The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-09-12
Tho China Mission and Treatics-British
- Policy in 4 New Shape.

Tho China Mission and Treaties-British
- Policy I'm q New Shape.
The London Times in its issue yesterday
discussed the China question in an editorial
review Of the foreign policy and treaty rela-
tons of the empire extending to three columns
Of the publications. very solid assurance that
the near approach Of the day of arrival of
the Burlingame mission excites the iveliest
interest in Great Britain and elicits the most
serious attention of her statesmen as to the
permanence Of her present hold and future
interest, political and commercial, in ASIA
The writer sets out with q reiteration of the
assurance that the policy of England in China
has been one Of peace, and the course
Of the Chinese authorities towards Eng
land one of aggression line Of argu-
conscience and inAame the prejudices of John
Bull at one and the same moment with respect
to his 'conquests" in the East ever since the
time of Warren Hastings first operations in
Hindostan to the period of the Chinese opium
and other wars, and thence again to the paci-
fcation of and determination with the Sikhs
and Sepoys by tinging the Sutlej river with
blood, and summary executions from the guns
of General Rose. It has ever been "civiliza-
ton" and ''peace" on the side of England.
The London Times asserts that the Chinese
have been aggressive" towards Britain,
and exhibited Disregard of treaties,
''fraud," ell faith" and s'evasion," until the
authorities in Pekin had come to attribute
the '1eniency" Of England towards them to
fear, and now give her the ''go-by as the prin-
cipal leading Power in foreign policy" The
word ''go-by" is very expressive, but in our
opinion England should be greatly rejoiced to
receive the ''go-by" from government so
faithless and ungrateful as the Chinese has
proved towards her, as set forth in the edito-
rial indictment, and we think that Queen Vic
toria and Lord Stanley should be very much
obliged to Mr.. Burlingame for his successful
effort to aid them in dealing with nation
which is evidently inclined to interpret mat
tiers affecting it's own peculiar interests in
sense different from theirs. The main clauses
of the treaty of Tient-sin are to be placed, we
Chinese; but England cannot be injured by
this, as Mr.. Burlingame will, no doubt, pre-
sent to the Cabinet in London q clean copy
of his simple China American treaty, which
Mr.. Disraeli may adopt in its stead, with suit
able notifications, if he 80 choose.
The cable summary Of the London Times
article leads one to infer that this will not be
done, for in it we have One-sided allusion to
war in the words ''China will not be the
theatre of war between foreign Powers unless
by a result Of American policy" American
policy will not originate foreign war; it has
never tended in such direction. Our policy
towards China is policy of railroads, tele-
graphs, steamboats, and steamships, miners
and crowbars, trade and travel by San Fran
cisco, the Pacific Railroad, New York, and
vice gersa, an honest barter and exchange,
missionaries, and the free acceptance Of China
into the family of nations as an independent
Power. Mr.. Burlingame will assure the Queen
of England of all this and more. The London
Times, however, hints that Great Britain may
prove obstructive to some extent. It is
charged that the rulers of China are ''excll-.
sive," but it is the ''people" who want
"free intercourse" and cit is the duty of Eng
land to sustain the people against the rulers"
The first part of this accusation is disproved
by the fact of the Chinese government having
confded such an important and civilizing mis-
sion to Mr.. Burlingame; while the intimation
of an English remedy for these difficulties by
exciting rebellion in the empire sets forth the
desperate strait to which her diplomacy in
Asia is likely to be reduced. When before did
Great Britain ever talk of sustaining 'peo-
pie against their rulers" with the exception
of an interested and left-handed aid to Greece?
An official endorsement of the spirit of the
London Times by English action in China
would be very likely to lead to war somewhat
to the eastward.