Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1857-04-09

The British would be, OF course, very Gad OF our
cooperation iu the war which they have common
ced, and have heretofore urged upon this govern
mcnt and upon our minister in China, the expedl-
ency of joint effort Of the American, French and
British commanders to force their way to Pekin,
the capital, and there insist upon the establish
mcnt in that city of direct diplomatic intercourse
with the Emperor of China. instead of negotiating
through the Governor General Of Canton.
This policy was repudiated by the late admins
tration, and, as learn, hnds still less favor with
the present
The imprudent and unauthorized act of our con-
sui at Hong Kong, in participating in the British
assault upon Canton, and entering the city with
the British troops, and bearing in his own hands
the American flag was rebuked by Mr.. Marcy, and
is equally censured by the present administration.
It the fact prove to be so, the consul will be dis
missed Me act of the consul was we'll cacula.
ted to provoke hostilies and it is needless to say
that no consul or other officer has right to COM
nit this government before the world on oimpor-
tant subject.
Correspondence Of the Charleston Mercury.
WASHINGTON, April lst.
Our relations with China, at this time, occupy
no small share of the regard of the public and Of
the Administration. In fact, England, France
and Russia look with intense interest to the ulti-
mate course Of the United States upon q subject
of vast Importance to them.
As long ago as 1858, when Humphrey Marshall
was our Minister 10 China, efforts were made by
the British Minister to induce him to unite with
the British authorities in m effort to force their
way to Pckin, and there to establish Mt the CAPT
tai Of the Empire, the several embassies Of for
eign power. More recently, the governments Of
England and France ombucd to force civilization
and commerce upon the howery land, and invited
and urged the CO operation of the United States
to this end Meanwhile Russia has obtained the
possession of the river Amoor, and nearly the
whole of the ATantchou Province northeast Of Pc
kin. Moreover, Russia has obtained the privilege,
denied to other outside barbarians, of seacoast
trade; and has, also, as the British government
assert, and as is not denied by the Russian Minis
ter here, secured the right of establishing naval
depot at the entrance Of the Pecho.
The governments of Great Britain and France
are, of course, deeply interested in cOuneracting
the schemes of Russian aggrGndizement, and have
appealed TO the United States Government for aid
in the design, through the exercise of our moral
as well as physical forcc-the former being the
more important element Of cooperation in their
view.
One United States ship-of. war-one American
Aag-was ms good as feet for all their objects.
They wished to represent to the Imperial Govern
ment that all Christendom was united in deter
mined effort to open the Chinese Empire to their
commerce, their diplomacy, their arms and arts,
and influences.
The Russian Government, Oh the other hand,
have represented very forcibly to the Government
of the United States, through their present minis
ter, Baron stoeckcl, the fact, that if the British
Government obtain possession of Pckn the pos
sessions and establishments and influence of Rus
sa will all be menaced and endangered and, there
fore, they deprecate the excrtion Of the moral
strength of the United States in aid of the British
and French alliance
The late Administration of Mr.. Pierce had this
Admiral, Sir Michael Seymour, in pursuance of
the design of the British Government, ayaied him
self of pretex the seizure of lorcha, which,
by the way, was not British vessel, nor under
British register-for the bombardment of Canton,
without notice, and without declaration of war.
When these hostilites were commenced, Com
missioner Yeh, in letter to Dr.. Peter Parker,
our Minister in CHINA letter, let me say, which
is full of good dsense and good feelingstates that
it will be very difficult for the Chinese to distin-
guish, during the impending hostities, between
Americans and English, and therefore requests that
the American naval forces be, for the time with
drawn from the scene Of operations. The next
day. after Commodore Armstrong had received the
communication, he sent boats from the San Jacin-
to to make sounding Immediately under the Chi
nese barrier forts. The commanders Of the forts,
though they saw the American flag, construed the
act on which the boats, or one OF them, was en-
gagged, as hostile, and fired into it. The coxs-
vain was killed on the first fire, on the 10th No
vember. The Portsmouth and LeVant were mme-
diatey towed up in front of the forts, and reduced
two of them. Commodore Armstrong then de-
manded an apology, and allowed twenty-four
hours to the Governor General of Canton to make
it. But, meanwhile, before the expiration of the
time, the Chinese we're seen engaged in repairing
their FORTS whereupon the vessel above named
opened their fire, without waiting for the expira-
ton of the time, with such tremendous effect that
they demolished the barrier forts, but not without
o courageous resistance and considerable LOGS.
These matters were repre- sented to the late Ad
ministration, which was not entirely notified of
the necessity of the vigorous measures taken by
Com Armstrong, but their decision on this point
was suspended till they could receive fuller ac-
counts of the matter. They had no doubt, how
ever, as to the gallantry and efficiency displayed
by our naval force on the occasion:
At the same time, our Government was inform
ed that, in the engagement between the British
forces and the Chinese, our Consul at Hong Kong
took a promipeat part and entered the city Of