Ir farther proof were wanted, of the light in which Foreigners are regarded at Peking, and of the consequent falsity of the character given to the Barlingame mission by its foreign members, we find it ina memorandum by the British Minister of a conversation with Priace Kung, on the 12th of last October. Mr. Wade attributed the belief by the people of the ridiculous stories which were being circulated about Foreigners, to the neglect of the Chinese Government to enlighten them as tour true status and the true relation of foreign countries with China; and went on to say that, ma late conversation, the Prince had observed that he and the Ministers were constantly abused on account of their relations with Foreigners. Nothing-could more plainly establish the falsity of the position of Foreign Ministers at Peking. The people, educated and uneducated, in their ignorance despise and detest foreign nations as devils and savages; hence they abuse their own superiors for their intercourse with Foreign Representatives and such a state of things must continue until the Ministers of the Chinese Government make an effort to enlighten them. This they have not yet attempted. On the contrary, although in their immediate intercourse with Foreign Ministers there is no discourtesy to complain of, their real estimate of the Foreign Minister is shown by the manner in which they speak of him when addressing their own Sovereign. Mr. Wade quoted express sions employed in documents that had fallen into his hands, in which Foreign Ministers and their Governments are spoken ofos if they weren't only the subjects of the Emperor of China, but the subordinates of the Chinese Minister addressing his Majesty." We believe that Mr. Wade struck, in these remarks, at the root of the misunderstandings which chronically arise between Foreigners and Chinese. Following the tradition of centuries, the Chinese hold, invegard to all Foreigners, the opinion which was trae of Coreans, Siamese and other border nations, when these only were known to them—a viction of immensurable superiority. "What. this Foreigner _remarks,"—wrote the Emperor Hienfung, when a former U. S. Minister was trying to each the Imperial presence, and declaring the high respect in which beheld the Chinese Rulér, although he declined to kotow as a tubate-bearer What this Foreigner remarks, that he respects the Great Emperor as mach as he doos that President, is nothing less than to class the middle kingdom with barbaronstribes. Such wild exaltation of himself can only be relegated to subjects which make one laugh." And what Hienfang wrote in 1855, his successor and his subjects hold as an article of political faith in 1871, The Ministers of the Toung-li Yamen who have come into immediate contact with Foreign Envoys, may perceive their error; but they are too conceited and obstinate to acknowledge it frankly; and their persistence in the false theory is undoubtedly one great reason, as Me. Wade insists, why the Chinese people are so ready to believe any enormity of men whom they are taught to regard as barbarians and devils. A recent article\in the N-C. Heralil insists upon this very point, in commenting on the bad faith shown by the Chinese in regard to the edict which they promised to post throughout the country, declaring the falsehood of the accusations against Missionaries which excited the massacre of 'Tientsin, " What we need," said the writer, "to set our relations with China' on a proper footing, aud\ what this Tientsin case again tells us is indispensable to that end, is that the Chi-nose Government should publicly declare their desire to admits into equal and friendly comity, and denounce any intention on the part of their officials or the people, to frustrate their intentions. The treaties practically enounce these principles, it is true, but the treaties are insufficient unless pub-liely notified and emphasised. What we want isa Yellow Edict, published in every large market town in the Em-Viotvoys and Governors, until the acive, and periodically repeated by
knowledged relations become an ace complished fact. Until this is dono, we shall never be safe from complications. But the people of China only want to know that their rulers desire to take us by the hand, to receive us themselves on the most amicable terms." We are glad to find Mr. Wade insisting to Prince Kung, on precisely the same point; and trast that the demand will be pressed to conclusion.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.