New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-06-02

Among the papers relating to China which Lord
Pamerston has laid before Parliament, we ind
some extracts from the correspondence between
our DIR. Parker and Mr.. Commissioner fek, IN
which we must say that our Doctor seems to come
off second best Thus, the Doctor wrote to com
plain Of the bread-posonng at Hong Kong, to
which Yek replied as follows:
81 received your Exceency's communication OF
the 18th nit on the Cd inst and observe what il con-
tains That the American Consul, who had arrived at
Macao from Hong Kong, informed You personally that
two or three days before certain Chinese people IN
Horg Kong had mixed poison in the bread which they
frnish the public without distinction OF country, OF
which all had eaten, and had been made seriously Ill,
and that il was not yet known whether they would
survive On reading this, was very greatly surprised
The Chinese and Americans have usually been on good
terms ard the trade between China ana other cOun-
tries has heretofore been conducted amicaby; but the
English have now. for several months in most I'M
provok ed manner brought their troops and engaged IN
hosti,ies and repeatedly setting fire to the shops ana
dwellings of people, and destroying very great mum
Der Of buildings and have ruined some entire families
Doubtless there are many Chinese whose hatred against
the English has been much increased by this but 10
poison people in this underhand manner Is an act
worthy Of detestatiOn STILL all occurred IN Hong
Kong il is impossible for me TO examine INTO all tn
facts The act is owing TO the unnumbered evils
which have been inflicted upon the Chinese by the
English; and the natives o. the surrounding districts
have taken this way OF revengDg their private wrongs
Tie Americans having never injured the Chinese,
there is Of course nothing to mar the good feeling eX-
isting between them. Your EreclLeHcy m'yht, ruth
1roDrifv issue admOntOry chOrtdtons t0Tf me Anerl
rank ousfiv 10 0fkcnd 10 eir business, ami mere
ran Le no gucsiion INT The Chinese 'eM arrays fTedt
than IN q proper manner. What could lnduce them 70
think Of secretly poisoning them "a point worthy Oh
your consideration. For this / reply-at the same
time wishing you stable peace.
Nothing could be better put than the suggestion
we have placed in italics, that Dr.. Parker and his
countrymen would do much better to mind their
own business than to be mixing themselves up in
the quarrel which the English had picked.
Instead, however, of falling in with this piece
of good advice, DR.. Parker must needs write let
ter to Yek, in which hc undertakes to justify him
self and the American authorities for siding with
the English OF this letter the following is an ex-
tract:
"Were the undersigned called upon to pass judg-
mcnt upon the question VINO Is night and VINO Is wrong
in the present controversy he might wish to inquire
it had not been right when the occasion for serious
complaint arose for the high officers Of the two Gov
ernments TO have met face to face ard according to
reason and Justice have settled the matter and thus
have prevented the vast destruction OF property and
efusi,n of blood which have been in consequence OF
your Excellencys failing to do 80. lie might, also,
rchance inquire into the truth Of the statements
rardipg what had transpired in former years in rela
on to the subject Of the entree OF the City Of Canton.
which differs widely from what the undersigned, who
has ng resided in China apprehends to be the facts
Of the case.
The undersigned may be allowed, in the spirit of
true friendship 10 express TO your EXceiency nlr be-
lief that the fountain of all difficulties between Chlaa
aud foreign nations, is the unwilDgness of China to
acknowledge England, France, America and other
great nations of the West her equals and and true
tiieLds, and treat them accordingly 50 far as re-
spe cts this grave matter the American Government Is
sensible that the English in the right, and does
choose to cooperate with them.
Yek's answer is not given, but it can hardly be
supposed that he failed to make the retort to which
the Doctor had exposed himself. The Doctor
knows perfectly We'll nobody better, that the true
cause Of the present and former difficulties between
the Chinese and the English was and is, not as he
pretends the unwillingness of China TO acknowl-
L" edge England, France, America and other great
nations of the West as her equals but the I'M
willingness Of the Chinese authorities to allow their
subjects to be poisoned with opium for the pecun-
ary benefit Of the British East India Company and
few unprincipltd British, American and French
traders. How is il possible for the Chinese to re-
gard these 'great nations of the West " as their
true friends, and to treat them accordingly,
when they find that the principal business OF these
great nations in China has been and Is TO sell aud
spread the use of opium, poisonous drug intro
duced by these foreigners within century past
before which time il was utterly unknown to the
Cbinese-and the use of which increases with
frghtful rapidity, fatal at once to the morals the
pecuniary welfare and the health of the Flowery
Enpirei When these 90 great nations shall have
first proved themselves "true friends BY joining
with the Chinese authorities TO put an end to this
wicked traffic, il will be quite time to complain
that the Chinese are unwilling TO recognize them
in that character.
Other Chinese officials seem not inferior 10 iek
10 the matter Of diplomatic correspondence. Va
the 9th of December Sir John Bowrlns sent TO the
Viceroy of Fuh. keen, &c, statement oil ms COM
plants against Yek, requesting that the Court
fPekin be advised of the same In his reply the
Niceroy says:
The document forwarded TO me being IN English,
rs contents arr unknown 10 me, ana have no means
I'm conclusion. i. is nv duty to add that our two
nations having been on friendly terms Tor many year'
ain still in hopes that by due observance on either
side of the treaty OF peace that was 10 last forever II
will be their good fortune 10 strengthen the anlcabe
relations heretofore existing between them.
The yiceroy of another province, to whom
similar letter was sent, replied as follows;
81 rejoice in your E1celeney professions oil peace;
but it would only do harm to the Interests OF Peaee TO
which YOU profess yourself so inendl!' were TO ten
the Emperor that because Of elk Ae YOU nave pre-
cpately broken the peace that the treaty said wa. to
lslt soTey-r Apotser reason against my addressing
the throne is, that Y,k and he alone |; competent to
deal with commercial questions az '.' can Oe no'n'