The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-01-03
bears away the palm. May the nation fourish
more and more


Mr.. Bnriingume in Luck and the United
States Ahead In China.
Mr.. Burlingame, Minister of the United States
to China, has, it appears, been appointed by
his imperial Majesty of the Central Flowery
Kingdom" as his special ambassador TO the
great Powers touching their relations with
China. II is presumed that the purpose of tho
embassy is TO revise tho treaties existing be-
tween said Powers and the Chinese empire and
to settle the numerous and delicate complica.
tons which have arisen under said treaties
during several years past. 1t further appears
that Mr.. Burlingamc has accepted this appoint
ment, that the diplomatic corps resident near
Pekin cordially approve Of his selection and
that he will leave Immediately eastward on his
new mission by way of San Francisco.
This is an extraordinary case. There Is
hardly precedent for it in the history OF the
international affairs Of any two nations Of
modern or ancient times We send out Mr.
Burlingamo to China 70 look after the interests
Of the United States in that quarter as our rep
resentative before the Emperor but our agent
becomes so much favorte with the Brother Of
the Sun and Uncle of the Moon that he is APP
pointed as tho special envoy of China to all
the great Western Powers of the "outside bar
barans" In the very important matter Of set-
Element Of ell the treaty difficulties existing be-
tween them respectively and the Chinese gov
eminent. Our Minister to China, therefore, in &C.
cepting THIS Oriental appointment and in setting
out upon.the responsible mission thus assigned
him by way of San Francisco, will make his first
call upon his own government and in dropping
in at Washing he drop In as he now
officially stands-he will appear before PresI-
dent Johnson In the double character OF Min
isler Of the United States to China and Minister
from China to the United States.
But what says the constitution bearing upon
this matter? 1t says (article l, section
o." No title of nobility shall be granted by
the United States and no person holding any
Office Of profit or trust under them shall, with
out the consent of Congress, accept Of any
present, emolument, office, or title of any kind
whatever, from any king, prince or foreign
State" The consent Of Congress, then, is re-
quired before Dir. Buriingame can positively
announce his acceptance of this Chinese ap-
the case to the Emperor, and that, trusting to
the consent of Congress, Mr.. B. has agreed to
try the experiment. In this view he will pro-
coed first to Washington and lay his case be-
fore the President If the President, then.
shall approve the undertaking, Gas he doubtless
will, in recognition of the high compliment 70
the United States involyei), he will transmit
the facts Of the case to Congress and ask the
consent of the two houses as required by ths
constitution. A joint resolution then, we ex-
pect viii be passed irving the consent of Con-
gress TO the acceptance by Mr.. Burlingame Of
of and the emoluments and presents thereunto
appertaining, be they large or small.
Assuming that this reported appointment
has been made by tho Chinese Emperor, wo
cannot doubt that ii will be approved by Con-
gress, in view Of the new epoch close upon us
tons with China, Japan and all those Oriental
nations lying along the eastern and southern
sides of Asia, and with Australia and all the
countless tropical islands, great and small, Of
those Indian seas. In this view this Chinese
appointment OF Mr.. Burlingame offers diplo-
we cannot imagine either the President or Con-
gress will be slow to accept
Christian Civilization mt tho Bar Of Chinese
Morality.
The "Christian authorities" at Hong Kong
have licensed gambling houses, and the Chinese