Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-09-02
The Chfneae Treaty.
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fHy telegram 70 Aho blSpalcn-l
WASHINGTON, d. c., September l.
No official information Of the rejection
of the Chinese treaty has been received
at the State Department, and nothing
beyond the press dispatch cabled last
night from London and published this
morning is known on the subject
Friends Of the Administration say the
treaty contained arrangements with
China which the British Government
was most anxious to make, and British
influence to the extent Of the power Of
that Government to secure a rejection OF
the treaty by China has been sppre-
hended by them. For this reason the
amendments to the treaty, after It
had received n deliberate approval of
the Chinese through their Minister here,
although regarded as entirely unneces-
sary and useless, were yet believed to be
dangerous and mischieyOus, and 10 I'M
peril the great objects sought to be
obtained upon our side IN the long
pending negotiations t. settle an i'm
portsnt question When President
Cleveland came into power very excited
and unsatisfactory state OF things existed
on the Pacific coast regarding the
Chinese question, and one OF the earliest
important tasks which Secretary Bayard
set for himself upon assuming the
duties of his present Office was
TO secure negotiations Of new
treaty after months Of negotiation. The
result was one which was believed by the
negotiators on both sides 10 meet the
substantial requirements of the govern
ments they represented. The treaty was
at once transmitted TO China for APP
proval in March last, and nothing
WAS heard from that Government to IN
dictate any lack of entire approval Fifty
seven DAYS after the Senate received the
treaty it was ratified, but with amend
ments which the friends OF the Admins
tration regarded as superhuous. The Sec
rotary Of state reopened negotiations and
succeeded, after some correspondence,
in securing from the Chinese Minister
mis- assent to the Senate amendments, the
assent being in the form of an exchange
OF notes, which embodied in substance
an acknowledgment that the amend
ments did not substantially alter the text
OF the treaty as it had been originally
signed. There seemed to be, however,
in the mind Of the Minister an impress
sion that China had been trified with,
and when the amendments were sent out
to China the proceedings were not IN
derstood by the high authorities Of that
Government. About a month since an
inquiry was received from the Chinese
Government by cable asking il the
power still remained with the Senate to
further amend the treaty, the Chinese
authorities wishing to know if they
were dealing with fnality. To this
the Secretary of State replied at once
that the treaty could not be further
amended. Nothing further has been
heard on the subject, but it is thought
by the friends Of the Administration
that in the natural course of events the
stringent measures introduced into
Congress designed to carry into effect
by anticipation the provisions OF the
treaty have been brought TO the atten-
ton Of the Chinese Government, and it
has been apprehended that these steps
respecting the treaty not yet formally
agreed TO, and consequently not in
force, have served to add further en-
barrassments and lead to the further
doubts on the part OF the Chinese
authorities as our ultimate purpose.