New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-10-27
Our Policy Tovvarels china.

AMERICAN CLAIMS ALLoWED.--It is well known
that in 1858, when the Hon. Wm. B. Reed the
American Minister, made treaty with China, the
English ridiculed it in their usual captous styles,
because we chose to pursue peaceful policy, in
stead of one Of war. Less than two years have
elapsed, and the Philadelphia Ledger now gives
the result as follows:
Great Britain is in fragrant war with China, her
treaty, for which Lord Elgin was so much praised,
is nulified, her flag dsgraced by bloody reverse,
costing the lives Of five hundred out Of the one
thousand men who went into action and already
expense entailed for military estimates alone Of
s5,000,000, and not one penny Of the pecunary
claims for which in 1857 she pressed the Chinese,
liquidated, or likely to be liquid ted All this
without reference to France. On the other hand
Mr.. Reeds treaty has been to the letter complied
with. Our American Minister has been to Pekn
with credit to himself and to his government. The
new ports conceded by the treaty have been
opened, and at both the English have been content
to go in under their old g most favored clause.'
Every American claim on Chna-some of them as
ancient as ls40-has been adjusted, acknowledged
and liquidated, 65 per cent. having been actually
paid in cash, and the balance secured by dehen-
tures. Our trade, barring the interruption oeca-
stoned by the rebels and the outer war, for which
we are not responsible, is on better footing than
it ever was.
And yet, with all this reality, no sooner does
Lord Elgin go again to China to repair damage,
to patch up his brothers fearful laundering and
Mr. Ward, who but year ago happened to render
some kindness TO Admiral Hopes shattered force,
comes upon the ground simply as an observer no
sooner does this come to pass than a new Times'
correspondent, again forming part of the diploma
tic family, begins his dirty work, and sounds the
keynote for a new strain of detraction of Ameri-
can policy. Mr.. Ward il attacked personally, and
Mr. Reeds treaty pooh-poohed exactly as if it was
the broken one and Lord Elgin's in full force. We
shall probably know next week the precise sue
cess of Eord Elgin's last errand, which, whether it
N a TQ a. T1Yt hnrrip -,
Impressed most unpieasaHtly by this new exhibit
ton of spteful disparagement-for the last mail
brought these letters-we have taken pains to
procure and present to Our readers exact state
ment of the claims China of citizens of the
United States now in course of liquidation, and of
whch-prlncipal and interest, at the Chinese rate
of twelve per cent-sixty five per cent. has been
actually received. This has been done under
convention signed by the Hon. VIM B. Reed, our
late Minister, and the Imperial Commissioners, at
Shanghae, on the sth November, 1853.
1t appears from the detailed statement in the
Ledger that thirty-two parties have been allowed
their claims, in full, amounting, principal and in
terest, to S75,505 and fourteen others allowed as
part of their claims, the sum of S359, ,62I while
others claiming s226 25 have been rejected or sus-
pended Of the amount allowed, large sum is
for the claims of individuals, generally poor mis-
sionares and missionary societies; one, that of Mr.
A. P. Edwards, is for injuries inflicted so long ago,
QS40) that the interest than doubles the prin-
eipal and that of those which may be described as
the commercial claim proper, amounting to $780,
900. James Pardon Co., Philadelphia house,
receives Sl5s,O0O; Rev. j. j. Roberts, s5404; Rev.
R. s. Maclay, 1892; American Missionary Printing
Office, sl9,04l; Southern Baptist Mission sl6l0;
Presbyterian Mission Board, $336l; Seamen's
Bethel $500; Rev. P. Parker, s4Os; Rev. D. Ball,
s556; Rev. J. B. French, $244S Rev. c. F. Pres,
ton, sl054; Rev. A. P. Hopper, sl7ss S. Watts
Williams, Slopes; George Tyson, 1898; Thomas
Hunt & Co., s133, 100; A. P. Edwards, s3l goo; A.
Heard Il Co., Sll ,449; W. G. Hunter, s2739, and
various others different sums, all the result of
peaceful policy.