New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-12-03
Interesting Letter from China.

Interesting Letter from China.
/ Although not so late as adyiccs we have already
published from Peking, the following letter from
| Lieut. Habersham, of the U. s. steamer Powhattan.
70 the Philadelphia Ledger, is highly interesting
PEEryg. July q, 1880
| AtZ = NJ this day, the American Minister, at
anded py suite Of nineteen civilians and officers
VI inc fowhatan passed through the ''gate which
looks toward the rising sum-, entered upon broad
stree1 o. TINS city, penetrated it mile or more
anu iook up his quarters in spacious and well
i xenaa.ea yamoon," Gan officials residence) in
We left the Powhattan on the morning If the
18th, have been voyaging by daylight ever since
ana nave experienced the most marked respect
and attention from our escort along the entire
route. We have also been admired a. hv nerIana
over million Of Cinnamon, with but one evidence
of hostile feeling, and have finally made some
thing very like tiumphal entry into the diIapid.
ated capital of this great empire.
| The '.evidence of a hostile feeling" spoken of
| occurred as we were leaving the seaport Of Pei
Tang, and was punished on the spot by very
| large policeman, armed with very large, black
whip, plated like ordinary "eart whips" and
carried by all policemen that we have yet seen.
The insult was offered by equally large villager
/ who, as we were landing. INDUCED in some laugh
ter-exciting remark respecting the ''Faukwei' or
| foreign devils. A Mandarin near us, overhearing
this outburst of wit, called the attention of the
nearest policeman to the wag, who, swooping in
| hi5 direction like hungry hawk, gave him several
healthy cuts, before he could follow the example
Of some twenty thirty Others by jumping into
the waist deep mud and water. Their friends on
shore seemed TO enjoy their mishap wonderfully,
and to look with more respect upon the foreign
! devils upon whose account SO many persons had
been driven oberboard.
july 3o.-Mr. Ward, attended by his Secretary
OF Legation and two interpreters, went on horse
back into the center of the city this morning to
his first interview with Kweiliang and Hwa sha ma
who were assisted by Judge from Shanghae,
called Seih 1t will be remembered that these
Tho Milf
to be here by the time arrived, or rather know.
ing that the Emperor would keep us away until
they did come, and should be ready to receive us.
Maseer =" Seth - they have brought along to assist
the Emperor with his advice, he having lived
many years at Shanghae and being supposed to be
familiar with the customs, etc, Of +" the bar
narans" The object of this interview to
select day for the exchange of the ratified
tteahes but IN this they were not successful, and
things began to look strangely uncertain-as if the
great American people were going to be hum
plugged. Our Minister took part in this interview
upon the following platform:
:. have come to China to exchange the ratified
treaties. would have done this at Shanghai, but
you told me that your copy was at this place and
invited here. | came to the mouth Of the
Peiho, on my way, and you told me to go to Pei
Tang. went to Pe-Tang and you very politely
brought me here: | now await your pleasure
being anxious at the same time to accomplish the
object of my visit with as little delay as possible 9
In reply to the foregoing, he was informed that
it would be necessary for him to perform the 81 Ko-
/ Tow" Very quietly, he replied, however, that it
was not necessary, to the execution of his bust
ness, that he should the Emperor, but that
4 nevertheless, it would give him great pleasure to
be presented; provided, they would dispense with
the ko-Tow, and allow him to approach the EN-
peror with the same marks of respects those ac-
corded to the President of the United States. To
this, however, they would not listen.
He then touched upon the subject of our con-
finement within the walls OF our yamoon, observing
that it would be conducive to our health as well as
pleasure to be permitted to look about the city, and
requesting that four horses and guide might be
furnished for that purpose To this they replied
that, after the great business should all be set
tied, they would furnish as horses aud an escor
:" to see everything that to be seem Ths
meeting finally ended with apparent cordially
though the Chinese still insisted upon the present
alton and the observance of the ko-tow; while Mr.
Ward as decidedly refused to do anything of the
kind The general bearing of the commissioners
throughout this interview was marked by hauteul
OF mannar totally at variance with that exhibited
at all other meetings, and it is strongly suspected
that this was owing to the probable presence OF
the Emperor in the next apartment On the first
proXimo we are to be informed whether further ne
gotaton will be engaged in, or whether we viii
be escorted back to the seacoast.
AUGUST 2 According to promise, yesterday
brought Mr. Ward letter. 1t was from the com
missioners and informed him that they would de
themselves the honor of :. returning his visit to
day. We, the suite, have just had the honor u o
receiving them in full dress. This return visit is
great compliment-something unusual in China
Even Lord Elgln received none such at Teinotsins
last year. the foreign ministers doing all the call
ing. In accordance with this letter, an interview
of five hours duration has just terminated, the sub
ject of which, as much as has been made public il
as follows:
Kwei-liang again introduced the subject of the
kotow, but in greatly modified form, they having
evidently consulted as to how much of they coult
dispense with without exposing -" the sacred person
of the Emperor" to insult. In this modified form
Mr.. Ward consented to reopen its discussion.
s. have no hesitation in confessng,'' said the
aged Prime Minister, =" that | have been com
manded by my. master to take you before him. Il
it be possible, therefore, must obey. Will you mo-
consent to go upon one knee to him?h
1t is impossible
''Will you not bend the knee when he receives
the Presidents letter from you?''
81 will bend the knee with great pleasure when
bowling to him, replied Mr.. Ward, s. because that
is often done when bowling to our own President
but it can only be called a bow, after ALL In what
ever manner, may bow, it must be written as
nothing beyond bow. ! have objection to
showing you now how will bO,C to him. and you
yourselves may name the number of bo,rs.'
Here he suited the action to the word-weight on
left leg. right knee, moderately bent and body in.
clined forward. The Commissioners thought that
that might answer, and requested him to picture ii
in writing.
Certainly replied Mr.. Ward. "And in the
meantime, let me conduct you to partake of some
refreshments"
Foreign cordias and preserves, and native !" deli
cacies of the season y commanded attention.
(Though not present at the interview we all re
ceived the Commissioners in full uniform at the
time of their arrival and subsequently Joined then
at the banquet. Their own suite were not permit
ted to sit i'll their presence, though this was urged
to the limit of etiquette by Mr.. Ward) for the mex
hour, at the end of which the conference was re
newed
The first thing considered was, of course, the
written statement as to what our Minister would do
when presented. did not see that statement, and
its contents have not been made public, but
enough is known to justify me in saying that Mr..
Ward consented to bow any number of times, and
that the Commissioners wished the expression
:. bend the knee, introduced in place of the word
chow This was firmly refused by Mr. W., who
despairng of arriving at any satisfactory conclu-
sion upon the subject, observed:
We had better put an end to this and COM
mence the discussion of the treaty"
We cannot proceed to any other business until
this is settled, replied Kweiang.
"Ah!' thought the Minister, that is evidently
thrown out to intimidate, and must not be allowed
to pass unnotced;n and with grave air he re-
piled:
" Before we go any further one thing must be
distinctly understood | do not come here as
prisoner, to be dictated to- though the fact of my
self and suit being refused conveyance in which
to leave our residence would seem to indicate as
much. [ All persons of quality about Picking use
carts or horses when moving about the city and it
would consequently be undignifed in US, as mem
bers Of The Minister'S suite, to go out upon foot
Unlike the Ministers of other powers, come among
you as your guest, entirely unarmed and trusting
solely to the good faith of China My movements