Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-08-31

Rhs close of hostiIfties China and the con-
clusl0h of treaty of peace securing all that
the allies demanded, announced by telegraph
from London, yesterday, is one of the note
worthy events of the day. In its influence
upon the progress of civilization and the adj
vancement of commerce, it promises to be
especially important.
China, bedged round with q wal lof national
prejudice-shut out, by her own act, from
intercourse with all other nations has remain
ed stationary for centuries. Science has shed
no new light upon her; invention, which has
given dominion to the West, over the most
powerful elemental forces, has rendered no
aid to her labors of peace or war. As she was
in the beginning of the Christian era, in
customs, laws, productions, learning aud
religion, so she remains, in the wane of
nineteenth century.
But the concessions now granted break
down the barriers that have prevented the
light of the progressive civilization of the
West from penetrating the Celestial Empire.
Intercourse with other races, consequent upon
peaceful relations, must be followed by the
introduction of new ideas; her productive
forces must be stimulated into new activity,
and commerce, as rich and important as
the extent and the vastness of the resources
of this long isolated people, rapidly grow up
under the fostering hand of peace.
Whether the complaints of the allies, which
were followed by the hostilities now so hap
PLY closed were we'll founded. their demands
reasonable, and the mode of securing them
just, are matters of little consequence in esti-
mating the changes that TO flow from the
result The issue was made, there remained
no alternative but to carry their terms of
peace to the foot of the Imperial throne in
Pekin, or to abandon all hope of even retain
ing the quasi-commercial relations that had
existed by mere sufferance with the Chinese.
From the short period that elapsed, from the
hour the floating batteries of the allies COM
menced their approach to the capital, to the
conclusion of the treaty, the inference is in
evltable that their vast superiority in means
of offence, must have impressed itself upon
the Chinese, and have had no little influence
IN breaking down the hereditary selfsatisfac
ton with which all foreign nations have been
regarded as outside barbarians.
a great change in the condition of China is
Swallowed forth in the future. The races
which six thousand years ago commenced
their march westward, bringing along with
them the early ciyiliZationoft the East, after hav
ing made the circuit of the globe, founding en-
pires, subduing nature, exploring and solving
her most hidden mysteries, now reappear on
the extreme east of Asia, bringing with them
the inventions, and the improvements, and
the progress of centuries; and, with force
though it be, make China the future partci-
pant in their civilization. Ard China, thus
brought again in contact with the world
without, will contribute to the enterprise, the
successful adventures, and the wealth of its
various States. Time may elapse before the
full fruition OF the present promise is realized
but the great event is accomplished upon
which its certainty depends.-N o. P,caytne.