New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-10-08

We find in The National Inteiiigeneer long aud
interesting letter, dated Ticntsin, July ., 1888.
! This letter if not written by Minister, Mr..
Reed himself, contains, at all events, his reply 20
the complaints and sneers of the English news
papers the serylle reecEO Of which by some of our
own American journals, seems to have given Mr.
Reed good deal of annoyance
| After description Of Tien-tsn, which would
appear not at all to differ except III the presence of
the barbarian men-oi-war, from the Iien-tsin seen
by Lord Mccartney and Lord Amherst some sixty
years ago. and described in the accounts OF their
embassies the letter enters upon diplomatic affairs,
! beginning with q series of compliments to Mr..
Reeds predecessors. Mr.. Cushng's short career
was "most successful" Mr. A. II. Everett died
50 soon after his arrival that much is not to be said
| about him. Mr.. Davis "did great service in con-
Z" solidating the Judicial functions of his post
! The publication of Mr. Humphrey Marshal's dis
patches BY Congress "did great service and proved
" his eminent ability" Mr.. McLane could get
no access to the rebels then at the hight of their
success nor on visit to the north, had he any
better success with the Imperiasts but " what he
Z" did dove are not told what it was" was
very well done" DIR. Parker was then APP
pointed and though he was little too fast in yield
ing his ready assent TO utilization and cooperation
with the English, yet it was very hard to remain
neutral, and there is concurrent testimony IN
China to DR.. Parker's "integrity of purpose and
hgh patriotic motives" Now, all these euogles
on Mr.. Reeds predecessors may be very just.
We dare say they are. But one thing Is to be re-
marked touching this long list Of worthless. 1t has
been said, and well said, that one, even poor, Gen
era is better than dozen good ones. We take
it, remark of the same sort may be applied to
Chinese diplomacy. One man d decent abilities,
who STAYS in China long enough to obtain toer-
able idea of the duties of bis oifce, and the lay Of
the land, is worth dozen men of genius who
ucceed each other with the rapidity OF meteors.
Including Mr.. Reed, We have had seven Ministers
To China in lees than fifteen years-al able men,
gentlemen and scholars, excellent separately, but
fol too numerous. 1T is to be regretted that Mr..
Gushing had not remained to this time in Chns,
where with his diligence, he might have acquired
competent knowledge of the Chinese language.
Beside serving his country there, he might also
have been kept out Of mischief at home.
! Mr. Reed on his arrival found the great body of
the American residents hot for joining III the
English war against Canton. We have ourselves
repeatedly defended him for not yielding to this
foolish clamor and the justification which this
letter puts in for his keeping out of that war seems
entirely conclusive. What, it is asked, would have
been gained by turning the crews of the Minnesota,
the Powhatan and the rest of the squadron, into
special constabIes to keep the peace of Canton
or employing them, as the English and French gar
risons have been employed for eight months past, IN
keeping Governor Ph-kwei and the Chinese Col
lector of the Customs or Hoppe, from running
away or themselves from being caught and be-
! headed, whenever any struggling party dared to
show itself outside the walls There Is no reason
to suppose that the occupation of Canton had the
slightest effect upon the negotiations at the north;
and il is very difficult to say what honor, glory or
profit anybody has acquired by It,
What led to the late concessions on the part Of
the Imperial Government wasthc movement north-
ward, and in that the American and Russian
Ministers fully concurred, even to the original de-
mand dispatched from Suchsn for the appoint
ment of an Imperial Commissioner to treat,
though the accounts published in the French aud
English newspapers might lead one To suppose that
il had been entirely an allied movement. The
leaousies on the part of the English which sprung
ND pending the recent proceedings in the gulf OF
Pe-chee-lec are not much to be wondered at. In
the first place an open roadstesd, like that OF Pei
ho with every other day gale of wind aud gusts of
sand. which made il impossible for the ships to
see each other, not very favorable TO frequent
intercourse and personal explanation. Besides
the French and English were in state OF jcal-
ousy and i'll humor, not merely the one nation
toward the other, hut the dipomatists of each
nation with their own naval commanders, and it is
not surprising that a little Of the spleen thus
generated should have flowed over and bcspat-
tered the Russians and Americans. In talking
about intrusive neutrals watching the battle and
running off with the spoil, the English merely
gave little temporary vent 10 an Ill humor excited
by very different cause.
So far as getting treaty from the Imperial
Court was concerned. il would seem rs if the at.
tack on the Chinese forts was wholly gratutous,
while the original entry of the allied vessels into
the river was without notice 10 the Chinese, and
within the six days allowed for the arrival of su-
thoriiy 10 trade. This movement seems tn have
been prompted b. Jealousy of the neutTals, who
declining to stand ON the punctilio of the French
and English, thought proper 10 communicate
with the first Minister sent, and TO see what