The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1845-03-15
UNITED STATES LEGATION,

s w. WILLIAMS.
UNITED STATES LEGATION,
Macao .9pyil 20, 1874.
SIN | have the honor to aknowledge the receipt
tins DAY, OF your EIcellency's three letters under
date of the 18th anu 2Oh instant TO certain points of
which some brief reply seems requisite.
When | addressed your Exceilency on the 18TH
thanking you for copies Of the treaty Of Marking and
of that Of Portugal, i was not aware of the fact
which l have discovered with much regret,
that your Eroeency did not deem II convenient to
communicate to me the whole of the treaty Of Nan
king.
In regard to the letter which Mr.. Forbes opened,
IL IS but justice TO him to state that he did IT the
company of Lieutenant Pegram, the abide camp of
Commodore Parker, under the suppostion that, as
stated 10 him by the bearer OF II, the letter de-
signed for Commodore Parker ] regret the occur
renee OF the mistake, and am sure It was the iarthes
possible from the intention of Mr.. Forbes to be
guilty Of any disrespect towards your ExceieDcy.-
No such accident could have happened, If the letter
had been sent to my residence instead of that of Mr.
Forbes.
In regard To the Brandywne it is hardly necessary
for me 10 rePea, that the object in visiting Whampoa
was one OF respect and fri, ndship only, far II
concerned the Chinese Government.
Ii is customary, among all the nations Of the West
for the SHIPS OF war OF one country 10 visit the ports
OF another IN time OF peace, and In doing So for the
commodore to exchange sautes with the local au-
principal public functionary. To omit these testi-
monies Of good will is considered as evidence of a
hostile or at least of an unfrieDdly feeling.
But your Excellency says the Provincial Govern.
ment has no authority to exchange salules with Com
modore Purker or TO receive visit Of ceremony from
him. And deeply regret for the sake of CHINA that
such is the fact China viii lind it very difficult
main in peace with any the GreatStales of the est
SO long as her Provincial Governors are prohib ted
either to give to receive manifestations of that
in h. rhnnsr th.a
national intercourse.
And cannot iorbear to express my surprise that,
in the great and powerful Province Of kwang Tung
the presence OF single ship of should be cause
Of apprehension to the local Government.
Least of al should such apprehension be enter
tanned in reference TO any ships Of war belonging to
the United States, which now feels, and (uDiess ILL.,
treatment OF our public agents should produce
change Of sentments) will continue to feel the most
hearty and sincere good will towards China.
And your ExceIlency will find, on inquiry, that
Commodore Parker, instead of doing any unusual
thing in anchorog in the Bogue has but followed the
example, in this respect OF his predecessor Commo-
dore kearney, who spent some time at anchor there
two years ago, with the United States ships of war
Constellation and Boston.
Your Excellency quotes the late treaty with Eng
land as bearing on this question
have examined the article referred to- and find
that by it England is required to keep Government
vessel at anchor in each of the five ports of Kwang.
CioW, uCHOW, ftHOy, NHRpO, ana shanghai; but
find nothing IN the article TO unit the size and the
armament OF that vessel, and nothing which prohibits
England from keeping two or ten Government YES
sells in each Of the five ports, il it suits her pleasure
presume she consults her :. convenience in keep.
ing at present only Government vessel, and that
of small size, anchored at Kwangchow, which she
may well do, having fleet Of large vessels SO near at
hand at Hong Kong.
But does that article apply to the other great ma
tons of the Westa If So and each of them is re-
CURED to keep government vessel in each OF the
five ports the effect will be to fill tie very interior ports
of China with large squadrons of foreign owar
to degree which might well give disquetuds to the
Chinese Government.
This question, il there were others, might serve
to satsiy your Government hat the late treaties be-
tween China and Great Britain, instead of dispensing
will all occasion for treaties with America and France
have but re ndered such treaties The more indispensa
bly, necessary 10 the maintenance of peace and good
understanding.
am confident your excelency will, on reflection
perceive that OF the cited of the practice
OF the Brush Government or its officers can have
| any bearing on the United States, tor the reasons
which were limited at In my last communicative
The two cases will not begin be parallel until
America shall have deemed her honor aggrieved by
the conduct Of China towards her public officers and
shall ,hereupon have taken up arms, and shall have
seized upon portion of the territory of The empire
God forbid that any such deporable should oc-
cur to disturb the harmony which now exists between
China and the United States.
have only to add, that when the Brandywne
went To Whsmpao, 1t was the intention of Commo-
doTe Parker To return soon the state of the tide
should admit of her crossing the bar IN safety and
TO this original intention he will siill adhere. have
no disposition TO increase the endorsements to
which your excl ency is already subjected, by the
grave omission OF the Imperial Government in ne
gIectng to make proper provision for the American
Legation, Immediately on receiving notice of its in
! tended arrival.
Coming here, in behalf Of my Government, to ten
der TO China the friendship of the greatest of the
Powers OF America, II is my duty in the outset, not
10 omit any of the tokens respect customary among
Western nations. IL these demonstrations are not
met IN correspondent manner, it will he the mis-
fortune of China, but il will not be the fault of the
United States.
notice The fact, stated by your eIceIlency that
lsyepd has been appointed Governor General OF the
two kwang Provinces, bot not that be- or any other
person, has been appointed Imperial COMMITS sioper.
nor any information TO the tine Of the arrival OF
Tsyend at Canton.
have the honor IN renew TO your excellency NV
wishes for your health and happiness and to remain
with due respect, your obedient servant
G. GUSHING
To his ercellency CHING, Sc.
TTrsnsation |