Year: 1869




As an early result of the offices Of the
Chinese Ambassador in London we have the
broad admission and promise that England
does not ''desire or intend to apply any un-
friendly pressure in order to induce China to
advance more rapidly in her intercourse with
foreign nations than is consistent with the
safety and feelings of the Chinese people" In
other words, England abandons entirely the
position she formerly held with regard to China,
and takes her place side by side with the United
States in the resolution to treat the ancient
empire in all respects as a responsible nation
ality. In order to see her own progress Eng
land has only to compare her present attitude
toward the Eastern Power with the attitude
she assumed in the opium war. That was in
essence war made to force on China trade
not consistent with the safety and feelings of
the Chinese people," and the most glaring
example Of ''unfriendly pressure known to
the history Of civilized governments. British
traders could make money by the cultivation
and transportation of the seductive poison.
True, its use implied more degradation and
misery than millions of British missionaries
could sufficiently denounce but the men to be
made miserable were only Chinese, and the
government that made laws against the
trade was only the government Of China
so that honest and moral Power, Great
Britain, fostered smuggling on the Chinese
coast, supplied the smuggers with armed
boats TO fight their way In, and finally covered
with its flag war intended to substitute the
win and wishes OF Great Britain for the will
and wishes Of China in the government Of the
Chinese people. That was the most striking
example Of the British policy. British policy has
been the same ever since, although somewhat
less glaring In its assumptions of superiority
to all law and morality.


Ii was left for Americans to set the first
example Of justice, humanity, federation and
even international deccncy toward the gov
ernment and people Of China. We were the
first OF the civilized Powers to treat that nation
as we would require that other nations should
treat us-the first nation that did not make
cant Of honesty and consider that the rules OF
right that governed our conduct in Europe or
America were of no account In Asia Our
own laws had taughtus tolerance toward every
mans peculiar views, and not the narrow les
son Of endeavoring to change the world be-
cause il was not measured out and framed In
accordance with our notions. In short, our
diplomacy, being the newest and latest diplo-
macy Of the world, had in IL more Of the
enlightenment, humanity aud comprehensive
craftsmanship Of this age than of the selfish
traditions of the time that has passed away.
Approaching the Chinese government in this
spirit we naturally had at once great advan-
tages over other Powers. IL was perceived
that our motives and morals were different
from those Of the European Powers. The
Chinese saw that we did not want TO colonize
did not want to force trade, but only encourage
it's growth, and that we were willing to accord
an advantage for every one extended. From
the friendly relations thus established grew
the treaty recently made between the Chinese
government and our own. One Of the more
remarkable results Of that treaty was that IL
practically introduced new member TO the
family of nations-brougnt China into the In
ternatonal circle. supported and guaranteed