The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-06
RELATIONS WITH China
Early Treaties and Dealings With
the United States.
No State Records of Commercial
Agreements Prior 10 Is3I-Jnck-
sons Message to Congress In IhSt
Year-A Frigate and "A Chnstise-
mcnt-RcsuIt of II Vigorous Policy.

| mcnt-RcsuIt of Vigorous Policy.
Prior to the last half century the in
ternaI affairs of the Chinese Empire were
| a sealed book to the outside world. At
that time Canton was the only Chinese
| port at which foreigners were tolerated
and allowed TO trade or even to enter ex-
cept in a few privileged cases, and even
there commerce was placed under dis
courag ing restrictions. No foreigner was
( permitted to trade directly VITA Chinese
merchants.
All commercial transactions were con-
| fined to certain favored persons, called
ong-merchants. to whom the privilege OF
trading with foreigners was farmed out by
the Government These hong-merchants
formed themselves into syndicates and mo-
ncpolies strikingly akin in their methods
| to the trusts of the United States today
| China, at that time, was known to be a
populous empire, fertile Of soil and rich
| in resources, possessing knowledge OF let
| tiers and many arts and vast and expensive
| accommodations for internal commerce ana
intercourse: but it had ever rigidiy ex-
cluded foreigners from its territory and
had arrogated to itself magnificent SUI
periority over all other nations.
Comparatively recent as has been the
opening of Chinese ports to our commerce
there are no state records OF our CONNER
cial relations with the Empire prior TO the
year 1881 II any other records exist they
are either of private origin or else they
are fluctuations of commercial societies and
inaccessible to the public.
President Jackson's Message.
President Jackson's first annual message
to Congress, in the year mentioned, vas
the first executive message to contain
any reference whatever 10 our relations
with China. ITO China and the East
Indies" reads the message, ''our commerce
continues in its usual extent, and with in
creased facilities which the credit and capi-
tai of our merchants afford by the substi-
tuition of bills for payment in specie.
An idea of the state of comfy existing
between our Government and the Orient
| at that time may be formed from an Incl
dent alluded to in-the same message. 1t
appears that a daring outrage had been
committed in those seas" by the plumber
of one of our merchantmen engaged in the
nenper trade and that 1.-The piratical per-
netrators belonging to tribes in such a
state of society that the usual course OF
| proceedings in such cases between CIVIL
zed nations could not be pursued,
| forthwith despatched a frigate, con-
tinues the message with Jaeksonian sig
niiance with orders to require immediate
satisfaction for the injury, and indemnity
for the sufferers" IL is Interesting to note
that this affair, like all other business OF
state taken in hand by vigorous states
man. was concluded with characteristic
md h. in a n
nual message he announced the successful
fulfillment of that mission as follows:
a frigate was despatched with
orders to demand satisfaction or TO inf1fet
such chastisement as would deter them
and others from like aggressions. This
last was done and the effect has been an
increased respect for our flag in those dis
tant seas, and an additional security for
our commerce
During the decade following the year
1881 no reference to our relations with
China appears in any document emanat-
ing from our Executives, and no
action encouraging trade with the Empire
was taken by our, Government. During
that period the importations into the
United States from China amounted TO 80
coo. 900; and during the year 1S41 the d.
rect exports from this country to China,
consisting of $4,000 in domestic produce
and $3.50. 600 in foreign merchandise, aggre-
gated s1.2S0,Oe0.
Possibilities of Trade.
The indirect exports to China in vessels
that cleared for other Oriental ports were
estimated to be as great as the direct
shipments. In 1s4e these facts were COM
municated to Congress and its attention
was called to the possibilities and advan-
tages of trade with China; and some ac-
ton was taken by that body with a view
of breaking down the barriers which had
ever characterized the policy of the Chi
nese Government.
Events had then recently transpired in
China which presented to our Government
an opening wherein 20 drive an entering
commercial wedge. China had been de-
yastated by a war of long duration with
England, which had terminated in the year
last mentioned in a treaty between the
belligerents before Marking. The condi-
lions of that treaty were peace and friend
ship between the two Empires; Annoy,
Canton Foo-ehoo. Ningpo. and Shanghai
to be thrown open TO British commerce;
Hongkong to be ceded to Great Britain. and
English Consuls TO be allowed to reside
at all open ports.
As soon as President Tyler was ap-
prised of the conclusion of such a treaty
he made il the subject of a special mes
sage to Congress. He represented that in
so much as the Celestial diet had lifted
the veil of isolation in which it had hith-
erto enveloped itself by vouchsafing the
correspondence of its minor officials on
terms of equality with the agents of Great
Britain, it could hardly withhold like con-
cessions TO other nations.
Therefore. he recommended that he be
authorized by Congress to despatch a min
lister or commissioner TO China TO protect
and foster there the interests of the Unit
| ed States, and asked for an appropriation
| for that purpose sufficiently large to COM
I pelsate such an envoy. That Congress
I acted promptly and favorably upon this
recommendation is evidenced by the fol-
| lowing clause in President Tyler's third
annual message to Congress in 1913: I'm
| of the last session. a Minister was de-
| spatched rom the United States to China,
| in August OF the present year"
The Minister, who is cassed in the
| archives of the State Department as a COM
missioner, was no less person that the
| Hon Caleb Cushing. In remarkably
| short time he succeeded in negotiating a
| valuable treaty with the imperial Govern
inert which was promptly ratified and
proclaimed by both Governments.
The Cushing Treaty.
This was the treaty of 1914, known as
the Cushing treaty. Its distinguishing
provisions were as follows: Perfect. per-
manent and universal peace and sincere
and cordial amty was declared to exist
between the subjects OF the high contract