The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-11-25
VOL. XII.
MR.. REED AND THE CHINA TREATY.

LohuOh 1WeS, severely crltclslng the course
pursued by Mr.. Reed, the American Commits.
sioner to China and it is due to fairness. -
well as to the character of the country, that the
other side of the case should be presented
Having no direct source Of information as 10
the manner in which the negotiation has been
conducted, We have looked for light to the
columns of the official organ published in this
city; but for some reason the Administratio,
has thought fit to throw out a semiohicaI
vindicatiOn of the negotiation through am on.
position journal.
We think that the intelligent reader will con.
cur with us in the estimate we have placed
upon the following article, copied from the
New York Times, in reply to its London name
sake. The minute and cireumstantal informa
ton it gives, could only have been derived from
official sources in Washington; and, indeed,
any other supposition would materially inyali.
date the statement 1t is but Just to add, that
this vindication of the Commissioner satsiac-
torily explains away the ugliest features Of the
case as presented by the London Times, and
the American public will suspend its Judgment
in the premises until full information shall
! have been obtained.
The Times of the same date contained what
purported to be the substance of the treaties
negotiated respectively by the American and
| Russian Ministers, with the Chinese authorities
AS will be seen by the following article, the.
American document is little more than a re
newal of the treaty Of 1876, which was about 10
expire by limitation. 1t is not pretended that
the negotiation of Mr.. Reed has been attended
with any brilliant success; and if American
commerce with China is destined to be matcri
ally augmented or facilitated, the advantage
will doubtless be due to the mostEiyored.ua.
ton clause in the English and French treaties.
This was to be expected from the modest and
entirely pacific nature of our embassy. The
orientals can only be impressed with ideas of
grandeur and power by display of superior
physical force and it maxim of policy
with the author of Eothen, one of the most
amusing writers Of travel in the East, to strike
a terror" as a preliminary to every negotiation
for lodging or other accommodations.
Mr.. Reed, twill be remembered, was sent 10
China for the purpose OF renewing our treaty
with that country which was on the point Of
expiring, and with instructions to avoid all
share IN the hostile proceedings which England
and France We're then taking against that En-.
pre-. A copy of those instructions was fur
nished by General Cass To Lord Napier al
Washington, and by him transmitted to his
Government at London Lord Elgin had left
London before these instructions were received
and they were accordingly sent after him 10
| China. Upon his arrival there, it will be- re-
membered the perilOus condition of affairs In
India induced him to repair at once to Calcutta
and his copy Of these instructions reached
Hong Kong after his departure. They were
| Immediately forwarded to him in India, but did
not arrive until after he had left, so that be- re-
turned to China without having received them
For three months therefore, he remained in
! ignorance of the particular line of conduct
which Mr.. Reed had been instructed to pursue
our Minister on his part making no allusion
/ to the subject, as he supposed Lord Elgin was
| familiar with his Instructions. Naturally enough
i'll consequence of this coHretcmpS, the inter
course between them at the outset was con
strained and cold. Explanations however,
were subsequently made, which seemed satislac-
| tory.
! The scene of operations soon changed. In
April, the four Ambassadors repaired to the
Pei-ho. The London Times reproaches Mr.
Reed with having toitOiced the English ththcr
in hope to profit by the protection of the French
and English guns. The informant Of the Times
must know that both Mr.. Reed and Count Putt
atine went thither upon the express invitation
of the English and French Ministers-an invi-
| tation pressed upon them in the previous Feb
ruary, and based upon the specific ground that
a representation from each of the four Powers
would probably have more weight than from
one or two of them. Mr.. Reed went there
quite AS much because Lord Elgin needed him
aa Ioco,,g, h. AL | ~ II.
no protection from English guns. He was
not at war with China, nor was he either dis
trusted or hated by the Chinese Government.
But very short time elapsed before Lord FL
gin came to feel the more friendly footing ON
which Mr. Reed stood with the Government,
and the consequent advantage he would have
in opening negotiations. In answer to an APP
phcation signed by the four Ministers. asking
for envoy of rank To be sent to treat with
| them, Tan, the Governor General of the Prov
nce, made his appearance, invested with full
| powers, and commissioned to hear all their de
mands. In his letter to the Ministers, Tan used
nothing but his official titles, and made no al
fusion to certain specific points which had been
mentioned in a letter sent to Guchiug the sen
Tor member of the Cabinet, from Canton, IN
| the February preceding Lord Elgin had appa-
! rently determined to treat nowhere but at Pc
| KIN, and, making these omissions on the part of
! Tan the preteNt, he refused To see or have any
thing to do with him and Baron Gros, who
had general instructions to follow the lead of
| the British Minister, acted in concert with him.
! Here arose the first disagreement with the
! American and Russian Ministers. They both
! thought that the Chinese Government had done
all that could in Justice be required, and de
clned to join the Allies in ignoring the Envoy
| who had been sent. Both Mr.. Reed and Count
| Putiatine had several interviews with Tan,
which they employed in endeavoring to mode
rate his resentment against the English Minis
ter for the indgnity he had put upon him. The
London Times represents Mr.. Reed a. seeking,
during all this time, to thwart the efforts of the
| French and English. We are enabled to say,
| with the utmost confidence and on the best au
thorty that the charge is utterly untrue Ia
spite Of the abusive letters which had already
I begun to appear in the English papers in China,
from persons in communicated with the Eng
lish Minister, approaching the intrusive ncu-
trails for not Joining actively and thoroughly In
the aims and plans of the belligerent Allies,
both Mr.. Reed and Count Puiiatine held re-
peated conversations with Tan, and never fail
ed, at any one of them, 10 impress upon him the
folly of resisting the power of the French and
English, and the wisdom of cOnceding their de-
mandS Their friendly Offices were constantly
exerted in favor of the English, and with very
decided and beneficial effect. Ii was easy 10
see, however, throughout the whole ncgotia-
ton, that Lord Elgin did not look with favor
upon anything which promised to smooth has
path to a treaty, and relieve him from the ne
cessity Of forcing his way to Pekin. He ceased
| to consult either the American or Russian Min