The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-09-26
! MR.. REED NEGOTTdTING WITH THE
CHINESE.
THE AMERIoAN TREATY

such portions as relate more parcurlvt The no,oa
tions az the III q, minister Mr. Reed !. - vi
49, ~ ICY. I-T ET..I IS T.t.-
Inc recepaon OF our minister TOOK pace on MONDAY
morning lhe NM AT ei9cK.aiher an ineon von'ent
ior thohe VINO pfesas, 70 iorly them Tor
tns marques OF business ino paee oi meeting was an
gu convent stua'ed "a uus'y pain ABOUT nan mule
rom ING c'y Walls. "ns,i wy asou, .he enihese MIN
m'e,s Were already in "a,n' anu receng Mr. Heed as
nc oescehpeo rom nus scaa' conunc'ed MN 70 seal
p'acea pe'weeh 'nen own =. 'ne Pncpa table. VI all
the ohhese ana iaftas present they only were allowed
70 Do seated The ohiei commissioner kweiiiang Is
siooped WIFI age anu nuo ueai oue .he ustre OF ms
DARK eye indicates that nc iens much OF his mental
vgor ana ms features pear ,he impress OF benevolent
chaneter- IDS ooheague, VINO JUST twenty years ms
junior is erect and martial IN his gure and has, by gen
eral consent the marked features Of oliver Cromwell
Aiser the usual eoIpnnsns, Mr. Reed requested 70
zee the ipea, edcs ~ Mhieh .hey were commissioned
70 hegota'e ~ was plouuceu py h"einang, VINO, iaS
ing II reyeentay above MS head slowly removed the
yellow wrapper and placed ~ IN ms hands at the same
Tune furnishing copy ior inc atchiyes OF the legation
MT heed, IN tprn exhipted nus own credentials, and
Iurinsneu COPY. his done, MT heed handed 70 ms
interpreter MT Martin, paper reviewing his own
course with reference 70 chnese poht ana defining bis
present posi,on ms was read 70 the commissioners IN
Chmese anu some pons made the subject OF further IN
curry and explanation IL vas agreed 70 refer Con
sideration OF the amendmen{ proposed IN the " y 70
depuues ana that Inc ministers should only meet te
sign ana seal the document when should DC completed
Mr.. Reed appointed Dr Williams, and inquired who
.De ohhese commissioners Womb appoint 70 meet MN
hWoliiang hameu ran, ms secretary, shfewd, thin
nsaged, tnoughtiul man, VINO mas Inquired largely IN
thc present negotatohs. was opJected that wear
ing only crystal button, he was not OF sufficient
rank 10 DC pted against the second man IN our leg
uon. hweiiang then named Changta)ln. Hearing
himself called a snort, th'ck, uitnecked Tartar
seppea OUT ioh the nefd OIL manuns Win the AR OF
bashiui schoopoy There was no geam OF intellect In
ms countenauce but red ivory button bushed ON the
Top y ms cap one OF me mandafins also announced
thai nc was e OF hereditary Niscount. With such
weight OF dSpiy was easy 10 excuse the want OF Drains
no iurther oo|ecton was made ana MI. Reed merely
limited that he would not be to see Pen assoc
ated with the viscount Expecting that the deputies
eacn acung under the OF ms superior would
m the mean time agree on the matter OF the new treaty
MT heed proposed TO meet the imperial Tor
the purpose OF axng their signatures on THURSDAY But
this was another unucky day The commissioners OBJ
lected 20 ~ ana the meenng was deferred tl Friday
Mr. heed not choosing 10 oect 70 Friday as an uniucky
day with the superstitons among US No answer having
Deen received 10 the ffesueht etter MT ecd SAID that
he should expect the Eperors reply to be delivered at
the next interview, ana TOOK leave. =, IN
Besides his immediate SUITE MI Reed was accompanied
only ny slnaii guard OF marines.
Inc mpemi commissioners exhibited nothing OF or-
entail pomp either In their personal apparel or other ar
rangements and all the circumstances OF the meeting
were cnaaoefized py ana aecorum which would
90 credit 70 a dpiomauc interview IN any country
On the morning o. the iVth INST, heying called ON
our minister lie s ~ years Old and apparently quite
Ills senses are iang with age his sight
''iu in5 -NoieS ID
said by those who know him 70 pc thick and indsnct
compared Win What IL Was 10 years ago ne seems TOO
70 nave retrogaded somewhat In ms notions OF our IN
ternational relations he informed Mr. Reed that the
emperor reply 10 he ctter OIL te PRESIDENT had been
received and that wouu DC delivered at the interview
OF the next day IL wouid De Joyiu day ne SAID Tor
our country when an epistie from ms August Master
shouid DC achVefeu 10 US or our rfesehs In oer no
secure proper degree OF respect ana prevent the oc
eurrence Of anything ludcrons It would be necessary to
nave an understanding as 70 tne 10 pc used on
the OCCASION lie accordingly proposed that Mr. Reed
snould 30 thiousn pahtome or reheafsa preparatory
20 the part was 70 act mr. ieed OF course dechned
merely saying tae NC was Ieauy 70 near "nat heylpg
would expect OF him. but are you not gong to re-
cclye the letter on your knees. mo, sad MI. Reed
kneel only 70 tne Aoro 81 heaven DIV our great
emperor Is e4ual 70 heaven VIII receive IL stand
ing. 'Ihen you must raise IL ABOVE your head as
token OF respect MI Heed cut short the discussion by
declaring that he would receive 1t with no other forms
than those with which commissioner Yam had received
the letter Oh our fresldent. ... ..A VII. ..g
On the next DAY, (the 1lth) at IL clock, Mr. iced
proceeded with his SUITE and escort to the
to meet the Imperial commissioners As we approached
the aspect OF the place appeared very different from what
we had seen 1t before There were the same dingy walls
but they were transferred by some magic power e the
margin Of silyery lake whose waters flashed IN
beams OF the noonda sun and whose bosom was dotted
with the isets Oh emerald green Inc shadows Oh the
trees were distinctly vispie ana nothing put the mem
DRY OF the dusty PLAIN we had seen IN that drec
ton appeared to remind us that the beautiful scene was
not reality 1t occurred to me that the name Haik
wangsze the Convent OF inc sea Oh ght was selected
with reference to this phenomenon, which IN bright sun
ny weather is always visible. Inc TWO syhabes
wang Sea OF Light apty indicate IN single word both
the appearance and its cause This deceptive mirage
the cOntempatlve inmates OF the C0nVenI rs