The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-10-14
THE FRENCH TREATY.
from the Pari, Mopiteur.l

THE FRENCH TREATY.
From the Paris Aostewl
The expedition sent TO China has accomplished the OBJ
ect tho Emperor had in view On the hand full sat
sficton is given to well-lounded complaints and the
chlatiscmcnt inflicted upon the magistrate guilty OF the
murder of the Pere Chapdclaine will be made public
throughout the whole of China the other hand,
treaty, signed almost at the gates of Pen, assures to
and TO our missionaries free access into the
heart of the Celestial Empire. The barriers OF ages
which still kept shut out from the rest Of the world tor
rtory pcopcd 10y nearly three hundred millions of nhab
itants, definitely removed. Chinn is completely
thrown open and can no longer escape the march Of
civilization.
IL the 9th of June last that Baron Gros signed
the treaty Of Ten-sin Fully to appreciate Its value il
must be remembered what hitherto the relations of
the western powers with China and how limited were
the advantages resulting therefrom.
''The war between England and China led in l842 to
the conclusion of treaty which, placing In certain
spects the barbarans Of the the footing
as the subjects of the Central Kingdom opened certain
ports them, granted them guarantees for their COM
and personal safety aud created the first elements
Of international law, until then unknown in China.
By the convention of 1914 France assured to herself the
advantage of the benefits of those various clauses, and
In addition elected decree from the Emperor revoking
the penalties inflicted upon Chinese converts to Christian
ty Assuredly those important concessions, and
must have imbucd the Chinese mind with distinct
notion of the power Of France scarcely known at Pekin,
except by the vague remembrance which the recital of
missionaries had left there Of the greatness OF Louis XIV
and afterwards of the of the Of Napoleon
The DEGREES of toleation moreover transported into
China Traditional proectorac to the Catholic religion
extending it to Christianity in general But il this irs
success of incontestabc value it must be allowed
however, that the admission granted to into the Chi
nesc territory limited to five ports insufficient
concession 1t is also to be observed that the measure
taken in favor of Chinese Christians by the cdct OF aou
Kouang did not bear tho stamp of synallagmatc act
and emanatng solely from the imperial will that act had
not the force of conventional engagement, and in
the peaClnp Christianity. the
admission Of missionaries into the provinces Of the Cc-
lostial Empire.
On the other hand, the foreign legations were only
allowed to reside at Macao Hong Kong, and never
could treat except with the vceroy Of Canton; di
plonatc embassy obliged, likc tho others, to fix its
residence outside the Chinese territory, and always found
it impossible to communicate directly with the central
government This state Of things Of serious
Inconvenience, placing foreign representatives in an in
ferior position which completely tied their hands, and
4 lowered them in the estimation of the Chinese.
The treatment and tho advantages which the gov
ernment Of the Emperor has thought fit to exact
| granted to us formally, and without reserve
'A the important ports of the Chinese coast us also
the great internal highways of communication are open
TO navigation aud commerce. Frenchmen, who,
according the terms Of the convention Of 1884,
only admitted to five ports, may hcncetorth provided
with passports, traverse. unobstuctod every portion Of
/ China
1t is no longer in virtue of spontaneous cdct from
the sovereign that the Chinese Christians to fear the
prosecutions Of the Manarns; it is in virtue of
tiona stpulaons, which, rendering homage to tho bless
ngs of the Christian doctrine, abolish the laws which
forbade it, and allow missionaries OF the West to circu
late freely in the interior of the empire to propagate il
i among the Chinese
s.Te Vccroy of Canton ceases TO DO the necessary in
termedium for communications; the representative
of France will treat directly with the cabinet of Pekn
and with that view he will have residence in that cap
tai The advantages of this concession which very
revolving to Chinese pride, manifest. 1t can nc
longer be feared that tho dishonesty of certain function
mt opHc n
any differences which may arise This direct communi
cation with the Chinese cabinet will tend to dispel more
| than ono filse notion and to cnghten many points
government which has nearly everything to learn
| spectng the nations of the West.
/ g Commerce will receive impulse In virtue o
the right henceforh acquired to merchants to purchase
| directly, without intermediary merchandise on the
spot of production revision of tho tariffs vii
bring tho custom dues in harmony with the fluctuations
Of price Merchandise will longer be subject TO ths
arbitrary taxation placed upon by tho provincial Man
darins while on its way the government will publish
uniform tax Of transit The tonnage dues will also b,
! reduced.
For long time the shipping trade has stood in
of protection against piracy in those seas where s
crciscd with mpunity Measures will be taken to put
4 stop to this scourgc.
''FinalIy, tho Chinese government is bsund to pay
TO France the Of 10000 600 francs account Q
losses suffered by French merchants and compens
ton for the expenses Of the Thus the sincere wishes
| of all enlightened minds have been granted China
snatcled from its state OF inmoby and isolation vii
undergo the happy influence of Christianity and cyiliz
tion, and viii at the time assume in the CONNER
cin movement of the world the place assigned to IL By
/ its immense resources. a.#
In conclusion, it may not be out of the place to OBJ
serve that If such great results have been obtained a
the end of the world with such small display OF mill
tary force il must be attributed to the good under
standing happily maintained between the government
of Franco and England and to the valor Of which th
sailors of both countries have just given additiona
/ proof"
| = / ! Z ~ i !