The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-02-09

nese Ssandpoint-The Renl Iutemtions Of the
Emperor OF China In His Interco urse with
Western Powers.
The Cincinnati Journal ana Messenger baptist
organ contains the following letter from Rev. VIII
liam Ashmore Baptist missionary ct Swallow,
China, on the Burnyams mission:--
When the Emperor OF China goes forth from his
palace into the highways OF his capital notice Is
previously sent abroad and the houses along the
road are festooned with yellow. Even the streets
are sprinked with saffron c0lored sand, that the
so-styied '.son Of Heaven" sees nothing but the
Mr. Burllngame receives forty thousand dollars .
year Tor acting Envoy Extraordinary 20 western
nations on behalf Of China NO one vii! ssnppesc
advancement OF Western civilization. he Is TO work
for the maintenance OF the existing state OF things
yations than those already forced upon them. His
acceptance Of the salary IL also his acceptance
bic things OF his constituents. No lawyer win
ind II easy 10 disparage . forty thousand dollar
client AL tns WIN ~ e1p s rn, ,ns a5o1
the rossaie halo that ali a. once Is made . oncrcs
this vast mass OF fostering and corruption. Even
graveyards be made to give out phosph0rescence
on occasions.
Mr. Burlingame represents the Chinese IS
anxious TO enter into the comfy OF nations. ls
!s true with respect 70 one particular , aim.
They are in strait between h Two wester
ideas OF civilization, Of government OF religion OF
the relations between ruler and people. are threat
The mandarin desires no change he wants no new
customs. He is impatient Of Innovation. lie looks
fancy OF the race and carefully f0stered until now,
and. with sigh ne responds after the manner Q!
the Ltany, .As 1t was in the beginning, Is now and
ever shall be, world without end"
In order to keep out this infqx Of foreign ideas
the mandarin has tried force: ne mas massnsled
boats. He has collected HIS gtngas and matshi0cks
but they exchanged but one round with the Mlnle
rine. Meanwhile Western progress has made itself
felt and has gained strong toOthOd, ana western
ideas are stretching out their long tentacula into the
very heart OF the empire. Nor mas there appeared
any possible way to prevent this.
In this emergency the willy mandarins have sud-
denly o. Ss sy nave
or Nations and they have discerned the advantage
OF being recognized as member Of the family OF
civilized nations. Happy thought to gain these ad-
vantages, and yet escape making furtner concession
to the demands OF the age.
object Ia to interpose the United states as far rs
possible barrier to English encroachment, and
also as barrier to the progress Of modern improve
ment; the latter Of which the mandarInS dislike
almost as much as they do the iormer.
ANY one who will read the FIRST second and ninth
done While st,pulating apparently for some ad
vantage the uned states, the articles are really
an affirmation, under the signature OF W. H. seward.
OF the Chinese side OF certain diplomatic issues be-
tween the Emperor OF china ana England. or rather
| between the Emperor OF CHINA and civilized nations
rradlug In these Eastern seas.
1t was to gain decision OF this kind, TO be used
hereafter against England thar all TINS expenditure
OF foreign embassy has been endured. In other
respects the treaty amounts 10 just nothing some
thingsare about oeratl0n OF religion. and about
cemeteries; but these things had been secured by
previous treaties, made under the guns Of foreign
eets In article there Is stud ed balancing OF
favors asked and received and there seems 10 be an
exact equivalent rendered each time. Nothing can
bs more false. In proof let me cite article four.
1t il there provided that citizens OF the United
States residing China shall ENJOY the same privt
leges lmmunites, exemptions, &C., as shall be en-
oyed by subjects OF the most favored nations, and
reclprocaiy Chinese subjects In the United states
shall enjoy the same privileges, immnntes and ex
enptions as may there be enjoyed by the citizens OF
The word "reciprocaIiy. here seems piece OF
savage irony There Is nothing reciprocal about II.
In the United States the citizens of "the most IA
vored natlons allowed 10 go where they please,
pease but in China citizens OF the most favored ma
| allowed to live at certain places only, and arc
| allowed to 60 abroad beyond certain narrow limits
80 lar as the Chinese wish 70 preserve their fright
| OF eminent domain we, as Americans, recognize
the justice OF their position. SO far as they wish TO
| exercise supremacy within their own territory and
| over their own people, we sympathlze with Them;
but far as they visa to perpetuate the exclusive
ness, the narrowness the prejudice and the stagna-
ton OF the past can have no sympathy with them
Mr.. Burltngame does himself credit when, in pur-
suance Of the first object, he seeks to maintain the
right OF the weak against the strong. But when he
ia found catering to ignorance and state craft, and
| when he is found arraying the prestige OF great
nation against the attempt OF another nation TO IN.
troduce railroads and telegraph, and other material
as this, then he brings shame, not Oniy upon hun
SELF but also upon the nation that sent him out He
came out the representative Of advanced cviliza-
| tion; he has gone back rs the representative oe
/ semibarbarsm. He came out to advocate progress;
% the srs in their deal
inRs with the Chinese there Is doubt but they
sometimes arbitrary But so are the French. and so
i are the Russians and SO are the Americans, too,
| whenever they advance to the front and make any
| headway on their own account.
But on the other hand the Chinese manda.
| rims have been intolerant and arrogant and
oppressive to the last degree. and they have
sa se shns "a from Sy
the humanizing influences OF the rest OF
| mankind. Where did few thousand mandarins
get such rtghtS Under what charter do the, ex r
else III who gave them authority TO fen Oh large
20 ton OF this habtable eart and then say tnat NO
he is willing TO pay for the water ne drinks from the
ditch BY the roadsdes so there ID arbltrarincss on
both sidcs only the arbtrAriness Of the En- ,R Is
| more powerful than that OF the III ,ndarins.
II any upright mind is called upon to pass an
! opinion simply upon some features or English dipo
macy In the East he must at once declare them to be
arbitrary and deserving OF censurc. but alter the
collision has once begun, and he Is then asked which
side ne desires to triumphant. he but
one way. English ascendancy means progress, ele-
vat,on and enlargement. even TO the Chinese them
selves. Mandarin supremacy means OPPRESSION ex-
| cluslveness stagnation and DEATH
II the dispute were between arbitrariness and rea-
son. we could take sides only with the latter; but
when IL Is between arbltrurness ana arDtrariness,
there Is room for the exercise OF choice and must
he allowed to express preference Tor the civilized
| over the heathen form; Tor English arbtrariness
| rather than Chinese.
4 hen tile issue arises, rs II sometimes does, be-
tween French bigotry and chinese Intolerance then
F! one IL relieved from al embarrassment aud lecis
much like lothian In his parable, Lot Dre come Que
/ from Abimeech and ueyour the men OF Snechem and
\ the house OF Milo; and let fire come out from the
| men OF Shechem and the house OF Milo and devour
| Abimelech.n by this simply mean let Dlgotry and
intolerance destroy each other.
What do the Chinese propose TO give 10 the United
States for giving their name ana influence 10 such
| treaty as tins Any additional privileges over and
N Ar Ind N tlrttl ah
| sureyv None whatever. But 1t il promised we snail
enjoy ''the privileges granted to tile most favored
nationsn This means tuat nothing new will he
ceded 10 ne. But that II, hereafter these English
i gunboats should demand that these gates be opened
| bit wider, and we ina ourselves compelled to
yield, then we will make virtue or necessity, and
allow the Americans TO come la along with them
/ and share the concession.
4 You VIII ask me: Have not the maVnates OF New
i NAr xlolla 14fl In All oa