The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-06-11
Foreign Intervene,on In China.


Foreign Intervention In China.
From the London Times, May 26.
The Geographic despatch which YESTERDAY ar
rived only tour days old. from Alexandria, ssrik.
tngy illustrates the tremendous responsibility of
. power which embraces the whole world 1t in.
IoauiS Us Oh british ornaments employed in two
Populous regions about as remote it is possible
20 De, and hitherto sealed against the advances of
the civilized world. Ia both instances it is TOO evi.
oent mat steam, and the rail, and the electric
wire nave Jailed TO lengthen arms and to
quicken our pace enough for the progress Of
events. In the Burmese empire we are deep in
war, or which the beginning, the conduct, and the
event are all equally beyond our control; and we
are told, IN the eleventh hour, that we have been
oyerreached into inaction by barbaric diplomacy,
and cannot now secure our conquest" without
fresn army. Further, at the extreme eastern
soore OF the Old World we hear, to our surprise,
that the British, the French, and the American
ships OF war have consented at the urgent request
OF the Chinese authorities, to guard the great
centres OF Chinese commerce-Nankin, Shanghai,
and be mouths OF the Great Cana-against the
rebel army. OF course, to assist the powers that
be-for such the Emperor of China must still be
considered-and to protect the property of our Gus
TONERS, are obvious and ordinary lines of proceed
ing; but it is impossible not to ask what good has
the Emperor of China ever done TO U.S. what
frlandshlp, what common sense, what fidelity to
engagements has he shown, that should make
as enthusiasts IN his cause? To the existing
dynasty and Its Tartar bigotry owe the exclu-
sion OF the ''outer ba rsarians the ferocious pre-
JUDGES OF the people, and the comparative failure
of the new ports ostensibiy opened to our arms
and our merchants. Ii is difficult to see what
cnan5e would not be Tor the better when the
listing government is adverse and mischieyous to
the fuli extent OF its power. For many years il
has been question whether the intoerable barbar-
ism Of the dominion that suppressed the energies
OF three hundred millions of the human species,
and imprisoned them within their own land, was
not itself case for interference, in order to es
taolish a more enlightened and indeed more
-fnrhfp ,,,,N-,
Chinese arms that prevented such an interference,
but rather the trust that power so corrupt and
injurious not ted to endure, and might safe
ly be left to fall by its weight. That result
hds come even earlier than was pccted, and now,
strange TO say, We find ourselves, without having
any voice In the matter, interfering TO prop up
this obsolete and injurious power. Questionable
as was our late quarrel with China, our friendship
10 not less so. But if what is reported be true,
and the so-called rebels are men of more enlight.
ened politics, and with even inkling of reveal
ed truth, we certainly seem to be acting a very
suicidal part in taking arms against people whose
crime Is that they are doing the very thing we
have wished to these many years-brea king
up the old empire of China
The most probable explanation of the affair is
tnal eacn OF the three commanders has luterfered
TO prevent the others from doing so before him
and so carrying off the benefits of the measure.
Ii Is very conceivable that the French or the Anne
ricaus might not be so liberal as we were in di-
yidIng with the whole world the concessions we
extorted by arms after the opium quarrel The
French have frequently betrayed bankerng after
another India Of their own in the East since they
were deprived OF the FIRST and they are not so apt
as to wage for the good Of mankind
The Americans also far more ready to annex
than to opens and It 10 rather suspicious circum-
stance that just now, when their very clever mis-
sionarles have given them more intelligence of
the nature and progress of the rebellion than our
represen tatives and merchants ever likely to
do, they have in those waters the largest armament
ever seen in the East under their flag. What if
MT chs
ment Cf Japan and the opening of Jeddo, should
really have another and safer destipation-viz.,
to hold the balance of Chinese parties and to slip
IN at the right moment and grasp the prize? That
such ideas might present themselves to ipdiyid-
uals OF those two nations is likely enough-nay, it
IS conceivable that these projects may have daz
Zled the eyes OF some statesmen at either Paris
Washington. Still more likely is it that the sus
piclon Of such designs may have quickened the
movements OF our own naval representative. For
our own part, however, we cannot see much dan
ger OF either France America ever gaining
peculiar ascendency in Chinese politics, or ulti-
mately doing there what we have done in India.
The possession of India would break I'D the
Federal Union as surely and Immediately as
the conquest of Europe destroyed the old constitu-.
ton Of Rome. On the other hand, France has
proved abundantly that her genius is not adapted
TO foreign dominion. She is too imperious, too
ossentatious, too exacting, and too bgoted to gov
ern arbarians at the distance of the world-a pro
cess which, above all Others requires the gentlest
possible touch on the reiDs of power. Strange to
say, the genius of England, reputed so rude and so
blunt, Is the only one that has the delicacy, the
subtlety, and the tact for this difficult achieve,
ment.
But what is 10 be the result of this interference?
The three protecting powers not likely to do
more than defend a certain position They have
not the means of advancing far upon land, or in.
deed far up the inland navigation, nor are any
three confederates likely to agree on mere ag-
gresslve plan Of operations. That is all that will
probably be done. When, therefore, this mystic
rIoas rebel army, which has slowly worked it's
way from the southwestern provinces through the
whole breadth of that immense empire, securing
Its ground as far as it goes arrives at last within
slgnLef the great mercantile cities the eastern
coast, 1t will be simply compelled TO direct its steps
elsewhere. But, according to the geography of
China, 1t will find no difficulty in turning north
ward in the direction of Pekin, and, in 80 doing
will have the assistance of various rivers and ca
mails, forming complete network of Communica-
ton throughout the whole empire. At Pekin,
again, II may find itself confronted by the Euro
pean allies, but there is nothing to hinder il from
mastering md holding the whole of the open coun-
try, and drawing from its resources with even
more license than if il had the responsibility of ac-
knowledged empire. Here, then, is phase
In the politics of the East-a vast and popuous
empire, the chief ports and cities of which are I'M
der the protection of the allied fleets, and the open
country and great mass OF the people under the
dominion oil native pretender Such state Of
things cannot last long, tor ii would, in fact be
attempt TO maintain the head separated from the
members. Ii must be determined and concluded
either by conquest of the preteuder-no easy at
falr-or by acknowledge as we ha We done in so
many other cases, the rights of conquest, and the
liberty OF nations to govern themselves and choose
their rulers.
ESos BARNUM, esq., one of the propretors of
the City Hotel, with his wife, CON- and servant left
Baltimore on Thursday for New York, where
they will take the American mail steamer Attain
tic, and sail to day for Liverpool. The Sun says: