Directory_and_Chronicle_1841 — Page 62

1841.

Address to Foreign Residents in China.

45

the Chinese and the other nations of the earth there never have exist: ed any relations, commercial or political, established on equitable principles. The intercourse with the sovereigns of Europe, barely enough to allow them to be claimed as tributary, has been wholly in- sufficient to secure for them an acknowledgement of independence. Ministers plenipotentiary from the states of Christendom never found a residence in these eastern capitals. Canton, Amoy, Ningpo, and Chusan, are the only commercial marts, of any note, ever opened in. this empire to western enterprise.

The few foreigners who have gone into the interior, have for the most part done so in disguise-if we can except only some of the Catholic fathers, who for a time were allowed to reside in the empire, aud remain close to the seat of majesty. But the privileges which Ricci and his companions enjoyed were of short duration; while from Chusan and Ningpo and Amoy the commercial establishments were by degrees withdrawn. In fact, all the privileges, of whatever kind, enjoyed by foreigners in this country, have been begged or bought ;, and hence they have been looked on by the Chinese as "special favors.' With such a condition of circumstances, honorable relations, were incompatible. Thus, during three centuries, the empire has remained closed against the free ingress of men from afar. European, embassies, not excepting Macartney's, served only, or at least mainly, to foster that spirit of exclusiveness which by their projectors it was intended they should overcome,

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In Canton, the residence of European families has never been al- lowed; and in Macao, even the temporary residence of ladies (not Portuguese) used, to be obtained with much difficulty. In 1798, an American ship, the. Betsey, arrived off Macao, having on board Mrs. M'Clannon, her infant daughter and a servant maid, with part of the, crew of a vessel, wrecked on her way to Sidney. The morning after, his arrival, the captain "waited upon the governor, a mandarin, of high grade, who declared he would not only not allow the female passengers to land, but must also refuse a permit and pilot to enable the ship to proceed to Whampoa.” The next day, finding him “

"as stubborn as ever," he presented the case to the honorable Mr. Hall the president, of the select committee of the E. I. Co.'s factory; yet nothing was sufficient to induce the Chinese to allow the female pas- sengers to land. Thus, the second, the third, and the fourth days were passed, with no, more encouragement on the last than on the first. On the fifth day the case was finally arranged by Mr. Hall, who made the mandarin a handsome cumshaw, giving bonds that the

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