The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-06-23

Very Curious AND INTERESTING FROM CHINA
-ANGLo-AN ANGLICAN ALLIANCE IN THE FIELD
The most extraordinary, unexpected and start
ling niece of intelligence by the Canada is the
despatch received yesterday from Boston, Civ
ing a brief but somewhat circumstantial ac-
count Of the defeat of the Chinese imperalists
by the English and American forces, including
a list of the killed and wounded Of the allies
1t seems that the attack was made by the i'm
perialists on the foreign settlements at Shang-
haze, (the mercantile quarter Of the Americans
and English, including their consular Offices,
merchants residences, &c., which led to the
storming and destruction Of the imperial camp
on the 4th of April. The news is probable, from
the fact that for some months previous the at
titude Of the imperialists before Shanghae
menaced the safety Of the quarter occupied by
the English and American officials and mercan-
tile residents. AS early as the oath January
last the American ship Oneida sailed from
Shanghae, with full cargo of tea, for
New York, without paying duty, owing to the
quarrel between the rebels aud imperialists,
each claiming ascendancy over the port. The
Oneida left under the notification Of the Ameri-
can Consul to the effect that "as vessels under
other foreign flags are allowed by the Chinese
to enter and leave the port OF Shanghae,
without reporting or paying duties at the
Custom House, so any American ships papers
deposited at the Consulate will be delivered
without the production of the usual Chinese
port clearance" The rebels occupied the ri
yer, and the imperialists the land, at that time.
The system of free trade, adopted, in conse-
queDoe, by the. Americans and English has
doubtless been the provocation to the attempt
of the imperial army to expel those outside
barbarians" from the city, under the idea that
they were acting as allies Of the rebels.
IT the news Of this curious affair is true-and
it probably is-who can predict the results to
which it may lead !? The alliance Of the
French and English in battle by land and sea,
is strange thing under a Napoleon /; but the
defeat Of the Chinese imperial army at Shang-
haze by the allied American and English forces,
when nobody supposed that either the Ameri-
cans>or English had any land forces out there,
is still more astonishing. We live in q fast
age; and if things go on at this rate, we may
expect in due time to hear Of the conquest of
China by the Anglo-American forces, and then
q fight between them over the spoils. The
opium war was but the beginning of the mo
dern history of China.
Political GossIP-NoMNEEs FOR THE CRY
AND STATE OFFICEs.-The time is now approach
ing when the preliminary arrangements for the
charter elections will be made and the candidates
placed in the field. There will be no less than
six regularly nominated candidates for the
Office of Mayor, and we hope to see stump can
didates for all the city Offices. Let those gen.
tlemen who are familiar with civic affairs place
their names before the public as candidates for
such Offices as they may be competent to fill;
then their merits may be thoroughly canvassed,
and the DID, corrupt, rotten system Of primary
elections will be broken up, o contamination
most devoutly to be wished. This movement,
once commenced in the city, would be extern
sively initiated throughout the State. 1t seems
to us to be the only remedy for the people in
their present strait Now, at every election,
they are over-ridden by four or five thousand
loafers, who, by the liberal use of bad rum,
hard fists, and the most unblushing impudence,
manage to control the nominating conventions,
while the voter-good, easy man-walks up to
the polls and exercises the glorious privilege
of freeman by voting for string Of people
that he knows nothing about, and many of
whom he never heard Of previous to their
nomination.
One stump candidate is already in the
field. We refer to Mr.. John Wheeler, who
aspires to be reelected to Congress, and
who has placed himself before the voters
Of his district. Whether Mr.. Wheeler
is elected or not, he deserves credit for his
boldness in thus placing himself before his con-
stituents without the support of either section
of his party.
The contest in the State bids fair to be high
ly exciting. The Know Nothing and temper
ance organizations will enter largely into the
contest, and they may influence the nomina-
tions. Mr.. Seward desires to run for the GU
bernatorial chair, and he will probably be the
wing nominee. He would be bitterly opposed
by the Know Nothings, as his influence has al
ways been exerted to forward the plans of
Archbishop Hughes. Among other persons
spoken of for the wing nomination, we have
Ogden Hoffman, at present Attorney General
of this State, Judge w. w. Campbell, Daniel
Ullman, and Judge Kent. On the other side,
Governor Seymour and Judge Bronson have
declined nomination, and they will both re-
tire to the sweets Of private life, allowing the
hards and softs to fight it out among them
selves. The state of feeling is such that at the
present time it is impossible to say how they
will go to work or who they will nominate.
There will be a highly interesting contest at
the city election. Last year the pseudo-re-
formers carried everything before them, and |
promised to do the most extraordinary things
for the city. They have done nothing at all,
and our citizens have been obliged to sweep
their streets with their own house-brooms 1t |