The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1883-08-18
Unwritten History.

UnWritten History.
Deputy commissioner of costu ms Clay
son, OF Canton, China, was at the Pal
mer home. In the course of converse
tion with reporter for the Times about
Chinese commercial and political rela-
tions, among other things, Mr.. Clayson
let ont bit of inner workings of cer-
tain diplomatic negotiations to which
the American government was a party.
It appears that Commodore Shufeldt,
who was sent to China over year ago
to bring about treaty with Corea, was
so imprudent during negotiations as to
write letter to Senator Sergeant, of
California, wherein among other things,
concerning the Chinese people, this now
retired officer of the navy described the
empress of China as being 'ta most on
toriously licentious woman" The letter
got into print in California, but before
the publication reached China the head
officials there, according to Mr. Clayson,
received notice of this accusation
against the name of their distinguished
ruler, and it was quietly decided to sit
down on the American Commodore and
send him back to his native land treaty
less and covered with royal rebukes.
Mr.. Clayson says the remark was made
in Chinese official circles, and made in q
spirit of Indignation: "What can this
American know about our Empress when
we, her noble subjects, are not able to
learn anything about her in her life of
calm seclusion. The idea that this new
conner has had opportunities of learning
anything about our Empress-perish the
thought" The Commodore was called
up to the vice-royal's Epalace, and that
dignitary propounded to him, with all
the solemnity and sternness that become
monarch. the escutcheon of whose
house had been tarnished by one not
even to the manor born, this interroga-
tory: "Did you write letter to friend
in America declaring chat the Empress
OF China was notoriously licentious?'
"Emphatically, I did not, sir; most
decidedly, I did not" was the reply of
the blunt old tar who had s'sailed the
high seas over"
This was enough, said Mr.. Clayson.
The little unpleasantness was kept a
secret. It appears that the American
commodore grew restless, however. All
of sudden he insisted that the Corean
treaty must be signed right away, or he
would at once steam off for Yankeeland,
treaty or no treaty. In short, it must be
signed that day. Therefore it was that
Ma Chen Chung Taoti, superintendent
of circuit, the vice-royal, and Mr.. Clay
son arranged the matter with the Coreans,
| and after the representatives of the con.
tracting parties had completed their
| duties Commodore Shufeldt remarked /:
| ''This will probrbly be the last official
act of my life with foreign powers, unless
I come back to get the treaty ratified. u
| Mr.. Clayson said that the very next day
the printed copy of the commodore's let.
| ter, containing the offensive allusion to
the empress, was placed in possession oi
| the Chinese government. What was its
horror to find that the treaty had been
negotiated with foreigner who had
slandered the empress. Such thing
said Mr.. Clayson, would have been an
impossibility if the signing of that treaty
had been delayed twenty-four hours. II
has never, until now, been divuIged thai
| tine American government only escaped
by q hair's-breadth from having no treaty
with Corea.
Mr.. Clayson is an Englishman, but has
been fourteen years in the Chinese ser
vice, and although he would be entitled
| to two years leave of absence after serv.
ing seven years, he has not availet
himself of the privilege until now
Being an Englishman, and intelligen
withal, he discusses the problems that a
present vex the Chinese nation in an en-
lghtened manner. Speaking of the Ton
quin affair, growing out of the effort o
France to extend the line of its CONNER
cial and political influence in Tonquin
he declares that France is only keeping
up these threatened disruptions with for
eign powers for the purpose of divertins
attention from its own internal dissen
sions and communistic agtations
France, he believes, does not expect Il
secure any permanent lodgment at Ton
quin beyond what it now has. TIL
French, he thinks, would not be apt t.
secure much of victory if they engage.
in warlike demonstrations, and disaste
to their people in an engagement woul,
be great one. Both nations, he be
lieves, will settle the question entirel,
by the aid OF diplomacy. Since tn
American law restricting Chinese immi
grafton went into effect the people there
he says, are satisfied, but are deman din
that TIE American government kee
Americans out of China, an
they will keep the Chinese at home
Dir. Clayson left last evening for Niagar
Falls Chicago Times.