New-York tribune., 1868-06-25
TIE ATTITUDE or CHM.

The general tone of the earnest and mastery
speech of Mr.. Buringame at the recent ban
quet to the Chinese Embassy doubtless ex-
presses the views and motives which induced
the Chinese Government to send the Embassy
to the treaty making powers. He has stated
in tcrse and eloquent English, so that the
void can understand the true position of
China toward all other nations. The very
selection of one competent to speak for the
Chinese Empire, in the English tongue. with
cosmopolitan Judgment and Anglo-Saxon force,
and to state the rights, hopes, and concessions
of China in manner to command the re-
spectfu assent of mankind, is an evidence
at the outset of the wisdom of the Chi
ncse Government. Mr. Burlingame asks for
China intercourse, but not upon the terms on
which India and Ireland have had intercourse
with Great Britain or Algeria with France, or
South America with Spain, or Mexico with the
United States He would have intercourse
upon terms of safety to Chinese interests and
equality to the Chinese Government. He
would have their nationality and independence
respected, maintaining inviolate their right to
determine for themselves what terms of inter
course are most conducive to Chinese interests
In all these respects he says to us, on behalf
of China. :" Let us alone" Let this be done
and gradually, but surely and safely, the COM
merce of China will expand, opening up sources
of untold wealth To other nations. But this, we
all know, has not been the course and policy
of Western nations toward the Oriental, and
Mr.. Burlingame will need to exert all his elo-
ducncc TO create in Europe public sentiment
which will respect the independence of the
Empire he represents British statesmen have
for years looked upon China as the next great
field in which British mercantile oppression
was To operate on the same extensive scale as
it had done in exhausted and decimated India.
As the manufactures OF India had been broken
down to make way for British fabrics, so were
those of China to he sacrificed AS the whole
Indian population, second only i'm numbers and
in compcXity of industry to that of China,
had, by the destruction of their manufactures,
been turned over first to agriculture
without market aud then to famine, until
millions of her people persisted from dcsttutiOn
each year, and millions more were exported as
Coolies into every quarter of the globe, and
India, like Ireland, instead of sending ont the
finest manufactured goods, exported only her
starving people, so il was thought might China
he dismantlcd of her industry and drained of
her wealth in order that Lombard-st. might
thrive and British manufacturers flourish The
Chinese Government does not wish TO introduce
the produce of foreign Industry to undermine
and destroy her own. but to teach the modes
of foreign industry to her own people for their
adoption and Improvement 1t is in essence,
the policy that every European nation has very
largely pursued, and that England, France, Ger
many, Russia, and the United States pursue to-
day in such degree as they find it necessary
The leading object of Mr.. Burlingamc's mis-
sion will be to impress all the Western nations
with the truth that the Chinese Government
must pursue the policy of cultiyating inter
course with other nations in Il manner that
shall subordinate foreign interests TO the actual
welfare of her own people This policy is
founded upon reasons of wisdom and justice.
and sanctioned by the practice of all civilized
nations. AS these views shall come to be
better understood, they will be more respected
by the commonwealth of nations. The en-
lightened public opinion of the majority of
them will insure the peaceful adoption by
China of such elements of our civilization rs
she may find preferable to her own, instead OF
making that great empire the arena for the
display of the rapaclty and despotism of the
commercial nations.
Nearly n year ago the National Base Ball
ri