But Ho-tchung-tang, i f guilty o f inordinate ambition, or adta
ofinjuftice, is far from being the only inftance o f fueh conduit
in men thus raifed from humble fituations. The officers
o f
Scandalous behaviour, in taking away the virgins o f the palace, and appropriating
them to his own ufe.
Pride and infolence, in countermanding his (the new Emperor’s) order, for all the
princes o f Tartary to be fummoned to Pekin, thofe who had not had the fmall-pox
excepted, to affift at the funeral o f his father* and by ifluing a new one, in which
none were excepted.
Bribery and partiality, in felling and giving away appointments of weight to perfons
totally unqualified to fill them.
Arrogance, in making ufe of the wood Nan-moo (cedar) in his houfe, which is def-
tined exclufively for royal palaces ; and in building a houfe and gardens in the ftyle
and manner o f thofe belonging to the Emperor.
For having in his poifeffion more than two hundred firings of pearls, and an immenfe
quantity o f jewels and precious ftones, which his rank did not allow him to wear,
and among which was a pearl o f fuch wonderful magnitude, that the Emperor him-
fd f had no equal to it.
For having in gold and filver alone, which has been already difeovered and con-
fifcated, the amount, at leaft, o f ten million taels (about 3,3oo,o'ocA fterhng).
One article is fingularly curious. For having been guilty of the deepeft treachery
in informing him (the new Emperor) o f his father’s intention to abdicate the government
in his (the new Emperor’s) favour, one day before his father made it public,
thinking by fuch means to gain his favour and affection!
After enumerating the feveral articles o f accufation, the Emperor ftates, that this
minifter being interrogated by a Tartar prince on the feveral points, had confefled
the whole to be true, and* therefore, without further evidence, he commands the
prefidents and members o f the feveral courts in Pekin, the viceroys of provinces, and
governors o f cities, on thefe articles o f accufation being laid before them, to pafs a
proper fentence on the faid Ho-tchung-tang, According to the majority, he was condemned
to be beheaded ; but as a peculiar aft o f grace and benevolence on, the part
o f the Emperor, this fentence was mitigated to that o f his being allowed to be his
own executioner. A iilken cord being ient as an intimation o f this mark o f the Emperor’s
favour, he caufed himfelf to be ftrangled by fome o f his attendants*
Who
o f government in general, though intended by the conftitution
as a kind o f barrier between the prince and the people, are the
greateft oppreffors o f the latter, who have feldom any means o f
redrefs, or o f conveying their complaints to the Imperial ear.
There is no middle clafs o f men in China : men whofe property
and ideas o f independence give them weight in the part
o f the country where they refide ; and whofe influence and in-
tereft are confidered as not below the notice o f the government.
In fadt, there are no other than the governors and the governed.
I f a man, by trade, or induftry in his profeffion, has accumulated
riches, he can enjoy them only in private. He dares not,
by having a grander houfe, or finer clothes, to let his neighbour
perceive that he is richer than himfelf, left he fhould betray
him to the commanding officer o f the diftridt, who would find
no difficulty in bringing him within the pale o f the fumptuary
laws, and in laying his property under confifcation.
Sometimes, indeed, the extortions that the officers pradtife
upon the people, as in the cafe o f Ho-tchung-tang, meet the
hand o f juftice. Other magiftrates keep a fteady eye upon their
proceedings, and, in proper time, tranfmit the neceflary information
to court. Spies alfo are detached from court into the
Who could efcape when the Emperor o f China is himfelf the accufer? It will readily
occur, from the fate of Ho-tchung-tang, that there is not that line o f independence
drawn between the executive and juridical authority »which the ingenious authorof the
Spirit of Laws has clearly proved to be the grand foundation of a juft, legal, and
efficient fecufity o f the life and property of the fubjetf. In fadt, in all ftate crimes,
the Emperor becomes both the accufer and the judge. In the Cafe o f Ho-tchung-tang
he may likewife be faid to have been the only evidence.
3 provinces,