The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-12-17

The deeper the insight we obtain into the char
acter of Chinese officials, the more thoroughly /.
treacherous and unreliable it appears. Duplicity,
chicsnery of the meanest kind, and even down
right falsehOod, are unscrupulously resorted to !
whenever they find themselves hard pressed, and
desire to evade an unpaatable demand. Their
whole system of diplomacy may be summed up in
one word, and that word is-cunning Unlike
BULwERs Richelieu who eked the Lion S with the
FoXs skin, they discard the Leonne covering alto
gether, preferring by all odds to array them-elyes
wholly in the pelt of Reyuard. They look upon
all treaties, consummated with foreign govern
ments, as only worthy of observance so long as it
suits their convenience to respect them and to
be violated with impunity whenever their interest
prompts them to repudiate their engagements
The Allied Powers nov operating in China have
recently had fresh instance Of the little conf
dence that is to be placed in any agreement, wheth-
er verbal or written, that may be made with even
the highest dignitaries of the Chinese En-
pre- and of the reckless disregard of every thing
that bears the semblance of upright and honorable
dealing. We have already had occasion to
chronicle the taking Of the Taku forts and the
flight of the Tartar army northwards in the direc-
ton of Pekin. 1t is also well known that imme-
diately subsequent to the capture of those forts
Lord ELGIN and Baron GROs accompanied by the
combined forces of the expedition, proceeded up
the river to Tien-tsin, where negotiations for a
peace were resumed. The Chinese Commissioners
declared as usual, that they were vested
Win full powers to act but it
soon discovered that they were possessed of no
autb +ba oil
indignant at the deception which had been prac-
tised upon them, promptly broke up the sitting,
and gave orders for the army to proceed in its
march. On the way up the river, great indeed
must have been the surprise of Lord ELGIN and
Baron GRos, to be encountered by a couple of
"white,buttoned Mandarins,' who had been sent
| in great haste from the North with letters from
Prince TsAI and his colleague, somewhat imperi-
ously demanding that the European Plenipoten-
tiaries, and the troops under their ORDERS should
return to Tien-tsn, and there await the coming of
the Imperial Commissioners with fresh instruc-
tions. No heed being very properly paid to this
mssive it was followed the same evening by a Sec
ond letter which was much more courteously word
ed, and ''conceding Internationally almost all the
| points in controversy" Notwithstanding this
change of tone, Lord ELGIN was still in favor of
pushing on to Tung-chau, but finding on consul
| tation with Sir. HOPE GRANT, that before advanc-
ing to the assault ofthat town, it would be neces-
sary TO collect large quantity of stores and to
bring up the heavy guns, which were still some
distance to the rear, he determined to send for
ward Mr.. PARKEs, his interpreter and Mr.. WADE,
accompanied by a small escort Of caval-
ry, to meet the Chinese Commissioners at
Ma-tow, town about twelve miles distant for the
double purpose of marking out, by consent of the
latter, new encampment for the
army and of stating the exact conditions
upon which the Allies would consent to open
negotiations. For short time every thing seemed
to promise an early and a satisfactory adjustment.
| The Chinese Commissioners who had fallen back
from Ma-toW to Tung-chau, were met with at the
latter town, and in their interview with Messrs.
PARKEs and WADE, gave them to understand that
they were prepared to accept the terms of the
Allies, and consented at once to the proposed ad-
vance of the army to the camp selected, near
Chang-tsia-wan, o town distant from Tung-chau
about five miles With this assurance Messrs
PARKEs and WADE returned to Lord ELGIY, and the
former was Immediately despatched back to Tung-
chau "to arrange some matters of detail" On
| this journey Mr.. PARKEs, in addition 10 ii
small escort, was accompanied by Mr.. LoCH,
Lord ELGIN's private Secretary, and Mr.. BowLEY,
the correspondent of the London Times With
these also went Count DE BARTARD of the French
Embassy, and several French officers. The party
| proceeded TO Tung-chau without interruption
but during the ensuing night twenty thousand
| Chinese troops moved down TO the vicinity of
Chang-tsia-wan took possession of the plain
which had been selected by the Allies for their
encampment and fortified the position with
| breastworks and cannon. On the return of Mr.
PARKEs and his party to Chang-tsia-wan the fol-
lowing morning, they discovered what had
been done, and Mr.. PARKEs immediately rode
back to Tung-chau, to demonstrate with the Com
mssioners on this fragrant breach of faith, whilst
the remainder of the party fastened on to
report 10 Lord ELGN. By this time the
Allied forces were also approaching Chang
tsia'wan, and Sir HoPE GRANT sent forward
Colonel WALKER with a small detachment of
Sikh cavalry to ascertain the exact position which
had been selected for the encampment The latter
officer found the Chinese troops in possession; but
learning that Mr.. PARKEs had gone back to Tang
chau to confer with the Chinese Commissioners, he
concluded to awaithis return. Itsoon however be-
came evident that the Chinese were bent upon mis-
chief They surrounded Col. WALKERS small
detachment, but no violence was offered until an
officer belonging to the French Commissa-
riat came into camp mounted on mule,
when an attempt was made to take it
from him by force He resisted the act, and was
Immediately cut down. An effort was next made
to drag Col. WALKER from his horse; but after a
brief struggle he shook himself free, and, calling
upon his Sinks to follow him, cut his way through
the enemy, who Immediately opened fire upon
him, wounding several ofthe party but none dan
gerousy At this juncture Sir HOPE GRANT ar
rived, and, perceiving that the enemy had so dis
posed his force as to threaten both tanks of the
Allies, he Immediately packed his baggage and
determined to drive him from his position. In
the general engagement, which was thus
brought on, the Chinese troops were put
to rout with loss of seven hundred men, and
three days later an assault was made upon series
of detached FORTS all of which were taken. The
loss ofthe Allies in both engagements did not ex-
coed forty men, nearly all of whom are classed as
wounded. The few casualties recorded on the
| S'1N VI 'i'N |hieS uC 10 lle 1act
that the main battle was fought, principally, with
artillery and cavalry--the Armstrong Guns
throwing the Tartar troops into disorder whenever
they attempted an Offensive movement and the
cavalry completing the work which the artillery
had so effectively commenced. Four DAYS spbse
quently flag of truce was sent from Pekin, re-
questing that negotiations might be re-opened-
Prince KUNG, the brother of the Emperor having
been clothed with full powers to treat with the Allied
Commissioners. Lord ELGN responded, that he
would not consent to entertain any propositions
whatever until Mr. PARKEs and his party, who
had been taken prisoners to Pekin, were liberated
| and sent back. At the latest dates the Allies
had advanced to within five miles of the Capital:
but it was understood that the English and French
prisoners would be promptly released, and that
the Chinese Government was at length disposed to
yield every point which the Allies might feel dis.
posed to demand But what confidence can lie re-
posed in government SO prone to treachery and so
insensible to shame? If, as we presume it will,
treaty be now concluded there is still no more hope
than there was before that its stipulations will be
honestly carried out, unless their observance
shall he enforced by the exaction of material guar
anees.
L