Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1860-01-05

-z<-. =s
Britain and Frsn6 ogsina The ehipese
empire, our late minister, ln obedieyce TO
his Instructions, judiciovsly co.opefa,cd
with the ministers OF these powers in all
peaceful measures to sseRe by treaty the
Just concessions demsnd%by IN in,erssts
Of foreign commerce. Tie result tfpt
satisfactory treaties baye been eoneiudea
with China by he respective ministers OF
the United States, Greet Britain, France,
and Russis. Our "treaty, or general con-
vsntion Jf peace, amity, and commerce.
with that empire was concluded at Tientsin
on the 18Th June, 1853. aud vas ratified by
the President, BY and wi.h The advice and
consent OF the Senate, on the 9Ist Decem'
Der following.
Ga tine 18th December, 1858, John Z
Ward, a distinguished citizen Of Georgia
was duly comm ssioned as engoy ex,Taordi.
nary and minister plenipo,eDiiarg to China
He left the United Stats ior the place o
his destination on he 5ihsf February 1859
bearing with him the rStiisd copy al thi:
treaty. snd arrived at Rhangnsi on the zStl
May. From thence he proceeded 10 Perk
Ing on The 18th June, but dill not arrive in
that city until the 9Th July. According
10 the terms of the treaty ths ratIii:atigDs
wer. to be exchanged on or before the 18Th
jure, 1850. This was rendered impossible
by reasons and events beyond his control
uot necessary to detail; hu. still il is due to
the Chinese authorities at Shangt al to state
that they always assured him no advantage
should b, taken of the delay, and this
pledge has been faithfully redeemed.
On the arrival o Mr.. Ward at p-king
he requ ed an audience Of the Emperor
t. present his letter OF srcderce. This he
did no, obtain, in consequence OF his very
proper refuSa to submit to the humilptiuz
ceremonies required by the etiquette Of
this strange people in approaching thein
sovereign. Nevertheless the interviews or
this question were conducted in The most
friendly spiri, and with all due regard to
his personal feelings and the honor of his
country. When presentation to his Maj-
esty was found to be impossible, the letter
o, etence from the -ident was receiv-
ed with pecul ar honors by Kwei'ane, "the
Emperur's prime minister aud the second
man in the empire lo'the Emperor him eli"
Ths ratifcatinns Of the treaty we're after
wards, on the 10Th of August, exchanged
in proper form at Pei,tsaue. AS the ex-
change dill not take place until at'er the
das pre.cbcd by the treaty, it is deemed
propet, before lis pgblicstjon, again t. sub
nit IL the Senate.
/, is but simple justice TO tho Chinese au.
thoriiie4 to observe, that, thrs.shou, the
whole transaction they appear TO have ac-
ted in good faith and ia 4 friendly spirit to-
wards the United States, II is true this
f!,as acen dom afer> ;bsir oNn .igceu!iar
faseois; but ws ors b to fegsr@ wt,!S-- len-
ie Gee the Geient Gus o.i, OF en- empire da-
ting back for thousapds q years 50 faras
this may &c |)nsixsnt our own nation
al honor. rao 1ooddct'of OF m,ni=ter nn
he occasion has reclved my eAuee sppro.
bltion.
In orde- to carry out the spirit OF this
treaty, to give it full effect, it became nee
essary TO conclude two supplemental con-
yen,inns-the one for the adjustment and
satisfaction of the claims OF cur citizens, and
the oher to fix the tariff on imports and ex-
ports, and to regulate the transmit duties
and trade of cur merchants with China
This duty was satisfactorily performed by
our late minister. These conventions bear
ia e at Shanghai on the S,h N, vember
1858. Having been considered in the light
OF blrdinr agreements subsidiary to the
principle tre ,ty, and 10 be carried into ey-
execution wilhout delay, they do not pro-
wipe (or any formal ratification or exchange
OF rutifcutons by the conti acting Partes.
This was not deemed necessary sShe
Chinese, who are already proceeding in
good laith to satisfy The claims oI our CHI
zens, and, it is hoped, to carry out the other
provisions OF the conventions. Still |
thought it WAS proper to submit them to
the Senate, by which they were raiified on
the 81 March, 1859. The ratified copies,
however, did not reach Shanghai untiIl ai-
ter the departure of our minister at Peking,
and these conversations could not, therefore,
be exchanged at the same time with the
principal treaty. No doubt is entertained
that they will be ratified and exchanged by
the Chinese government, should this be
tn ought sdvisible; but, under the circum-
stances presented, should consider them
binding engagements from their date on
b tn parties, and cause them to be published
as such for the information and guidance OF
our merchants trading with the Chinese
empire.
1t affords me much satisfaction 20 inform
you that all our difficulties with the repub-
tic of Paraguay have been satisfactorily
adjusted. Il happ ly did not become nee
essary to m i y thu 'I'orce h'spurPose which
Cong ess had placed at my command, under
their Joint resolution of 2d June, 1858 On
the contrary, the President of that republic
in friendly spirit. 'cceded promptly to the
iu.t aud reasonable demands OF the Govern
ment Of the United States Our commiss'
ioner arrived at Assumption. the caoilal OF
the republic, on the 25th OF January, 1859
and left ii on the 18th OF FEBRUARY, having
in three weeks nba'y and successfully ac-
compshed all the objects of bis mission.
The treaties which he has concluded will
will Ue immediately submitted to the Sen
i