The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1891-05-05
MIR, BLAIR WILL NOT GO TO
china A.

we nave no OlSpObltiOu W 1cJOiOO IL
the misfortunes that have come to Mr..
BLAIR Discounted by the failure OF
bis educational bill, beaten for re-elec-
ton to the Senate, he is now chagrined
and humiliated by the official notifica-
ton on the part of the Chinese authorl-
ties that China is not willing to receive
him as Minister.
It Is series of political misfortunes
which Mr. BLAIR, wild as he is in some
of his schemes for the universal saliva
ton of mankind, does not deserve. The
Republican Senate was pledged by every
obligation of honor to pass the educa-
tional bill. 1t refused to do SO because,
under the provisions of the bill, most of
the money would have to come into
the South. Mr. BLAIR was indignant
at this violation of their pledge by his
Republican associates and denounced
them roundly. Defeated at home for re-
election, Mr. BLAIR was solaced by the
appointment as Minister to China. Now,
because of speeches in which he took
strong ground against Chinese immigra-
ton, the Chinese government declines to
receive him. Surely his lot is not hap
py one. and although we never regarded
hlm as a conspicuously able man, we
sympathize with the disappointed man
in his latest rebuff We believe that Mr..
BLAIR was patriotic in his earnest es-
pousal of his educational bill, by which
most of the money would have come into
the South. For his interest in the
South and his belief in the fact,
and his effort to compel the men who
freed the negroes to help bear the bur-
den of education-for these things we
have been willing to forgive much patti
| zanship; and we were even willing to for
give his long twelve days speech in the
Senate = part which We were so unfor-
tunate as to hear.
OF course the President will appoint
another minister to China. Our govern
ment recognizes the right of foreign
power to express its unwillingn,ss to re-
| ceive minister who is not entirely &C
ceptable. More than one objection, have
| been made and so late as in Mr. CLHyE
LANDS administration when Italy OBJ
jected to receiving the Minister appoi1
ed. 1t will be difficult to find nan ol
prominence who has not opposed Chinese
immigration, but few had spoken so bit
terly against the inhabitxnts of the
Celestial Empire as Mr. BLAIR.
The recognized princigie on this sub
ject was we'll stated in the ic:!cwins
words by Mr.. Freligghuysen when Sec
rsts1ru,od s:sl
IT must be borne in mind that al
envoy is Q person as well as the abstrac
1 representative Of his government, an6
that it is the prerogatiye of every gov
ernment to require that those with whom
i. deals be persOrR gratR and to decld
the question for itself.
"This government has on several oc
casions availed itself OF this persona
right without thereby being supposed t
reflect on the representative character Q
the person himself and still less upol
} the collective representative character Q
his associates"
Those who dislike Mr.. BLAIR will re
gret the action of the Chinese govern
ment and be sorry that he is to renal
in this country. The most serious diff
Guilty that ALEXANDER STEPHENS eve
, had with his constituents was over II
; commencing very offensive Republ
can to position as consul in foreig
country. They waited on him indie
nantly and he answered them by prt
pounding the inquiry to each: ''Do 20
, prefer to have this man who is offensiv
. to you in Georgia or sent away to som
+ far off port 2" 1t was poser. That We
what the President could have answere
a any Of BLAIR's enemies who objected
= his appointment of Mr.. BLAIR as Minis
ter to China.