New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-08-30

have all those things to learn from US
which are the result Of our necessity. . we
have lived far apart, and we have invented
the steamboat and locomotive, aud tele-
graph to bring us nearer and nearer, and
nearer together. And, in pursuing this
line of thought beyond the present, permit
me to come nearer, or to something more
nearly related to the present. leave all
speech, or everything that may be said
about the ancient sages of China who lived
before Socrates to the distinguished gentle
man on my left, (his honor the Mayor,
who knows much more of them than dc.
come now to consider for moment the
treaty which has Just been concluded be-
tween the United States and China. zap
plause.) Aud / shall not, ] assure you,
trespass upon your time and enter into an
elaborate exposition of that treaty. No; L
leave the treaty, the exposition of it to the
distinguished Senator (Mr. Sumner) on my
right, who was its champion in the Senate,
and procured for it a unanimous vote.
(Cheers) Permit me to say briefly that
that treaty had its origin in a desire to
give the control Of China TO herself, in
opposition to that aggressive spirit which
would take it from her, and give it to
the caprice Of interest and the rude
energy of force. 1t had its origin in the
belief that institutions which have with
stood all the mutations of time have some
thing in them worthy of consideration; in
the belief that institutions cherished unan-
imously by one-third of the human race
may possibly be the best institutions fer
the people of China, or at least that they are
entitled to hold on to them until they shall
be persuaded to change them by fair argu-
ment. That treaty had its origin, in fact,
it is an outgrowth of that cooperative pol
icy which was agreed to by the representa-
tives of the western powers, recently at
Pekin; that policy which substituted for
the old doctrine of violence one of fair
diplomatic action, so that if the consul and
the Chinese officer could not agree, repre-
sentatives OF the different powers, before
war should ensue, should be sent to Pekin;
and then.if no conclusion should be reached,
it should be sent back to the home gov
ernments. This secured elaboration. that
policy was an important conclusion on the
part of foreign powers that they would
stand together on questions vis-a-vis Chi
ma; that they would not interfere in her in
ternal affairs; that they would give to
modern treaties a fair construction; that
they would lean up to that party in China
which was in favor of progress; that they
would abandon the so-called conces-
sion of territory doctrines; and that
they never would agrees upon the terri
torial integrity of China. On these prin-
ciples-and there are more-rests the Sc
curity of China. They are warmly ap-
proved by the Government. China
naturally desired that they should find
expression in more solemn form than they
were in at that time. The evidence of this
cooperative policy rested in the archieves
of distant locations, in the great dispatches
of Sir Frederick Bruce, who shed a new
luster upon diplomacy in the East. say,
China, feeling the advantage of these
principles, desired that they should be
carried forward in more solemn forms.
Accordingly, as agreed to by the great
treaty powers of the West they have
passed into the unbendiug text of the re-
cent treaty made at Washington. Gap
plause.) Now, in a word, land l shall
finish) what is that treaty? In the first
place, it declares the neutrality of the
Chinese waters. In opposition to the pre-
tension of exterritoriality doctrine, that
inasmuch as the persons and the property
OF the people of foreingn Powers were
under the jurisdiction Of those Powers,
therefore it was the right of parties con-
tending with each other to attack
each other in the Chinese waters,
thus making these waters the place
of their conflict This treaty traverses
all such absurd pretensions. 1t strikes
down the dangerous, so-called concession
doctrines, under which the nationals of
whatever countries, located upon spots of
land in the treaty ports, had become a
place that they could take jurisdiction
over, not only of their own nationals, not
only of the persons aud property of their
own people, but also take jurisdiction over
the Chinese and people of other countries.
When this question was called under dis
cussion and referred to the home govern
ments, not by the Chinese originally, but
by these foreign nations, it was found that
their treaty rights were being abridged by
these concession doctrines and distant
foreign countries eouldnot stand discussion
for moment. And / aver that every
treaty power has abandoned the concession
doctriens, though some of their own officials
at the present time undertake to maintain
them, and undertake to tax the Chinese,
and undertake 10 expel the Chinese, and to
protect the Chinese on those concession
places, as If the territory did not belong to
the Chinese government China has never
| abandoned her eminent domain. she has
never abandoned on those spots Of territory
her jurisdiction, and trust she never will.
| (Applause.) This treaty strikes down all
| concessions of territory. ssta
Again, this treaty recognizes China az
an equal among the nations, In opposition
to the old doctrine that because she was
not Christian nation she could not be
placed on the roll Of nations.
But will not discuss that question,
There Is the greatest living authority on
Eastern questions here tonight. Hon
Caleb Gushing has stated that question, OF
the reasons tor that position, more fully
than anybody else, where his heart has
leaned more to the side of the Chinese. !
say China has been put on terms Of
Equality her subjects have been placed
upon the footing of these Of the most fav
ored nation, so that now the Chinese stand
with the Rriton, the Frenchman, the Rus
sian, and the PrpssiAn. and with everybody
else and not only Is that true. but by !.
consular clause In that treaty there is giveI
diplomatic status by which those priv
ieges can be defended. That treaty. ais,
strikes down all disabilities on account o
religious faith. II recalls the great doc
trine OF the Constitution, which gives 10
man the right to hold any faith which hi
conscience may dictate to him. (Applause.
Under that treaty the Chinese may spreal
their marble altars to the blue field .
heaven, and may worship the spirit tina
dwelie beyond. That treaty opens th
| cleaning gates Of our public insti
tntions to the students of China