There is little or no news as regards China and
the punish- ment of the men who committed the massacre on the mis- sionaries, except that Mr. Mansfield has proceeded to Kucheng, the place of massacre, to make inquiry, under the protection of a guard of a hundred Chinese soldiers. We confess that in the existing state of anarchy in Southern China this seems a very dangerous proceeding. We can hardly doubt what will happen if the Chinese guard meets a body of two or three thousand Vegetarian% They will simply run away, or else secure their own lives by joining the rebels. Many competent observers hold that our Government must insist on .the Emperor taking prompt and effectual measures to bring the original criminals to justice, and to protect the rest of the missions; and of course this is in the abstract the right policy to pursue. Our only doubt is as to the power of the Emperor to enforce obedience. It is a very difficult business to put pressure upon a moribund jelly-fish.
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