Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-06-26
OUR MINISTER TO CHINA

The Hon VIM B. Reed, our Minister to Ihn",
was entertained By p large nu'n"er OF MS
and political friends al dmner gwen al t'c I'
House. pn:iadelphia. on Monday evening Sam
Jos. r. Chandler presided, and in pleasant si''."'
nr,;p.p and eloquent in lie reference tn tie o'ee'''
- Elm ,s,snhlaoe. introduced the following tohs'
IT,, liam. U.Uia,a b. R,ed-Fiy chosen 6y me
n;a, M,eistrn.e 30 represent the interests OF tie
lion IN most importan. embassy. May ine -; e.,
of hi, mission Justify the high estimate when i.S ha
inv citizens place upon his abilities nlid rean"n h,,
trus American doctrine, of asking noln.I@ ou
il right; aud submitting TO nothing that Is "lonS
Mr.. Reed spoke in reply at some length. We haVe
only room for portion Of his address referring ~ ING
5u,ies Of hi. mission and the views with which he
would attempt their discharge:
China ia n place where the homey quasr,y ea,inu
mother Wit is very much 10 requsillon. !ns puohc
,..n ora weu adpcsted sLrewd masters OF tue l1Dce
of scphisry and eninently diplomatic IN .he .e1 on,
nical sense of the word-they are very "pt -: ,ta
better of those who try these weapons m,.t n.
There ia nothing like precedent OF aI 0ns an.
late intercourse in that region oil isolalon Cue aP
n-oscnes Chinese diplomacy very nucn IA Is .e nav'
gator approaches the Ch;2se tSscts' inein ~. e.
liyLt.houous 40 ouoys, no sIghs VI nlonuI .S -
pr;a.uce They want no strangers, an" tney nelp
60 tn come The gallant shin which 10 10 Gear me
o, ID har INV mo their ports and rivers by the
akin and courage of the American nell on poa'u %
her. aud will anchor there Withou' WofI w WEI
come except fro" strangers ike hersem' but, 'nuS
inflated abe will get securely IN. one WI" oe sa'e ~"
raann,sd nnd.r her hag-aggresslve III no set Tor
br srrsnd i, peaceful one, but ready TO resent 10
a'i, and IN Give prompt protection where protection
isdue. ,o M. ha r,rLo
nv shin: ira anilna.ng spirit vigilance over my coun
49,, ;nf.ras,: consciousness of power, reluctance TO
w. sdsIitv TO nv counirys traditions and republi'
cou fsith, can honestly say go abroad with no
dasnondency AS 20 the future, no want OF sereance
if the anchorage which, my hsan" 70 tbst .cboo
hcb beeyes in the Evolutionary policy OF thus ma.
lion "a II first came from the lips OF Washington, ana
as II has been maintained with CERTAIN mlscnie'ous
alterations ever since There is rot on the pages OF
"ur h-;af history an instance of our departure from
Wssb;nnton'. foreign policy unattended with mischief
p. s nsre. concerned. 1t is this belief, this implicit
faith resting on principle which alone can GUIDE me
through the perpexities OF state OF distant warfare
to which are no parties. nave Nv .oteEn %
na,bias or sntipathies. have no cosmopolitan ell
tbu.iasm. | have a suspicion there ls more danger
from too many treaties than too few, especiay "ueh
undertaking 10 regulate other peoples concerns Vi
tho general policy of the earth aud sea lhey asSu'e
the forms Of "cuarsnees." 60 ahead-and nope
in thi, TO carry out the views of the government
with a fixed resolution to avoid unnecessary compn
cations which even before my day IS over ~oulu oe
sure TO breed new controversies ana ne" uauSee ~
those who now ara TRENDS, anu "ho 'on WV f ~
by not being too intimate =;
ther here or elsewhere be understood DIS say'ue tna
from the legitimate communion anu yhp".aIs9 VI
the civilized nations OF inc w'.iu WIN ieSaId "
china. the United States should stand codiy a'ooi.-
Almost every practical question to be there deter
,;n.d has relations to others bcs!de ourselves. We
have nothing to ask that others may NOT snare out
wa choose 10 ask in our own way and IN our own
good time. No one can find fault with this II can
Ia no part of the duty of M A-c-ca representative
10 bs the sulen spectator Of what others are doing
and have perfect right TO io 10 60 Tango no word
of COUNSEL TO refuse or omit to confer frankly and
fully on matters OF common interest; Tor such there
ara CT vast moment | am more than content-l go
abroad with strong anxiety, on all subjects of com
mon and legitimate interest, to have al early and SIN
cere avowal Of views and intentions, and to try 70
interchange with the representatives OF every friend
" poIer ID the Chinese viclage lnutua good ouices
The fault will not be mine, gentlemen, It there be
apv efficacy in candor and fair-deang, If am not
on the best terms With every one IN simar trnst
bellgerent or neutral and this without dlsparaging
ENHANCEMENT. | rely or my common sense, ana
hope kindly dlsposltlon 10 effect ls fe'u' III epe VI
my lneXperience. ~
90 abroad with clear sense OF responsibility to
nublio opinion at home. the only responsibility an
American public man should know. l recognize IL
fully; and il does not require much forecast 10 deter
roina what il will exact with reference TO this oriental
conplicston. 1t will exact there, as everywhere
deierence TO what in distant excitement are sometimes
loaf eight Of the restraints OF the Constitution OF the
United States, which happily denies the power IN shed
blood tn the Executive, or TO an executive suo"ru
nate have heard people, who ought to know bet.
ter talk of selzlng conquerng islands IN the Eas
ern seas "a if it as easy thing as for an Old
soldier to locate land warrant in one OF our western
territories. Other nations may fight, ANU conquer,
and colonize, by the mere force OF executive will
We-and we ought TO be grateful for the restraint
can only do 30 when the whole representation OF the
ncoule authorizes it, the actual hand OF aggression
and insult ia raised against us-and then we can fight
"a effectively as Other people.
make these observations, gentlemen, because IN
the loose talk which excitement and sense OF com
marcial injury provoke, these land marks are often
lost sight Of and the we'll defined restraints OF the
Constitution ignored. | mean 10 try to remember
them even OH the other side ot the globe.
With these lighis with this consciousness of duty
nj home with the Constitution and the traditional po-
icy OF nv country always before my eyes, with the
strongest desire to be friendly terms with deter
mination TO demand all that my country has right
20 ask, | trust | can exercise the large discretion
which distance requires and which the confidence OF
the President has r'1..':ed me WITH without fear,
will not say, of taure-tor really with people 30
peculiar az the Chinese, nine times in len failure
probaby--b without discredlt abroad or at home.
hope ain not presumptuous in this. 1t ia not self
complacency. 1t is common sense, sefreiiance. II
is patriotism Of the most hOmely texture