810 



UNITED STATES. 



and silver, for the purpose of establishing in- 

 ternationally the use of bi-metallic money, and 

 securing fixity of relative value between those 

 metals. Such conference was to be held at 

 such place in Europe or in the United ^ States, 

 at such time within six months, as might be 

 mutually agreed upon by the executives of the 

 Governments joining in the same, whenever 

 the Governments so invited, or any three of 

 them, shall have signified their willingness to 

 unite in the same. Such Congress was held 

 in Paris, but without any definite result. 



For the commerce of the United States, see 

 COMMERCE, INTERNAL ; for the condition of the 

 military and naval forces, see ARMY and NAVY ; 

 for the foreign relations, see DIPLOMATIC COR- 

 RESPONDENCE ; for the financial affairs of the 

 Government and people, see FINANCES; for 

 civil and internal affairs, elections, etc., see the 

 articles on the several States. 



The increasing importance of our commer- 

 cial relations with China, and the present agi- 

 tation of the public mind on the subject of 

 Chinese immigration, render the establishing 

 of a permanent legation by the Chinese Gov- 

 ernment in this country, during the present 

 year, an event of unusual interest. 



The nature of the present amicable relations 

 between the two nations, and the manner in 

 which they were secured, it may be well here 

 briefly to mention. Early in November, 1867, 

 Mr. Burlingame, the American Minister at Pe- 

 king, informed the Chinese Government that 

 he intended to resign his post and return to 

 his country. It was attempted, unsuccessful- 

 ly, to dissuade him from this purpose. Finding 

 him resolute, Prince Rung tendered him the 

 compliment of a farewell dinner. All the 

 members of the Council of Foreign Affairs were 

 present. Several mandarins spoke of the great 

 service which Mr. Burlingame had done China 

 during his visit to Europe and this country in 

 1865. Mr. Burlingame answered that he would 

 always be ready to say a good word for their 

 country when the opportunity should present 

 itself to him. 



The idea of an embassy seems to have been 

 suggested by these speeches. The Inspector 

 General of Customs and the Secretary of the 

 British Legation were consulted, and two days 

 after the dinner a deputation of high officials 

 waited on Mr. Burlingame and tendered him 

 an appointment as ambassador. He accepted 

 on the single condition that the embassy should 

 be placed in all respects on a footing of the 

 highest respectability. Mr. Burlingame placed 

 his resignation as American Minister in the 

 hands of his Secretary of Legation. A week 

 afterward he received his credentials from the 

 hands of Prince Kung. Letters were addressed 

 as a notification to the foreign ministers in 

 Peking, which expressed a strong wish on the 

 part of the Chinese to become better under- 

 stood by foreign powers, and evinced a desire 

 to enter upon a course of progress. 



Mr. Burlingame left Peking on the morning 



of November 25th. He was escorted to the 

 gates by all the foreign residents, including his 

 colleagues in the diplomatic body. In his suite 

 were the late Secretary of the British Legation, 

 a French gentleman previously holding a high 

 office in the maritime customs, two manda- 

 rins, six attaches selected from the new college 

 at Peking, and some twenty others. On March 

 31, 1868, Mr. Burlingame arrived at San Fran- 

 cisco, and after a short stay proceeded to 

 Washington and entered at once into negotia- 

 tions with Mr. Seward, the Secretary of State, 

 for a treaty containing additional articles to that 

 of June 18, 1858. On the 4th of July the treaty- 

 was signed in Washington ; on the llth it was 

 transmitted to the Senate, and ratified on the 

 16th. The fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh of 

 the additional articles are as follows : 



ART. IV. The twenty-ninth article of the treaty of 

 the 18th of June, 1858, having stipulated for the ex- 

 emption of Christian citizens of the United States 

 and Chinese converts from prosecution in China 

 on account of their faith, it is further agreed that 

 citizens of the United States of every religious per- 

 suasion and Chinese subjects in the United States 

 shall enjoy entire liberty of conscience, and shall bo 

 exempt 'from all liability of persecution on account 

 of their religious faith or worship in either country. 

 Cemeteries for the sepulture of the dead, of whatever 

 nativity or nationality, shall be held in respect and 

 free from disturbance or profanation. 



ART. V. The United States of America and the 

 Emperor of China cordially recognize the inherent 

 and inalienable right of man to change his home and 

 allegiance, and also the mutual advantage of the free 

 migration and emigration of their citizens and sub- 

 jects respectively from one to the other for purposes 

 of curiosity, trade, or as permanent residents. The 

 high contracting parties, therefore, join in reprobat- 

 ing any other than an entirely voluntary emigration 

 for these purposes. They consequently agree to pass 

 laws making it a penal offense for a citizen of the 

 United States or a Chinese subject to take Chinese 

 subjects either to the United States or to any other 

 foreign country, or for a Chinese subject or a citizen 

 of tlie United States to take citizens' of the United 

 States to China or to any other foreign country, 

 without their free and voluntary consent respec- 

 tively. 



ART. VI. Citizens of the United States visiting or 

 residing in China shall enjoy the same privileges, 

 immunities, or exemptions, in respect to travel or 

 residence, as there may be enjoyed by the citizens 

 or subjects of the most favored nation ; and, recip- 

 rocally, Chinese subjects visiting or residing in the 

 United States shall enjoy the same privileges, immu- 

 nities, or exemptions, in respect to travel or resi- 

 dence, as the most favored nation ; but nothing herein 

 contained shall be held to confer naturalization upon 

 the citizens of the United States in China, nor upon 

 the subjects of China in the United States. 



ART. VII. Citizens of the United States shall enjoy 

 all the privileges of the public educational institu- 

 tions under the control of the Government of China, 

 and, reciprocally, Chinese subjects shall enjoy all the 

 privileges of the public educational institutions 

 under the control of the Government of the United 

 States, which are enjoyed in the respective countries 

 by the citizens or subjects of the most favored na- 

 tion. The citizens of the United States may freely 

 establish and maintain schools within the empire of 

 China at those places where foreigners are by treaty 

 permitted to reside ; and, reciprocally, Chinese sub- 

 jects may enjoy the same privileges and immunities 

 in the United States. 



