Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1858-11-20
Comm ssIouer Reed and the Chinese Treaty.


this country, II has never been published. In jus
tice to Mr.. Reed, the treaty should be Immediately
published, and for the honor OF our country, the
whole matter should be thoroughly investigated
We have not the slightest doubt that the result
would be full vndica;ion Of our commissioner, and
a thorough approval OF the treaty be has made Let
readers recall the circumstances, and feel
surel they will arrive at the Same conclusion with
ourselves
When the treaty which had been negotiated with
China, by Mt. Caleb Cushing expired by lin tstion
in 1885, the attention OF our Government was imme.
dis5ly directed to the importance Of sending 4
missioner to that country for the purpose Of nego
tiaIiag new one. Subsequent to this event, but
prior 10 the appointment Of the commissioner in
question, the occurrence at Whsmpoa placed the Co
veTnmens OF England and France in an attitude Of
open hostility to the Chinese Government 1t hav-
inE been Determined by the tSo Governments to
seek redress by force, formal application was made
20 TO unite with them, and the application wss
a. formally declined by General Cas-, in letter da
ted April 10th, 1857 in which he set forth the prin-
ciple by which the United States had always been
guided in similar cases, and from which II was not
judged wise or expedient to depart. In addition to
this obstacle in the way OF the proposed alliance,
Gen CaSs stated that this Government had no cause
OF complaint against the Chinese-th they had al
ways acted in friendly spirit observing the spula-
lions of the late treaty, long as it existed with
singular fdelity-and that, therefore, the United
States could not be justified in making war upon
them. In the letter Of instructions TO Mr. Reed, il
was enioned upon him. especially to cause it to te
Understood by the Chinese Government that lie
came a friend aud upon a friendly mission. 1t is
obvious, therefore, ihst the Allied expedition had
nothing whatever 70 do with the American mission
that this mission had been Determined on before
there had been any rupture between Great Briisia
and CJina-thst it was, indeed, necessity whieh
our Government could not avoid--and that, let the
relations between China and The allied powers have
been what fiey hieiIi, ~ weasi ifsss
bien sent The commissioners Of the allied powers,
in Chua-Lord Elgin and Baron Gros-were well
awa-e Of the character Of Mr.. Reeds mission, and
they SAID 10 have expressed the greatest saslac-
on at bis arrival With what pTeiension 10 truth
then, can the American commissioner be stismatsed
rs he is in the London Times rs jaekal and charg-
ed with deyouring the prey which the British lion
had slaing
1t Is fortunate for the history Of this case thst
there exists body Of evidence quite as relia.
bic rs the secret memoirs which the London Times
relies for its facts. The respectable of the New
York journals have ali correspondents in China
men who have resided there for years, and who un-
derstand the Chinese character well--men Who rs
between the Allies and the Chinese may be consid-
cred as impartial witnesses. These writer's all con-
cur in representing the English naughty and over
bearing in the extreme-as invariably acting upon
the doctrine openly ayOwed 10y az attachee of tho
English embassy, that the only way to deal with an
Asiatic is to begin by knocking him down-that in
consequence the English detested in China, as
T. y arc in India, aud everywhere else where they
have power TO insult and Cypress the native popu-
la'.an. So bitter was this hatred Of the English.
that these writers all concur in saying that had il
not been for the earnest entreates oil the American
and Russian Ministers, VINO represented to the Chi
the utter folly Of ProlOngng contest so ruin.
Gus, aud vino believed because they had proved
temieyes to be friends, the Allies would never have
obtained treaty until they had proceeded az least
as far as Pekng, shedding an immense deal Of blood
and reducing the Government t0 such state of an.
a-chy that treaty could have produced any good
effect In .he meantime, Lord Egin bad received
instructions from home, which stopped him short in
his advance upon the Imperial City.
Tue In4es sneers at the American Commissioners
for the scantiness Of the concessions which be OBJ.
tsiaed; yet they appesr to uneDightened indg,
ment amply sufficient for the purposes Of fair and
liberal commerce, which Is ali that We seek or have
sought at the hands Of the Chinese IL is true
tiey are not ample as those exlorted by Lord
sn, from tue fears aud the beplcssness Of deep
~ wronged people. lie obtained permission for for
ga ssydyE % rgsihs TcrpaneDsy at Pskiay,is.-ai
der violation Of a cnstom rendered vsnorablo and
dear 10 the hearts Of the Chinese people by the
puctco Of several thousand years Hs has obtained
TT lregn traders aud foreign shipping, by virtue
Of mes tarili, and new duties tounlge, privileges
t1o doc enjoyment of which must inevitably ,rssY
fer to them the transportation Of the whole co,tt
W Sc aud internal trade Of the Empire. and thus T.
destroy d the only source Of revenue upon which,
tie Government could rely with slicty. n, he.
made the Jurisdiction Of loreign C5nsals perfectly
independent Of Chinese authority. IIs has secured
10 foreigners Of every description 10 portion Of the,
world surrounded by the most awloss desporadoos ON
earth, the right OF traversing the Empire At thsif
pleasure. Bot in eHtorng all these privileges. baS
he no; wounded the sensibHiues Of proud nation,
bayond all hope Of curo' Is he sure that the Chif
nclo people will submit to these terms. so ropuenspk
90 fcir prejuiices, how remarkable sosver thew
may appear 20 himG l. he certain that they viii
not rebel against this Government 80 far superior
70 ~ that preceded It 10 the liberal concessions
watch u has made d. commcfce IN SPITE Of The deop
ald repsa'vd wfongs Il has received % TIE hands Of
she Eagisbi shooid Il be oyertbrown What other
can BE- sabstiiuied, how Il the whole country TO
~ proveulsd from hling into state Ct ansrohyf
40 should suoh BE- ihs result, shat value viii ID
~ % conool tons which 30 has wrung honl
fhp'e pasocuied people At The point Of the bayonet
Iht Iian saonorniss tbo prinoipal gains Of 4. ;
tuo,icsna u has ~, 5sl iho most portant ,,sn
via; ~ Eoo1-Nln 81 lbo Chinese RGon. r. NAV
E.r cha IA .l|I h.,4 - IN. A., rh,il.t - :, -.