Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1858-10-09
Tho China Treaty.

The London Times says in a leader that
it has received several private letters from
the Peiho, addressed to private persons in
London, giving details Of late negotiations.
We make the following extract:
On June 4th two Mandarins Of high rank
arrived. at Tiensin, one Is years of age, a
Chinaman, of benevolent appearance; the
other a Tartar. They declare themselves
upon their cards to be plenipotentiaries, and
upon the faith of this the English and French
ministers met them. An isolated josshouse
was the appointed rendezvous. II was ar
ranged that Lord Elgin should have his in
terview, aud then Baron Gros; the Russian
was to come third, and the American last.
All this took place according to the pro
gramme. faH
On the 9Th Of June, while the thermomc-
ter in the sun stood at 1877, Lord Elgin and
his entire suit, WITH not few naval officers
as spectators, and with a guard Of 80 ma
rines, proceeded in long procession Of
palanquins to the Hall of Conferehce After
tea and compliments, Lord Elgin produced
lis credentials; the Interpreter read them
aloud, and there was evidently more surprise
than pleasure produced by the ample terms
Of the document The Chinese commission
was then read. The scene is described as
very dramatic; every mandarin's eye was
slyly catching the expression of Lord Elgin' $
face, and as that expression grew more and
more severe as the reading progressed,
exclamaticns were interjected by he'senior
envoy that such powers were unknown. in
China, and seals were never attached. Tie
document gave authority to grant the Euro
pean demands, provided such demands did
not infringe tie customs Of the celestial
empire, the dignity Of 5he emperor, or the
will ofrthe people; and in the event Of The
demands being Of such q character, they
were to refer them to tie emperor fer his
pleasure to be made known.
After hearing this, the earl's chair was
hurried up, The guard presented arms, the
band played Good save the Queen the
staff entered their chairs, and the mandarins
were left making speeches to demonstrate
that it was quite impossible that they could
ever receive larger powers than those they
had just opened.
On June 9th, Keying, who in - decei-
we'd Sir Henry Pottinger, came down, hay
ing intrigued to get himself appointed joint
commissioner His orders to the populace
to annoy the Europeans. atCanton, induced
a military demonstration at Tiensin. He
entered into strict relations with the Ameri-
cans and the Russians.
Some of the letters speak confidently to
the truth of the reports current in the ex-
petition, that the Americans had offered to
guarantee that ifssLords Elgin would not in
sist on opening the Yangtze, and would
give up the demand for q minister at Pekin
q treaty should be at once arranged. The
Russians, on tho contrary, we're said to be
doing the utmost to prevent any Europeans
but themselves being tolerated at P ekin; and
the Americans were loud in their expressions
of yirtuous horror of the opium trade, and
urged the commissioners to stick to that d.
their point Of conflict. Keying vas becom-
ing embarrassing; fortunately, however,
Mr. Wade had found report from Keying
to his master, urging him to make no &C.
count Of the treaty ofNankin. and desert
bing it as a mere snare to delude the bar
barians. The English and French ENJOYS
| Their declined any further communication
with such man, and he was recalled; and
| the emperor authorized the commissioners
to sign letter, promising a treaty in the
terms Of Lord Elgin's demands, and couched
in language dictated by one of the interpre-
ters. This letter is the most important step
in the negotiations, and it is hoped has now
been superseded BY the treaty. Our CORES
pondent's knowledge Of this official document
is necessarily not exact; but the following
are believed to be the conditions fer tie
basis OF a treaty.
1st-Residence of British minister at
Tiensin, with access to court, and direct
communication with the ministers; and Off
cial Yamun for Elm during his visits to
Pekin; all official documents to be written
by him in English language (to be accom-
panied by Chinese transations until the
Court Of Pekin has procured interpreters
and an English college, similar TO that kept
up by Russia, to be allowed at Pekin.
2nd:-China to be opened to all the
world. Persons to go whittier they please,
and do what they please, under passport
system.
5rd.-The Yangtze to be opened to COM
merce from its mouth to its source.
4th. Christianity to be tolerated.
5th.-Indemnity for the war and losses
at Canton to be paid for by the two Quangs,
the amount to be agreed upon by special
commissioners at Canton, The tariff to be
corrected. The custom house system to be
revised, and the English to aid the Chinese
in the suppression ofpiracy.
9th. In proof of the friendship and good
will of the emperor of China towards the
queen Of England, a special embassy shall
be sent to England forthwith
If this treaty was signed On the 28th
June, then Lord Elgin has fulfilled all our
desires, and surpassed all expectations.