The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1845-03-18

he foregoing is to his excellency Gushing, Envoy
Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the
United States of America.
TAoU KwANG, 24th year, Sd moon, 18th day. alay
4, l844)
faithful translation PETER PARKER,
Joint Chinese Secretary to Legation.
U. 8: LEGATION, MACAO, MAY 8, 1914.
SIR: have the honor to acknowledge the receipt
OF the two letters addressed 10 me by your Excelen-
cy under date of tho fourth of the present month.
In view of the facts set forth in those letters and
OF your Excelency's earnest protestations of the
friendly intention of the Imperial Government have
concluded to wait here short time longer in the hope
OF the arrival OF satisfactory advices from the Court
AT the same time, it proper to state to your
Excellency, IN all frankness the circumstances under
which have adopted this conclusion.
Foreign ambassadors represent the sovereignty of
their nation. ANY disrespect shown to them is dis.
respect to their nation, Government, or sovereign
They possess the right in the discharge of their pub
Inc duty to come and 60 without let or hinderance-
Causeless to modest them is national injury of the
gravest character.
Accordingly, in tho West foreign Ministers, on
arriving at the borders Of the Government to which
they are sent are accustomed to enter the country
immediately, and to proceed, without delay or OBJ
stacle, to the Court where, after paying their re-
spects TO the sovereign, they address themselves at
once to The appropriate minister of State for the
transaction of the business of the mission.
such are the usages followed by the West in the
general interests OF humanity. For when great ma
lions deal together as SUCH they must deal through
the medium either of ambassadors the instruments of
friendship, or of fleets and armies the instruments of
hostility There is no other alternative And thus
II Is that the agency of ambassadors found TO be
OF the greatest utility not only the means of ter
mlnating the calamities of war, but also as the
means OF securing the continuance Of the blessings
of peace.
ihese principles are universally received in the
west, and have reason TO think they are in China
also; for find that in the fourth and sixth articles
OF the treaty OF keang Nan, his Imperial Majesty
makes special mention of the injuries done 10 Can
tain Elliot and other British officers by Chinese Min
i'ters oil Stale, and recognises the justice and pro-
prety OF granting reparation therefor TO the Gov
ernment OF Great Britain and find also, that on
the occasion OF the embassy of Lord Mccartney, in
the reign OF the Emperor Keen Lung orders we're
despatched to all the apors of China previous to
his arrival commanding public officers 10 give to him
a hosP'tabe reception wherever be should appear on
the coast, and to afford to him all facilities for imme.
diately proceeding to the Imperial Court
That the Chinese Government might not be un.
prepared Tor the contingency of my arrival it re-
ceIved official notice Last that the President
OF the United States had appointed an envoy to the
Court of Picking
WhereupoD, II was competent for the Chinese Go
vernment If it desired that the Envoy on his arrival
IN CHINA should confer with an Imperial Com mission
OF |oioio piOCccuiHR W feklDg, 10 nave had such
Commissioner - readiness in the frontier Province
or, IT that was nconvenent, then to have given au
thority and instruction TO the Provincial Government
for the reception of the Envoy.
Respect towards friendly nation Justice the prin-
cPes of intern ,tiona comfy the love Of peace, all
required that one OF these two things should have
been done.
But, instead of either Of these things, instructions
were given to the Provincial Government to impor.
tune the Envoy, on his arrival to wait at the frontier
an uncertain time, while the Provincial Government
was leit IN the interim without any authority to re.
ceive the Envoy-nay, without authority even to ex-
change the most ordinary coureses either with the
Envoy or with the commander of the squadron of the
United States.
must not conceal from your Excellency the ex
treme dissatisfaction and disappointment which the
people OF america will experience when they learn
mat ther Envoy, instead Of being promptly and cor
daily welcomed by the Chinese Government, is thus
moested and delayed on the very threshold of the
Province of Yuh.
The people of America have been accustomed to
consider China the most refined and the mos. enl,pht-
eped OF the nations Of the East, and they will de.
mand how It is possible, if China be thus refined. she
should allow herself to be wanting in courtesy to
ther Envoy and, II China be thus enlightened, how
|" IL possible that, having Just emerged from war
WIN England, and being in the daily expectation of
the arrival OF the Envoy of the French, she should
sqner herseli to slight and repel the good will of the
NA' "'O pcopio VI hmoTfcA VIII ne l
disposed Indignantly to draw back the proered hand
OF 'riendsh'P, when they learn how imperfecy the
iavor IS appreciated by the Chinese Government. |
IN conserving, therefore, postpone for a short |
ume longer my departure for the North and in omit
ung, Tor however brief period, to consider the ac
uon oil the Chlnese Government as one of open dis
respect to the United States and to take due
OF REDRESS, incur the hazard of the disapprobalion
and censure Of my Government-for the American
Government Is peculiarly sensitive 10 any act of for
e'gn Governments injurious to the honor of the Uni
ted States.
:, IS tne custom OF American citizens 10 demean
themselves respectfully towards tho peonIs and an.
thor'l'es OF any foreign nation in which they may for
inc lime being, happen to reside. Your ExceIIency
has frankly and truly borne witness to the Just and
respectful department which both scholars and Nor.
chants OF tho United States havs at ali times mani,
tested 10 China. 80
This cannot Be moro acceptable to the 0ovsrnmsst
Of China than It u to that Of the United Statss,