The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-09-27
Change Of Front in the Worlds Affairs
The True Position and Mission OF the
United States.

Change Of Front in the Worlds Affairs
The True Position and Mission OF the
United States.
A few Chinese batteries at the mouth of the
Peiho have secured to Italy the right to settle
her own affairs in her own way, stopped all the
talk about the invasion of England, made the
meeting of a European Congress secondary
affair, and changed the relative position of
every Power in Europe.
The treachery that led to the destruction of
the British and French forces that were accom-
their way to Pekin, to exchange the ratification
of the treaties of peace lately made, has ini-
tiated war between the civilized Powers of
the West and the barbarian Court of the East
which cannot close until the three or four hun
dred millions of selfstyled Celestials acknow-
ledge the supremacy Of Western civilization
No other treaty can be made with the treacher-
GUS Mongol Power that sits on the throne of
China. Its treachery is born Of its own weak
ness, and must reap its reward in destruc-
ton. France and England will be wanting
in their mission as civilized and civilizing
nations if they do not sweep away the last
remnants of the hated Mongol dynasty, and
open the vast empire it has so long misruled
to a practical knowledge fthe resources, pow
er, commerce and science of the West
We reject with the contempt they merit the
insnuations of the London Times that the
American Ambassador had any art or part in
the treacherous proceedings Of the Chinese. or
that the United States have any selfish views
or have sought to obtain any exclusive privi-
leges for ourselves in our negotiations in the
East. We have not sympathized entirely with
France and England in their past course and
policy in China, because we have not consider
ed their motives as laudable nor their aims as
praiseworthy as they should have been. But
the past selfshness of these Powers does not
excuse nor palliate the present treachery of the
semi-barbarian, and we to-day condemn
this with the same noble love of truth
and justice that led us to stand apart
from the Allied proceedings last year.
If the American Ambassador, or any
American officer, were to be found guilty of
the acts which the London Times lays to their
CudIBe, ne suOulQ De anu lie WOulQ De lQStant-
ly recalled and consigned to merited disgrace
by the American government and the Ameri-
can people. But we are confident this has not
occurred. The Times made the accusation last
year against the late American Minister to
China which.it repeats now and insinuates
against the present one Those accusations
were then proved to be false, and we have no
doubt the present insinuations are equally IN
founded. Facts even prove them to be So The
British journals in China state that the Amer;-
can flag officer rendered his assistance to tho
British Admiral for the purpose of towing his
boats up to the bar of the Peiho, and that the
American boats afterwards lent generous and
noble assistance in removing the British wound
ed from the field of defeat
There are circumstances in the action q
Peiho that lead to the conviction that the Allied
forces had to meet something more than Chi
nese art and Chinese courage. The masked
forts were skilfully constructed, and have q
smack OF the earth redoubts at Sebastopol.
The fire Of the guns was mere certain and