2nd. To deprecate a precipitate and unfriendly attempt on their part to enter upon a policy which might make all progress impossible from its menacing tone and "violent shock to the feelings, and even prejudices, of the people."
Translated into practice, these propositions meant that China wished to be let alone; and that, we may safely assume, represented the whole extent of Mr Burlingame's instructions. This claim was embodied in a convention which he made at Washington, comprising certain "additional articles" to the American treaty of 1858, the purport of which was that the United States undertook to apply no pressure to China, which, it may be presumed, that Power had never the intention of doing. The convention was for several reasons not welcomed at Peking, but it served the only purpose which perhaps it was ever expected to serve, that of giving the keynote to the representations which the envoy was afterwards to make to the various Powers in Europe.
The next Government to which Mr Burlingame addressed himself was that of Great Britain, over which he obtained a more important success than over that of the United States. In fact, he persuaded Lord Clarendon to discard all the information that ever reached the Foreign Office from its own responsible agents in China--men who were bound by every consideration of loyalty and public duty to report only what was true, and to accept instead thereof the protestations of an agent hired to make out a case; for it is superfluous to add that Mr Burlingame was far indeed from representing the true state of facts. He succeeded in so altering the course of the British Government that their agent in China was discredited, stultified, and rendered powerless to effect the objects for which he had been labouring. This was the first step of the Foreign Office in the new departure which had many evil results--that, namely, of taking their cue not from agents in their own pay, but from others over whom they could exercise no control, and who had alien interests to serve.
From the Chinese point of view the Burlingame mission was a decided success.
III. CHINESE OUTRAGES--YANGCHOW AND FORMOSA.
Missions attacked at Yangchow--Redress refused by Chinese and enforced by consul--With naval assistance--Satisfactory issue--Continuous outrages in Formosa--Government affords no relief--Disturbances quelled by British forces--Lawlessness near Swatow--Communications with interior controlled by bandits--Order restored by Consul Alabaster with naval force--Peace and good feeling between Chinese and foreigners resulting from these various measures--Which were approved by Imperial Government--Disapproved by British Government in consequence of Mr Burlingame's representations--Consuls punished--Lord Clarendon, prompted by Mr Burlingame, sends fresh instructions to Minister and consuls.