The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-09-23

INTERCOURSE WITH FOREIGN NATIONS.
MIR HUNTER The next amendment is in the follow
Ing provision, which now reads
For salaries OF ministers Great Britain Francs Rus
sia, Prussia, Spain, Bfszd Mexico, and Chill, ST. 0OO
move 10 strike out all after the word "Mexico," and
insert The followDg
"Chli China aud Turkey. $50 600; il being provided
that hereafter there shall be extraordinary and min
listers plenipotenary conduct diplomatic relations with
authorized by law and the said ministers China
and the Ottoman Pore who shall be invested with all the
powers now legally exercised by the comm ssioner China
and the minister the Ottoman Porte respective
y and for the performance Of the duties resulting there
from shall receive other compensation than their saa
ries as ministers plenipoien,iary"
MIR. CLARKE. had supposed that the question as TO
the appropriations for the commissioners 10 China and the
Ottoman Porte would be brought up in the form in which
4 passed the House OF Representatives. But Il seems
that is 10 be brought up an amendment to be intro.
duced TO another provision OF this bill.
Now, have an objection 70 the provision that is pro-
posed 10 be made for full mission TO China, which
proposition believe is included IN this amendment In
regard 10 The commissioners 10 China will say that ii
will be recoleced by the Senate that when the treaty
was negotiated between this country and China General
Gushing went Out as minister penpoentary and envoy
extraordinary 10 China TO negotiate that treaty IL
then deemed sufficient 10 allow the commissioner 10
China salary OF $1,000, without any oulhl that
was Judged 10 be sufficient. |! my memory
me rightly, the first commissioner appointed Mr..
Alexander Everett, OF Massachusetts, man OF a very
high mind and character He died very after his
arrival there. DIR. Parker appointed secretary OF
the commission. with salary OF $4,000. Mr. Everett
himself was wholly unacquained with the Chinese lan
guage, and knew nothing OF the customs and oil
the Chinese DR.. Parker. who had resided there. be-
eve, for number OF years, first in the capacity OF mis-
sionary 10 China and subsequently, connected with
OF the hospitals in China and had become acquainted
with the Chinese language appointed secretary of
the commission; the dulles OF The commission devolved
upon Dr. Parker. believe that after the death of Mr..
Everett honorable gentleman from Indiana, Mr. John
w. Davis, whom do not personally know, but for
whom have very high respect was sen, there, and
he deemed II sufficient Tor han 10 go TO China with this
allowance OF $4,000 He there unacquainted, con-
iessedy his part, with the interests OF the ela
tons between this country and Chna unacquained with
the language manners and customs OF that country and
not particularly acquainted with The trade between the
two countries. He remained there time, and then
returned. That commission to China has had all lis du
ties performed by Dr. Parker at salary OF $500, and,
except the time that Mr. Davis ,heIe believe that
DR.. Parker has performed all the duties OF the commits
s'on Is now proposed to raise that commission to an
equality with The highest missions OF this country.
lhs hill already proposes 10 make an appropriation
OF $1,000 for the consus at the hve ports OF China,
kwang Chow, Annoy. Fuchow, Nlngpo, and Shang.
hal, and appropriation for the salary and outfit OF
the commissioner TO China of $4,000, 1t is well
known that recently commissioner 10 China has
been nominated by the President, and the DewspaI
inform me that he has been confirmed by the Sen
ate. Now the constitution of the United States, be-
lleve, prohibits increase OF the salary OF any officer
who shall be appointed TO an office during the term Of his
election 10 the Congress which makes the increase OF
compensation. The provision OF the constitution is as
follows
"No senator representative shall, during the time
for which he elected be appointed any civil office
been created the emouments whereof shall have been
increased during such me; and no person holding any
house during his continuance in office"
Now, speak from publicrepou when say that there
has been recently gentleman nominated Tor this mission
10 China who elected TO the present Congress, and
whose term OF service il he had not resigned would not
have expired until the 4th OF March And speak
from public report when | say that that nomination has
been confirmed by The Senate. And | also speak from
public report when say that that individual has resigned
his seat 10 the House OF Representatives, and appfo
priaon has been made in this bill for increasing
pensaton of the office 10 which he has been appointed
from $1,000 TO $4,000 year, with QUILT OF $1,000
Now, hold this increase OF compensation 10 be totally,
directly and positively in violation OF that provision OF
an objection 10 tins appropriation upon constitutional
grounds.
But have objection to this appropriation upon the
ground tina, the mission TO China nominal one rather
than otherwise. There duties to be performed
there. Although II is considered civil and diplomatic
mission, u Is not mission which embraces any very
ment The principal function OF the commissioner to
CRna is 10 exercise in OF emergency, certain judicial
powers conferred upon him By the treaty Blu, these
powers yet have never been exercised there and the
gentlemen who have been there have been perfectly
shed with the enolumens prescribed by law, because the
duties OF the office have been light The intercourse
between this government and China is very different from
the intercourse between this government and any other
government upon The globe The Chinese, all know,
retired, and within what they consider their own
especial jurisdiction. foreign minister is no further
recognised than is necessary TO give him the per-
mission to remain there and exercise the duties OF his
Office according TO the treaty with China. Never before
the execution oil this treaty had any officer resided there
with any other power Than that oil consul And during
the whole OF my knowledge and experience in the
Chinese trade, there has been 10 this day difficulty
with The Chinese empire IN consequence OF our having
higher officer there than consul. But there consus
now provided for in this bill al kwang Chow, Annoy,
fuchow Nlngpo, and Shanghai, with salaries OF 50 000
and they be paid OF the treasury Of the Uni ed
States for their services consuls This commissioner
suppose is to reside there, but the duties OF bis office
will be very lights there will be no diplomatic relations
and no intercourse except what is enough 10 take care
oil the interests OF commerce, which all other countries
are taken care oil by charge, unless be where very
considerable and important diplomatic relations exist
Now, the fact that have minister at the OF
ST. James at the Russian court the Spanish court the
court OF Brazil, or any other imporlan, empire gov
eminent with whom have diplomatic relations, does
not warrant this change those ministers of totally
different aud distinct character from the commissioner
China And for the mission to China appropriation
OF 90 600 has always heretofore been deemed sufficient
Therefore, upon the ground of the want OF expedency
OF having full mission TO China, and upon the ground
OF the want OF cons,ituonaity OF the provision in.
creasng The salary o, the present commissioner China
during the time he elected a member OF Congress,
object TO this amendment.
Mr. PEARCE. do not know that the Office OF com.
missioner TO China was created by act OF Congress
think that in 1912 Congress voted the of $4,000,
and placed at the disposal OF the President OF the Uni
ted States 10 enable him open diplomatic relations with
China Under the general charge thus given him, he
sent commissioner out to that county, whose salary
fixed al So 600 year Subsequently, by appropria-
ton acts, recognised that existing Office because
de he blled hty.