EXTENSION OF AMERICAN COMMERCE IN THE EAST. I'll 



depredations o the myriads of pirates who swarm upon the coasts of the empire ; and hence 

 the necessity of providing suitable vessels of war for the protection of its foreign commerce." 



Again: "The foreign commerce of China, under its modern aspects, has as yet been 

 but imperfectly developed, nor will it be established upon any satisfactory basis until its 

 government is compelled, either by its own efforts or aided by other powers, to enter into a just 

 and liberal intercourse with its sister nations to receive at its capital diplomatic representatives, 

 and to protect throughout its vast dominions whomsoever may, for business or pleasure, visit 

 its cities and provinces." 



"The unsocial, I may almost say insolent, exclusiveness which its people have hitherto 

 practised with regard to strangers, should no longer be tolerated. They should be made to 

 understand, as have been the Japanese, that their beautiful country was not intended to be 

 closed forever to the people of other nations, with whom a free and untrammelled intercourse 

 could not but contribute to their advantage." 



" Such large and productive portions of the earth could never have been designed for their 

 exclusive benefit ; and though it is not pretended that strangers have any positive right to 

 encroach upon their privileges, social or political, it is maintained that all foreign nations 

 would be fully justified in constraining the governments of China and Japan to recognize the 

 great essentials and fundamental requirements of international law." 



" Whatever may have been the justice or morality of the English war with China, it 

 resulted in comparative benefit to both nations ; and the only mistake was, that it did not 

 continue until those ignorant and besotted people had been made more fully satisfied of their 

 own weakness, and the consequent folly of assuming to be superior to all the rest of the 

 world." 



" China should be more thoroughly Europeanized. The people do not want for civilization 

 in their way, but they require a more practical form of government, and, as before remarked, 

 a less restricted intercourse with the world. Until these desirable ends can be brought about, 

 it would seem to be the interest, indeed the duty, of all commercial nations, to urge upon them, 

 in such manner as will prove effectual, the necessity of a more enlightened policy." 



" The existing treaties of the United States and France with China are imperfect ; and 

 though they are based upon the one with England, and are quite as advantageous as could 

 have been expected under the circumstances in which they were negotiated, they require 

 revision, and should be remodelled on the first favorable occasion ; and in all future treaty 

 arrangements there should be provision made for the mutual enforcement (if need be, by armed 

 intervention) of all the stipulated obligations and conceded rights of the contracting parties." 



"Diplomatic representatives should reside at Pekin, and consuls be received at all the prin- 

 cipal ports. The property and personal safety of aliens and strangers guarantied, and the 

 same privileges conceded to foreigners residing in, or visiting China, as are granted to them in 

 Europe and America. ' ' 



It is idle to suppose, that because the policy of the United States has hitherto been to avoid, 

 by all possible means, any coalition, or even connexion with the political acts of other nations, 

 we can always escape from the responsibilities which our growing wealth and power must 

 inevitably fasten upon us. The duty of protecting our vast and rapidly growing commerce will 

 make it not only a measure of wisdom, but of positive necessity, to provide by timely prepara- 

 tion for events which must, in the ordinary course of things, transpire in the east. In the 

 developments of the future, the destinies of our nation must assume conspicuous attitudes ; we 

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