222 HISTORICAL AND POLITICAL VIEWS. Book II. 
a principal motive for his journey thither — a trait which 
depicts clearly the realistic character of the course of ideas 
that urged this strange man to embrace Judaism. 
At Independence I made the acquaintance of a man 
who in his way is no less singular than Mr. Warder 
Cresson. Mr. , who though known in the State of 
Missouri for his eccentricity, nevertheless holds a re- 
spected position, has, for a North- American, the most 
extravagant views of political life and interests. He 
regards the "American" as the "most ancient and 
primitive civilization of mankind," and laments that this 
is not acknowledged by the world at large. This culture, 
he admits, has become degenerate in America itself; 
but in China it is still found in a pure state. Hence 
salvation must come to America from China, and this 
consists in the introduction of the " Chinese constitution," 
viz. the " patriarchal democracy of the Celestial Empire." 
The political life of the United States is, "through European 
influences," in a state of complete demoralization, and the 
Chinese constitution alone contains the elements of regene- 
ration. For this reason a railroad to the Pacific is of such 
vast importance, since by its means the Chinese trade will 
be conducted straight across the North- American continent. 
This trade must bring in its train Chinese civilization. 
All that is usually alleged against China is mere calumny, 
spread purposely, just like those calumnies which are cir- 
culated in Europe about the United States. Mr. 
belongs to the class of American malcontents, in whose 
character is mixed an immeasurable portion of national 
conceit with a general discontent at the state of things in 
the United States. This class of people is not rare, and 
belong to the better elements of the Know-nothing order. 
