The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-11-11
17S
The fourteenth

w;,bou, having business to do. The fourteenth
article opens TO American commerce the new
.ports of Swatow and Tai-wan, both Of which
were already in undisturbed exercise OF foreign
commerce But this most unnecessary article
As we read the treaty, is clogged with the pro-
vision that any subject OF the United states
engaging in contraband trade shall be dealt
with by the Chinese local authorities, without
protection from the Government of the United
States. When II is remembered that Mr.. Reed
was most careful to use terms which should
include the importation of opium-in order, as
II was suggested, 70 spite the British for their
crusade against Slavery-and as all the emf
nent American houses in Hong Kong deal in
that drug, it may be imagined what the treaty
rights of an American citizen would have been
in China under this treaty This is the whole
of the document, so far as any new concessions
are concerned. There is no provision for free
transit through the country, no new ports, no
provision for an amended tariff, nothing that
could be of the least value TO any class of mer-
chants wishing to export from the harbors OF
America, or to import from the inner waters or
the northern sea-coast of China. Having con-
cuded this famous piece of diplomacy, Mr..
Reed was not eontented with his achievement.
He was not satisfied to have made this wretched
bargain for his country; he was most DESTROYS
that Lord Elgin should not make better bar
gain for her and for civilization in general. The
Chinese Commissioners had agreed by letter to
all the English and French demands, the treaty
had been drafted, and the hour had been named
for the signature, when suddenly Mr.. Reed and
Count Putiatine sought solemn audience of
Baron Gros, and represented to him that 1t was
the height of oppression to insist upon any
resident Embassy at Pekin that the free trans
it through the country was most useless and
H.. Il. LII Al
could never be agreed to.
We are told that these circumstances were
pressed so strongly upon Baron Gros, that he,
who had no special interest in the commercial
shpulations, would have given up the points, had
he not been influenced by loyal regard for the
unity of the counsels of England and France.
We are further told that the two remonstrant
Powers even forged or believed the fable that
the Emperor of China had sent down an edict
positively forbidding the Mandarians to concede
these points. For some hours, the whole Of the
substantial benefits of this treaty were in peril
We are stating nothing which was not well known
throughout the whole expedition--and the Amer
leans were insaney rejoicing at the apparent
success of an intrigue that could be beneficial
only to the Chinese and the Russians, would be
Indifferent to the French, but would be vitality
injurious to the English and to the Americans.
By great ability and by great hrmness the
threatened danger was avoided. Prompt coun-
sci was taken, a cOunter-mine was sprung and
again the clumsy player was checked by FOOLS
mate. But, as we understand, some privileges
were given up which would have been very
useful to the merchants of both countres-not
because they would not have been conceded,
and Justly conceded, nor because the reason
ably hostile influence of Russia was feared, but
because it would not have been safe to daily
longer with the opposition of Russia, while Rus
STA could count upon the insensate assistance of
America.
This is as much of the story of the treaty
of Tien-tsn NAV be publicly known and
publicly stated. The facts are freely talked
of and We believe there is no doubt of
their correctness. We think they ought also
10 be known in America. This is not a ques-
ton between the two countries. We are quite
sure that the American people are as anxious
10 carry their drills up the Iangtse and to ex
change them for low priced teas and silks as the
merchants of London can be, and that they
would have been quite as indignant if the result
of recent events had been no better than Mr..
Reed s silly treaty. as we in England should have
been. Ii is only fair to let them know how
badly they have been served in this matter and
how unreasonably the moral influence of their
country has been used against us and against
themselves. Throughout the whole of this latter
scene, no diplomatist ever made a weaker figure
than that made by the American representative
he has not only caused us both much peril, but
he has done us both some harm he has been
IN all things the tool of the Russian, whose OPP
position was sensible enough, and to be expected
and he has succeeded only in fixing upon the
Chimes, mind an indelble conviction "that
American man only number two class English
man."