The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-09-02
WHEN THE DOOR OPENED.

o.
no trade treaties whatever with foreign
countries, and her commerce with the
rest of the world was of a desultory
kind. OF the beginning of American
trade with the Flowery kingdom it is
related that in 1884 a vessel sailed
from New York for Canton and COM
lpleted the round trip in fifteen months.
She carried American goods and return
ed with Chinese products, and the VEN
ture was so successful that a trade was
Established which grew until it was sec
ond alone to that of Great Britain.
However, it was not until after the
opium war in 1912 that China per-
mitted foreigners to land on her shores
and engage in business. Previous to
that the foreigner who approached for
trade purposes was compelled to do
business through the hong" merchants
who maintained warehouses at the few
ports where foreigners were permitted
to land their goods. One of the conse-
quents of the opium war was the open
ng of four ports where foreigners might
live This was followed by commercial
treaties with several powers, including
the United States. And this in turn led
in 1853 to the acceptance of foreign min
listers by the Chinese court. And since
then a little has been gained each year
against the insularity of the Chinese
people until the whole empire may be
said to be opened up to foreign trade,
at least so far as the consent of the
Chinese government goes. In 1900, de-
spite the falling off due to the Boxer
rebellion, the United States exported
| - tor Nl,i
and took from there goods to the value
of $2S, 600. In China the balance of
| trade is still against Us, but our ex-
ports are growing fast, having more
than doubled during the past few
years.
When England had secured certain
commercial rights as the result of her
opium war, President John Tyler re-
solved to get the same rights for the
merchants and seamen of the United
States So he sent Caleb Gushing as
ambassador extraordinary with power
to negotiate a trade treaty with the
Chinese emperor. And the letter of
authority with which Mr.. Cushing was
equipped is unique enough to be most
interesting. Its stilted yet childlike die
ton irresistibly recalls the Indian ora
tory so faithfully set down in the school
readers of fifty years ago. We are re-
minded of some such scene as Pow
haitian and his braves assembled around
the council fire, as an emissary of the
Great White Father patronizingly tells
them what the coming of the paleface
means.
q, John Tyler, President of the
United States commences this mes
sage to the Chinese emperor "send you
this letter of peace and friendship
signed by my own hand.
81 hope your health is good. China
is a great empire, extending over a
great part of the world The Chinese
are numerous You have millions and
millions of subjects. The twenty-six
United States are as large as China,
though our people are not so numerous.
The rising sun looks upon the great
mountains and rivers of China. When
he sets, he looks upon mountains and
rivers equally large in the United
States. Our territory extends from
ocean to ocean, and or the west we are
divided from your dominions only by
the sea. Leaving the mouth of one of
our great rivers and going constantly
toward the setting sun, we sail to ia
pan and the Yellow Sea
Now, my words are that the govern
ments of two such great countries
should be at peace. 1t is proper, and
according to the will of heaven, that
they should respect each other and act
wisely. I therefore send to your court
Caleb Cushing, one of the wise and
learned men of my country. On his
first arrival in China he will inquire for
your health. He has strict orders to go
: to your great city of Peking and there
| to deliver this letter. He will have with
| him secretaries and interpreters.
! THE Chinese love to trade with our
people and to sell them tea and silk. for
which our people pay silver, and some
| times other articles. But if the Chinese
| and Americans trade there should be
rules, so that they shall not break your
laws or our laws. Our minister, Caleb
Cushing, is authorized to make a treaty
/ to regulate trade. Let it be Just Let
/ there be no unfair advantage on either
! side. Let the people trade, not only at
| Canton, but also at Annoy, Nigpo,
Shanghai, Fuchau, aad all other places
as may offer profitable exchanges both
/ to China and the United States, provid-
ed that they do not break your laws or
our laws. Therefore we doubt not that
you will be pleased that our messenger
| of peace, with this letter in his hand.
shall come to Picking and there deliver
| it; and that your great officers WILL by
your order, make a treaty with him to
regulate affairs of trade, so that moth
ing may happen to disturb the peace
between China and America Let the
treaty be signed by your own Imperial
/ hand. 1t shall be signed by mine. by
the authority of our great council, the
Senate.
And so may your health be good and
may peace reign. Written at Washing
ton, this 18th of July, 1S43'
! President Tyler gained his point. ,e-
ing aided by the fact that the British.
IN the previous year, had forcibly open
ed certain ports. A peaceable trade
began with China and it has been grad
ualiy extending and ramifying until it
now counts heavily in the commercial
ST a tiStipS Of h0th countries,