The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-01-27
AN INSULT RESENTED.
How Commissioner Trescott Answered A
Chinese Note.
WAsl,INGroN. January Ia.

has held one mcetiDgtO consider the Chi
nesc treaties, but has not decided upon its
nport. There is little doubt entertained,
however, that both treaties will Ultimate
ly be reported favorably. Accompany.
ing the treaties, which we're seut to tic
Senate last Tuesday, was the correspond
cncc between the Commissioners who
negotiated the treaties and lie Secretary
Of State. This correspondence embraces
the memorandum submitted by the CON
tracing Powers, the prccis Of conscrva
tions between the Commissioners of the
United States Government and the Com
missioners Of the Emperor Of China and
dispatches to and from the State Depart
mcnt. Ii seems that the American Com
missioncrs had very little difficulty in
securing the modification of the Burlin-
game Treaty relating TO immigration.
The commercial treaty was negotiated st
the instance of the Chinese Commission
ers, who seemed to bc more anxious to
restrict the opium trade than to secure
entire liberty for their subjects in the
United States. at the outset Of the
negotiations the Chinese Commissioners
submitted memorandum on the subject
of immigration which was decidedly OBJ
jectionablc to the Commissioners repre-
scnting this Government, and contained
certain filings at the people of this coun
try which were very promptly met and
decisjyely answered by the American
Commission. The following extracts
from precis Of Il conversation between
the Commissioners of the two Govern
ments shows the manner in which the
American Commissioners upheld the
dignity Of the United States Government.
In reply to an insolent memorandum
from the Chinese Commissioners, Mr..
Trcscott said
1--WE have received the communication
of your Excellencies, with tile request
that wc would say how it strikes us.
We will do so with entire frankness, but
you must first allow us to correct some
misconceptions, which, we think, your
Exccllencies will not be unwilling to
have removed. You say, referring to
immigration into the United States of
Chinese laborers: Formerly, when
there was demand for these laborcrs
the only fear was that they would not go
thithcr, and now, because of the influ-
cncc of violent men their exists desire
that they stay away" Again, "But now,
because the Chinese do good work for
small remuneration, the rabble are max
ing complaint" Again, eff now, be-
cause Of temporary competition between
the irish and stranger guests, o decision
is lightly taken to change the policy of
The Government, corr i-adiction with the
CONSTRUCTION Of the United States and
existing treaties cannot be avoided 4"
Knowing as we do the well established
and traditional courtesy of the Chinese
Government in its relations with other
nations we arc sure that you did not mean
to give olfcEse by this language, but we
feel it our duty both 10 ourselves and to
our Government 10 recall to your atten-
tion that we represent the Government
of tho United States, and .!:at any com
municatiOn comes from it after careful
and most friendly consideration and is
entitled ut your hands to the same
respect with which any communication
from you has been and will always be
to say that the Government ofthe United
states is merely speaking the language of
violent men," or that the great nation in
whose name it addresses you is "a rab-
bic" or that ':n competition between the
motive of its conduct. You will GER
iCCOSulLC IiIUL tUC OI
the United States, like the Government
of China, has the right to appreciate for
itself the motives Of its own policy and
that when it addresses 10 the Chinese
Government communication upon n
subject of grave interest in respectful of
and friendly language it cannot allow
the representatives Of China to go behind
that communication and either criticise
sto ~, Il g.
representations. Your Excellencies would
be justly offended five should-venture to
consider your language rs anything less
than the authorized voice of your Gov
ernmen and if we presumed to go beyond
your words and look for your motives
and reasons in the rumors of the streets
and in the public gossip of the people.
We trust, therefore, that your Excellence
will understand that we are speaking for
the Government Of The United States,
and that we re..rcsent in ali that we may
say the grave, wellconsidered resolution
of that Government, and that while W.
| approach you in the most amicable spirit
and will give the most respectful atten-
tion to any views you AMY submit to our
consideration, We cannot in any discus
sion accept as satisfactory Language
WulCh 3cpHtattS tue OONeIHmeIC Oh the
United States from its people, or claims
the right on the part of the Chinese
Government to question the sincerity of
any communications which we may make
in its behalf"
Mr.. Trescott's vigorous reply to the
language Of the Chinese Commissioners
seemed to have good effect They hum
| bled themselves almost to the dust. and
virtually agreed to recommend modifi-
catier of the Burlingame Treaty, and
expressed desire TO cooperate with the
United Sia.cs IN regulating immigration.
The Chinese Commissioners submitted n
treaty project giving tho United States
the right only to limit the number OF
actual laborers who might enter the
ports of California, but not absolutely 10
prohibit emigration to that State. II
provided that Chinese might go to any
other State in the Union but Cali mia
for purposes of labor, and made the
limitation upon immigration short as
regards the term Of years and "not
small" regarding the number OF Chinese
allowed to enter our ports. The Ameri-
can Commissioners submitted treaty
project which was virtually the one
finally adopted
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