The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-06-29

power resorting to IT," According TO
his statement, the Imperial Government
is almost always unwilling or unable TO cor
rect distant abuses; and he contends that the
local authorities must be taught to respect
treaty obligations for their own sake, if they
care nothing for treaties or for the orders of
their own Government" Experience" he
adds, ''leads infallibly to the conclusion that,
where treaties have been imposed by force on
an unwilling government, as all with China,
they can only be upheld by similar means"
II is proper to state that Sir Rutherford AL
cock condemns in the strongest language the
action of consuls and naval officers without
the direct orders of the Minister, Lord
Clarendon has expressed his readiness to ex-
tend the powers of the Minister, if he re-
quires additional facilities for restraining his
subordinates; and it cannot be doubted that
the Admiral will be cautioned against the too
ready indulgence of his professional instincts.
In diplomatic decorum and dignity the chief
statesmen of China stand ON a European level.
In his interview with Sir II. Keppel, the Vice
roy of Canton bore himself like a polished
gentleman, while the policy which he an
nounced was equally prudent and vigorous.
He had, he said, already ordered 1000 troops
to march against the village which had fred
on the man. -of-wars boats and he trusted that
the oper alton would have the happiest effect.
In answer to some apologetic language of Sir
II. Keppel, he remarked that officers would
sometimes make mistakes, and that he had
found it so with his own. ''On taking leave
the Viceroy renewed in the most impressive
manner his expressions of esteem and regard
for Sir II. Keppe and trusted that on his
next visit to Canton his Excellency would do
him the honor of dining with
him." On the following morning the Vice
roy sent his card. with his farewell wishes, to
the Admiral 1t was in the course of the same
day that Commodore Jones attacked the vii
lagos, in obedience to orders which had per-
haps been issued before the interview 1t is
absurd and impossible to treat courtly mag
mates, who argue with the closeness of accom-
plished lawyers, as irresponsible barbarians;
but the laxity of Chinese administration, and
perhaps the latent dislike towards foreigners,
will probably lead to the practical adoption
of Sir Rutherford Alcock's policy. For the
present the experiment of exclusive reliance
on the Imperial Government ought to be
fully tried; and, if it is necessary
to recur to occasional local pressure,
all the treaty powers should, if
possible, be induced to adopt one common
mode of action There is, perhaps, no part
of the world in which the representatives of
the great civilized governments act so much
in harmony. During one of the consular
combats with the Chinese, an American gun
boat was present for the purpose of counte-
nancing the English demands. Any privilege
which might be withdrawn from any one of
the trading communities would be immedi-
ately refused to all foreigners. In the less
civilized parts of the empire it is consolatory
to observe that Protestant and Roman Catho-
lie missionaries are equally liable to persecu-
ton. The relations between Europe and
China will ultimately be determined
rather by necessity or convenience than
by deliberate policy. 1t has apparently not
yet occurred to any Chinese diplomatist to
demand satisfaction for the i'll treatment of
the Emperor's subjects in Australia or Cali
fornia. A hundredth part of the injustice
which has been inflicted on harmless and
useful Chinese gold diggers would, if it had
been perpetrated at the expense of English or
since avenged with the ala OF Irresistible gun
boats,