409 1845 Note. Export of Teas to the United States,-Continued. Beside the above named 48 vessels, the Paulina sailed October 11th, and the Pactolus sailed February 1st with cargoes exclusively of drugs, Silks and Sundries, making the number of vessels dispatched from China for the United States 50, during the season; of these the Mary Ellen, Loochoo and Cohota were partially laden with Manila produce, of which the later transhipped some to the Avalanche. Of these 50 vessels the Sappho, dispatched Aug. 2d, the Aldebaran, Heber, Rouble, and Areatus were bound to Boston, the other 45 to New York. Export of Silks and Sundries to the United States on the above named 50 vessels in 1844-45, and on 30 vessels in 1843-44. ART. II. Message from the president of the United States to the senate, transmitting the treaty concluded between Mr. Cushing and Kiying in behalf of their respective governments. CONTINUING the drama of diplomatic intercourse between China and the United States of America, we commence with the opening of scene second, where the General Council of state, on the 22d of April 1844,-the several memorials of Ching, the acting governorgeneral of Canton, having been laid before the court and duly considered," received an intimation of the emperor's pleasure, appointing Kiying high imperial commissioner," &c. On the same day, the Cabinet received orders to transmit to him the seals of this office, which he held, in 1842, at Nanking, in connection with I'lípú and Niúkien, and now investing him with full and extraordinary powers, as sole commissioner, "to adjust the future free commercial relations in the provinces," having reference to foreign nations. For a copy of the original of this edict see page 387, in our last volume. By that document Kíying was virtually made minister for foreign affairs. Scene third opens, "on board boat," at Súchau, April 29th, where we see Kíying "traveling full speed," writing a dispatch to the honorable plenipotentiary, the American envoy, Cushing, "that very fortunately he may not proceed to the north." On the 30th of May, he made his public entrance at Canton, and at once addressed to Mr. Cushing the following communication. "Tsiyeng, of the imperial house, governor-general of Kwángtung and Kwángaí, a member of the Board of War of the first class, a vice guardian of the heir apparent, minister of state, and commissioner extraordinary of the Ta Tsing empire, makes this communication: "My former communication, dispatched from Súchau, I suppose your excellency has already received and perused. Having now on the 31st May, 1844, arrived at the city Canton, I learn that your excellency has awaited a personal interview at Macao, and clearly perceive your commendable sincerity and good faith. Being now arrived in Canton, the management of public business will here cause a little delay, and then I will proceed directly to Macao, in order speedily to have a personal interview. Our two countries for these hundreds of years having been at peace, and free from all animosity, there is surely no reason why our mutual friendship and mutual respect should not continue. Moreover, I have hitherto treated men with sincerity and justice, as, I suppose, your excellency may have heard and seen. "Besides giving information of the day for proceeding to Macao, when it shall have been fixed, I now beg to trouble r excellency to examine this communication; and I improve the opportunity to inquire for your happiness. "To the American envoy, Cushing, &c. May the communication reach him to whom it is addressed. "May 31, 1844. True translation: E. C. BRIDGMAN, "Joint Chinese Secretary to the Legation." This and the dispatch from Sáchau were both returned, for this simple, and quite sufficient reason, that "the name of the Chinese government stood higher, in column by one character, than that of the United States." The correspondence thus proceeds: "United States Legation, Macao, June 3, 1844. "The undersigned, commissioner, and also envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the court of China, has the honor to inform his excellency the imperial commissioner Tsiyeng, that he has been made acquainted with the contents of the two communications of the imperial commissioner, the tenor of which affords him much satisfaction. "He cordially reciprocates the wishes therein expressed for the perpetual friendship and harmony of the United States. "Having already awaited the arrival of the imperial commissioner for a long time, greatly to his own inconvenience and to the prejudice of his country's interests, he is gratified to learn that he may expect the honor of an interview with the imperial commissioner at an early day, then to consider and adjust the relations of the two governments. "The undersigned offers to his excellency the assurance of his high consideration and respect. C. CUSHING." "United States Legation, Macao, June 3, 1844. "Sir: I regret exceedingly, at the commencement of a correspondence which I trust will be advantageous to our respective countries as well as mutually agreeable, to have to return the communications transmitted to me by your excellency; more especially, as the tenor of those letters is in all respects satisfactory and conformable to the high estimation which I had been led to form of your excellency's character. But I feel compelled to this step by a paramount sense of duty to my government. "My objections to retaining those communications have been fully explained to the deputed officer, by whom the latter was delivered; and on his assurance that the peculiarities in the address employed were probably the result of clerical inadvertence, and that your excellency had no purpose of disrespect to the United States, and that he would receive back the letters for correction in these particulars, I concluded to read the communication and reply to your excellency. "I have the honor, then, to return these letters, in the belief that your ex cellency will see the evident propriety of adhering to the forms of national quality, the observance of which is indispensable to the maintenance of peace and harmony between the two governments, whose common interests recommend that each should treat the other with the deference due to great and powerful independent States. "I am, with great respect, your obedient servant, "To his excellency Tsiyeng, &c. "Tsiyeng, of the imperial house, governor-general of the two provinces of Kwangtung and Kwangsi, member of the Board War of the first class, vicc-guardian of the heir apparent, minister of state, and cominissioner extraordinary of the Tá Tsing empire, makes this communication in reply: "Whereas the district magistrate, Wú, a deputed officer, has now returned to the provincial city, bringing the honorable envoy's two communications, which I have read and fully understood: I, the minister, well know the honorable envoy has waited a long time, under the urgent necessity of a mutual meeting. I have now determined on the 25th instant (10th June) to commence my journey from Canton, "via" the Bogue. In consequence of the English envoy's (sir H. Pottinger) withdrawing from the control of affairs [in China,] and returning to his country, he desires a personal interview, after which, he instantly embarks for his nation; and I (the minister) cannot conveniently long defer an interview preventing him (Sir H.) from commencing his voyage. "Moreover, the Bogue is on a convenient route to Macao, and will not cause any detention of the minister; and immediately taking my departure from the Bogue, I shall proceed to Macao, with the honorable envoy to meet face to face, and accordingly, as shall be proper, to remain and reside there several days, that it may be convenient with your excellency to deliberate upon the friendly relations of peace, which may be delightful. In a few days we shall take each other by the hand, and converse and rejoice together with indescribable delight. "As to the former communications, issued en route, there were mistakes in writing your excellency's titles and your name. Truly, this was because, in consequence of no communications having been received from the honorable envoy, we were without data according to which to write them. "Whereas the deputed officer, the district magistrate, Wú, has taken the original dispatches and returned them, and whereas the honorable plenipotentiary has addressed me on the previous communications, I (the minister) immediately directed my clerk to correct and rewrite them, and now return them prepared for the archives, fortunately, without any accompanying dissatisfaction. "As is becoming, I first make this communication, and embrace the opportunity to present my compliments and wishes for your complete and perfect happiness. "The foregoing communication is to his excellency C. Cushing, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America. "Taukwáng, 4th month, 24th day-June 9, 1844.) "Faithful translation: Peter Parker, "Joint Chinese Secretary to the Legation." On the 17th Kíying reached his temporary residence near Macao: on the 18th with his suite he waited on Mr. Cushing; who on the 19th returned the visit; and on the 21st proceeded to business, as indicated in the following dispatch. United States Legation, June 21, 1844. "Sir: At the interview which I had the honor to hold with your excellency on the 19th instant, it was agreed that Messrs. Hwang, Chow, and Pwan, in behalf of your excellency, and Messrs. Webster, Bridgman, and Parker, in my behalf, should meet together at a subsequent hour on the same day, and arrange the time and mode of proceeding to the business with which we are charged by our respective governments. "These gentlemen met accordingly; when Messrs. Hwang, Chow, and Pwan, stated that your excellency was ready to enter at once upon the consideration of a treaty between our respective countries, and desired me to. present a projet of such a treaty as would be satisfactory to the United States "I cannot refuse to meet your excellency's proffer in the spirit of promptitude and frankness in which it was made, though, in assuming this responsibility, without any previous discussion of preliminaries, I place myself at some disadvantage. "I have the honor, therefore, to submit to your excellency the minutes of a proposed treaty, which covers all questions, except two or three, of a special nature, and of great importance, which I desire to present to your cxcellency separately at an early day. "It is proper for me to state, briefly, the principles on which this projet of treaty has been prepared: "1. The United States is to treat with China on the basis of cordial friendship and firm peace. "2. We do not desire any portion of the territory of China, nor any terms or conditions whatever which shall be otherwise than just and honorable to China as well as the United States. "3. My government would be happy to treat with China on the further basis of perfect reciprocity in all commercial relations. All the ports of the United States are open to foreign commerce, and we do not impose any dutics on exports. But I am well aware of the emperor's wish to limit the commerce of foreign nations to five ports of the empire, and to retain the general system of duties, in the establishment of which your excellency was a principal agent. In the spirit of amity towards China, the United States acquiesces in the view of this subject which it has pleased the emperor to adopt. And, accordingly. I have drawn up the minutes of a treaty |