UNITED STATES
TREATY BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND CHINA
SIGNED, IN THE ENGLISH AND CHINESE LANGUAGES, AT TIENTSIN, 18TH JUNE, 1858
Ratifications exchanged at Pehtang, 16th August, 1859
The United States of America and the Ta-Tsing Empire desiring to maintain firm, lasting, and sincere friendship, have resolved to renew, in a manner clear and positive, by means of a Treaty or general convention of peace, amity, and commerce, the rules which shall in future be mutually observed in the intercourse of their respective countries; for which most desirable object the Presi tent of the United States and the August Sovereign of the Ta-Ts ng Empire have named for their Plenipotentiaries, to wit: the President of the United States of America, William B. Reed, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiarp to China; and His Majesty the Emperor of China, Kweiliang, a member of the Privy Council and Superintendent of the Board of Punishments, and Hwa-hana, President of the Board of Civil Office and Major-General o the Bordered Blue Bann r Division of the Chinese Bannermen, both of them being Imperial Comissioners and Plenipot ntia- ries: And the said Ministers, in virtue of the respective full powers they have received from their governments, have agreed upon th· following articles :--
Art. I.-There shall be, as there has always been, peace and friendship between the United States of America and the Ta-Ising Empire, and between their people respectively. They shall not insult or of press each other for any trifling cause, so as to produce an estrangement between them; and if any other nation should act unjustly or oppressively, the United States will exert their good offices, on being informed of the case, to bring about an amicable arrangement of the question, thus showing their friendly feelings.
Art. II.-In order to perpetuate friend-hip, on the exchange of ratifications by the President, with the advice and co: sent of the Senate of the United States, and by His Majesty the Einperor of China, this Treaty shall be kept and sacredly guarded in this way, viz.: The original Treaty, as rat.fied by the President of the United States, shall be deposited at Peking, the capital of His Majesty the Emperor of China, in charge of the Privy Council; and, as ratified by His Majesty the Emperor of China, shall be deposited at Washington, the capital of the United States, in charge of the Secretary of State.
Art. III.-In order that the people of the two countries may know and obey the provisions of this Treaty, the United States of America agree, immediately on the exchange of ratifications, to proclaim the same and publish it by proclamation in the Gazettes where the laws of the United States of America are publi hel by authority; and His Majesty the Emperor of China, on the exchange of ratifications, agrees immediately to direct the publication of the same at the capital and by the Governors of all the provinces.
Art. IV. In order further to perpetuate friendship, the Minister or Commis- sioner, or the highest diplomatic representative of the United States of America ne Cuina, shall at all times have the right to corre-pond on terms of p rfect equality anid confidence with the officers of the Privy Council at the capital, or with the Governor- General of the Two Kwang, of Fohkien and Chekiang, or of t e Two Kiang; and whenever he desires to have such corresp ndence with the Privy Council at the capital he shall have the right to send it through either of the said Governors-General, or by general post; and all such communications shall be most carefully respected. The Privy Council and Governors-General, as the case may be, shall in all cases consider and acknowledge such communications promptly and re pectfully.
Art. V.-The Minister of the United States of America in China, whenever he has business, shall have the right to visit and sojourn at the capital of His Majesty the