The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-02-05


has had some comical experience
both with Cuba and Ireland, in having
''belligerent rights" demanded for insurgents
of these two countries, while actually carry
ing on military operations from United States
soil. We have ourselves seen the Govern
ment of the "Irish Republic" established in
this city, sending out armies and navies TO
engage in active military operations, and
have known the President of the republic"
to promote an officer by general orders, issued
from his headquarters in the Bowery, for
gallantry in battle fought under the general
superintendent of an Irish Minister of War,
having his official residence in Chatham
street. They were firmly convinced they
were entitled to belligerent rights, but for
obvious reasons never got them.
A CHINESE STATE PAPER-BURLIN-
GAME 'NOWHERE."
From the N Y. World
Burlingame electricity is again active, and
we have been waiting patiently for confrma-
ton of the extraordinary kilograms which
more than a week ago were flashed across the
continent. 1t was announced that the treaty
between the United States and China signed
ct Washington, had been ratified by the i'm
perial Government, and that the snug addi-
tional sum of $4,000 in gold had been sent
to keep Mr.. Burlingame away from his
new masters for another two years We think
it quite probable that the first rumor may be
true, for a more worthless piece of paper
never bore the signature of diplomacy, and
the Chinese are quite shrewd enough to find
it out. Adopts at humbug themselves, they
have keen sense of it when manifested by
others. They know, none better, that the
Burlingame additional articles for he
never had the effrontery to cell them treaty
per SC--gave no new privilege to the outside
barbarian, and therefore cost the Chinese
nothing; no payment of money, no conces-
sion of territory or commercial privilege, no
surrender Of prejudice; and hence it is quite
within the range of possibility that they have
been ratified, as doubtless will be the treaty
let's Cif we may coin convenient word) Mr.
Burlingame has been cooking up ever since,
including Norway, Switzerland and all the
Pumper-nickels he has been visiting. But
we have grave doubts as to the S140,000-
meaning, Of course, not specie, for all China
has not so much gold coin, but sterling
credit to that amount in London. Mr. Nc
Leary Brown, one of the diplomatic staff,
who lorg ere this must have passed through
New York to rejoin his chief in Europe,
is said to have brought this credit
with him But we very much doubt
the whole story. 1t looks like an effort
to bolster up Mr.. Burlingame's financial credit
on the continent, where, by the last accounts,
| it was tottering, and to keep him ahoat or,
|
! little while longer. 1t is perfectly well known
that when this grotesque mission was first
| suggested the Chinese authorities thought it
would involve no expense to them, but that
| Mr. Burlingame would be content with the
unspeakable honor Of representing, however
distantly, ''the King of Heaven;" and that
whatever has been paid has come out of the
treasury of what is known as the Foreign In
| spectorate at the Treaty Ports, of which Mr.
Robert Hart is the chief administrator. All
export and import duties are collected on the
seaboard by this Inspectorate, which, de-
Quoting salaries, etc, pays, without account
ability for details, the balance to the
Imperial Government. If Mr.. Hart and his
colleagues chose to give Mr. Burlingame the
original Sill COO, or this $40, 900, tn 70 is
nothing in the way of responsibility (aside
from right and wrong) to prevent them; but
why Mr.. Hart, shrewd, long headed Scotch
man, perfect reflection Of Jardini, Matthie-
son & Co., should have thought the Burlin-
game mission worth the original outlay, we
I never have been able to comprehend; and in
credulity is absolutely exhausted when we are
asked to believe that after two years of inef-
fectual frolic in America and Europe, where
Mr.. Burlingame has accomplished nothing
practical certainly nothing to the benefit of
the Chinese Government, imperial or local
nearly 100000 more Is TO be given him to
keep the game Of useless folly up. We do
| not believe, one word Of it, and, if
we did, should certainly incline to what
was once the received commercial feel
ing in China, that it is high time the
! Foreign Inspectorate was broken up. Mer-
chants never plundered it to this extent be-
fore. BE this as it may, if it be true, Mr..
Burlingame has made a pretty thing out of
diplomacy. For six years American Minis
ter at Pekin, at no expense-for he was
habitually guest, as Ministers in those re-
gions are apt to be--with a salary nominally
$12, ,000 (specie) but at the rate of exchange
during the war at least $3.50, 900, amounting to
$3.50, 600; for four years Chinese Minister at q
salary of $55, 600 in gold-or,I ,Isay, $50, 900 in
the paper we poor people at home have to use
making IN all the comfortable aggregate foi
ten years of 1920 0O0-and of this more thar
half taken out of the duties foreign mer
chants, including Americans, are paving
to China, and the rest from the Treasury al
Washington, into which we are pouring oul
taxes. We do not wonder that in view of al
this Mr. Low, our new Minister, wishes hii
salary increased. Perhaps it may be expe
dent to give him the increase, and that too
on Chinese principle. In the Pekin Blue
book is noted not only the salary of ever,
official, but a supplementary compensation
called ''the virtue e-preserving addition, to pre-
, vent his being bri3ed. 1t will hence be, per
, haps, well to give Mr.. Low the increase h
asks or we may have him following Bur
lineames example, and taking foreign pa
, and enlisting in foreign service. On bende
, knees must Burlingame thank his stars tina
poor Brooks did not follow and shoot him a
, the Clifton House.
! BY strange coincidence, other new
{ reaches us at the same time from the East