New-York daily tribune., 1857-04-20
AN AMERICAN MERCHANTS OPINION
UPON THE CHINESE QUARREL

The following is the conclusion of the final letter Of
q correspondence between Sas +. Burrows and
Commodore Armstrong commanding the American
feet in the Chinese waters upon the position in which
American commerce and navigation on the coast Of
China has been placed by the American Intervention
in the Quarrel between the English and Chinese, and
the subsequent destruction by the American fleet of
the Bogue forts:
"In my letter to you Of the 9th inst, expressed
wish that the voice of counymen connected with
our commerce in these should be heard by you
previous TO your sacrificing al our interests and drv
ing us from the Chinese waters.
u In yours Of the 9th inst, you decline such pro-
posal, but you say acting under certain contdeu-
Z tal instructions given you by the United States
Government you claim the liberty OF choosing your
sown counselors who, presume, will be the same
who have been the authors Of bringing such rum on
our commerce and such disgrace on our national hag
BE assured Sir that do not aspire 10 the position OF
one of those counselors but had wish 10 be fully
heard previous TO being compelled to send my vessels
for protection and employment beyond your command
have rights however, lett me IN common with every
American citizen, however humble when are, remon-
strance protest and record of ali facts connected
with any transaction of those who represent US. do
therefore "a American citizen, most soemnly re-
monstate and protest against your acts at Canton and
on the Canton River, and record my opinion that the
Ck,nese TJecfy justified IN trsng on your 6odts
do protest against your having IN time OF peace aud
without any Justification, invaded the cityoi nation
having placed your cannon in the streets of Canton,
and your having taken possession of New China street.
where the rchest shopkeepers were, driving the
ers from their property, and preventing them from
having any access 10 their homes. l protest against
your having allowed your sailors, previous to any
provocation having been given by the Chinese TO
firearms and shoot down Cinnamon wherever they
could be seen.
~ protest against your having declared war the
Chinese without any justification, thus endangerng
the lives and property 0f American citizens.
~ protest against your having involved all our COM
mercia interests in ruin at Whampoa and Canton and
then without any nvtice Of your departure, leaving
Aeet Of American vessels al Whampoa, where the
lives Of all on board and their shps were liable to de-
rructon from the deadly feelings you had aroused.
"I protest against your having ofheialy written me
that the only American interests you lett at d" hanpoa
were floating Bethel church, unoccupled, an aban-
doned hospital hulk, aud ship chandler hulk known
rs Cook = chop and that you only left two American
citizens at that place when at the time the iacts were
in addition 10 the interests and two citizens you men,
on you left feet Of American vessels within rescn
Of your guns, with their American flags flying aud
their officers and crews board and you LETT also
two American establishments, dry-docks, steaIn-en-
eines and materials at Whampoa, of a value OF not
kss than one hundred thousand dollars which property
The American merchantmen endeavored to prote,i by
remaining ct Whsmpos but all Of which Wa burned