The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-09-24
TIE CHINESE TREATIES.

persons in London and these enable us to understand
in more detail the negotiations that have taken place be-
tween the European powers and the court of Pekn.
Our readers previously informed that the 4th
Of June two Chinese ministers of high rank had arrived
at Iien-sin. One of these Chnaman the other
Tartar. The senior, Kwclang is described to be about
73 years OF age, benevolent looking old man. not
bearing In speech manner and evidently 80 Soother
of Barbarans.' Tho Tartar Is quiet Tartar thought
fa and intelligent and In the possession of feature
usual ia Chinamans face--a very large One of
the letters from which quote describes him
like Oliver Cromwell These people declared themselves
upon their cards TO bo penipotentares and upon the
faith OF this declaration the English and French minis
ters consented to meet them An isolated joss house
the steppe south of Tien-sn the appointed
devious. 1t was arranged that Lord EIgn should
have his interview first, and then Baron Gros the
Russian was to come third and the American last
All this took place according to the programme On
June 9th, while the thermometer in the stood at
l3T, Lord Elgn and his entire suite, with not few
naval officers spectators, and with guard OF $50
rnes proceeded in long procession of palanqans to the
hall OF conference The Chinese civil and cereio
nous, and, after tea and compliments Kwe- -ang open
cd the Dubar by saying that his imperial master had
ceyed Lord Egins letter. and had instead of answering
it, depued his servants to arrange matters speedily
Lord Elgin replied that he glad to the imperial
minister's and that his Queen had granted him certain
powers to arrange all matters safe and proper foot
ing He added that he prepared 10 show his crcden
tias publicly If the imperial commissioners would do like
wisc The mandafins asserting, Lord Elyn's powers
were produced, and Chinese translation was read
aloud by Mr.. Wade. The scene is described to us
to have been at this moment very interesting The
ministers we're eager in their attention, and troop of
secretaries and clerks who had been taking notes in the
back ground pressed forward to the table. There
evidently surpriso than pleasure in the effect
produced by the ample terms Of the document. 1t
was now Kwei-l -liangB turn to show tho commission
under which he and his brother commissioners were
to act piece of yellow waxed cloth was first pro-
duced by very intelligent-looking young mandarin
caien ''Pien, shprefect of some district in Chilli
Kweiiang received 1t most rcveentialy held above
his head for moment then opened it. and took from it
avery scrubby bit Of paper which be handed to Mr..
Wade While Mr.. Wade read off in English the contents
of this paper told the dramatic
Chinese sings Every mandarn's eye was silly
watching the expression of Lord Egns face and that
expression grew and the reading pro-
gressed exclamations interected by Kweiliang,
''Such powers as Lord Elgn possesses unknown in
China; ''seals are never attached to commissions in
China" and There good reason for Lord FL
gin grave dspeasure, for the edict somewhat
follows: Kwei-lang and Hwa-shana &C., were directed
to proceed to meet the strangers OF England and France
and to inquire into their purpose In ascending the Peho
II they found them sincerely desrous OF putting an
end to the war, the commissioners were to grant
them their demands provided such demands did not
infringe the customs Of the Celestial Empire the dig
nifty OF the Emperor, or the will of the people; and,
in the event Of the demands being of such character they
to refer them to the Emperor for his pleasure to be
made known When this document had been read to an
end Lord Egn arose. and ordered his chair to be brought
saying to kweang, in curt manner that tho powers
of the imperial commissioners unsatisfactory The
Earls chair hurried up, the guard presented arms,
the band played God the Queen, the staff entered
their chairs and the aiins left making speeches
to demonstrate that it quite impossible that they
could receive larger powers than those they had just
opened
Thus ended the first act Of this comedy. The circum-
stances worth ecounng for they show the character
of the people with whom we have to dea-their impn-
dence and their dupicy No falsehood is too bold,
suoteruge too transparent for them They obtain the
interview upon the solemn that they had full
powers they then exhibit commission TO receive
demands and there be doubt that they had be-
bud fuller sets of powers increasing in degree up any
necessary point The next act Of very similar kind
On the 9Th of June it became known that Keying
old friend Of lS42 who deceived Sir Henry Pottnger into
belief that he (Keyng) entertained friendship for all
the barbarian and private and personal friendship
for Sir Henry himself it became known that this Keyng
had arrived at Hen-sin Keying had been degraded on
account of the treaty of Nankin he sent down
TO redeem his credit by confoundng the barbarian
cls Poor Keyings tactics only imitation Of
those which he had succeed for while at Canton.
He intrigued to get himself appointed cocommissioner
and succeeded He tried through the Americans to
induce the English to the ships little
way down the river promising that upon that he should
obtain mastery of the negotiations and would settle all
things At the same time ho ordered the popuace to
manifest wiil to the strangers and at Canton 50
at Ien-sin quiet Europeans irsulted and stoned
But Keying not fortunate Hwang, in having
Stranbenzec to deal with Lord Elgin and Sir Michael
born, with his galeys crew, and with Captain Dew and
Mr. Olphant helping him volunteers scaled the great
gate Of lien sim kicked the Tartar post before them aud
let in loo marines who ia march upon the city,
This force marched through the city with band and
couple OF howitzers, administering good fright to six
delinquent househoders who Ind encouraged the mob
and queted ensn for the rest of the English occupa
ton Keyiug industry not confined to this imitation
of the great Yeh and his Hwang He entered
into strict relations with the Americans and the Rus
slams Some of the letters before speak confidently
to the truth Of reports current in the expedition that
the Americans had offered to guaranty that If Lord
Elgn would not insist opening the Yang-tze, and
would give up the demand for minister at Pekin,
treaty should be at arranged The Russians, on
the contrary said to be doing the utmost to pre-
vent any Europeans but themselves being tolerated at
Pekin and the Americans, who to do thena Justice
have not much secrecy in their diplomacy loud
in their expressions OF vrtnous horror OF the opium
trade and urged the commissioners - stick 20 that
their point Of conflict Keying was becoming embar
rassng. Fortunately, however, Mr.. Wade had found
among Yes papers report from Keyng to his master
urging him to make account Of the treaty OF Nankin
and describing it as mere snare to delude the barba
rians. The next move in this plot and connerplot
to send Mr. Wade and Mr. Lay to the two ministers
to read this document in their presence, and to decase
that Lord Egin and Baron Gross could hold no commu-
nion with man who had officially put forth these
disgraccful counaes- This corp decisive. The two
commissioners, who had their reasons for hating
their new colleague, communicated this intelligence to
Pekn, with the further information that the confidence
Of the barbarians in Chinese commissions SO
much shaken that there much danger they would
believe in nothing but the sign manual Of HEN
ting himself, affixed In their presence. This open
ed up the difficulty of the Kow-tow, which Is still said
~, Ln ali fha