Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 July 1876 — The Mongolian Question. [ARTICLE]

The Mongolian Question.

It ia a oonfeuion of weakness, if hot pnailanimity/to exhibit trepidation in the face of a contesaedly weak foe. Th. Chinese customs, habits, morals and religion are at war with those of our own, but shall we confess our want of faith in the power of truth, of intelligence, and in Him who rnleth the nations, by invoking the power ot law and might to exclude this race of men from our shores? That is what it would be—a confession that our intelligence and Christian civilization was too weak to stand in contact with that of paganism. That is the kind of faith the first king of Israel exhibited on the night before his overthrow, and profiling nothing by those lessons of history, such a lack of confidence in truth asmsny nations have since shown and then fallen. The Pacific States are just now much alarmed on this question, but this is no reason why the nation should Stampede. It would be pleasant, indeed, to all good citizens, if we had all attained to our ideal of human perfection in all respects; that there were no law-breaking or vicious men in the land. But we are not permitted to sit down and glory in a finished work. It appears to be the mission of America, more than any other nation, to contribute her best efforts in raising up the lowly, and in the unification of the races of men, in morals, at least. And as there is a clearly defined law of duty in the ratio of privilege and blessings conferred, as a nation we should not shrink from the one while enjoying the other in so great a degree as wo do. Life is a battle, and we cannot as a nation escape our share in the conflict without confessing weakness and cowardice, a policy that would finally result in effeminacy and downfall. A retreat in these conflicts is far more dangerous than to march forward. It is often that victory comes “as by fire,” but finally, it alwayt cornu to the truthful and brave. It would be shameful to confess that our religion and civilization could not stand the contact and strain of paganism, with the fact so plainly before us that it triumphed over paganism centuries ago. Is it bad morals and vicious life and habits that is feared from the Mongolians? They are subject to our laws which restrain these elements of character. If our laws against crime are not strong enough to meet the case, we can make them stronger. And the Wonderful influence power of our those who are susceptible of it, and the rightful power of the State in retOraining those who are not, we may confidently go forward on our mission, so nobly begun and carried on during our first century, just closed. With Japan and China eger to know our language, and civilization, sending their young men here to be educated in these as a means of understanding us better in those countries, it seems pitiful to become alarmed at the fears excited over on the Pacific. There would be some cause for alarm if We were sending our young men there to be educated in their ways. If we have faith in the triumph of truth, Let us by its power aid in lifting*'up all who come in contact with us, and so shall we become a strong, prosperous and powerful nation by winning our way in a brave conflict with error.- Indiana Earnur.