if it be not an enormous mouthful,
they will make quite an ado in break-
ing it down by mastication, and then
swallow it at once. They never carve
anything into mouthfuls. If they
happen to have caught a bug or crick-
et almost too much for them to grap-
ple, they will hold it a few seconds in
their mouth, and then give it as
thorough a thumping on the wall or
ceiling, in their feeble capacity, as a
dog shakes a snake to death by a ra-
pid rotation of his head right and left.
It sometimes, though rarely, happens
that they catch a creature too strong
for them. In that case they are oblig-
ed to let it go, and seem to feel quite
chagrined by the failure.

It is curious to see how sure-foot-
ed they are in running and bounding
on the ceiling with their backs down-
ward. It does not appear that they
resist the power of gravitation by any
thing like hooks or claws on their toes,
but that they have the power of mak-
ing gravitation turn upward and
press their feet up to the ceiling just
as hard as their circumstances require.

They have nevertheless “to take heed
to their steps” and consider well just
how far to use the air pumps with
which their maker has furnished their
four feet. Sometimes, being as it
were in a thoughtless state of mind,
they loose their hold, and fall slap
down on the floor, or the table, or
perhaps, on your head or bare neck or
bosom. We confess that such a visit
is far from being agreeable to him
who receives it, and we cannot blame
any one, especially a lady in full dress,
for bounding and screaming to the
top of her voice when she so suddenly
feels the cold feet of a lizard in her
bosom. But such accidents are of
such rare occurrence, that even the
most nervous persons among us soon
cease to have any fear that they shall
ever be shocked in that way.

With only this slight draw back
we must say that lizards are very
pleasant little creatures in a house.
They seem essentially to aid in enliven-
ing a parlor well lighted. They are
beautifully formed and clothed by
their maker, with a pearly white skin,
charmingly dotted with sky blue and
brown.

The largest of this species of lizards
is about three inches in length includ-
ing the tail, which is about one inch
and a quarter long. Their size around
the body is less than an inch.
Their general form is that of a croco-
dile having four feet and five toes on
each. Their eyes are of the size of a
small coriander seed, and brilliantly
black. Their gentle chirping about
your house in the stillness of night,
though in no sense musical, becomes
decidedly agreeable by a little acquain-
tance and experience.

In books on Herpetology or Reptiles
these house lizards are denominated
the noiseless gecko. It is supposed by
some Biblical scholars that an animal
of this species, instead of the spider, is
the one referred to in Proverbs 30:
28th, which Jerome rendered.

"The gecko taketh hold with her
hands

And dwelleth in king's palaces."

LOCAL.

We intimated in our issue of the 8d
inst. that the wet season had fully com-
menced. About that time we had ma-
ny smart showers of rain, resurrecting
vegetable life gloriously, and so thor-
oughly soaking the parched earth, that
the fallow ground could be broken up
and prepared to receive the seed-rice.

Those delightful showers were succeed-
ed by ten days of almost entire absence of
rain, yet by no means alarming. But
on the 18th inst. it commenced raining
again, and poured down nearly three
days and three nights with but slight
intermissions. A rain so powerful and
continuous was quite out of the usual
course of the seasons here in Bangkok,
and almost unprecedented for any sea-
son. On Monday the 14th the rain
came down, as one might suppose it did
at Noah's deluge, and was attended by
vivid lightning, heavy thunder, and
strong wind.

The Canal Bangkok-Yai, at the
mouth of which we live, though com-
ing all its course through a dead level
plain, ran like a mighty river in a hil-
ly country when urged onward by a
flood. It was ebb tide and its usual
flow is rather slow. But the vast ac-
cumulation of waters inland, seeking
for an outlet, had made a new stream of
it, so that it was almost unnavigable.
Those wishing to stem the current
could not, and those floating on it
felt themselves in jeopardy every mo-
ment. During much of the forenoon
of the 14th, we heard almost continu-
ally the uproar made by the capsizing
of sampans, collision of larger boats,
and the cries of men, women, and chil-
dren, who had been turned out into the
flood, with all their goods boat-boards,
hats, etc, rushing away wholly beyond
their control. Happily all could swim
and we heard of none that were drown-
ed. Early in the afternoon there was
made a far greater cry than ever—-
'paa loi ma,' 'paa loi ma'—-(drifting
floating houses are coming, drifting
floating houses are coming.) We ran to
our landing, and beheld drifting float-
ing houses were coming sure enough.
There were three of them not more
than a quarter of a mile off, which had
just come in sight around a bend.
No wonder the heathen wailed at the
sight, for there seemed hardly room
for the houses to pass between the
two unbroken lines of sugar boats
that were moored on either side of the
canal. All their occupants were out,
and armed with oars and poles expect-
ing all to be driven from their moor-
ings and smashed up in one general
collision. But the result was far bet-
ter than anticipated. The boats were so
well defended by men, women, and
children, that they kept the floating
houses quite clear of them. Only one
boat we think, was driven from its moor-
ing, and but few any way injured. But
the drifting houses looked as if they
had suffered great damage—-one of
them being almost an entire wreck.
They rushed out into the river and suc-
ceeded in hitching on to the floating
hous[?] that were firmly moored, and
there waited for the flood tide, when
they came leisurely back to their old
moorings up the canal a mile or more.

The Royal treasury was burglarious-
ly entered a few days ago, and 53
catties of ticals abstracted therefrom.
This shows a slack state of discipline in
H. M. Army, and is quite in keeping
with the watch they keep at the ap-
proaches to the Palace, especially dur-
ing the night. It is reported that
there was a guard on duty at the
treasury when it was robbed.

We learn that A. Markwald Esq.
Siamese Consul at Berlin Prussia, has
sent to H. E. Chow Phya Kralahom,
an electro-telegraph, with wire and
all the apparatus complete. It was
delivered to His Excellency a few
days ago, and is now in excellent
working order.

J. Thomson Esq. the distinguish-
ed photographer and traveler to the
famous ruins of Ongcor in Cam-
bodia, left this on the 14th inst. as
passenger per "Chow Phya," for
Singapore. We learn that it is his in-
tention to proceed as soon as possible
to England to complete the splendid
work he has in hand of opening those
magnificent ruins (perhaps one of the
7 wonders of the world) to the view
of the christian world.

Mr. Thomson, by means of the
many perfect pictures he has taken of
those ruins by great dint of affort and
perseverence has enjoyed great priv-
ileges for immortalizing his name in
this work, and we fervently hope he
will do it.

Mr. Wade. of Ohio ("Rare Old
Ben" of the Western Reserve, God
bless him!), made a noble speech in
the Senate on Thursday last, upon the
question of Reconstruction, in reply
to Mr. Doolittle, of Wisconsin. From
the telegraphic report, which rarely
does justice to any speaker, we glean
a few sentences, which will show the
high ground of principle on which Mr.
Wade fearlessly takes his stand:

"I have never had but one polar star
to my action, and that I adhere to, wheth-

or I am in a majority or in a minority. I
never intend to be stamped from in one
single inch. I have fixed my eye upon
the great principles of eternal justice and
right, and it has borne me triumphantly
through all difficulties in my legislative
career since I had a seat in this body. I
can triumphantly say that I have stood
upon this floor when I had not ten men
to support me against the entire Senate,
and when the principle I advocated was
unfortunately more unpopular than these
I announce to-day. How was the whole
Senate startled by the idea of universal
emancipation ten, or fifteen, or even five
years ago? Talk about unpopular doc-
trines and attempts to intimidate me by
the intimations that I shall be found in the
a minority among the people. I know
the people better, I think. I know that
I read the great pathway of rectitude
and right, and I don't care who opposes
me, God Almightv is my guide. He goes
before me and strengthens me. He has
never failed me yet, and I don't fear He
will on this occasion. Now, Mr. President,
I will not boast; but, I, with many others
on this floor, can look back to our pre-
ceding course; and, on this subject, with
great satisfaction, I think, sir, that I can
say, with Paul, that 'we have fought a
good fight.' We are not entirely through
with it, I admit. We may have a little
further to go in the same direction, but
our path is fortunately easier than it has
been. I, sir, I keep the faith, and I
have no doubt in it: I never shrink, I never
fear; I never feared it, and I never had the least
doubt how this whole thing would be sett-
tled, and it will all come right: if we are
true to our convictions. I give the Pre-
sident full credit for all he has done, and
honor him for the manner in which he
has insisted on the great questions I
have already alluded to. He has com-
menced, as a were, to complete this great
arch of Freedom right. He has laid the
foundation deep upon the rock of justice
and right. He has demanded that BEFORE
THE LAW ALL MEN SHALL BE EQUAL. He
has demanded that slavery shall be aboli-
shed. I agree with him so far, and honor him
that he stands firmly where he does. But,
sir, he has failed to put the keystone up-
on the arch that he had built; and, if you
leave it where it is, it will go to ruin. I
want, when this question is once settled,
to be entirely done with it. I don't want
eternally to be fighting over the question
of slavery, and distinctions among the
races and privileges of the American
people. Now, sir, I say to President
Johnson, to the Democratic party, and to
the people of the United States, that I
will never yield the controversy until all
men in America shall stand upon an equal
footing—EQUAL BEFORE THE LAW IN EVERY
RESPECT. When they will fix it so that
that can be done, I will give up the con-
troversy in which I have been engaged
for so many years, and no man will re-
joice more than I that I have been reliev-
ed from it. I was one of those who was
an early advocate of bringing those col-
ored people into your army, invoking
their aid to put down the rebellion. Over
and over did I urge it upon the Executive
two years before it took effect. Their
employment is a necessity of enforcing up-
on me a duty. Would I lend my voice
and my vote to induce that people to be
jeopardy their lives in defense of their
country, and then turn them over to the
mercy of their enemies? Sir, the man
that would do it deliberately and know-
ingly is the meanest of God's creatures.
Tempt them into the service, let them
fight through the war, and then desert
them to their enemies to be destroyed!
The senator from Wisconsin did not al-
lude to this at all. His whole sympathy
was with the rebels—the men who en-
dured treason to the Constitution—
the men who have buried three or four
hundred thousand of our breasted sons.
They were the men who had his sym-
pathy; but the brave colored men, weak
and uninfluential, yet who gave you the
strongest aid, without which you could
never have got through the war—they
have no part of his sympathy."—N. Y.

Strong Characters.

Strength of character consists of two
things-—power of will and power of
self restraint. It requires two things,
therefore, for its existence-—strong feel-
ings and strong command over them.
Now it is here we make a great mis-
take; we mistake strong feelings for
strong character. A man who bears
all before him, before whose frown
domestics tremble, and whose bursts
of fury make the children of the house-
hold quake-—because he has his will
obeyed, and his own way in all things,
we call him a strong man. The truth
is he is the weak man; it is his pas-
sions that are strong; he, mastered by
them, is weak. You must measure
the strength of a man by the power of
the feeling he subdues, not by the
power of those which subdue him.
And hence composure is very often
the highest result of strength. Did
we ever see a man receive a flagrant
insult, and only grow a little pale, and
then reply quietly? That is a man
spiritually strong. Or did we ever
see a man in anguish, stand as if carv-
ed of solid rock, mastering himself?

Or bearing a hopeless daily trial re-
main silent, and never tell the world
what cankered his home peace? That
is strength. He who, with strong
passions remains chaste; he who, keenly
sensitive, with many powers of indig-
nation in him, can be provoked, and
yet restrain himself, and forgive-—these
are the strong men the spiritual
heroes.—-Rev. F. W. Robertson.

France.

The most important incident of the
week in France has been the debate
and division in the French Chamber
on the amendment of the tiers-parti,
affirming that the time had arrived for
more liberty. The amendment was
couched in moderate language. It
merely went to the extent of saying
that "the Legislative Body believes
that it is expressing the public senti-
ment in bringing to the foot of the
throne the wish that your Majesty may
give to the great Act of 1860 the de-
velopment of which it is capable. An
experience of five years appears to us
to have demonstrated the propriety
and opportuneness of such a step."
The debate was opened on the 17th
inst. by a very powerful and at the
same time very moderate speech from
M. Buffet, one of the leaders of the
party. M. Buffet has had considera-
ble parliamentary experience, both as
a deputy and a minister, having begun
his political career as a member of the
Constituent Assembly in 1848, and
afterwards served in the Cabinet with
M. Rouber; and his high character as
a consistent and thoughtful politician
always ensures him a respectful and at-
tentive hearing in the House. The
debate extended over two days. Va-
rious clever speakers among the Opposi-
tion and several of the habitual sup-
porters of the Government spoke in
energetic terms in favour of the amend-
ment; but not only did the Govern-
ment oppose it with equal energy, but
M. Rouber, on whom, as usual, devolv-
ed the task of defending the course
resolved to be pursued, threw out none
of those words of hope and encour-
agement with which it was confidently
stated he would be inspired on this
occasion. M. Rouber assured the
Chamber that a free press was fraught
with danger to the country; that, anx-
ious as the Government was to cour-
onner l'édifice, it could not consent
to separate itself from the great army
of the nation and rush forward into
the enemy's camp, and thus, by im-
prudent precipitation, endanger the
cause of order and tranquillity. M.
Emile Ollivier, although at a very late
hour, made one of his brilliant replies
to the Minister of State, stating that
the future fate of the Imperial dynasty
depended on the result of this debate.
M. Ollivier concluded by the bold as-
sertion that if the opinions of those
who consider that the Emperor can
grant liberty prevail, then would the
empire be founded and established on
a rock; but if, on the contrary, those
who maintain such a line of policy to
be impossible carry the day, then the
existence of the present Government
rests on chance. A division was then
taken, when the number voting against
the adoption of the amendment were
188, and those voting in its favour 65,
by far the largest number of votes re-
corded against the Government since
the Corps Legislatif was first called in-
to existence. On the following day,
the 20th inst. a proposal that the sys-
tem at present in force with regard to
the press should be altered, and that
offences against the laws should be
made amenable to the ordinary tribu-
nals, instead of to the arbitrary Govern-
ment censor, also received the adhesion
of 65 members. The Address was
finally adopted by 251 votes to 17,
and was presented to the Emperor on
the 22nd by a deputation from the
Corps Legislatif. His Majesty replied
as follows :—

"The great majority of the Corps
Législatif have confirmed once more,
by voting this address, the policy
which has given you fifteen years of
tranquillity and prosperity. I thank
you. Without allowing yourselves to
be carried away by vain theories pre-
sented in a seductive garb as alone
capable of aiding the emancipation of
thought and the progress of humanity.
You said to yourselves, 'We also de-
sire to attain those ends, while regula-
ting our march by the appeasement of
passions and the wants of society.' Is
not our motive the common welfare,
and what attraction would your mis-
sion have for you, or my power for me,
if separated from the love of justice?
Would you go through such long and
arduous labours if you were not inspir-

ed by true patriotism! Could I have
borne the weight of Government for
the last eighteen years, with its inces-
sant pre-occupations and heavy respon-
sibility before God and before the na-
tion, if I had not felt within me that
strength which is afforded by the sense
of duty and by the consciousness of
having a useful mission to carry out!
France, equally with ourselves, desires
progress, stability, and liberty; but a
liberty which shall develop intelligence,
generous instincts, and the noble ex-
ertions of labour—-not a liberty bor-
dering upon licence, which would excite
evil passions, destroy all belief, rekindle
hatred, and give rise to disorder. We
require a liberty which shall enlighten,
control, and discuss the actions of the
Government, but not become an arm
to undermine and overthrow it. Fif-
teen years ago, when nominal chief of
the State, without effective power and
without support in the Chamber, but
strong in my conscience and in the
suffrages which had elected me, I ven-
tured to declare that France would
not perish in my hands. I have kept
my word. For fifteen years France
has developed and increased, and her
high destiny will be accomplished. Af-
ter us our sons will continue our work.
My guarantee for this is the assistance
of the great bodies of the State, the
devotion of the army, the patriotism
of all good citizens, and, lastly, that
Divine protection which has never
failed our country."-—Over. C. Mail.

Prices Current.

EXCHANGE—On Singapore par 10 d. s.
Hongkong 2 P cent discount 30 d. s. Lon-
don 4s. 9½d. P 86. m. s.

Odds and Ends.

—-Modesty in woman is like color
on her cheeks-—decidedly becoming if
not put on.

—-The London Punch says that a
Yankee baby will crawl out of his cra-
dle, take a survey of it, invent an im-
provement, and apply for a patent be-
fore he is six months old.

—-A sailor who had served the king
so long at sea that he almost forgot the
usages of civilized society on shore,
went one day into the church at his na-
tive town at Kirkaldy, in Fife, where it
happened that the minister chose for
his text the well known passage, “Who
will go up with us to Ramoth Gilead?”
His emphatic appeal being read a sec-
ond time, and in a still more impressive
tone of voice, the thoughtless tar
crammed a quid of tobacco into his
cheek, rose up, put on his hat, then
looking around him, and seeing nobody
moving, he exclaimed, “You cowardly
lubbers! will none go with the old
gentleman? I’ll go for one!” So
out he went, giving three cheers at
the door, to the amazement of all pres-
ent.

—-Beer fills many a bottle, and tho
bottle fills many a bier.

Mortality of troops in China.

Colonel North moved for a select com-
mittee to inquire into the mortality in
the troops in China, the causes which led
to it, and into the conduct of those de-
partments of the Government whose duty
it has been to administer to the wants of
these troops. The Hon. member stated
that the Government having consented to
the appointment of the committee, it was
unnecessary for him to detain the House
by entering into details on the subject. It
was only common justice to the Govern-
ment to say that it had shown itself an-
xious to give every information on the
subject. It was the duty of the House
to protect the non-commissioned officers
and privates of our army, who were des-
patched on the most dangerous service.
He called attention to the fact that Gen-
eral Grey had warned the Government
that it was impossible to accommodate
the troops of the 2nd battalion, which it
was proposed to send to China. The
consequence was that the 2nd battalion
5th Regiment landed in the month of
February, 1865, with 32 officers, 839 men,
47 women, and 79 children; and eight
months after 1 officer, 35 men, 5 women,
and 23 children died, and a large number
were invalided. The 11th Regiment land-
ed on the 18th May, 1865, and four
months and a half afterwards 2 officers,
42 men, 3 women, and 48 children died,
and 157 were invalided. He also gave
an account of the great mortality on
board the GRESHAM and AGINCOURT, and
read the correspondence which had taken
place, stating that the total cost of the
transport of the men who had died was
no less than £1827. He gave the high-
est credit to the medical officers for the
manner in which they had acted, and
stated that the whole case was one deserving
the fullest investigation.—-O. C. MAIL.

Ecclesiastical Intelligence.

The Rev. Charles Kingsley preached
on Sunday afternoon, the 13th inst., at
the Chapel Royal, Whitehall, before an
immense congregation, the Bishop of
London, as well as a great many peers
and members of the House of Commons,
being present. The preacher, taking his
text from the words in the Epistle to the
Hebrews, "Yet once more, and I will
shake not the earth only, but the heaven,"
declared that the prophecy was being ful-
filled once again now, as it was in the first,
the fifth, the eleventh, and the sixteenth
centuries. All systems of ethics, theology,
and science seemed changing, he said.
Some talked of this as the glorious nine-
teenth century, the age of progress, the
eve of a new reformation, of all sorts of
blessings to humanity; others spoke of it
as the unhappy nineteenth century, the
age of scepticism and atheism. Both
parties were right and both wrong. God
was shaking not the physical world only,
but our conceptions of the spiritual world.
With increased knowledge had [grown?] not
increased doubt ("that," said Mr. Kings-
ley, "I deny"), but increased reverence,
and the truly irreverent time was the
middle ages, with their system-making
and their system-mongering, and their
cosmogonies framed in the cloister, when
the earth was supposed to be a flat plane
(the notion of antipodes being unscrip-
tural), heaven above it with the good
people in it, and hell below it with the
wicked—-what could be clearer, since Vir-
gil [......]—when Tartarus, Styx, and
Phlegethon were recognized Christian
entities, and Tartarology was as firmly
believed in as astronomy now. Astro-
nomy had shaken the theories of the size
of the earth, geology those of the age of
it. Again, in an age which hated torture,
reformed criminals, and hesitated, right-
ly or wrongly, about continuing capital
punishment, people asked whether Scrip-
ture really [..........] the middle-age
notions of future punishment-—whether
such phrases as "outer darkness," the
"undying worm," "a Gehenna of fire,"
were to be taken as implying torment
hereafter, or as the sure punishment of
sin in this life-—whether heaven might
not be the moral world full of goodness,
beneficence, and purity, in which God
reigned, and hell a condition of hatred,
malice, impurity. If men were to be on
in the same theories of religion as men
in the [.....] times believed, when crim-
inals were racked, heretics burnt alive;
and every Musulman slain by the Crus-
ader was consigned to eternal torture,
fearful times were coming for the church
and the people. What then remained for
us? Surely not an unchangeable cosmo-
gony or ethical system, or dogmatic the-
ology, but an unchangeable King, an un-
changeable kingdom. If we believed in
that kingdom, in Christ, the King,
who governed it, knew how to govern it
better than we did. He it was who was
shaking the earth and heaven, changing
opinions, burning the chaff and sifting
from about the true foundation of Truth.
The Reformation was a change back to
apostolic doctrine—-might not the new
Reformation be still more so?-—This out-
spoken sermon has attracted much atten-
tion. Fifteen years ago, the Rev. F. D.
Maurice was deprived of his professor-ship
at King's College, London, for propoun-
ding similar views. Even were there any
intimation at present to institute a pro-
secution or persecution against Mr.
Kingsley, it would have to take a differ-
ent direction, as he holds his professor-
ship at Cambridge University under the
Crown, and the Broad Church party is all
powerful at Court.

A Church paper states that the English
prelates have followed up their "excom-
munication" of Bishop Colenso with the
appointment of his successor, and that all
the bishops in England have agreed to
acknowledge the newly-appointed dignit-
ary.—OVERLAND CHINA MAIL.

Austria and Prussia.

There still seems to be great doubt
as to the precise relations between
Austria and Prussia.—It is now said
that various military movements have
been made, and that Prussian troops
have been pushed forward to the
Silesian frontier. The fortifications of
Cracow are also being armed with the
utmost expedition, the work being
carried on night and day. With
matters in such a state, it is rather
curious to read that the Emperor
Francis Joseph has written to the
King of Prussia congratulating him
on his birthday. It is significantly
added that the letter contained no
political allusions. Meantime the
rumour is renewed that Prussia is
seeking to buy Austria off, and it is
said that Prussia has offered fifty
million thalers if Austria will cede her
rights over the Duchies.—-O. C. Mail.

DEATH OF THE EX-QUEEN OF THE
FRENCH.—-The ex-Queen of the French,
Marie Amelie, died rather suddenly on
Saturday morning, at Claremont, near
Esher, where her Majesty had resided
during the greater part of her long
exile. The illustrious lady was born
20th April, 1782, consequently was
within a few weeks of completing her
84th year. Her Majesty was the
daughter of Ferdinand IV., King of
the Two Sicilies, and married, Nov.
25th, 1809, Louis Philippe, Duc d'Or-
leans, afterwards King of the French,
by whom her Majesty had a family of
five sons and two daughters, namely,
Ferdinand, Duc d'Orleans, who died
in July, 1842; the Duc de Nemours,
born in Oct., 1814; Francois, Prince
de Joinville, born in Aug., 1818; An-
thony, Duc de Montpensier: and Duc
d'Aumale, born Jan., 1822; Louisa,
the late Queen of the Belgians; and
Princess Clementine, born in June,
1817, and married in 1843, Prince
Saxe Coburg Gotha. Her Majesty
shared all the anxieties of 1830, which
preceded her husband's elevation to
the throne on the deposition of his
kinsman, Charles X. The Queen
came to England on the abdication of
her husband in 1848. During her
residence at Claremont the virtuous
and pious queen had endeared herself
to the inhabitants by numerous acts of
charity. On Saturday afternoon Queen
Victoria visited the bereaved family.

THE MYLOONGYCE CASE.—Colonel
Sykes,—On April 12, moved an ad-
dress for a Copy of the correspondence
of Mr. Knox, the Consul at Bangkok,
with the Foreign Office, and replies in
reference to the claim made by Mr.
Burn, a British subject, and known as
the Myloongyce case.—-O. C. Mail.

Cure for Scandal.

The following cure for a terrible dis-
order of the mouth, commonly called
"scandal," occurs in a Colonial paper:-—
"Take of 'good nature' one ounce, of an
herb called by the Indians 'mind your
business' one ounce; mix these with a lit-
tle 'charity for others' and two or three
sprigs of 'keep your tongue between
your teeth.' Application:-— "The symp-
toms are a violent itching in the roof of
the mouth, which invariably takes place
when you are in company with a species
of animals called gossips; when you feel
a fit of it coming on take a spoonful of
the mixture, hold it in your mouth which
you will keep closely shut till you get
home when you will find a complete cure.
Should you apprehend a relapse, keep a
small bottleful about you, and on the
slightest symptoms repeat the dose."