New-York tribune., 1871-08-25


coda of Christianity. Nearly two hundred and
6ftv wears ago the principles of the law of
nations were even definite enough to be c0dl-
fed by Grotius Kingdoms and empires were
not of unwiedy size, and were reasonably
centralized, and 80 were brought more easily
under the influence of an international law
their leaders saw TO be expedient for all LOOK
at China's history in contrast to this; not az
what we wish it had been, but at what 1t was.
With an empire of nearly 40O,0000 900 inhabitants;
in intercourse only with civilizations similar 10
her own cut off from land communication with
Europe by barren wastes on the north, ana
surrounded on the south by sea which had
not been crossed by any representatives Oh
higher political life than hers; prevented by
her vast size and decentralized condition from
the government, enterprise, and competition
with other peoples which led the little nations
of Europe to their glorious feats of expora-
ton and discovery; with hardly one land
neighbor with whom to develop international
law by intercourse, and in an age when ocean
commerce was unknown. China passed the
early centuries of the Christian era In welding
into some sort of body polite the savage
tribes that were gradually drawn into her
empire, and the centuries that followed In
progress utterly isolated and unaided.
Her knowledge of any of the leading prin-
ciples of international law is not yet half
century old it was at her own wish that she
obtained further knowledge in cOdihed and
extended form through DR.. Martins transla-
ton of Wheaton, within the last ten years
And yet because in ten years 1T has not done
the gigantic work of diffusing its newly
acquired knowledge and the system honestly
adopted by the leaders at Peking among an
almost countless population and a multitude
of provincial officials, the Chinese Government
is taunted by the West with treachery and
return to its old doctrines. The American
and English grumblers boast of progress
which has astonished the world, yet demand
of China that she shall do in few decades
what it took their smaller and more easily
directed Western nations centuries to ac-
complish.
Let us see what the subject of so much
ignorant and indignant comment has really
been, during the three years since the Chinese
Government sent an Embassy to announce Its
change of policy. The Tien-Tsin massacre and
the alleged edict against the propagation OF
Christianity, are pointed at IA the glaring
proofs of faithlessness. little accurate
| knowledge of the political conditions which
gave rise to the former will greatly change
the aspect of street riot provoked by bitter
| aggravaton and tho latter of the two accusa-
tions rests upon a greatly exaggerated rumor
Nothing can palliate the cruelties of the Tien-
| Tsin massacre-we had them here in the New
! York riots, and know them-but the facts
which led to the popular tImut were these
For years the French Jesuits, who estab-
| lished the missionary institutions at Ticn-
Tsin, had had establishments in China,
and had been always tolerated and well
| treated, as religious teachers. But since
! the treaty with France they had adopted
| bolder course than ever before-a course that
finds many parallels in their hstory-and had
steadily endeavored to gain political power
under the guise of proselyting. They made an
exacton unheard of in international law, that
! their converts should be in great part exempt
! from the jurisdiction OF the Chinese Courts,
| and should possess the power OF appeal to the
| French Consul. For some time they were al
| lowed to carry on this prepOsterOus system un-
| disturbed but the fact that Chinaman could
often escape the punishment of his own courts
merely by announcing his conversion to Chris
| tianity, had an effect that can be easily i'm
! agned. RaScals defrauded honest men, and
then shielded their rascality and their
gains by protesting Christianity and claiming
French projections laughing at their dupes
! from the shelter which the Jealous French
officials seldom failed to afford. Popular in
dignation was speedily reused; the educated
men, themselves indignant, took no pains to
check the spread of absurd stories among the
J nf bruto1itV
iible deeds of foreigners. Placards melted the
rrople to massacre, and fury reached the
i.mentabe climax of an ungOvernabe popular
rot when the French Consul, man capable
of almost insane fits of anger, in which he
lost control of his better self, went to the
Government Office and INDUCED in such an
undigniiied and unjustifable personal assault
and invective against the officials as would
have led, in Washington or London, to his
prompt dismissal from the room by force.
Then the riot ragged against the hated French;
the Protestant missionaries and the other ma
tionalites did not suffer save in two unfOr-
tunate cases where they rode through the riot
ers ranks or mingled themselves with the
Frenchmen. Let every man think how long
system like that the Jesuits pursued, if not
put down by Government, would be tolerated
by the people of America, and the question of
the Tien-Tsn massacre may assume new as
poets for him.
As for the other accusation, we have had
from the Chinese ports a report that good
authority stated and that "if reports from
"Pekng were to be believed "-an edct had
been issued forbidding the propagation of Chris
tianity in China and the employment of women
as missionaries. We have had no continuation
| of tb;, ronort but we have had q very stronp