Mr. Burlingame to Mr. Seward
No. 63.]
Legation of the United States,
Peking,
January 12, 1864.
Sir: I have the honor to send you, marked A.
the correspondence between Prince Kung and myself in relation to the
appointment of George F. Seward, esq., as consul general.
You will be pleased to learn that though the prince understood from Mr.
Reed’s letter of November 10, 1858, that the United States would not
appoint such an officer, still, for personal reasons, and as another
mark of his confidence in us, he waives the point, and recognizes Mr.
Seward in a most amicable spirit.
I fear that your despatch informing me of Mr. Seward’s appointment has
miscarried, as I have received nothing in relation to it directly from
you. I fear, also, that you may never have received my despatch No. 42,
in which I endeavored to set forth the policy agreed upon by the
representatives of the foreign powers in China, as you refer to 41 and
43, but not to 42. I have your despatches 39 and 41, but 40 has not
arrived. I beg to express my thanks for your continued approval of my
action in China.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward,
Secretary of State, &c., &c.,
&c.
A.
Mr. Burlingame to Prince Kung
Legation of the United
States,
Peking,
January 4, 1864.
Sir: I have the honor to inform your
imperial highness that George F. Seward, esq., at present United
States consul at Shanghai, and well acquainted with the commercial
affairs of that port, which he has satisfactorily managed for a long
time, has been promoted by the President to be the United States
consul general at that port, and I have therefore to request your
imperial highness that the same may be notified to the
superintendent of customs and the governor of Kiangsu, Li, that he
may recognize him as such, and co-operate with him in a friendly
spirit in all matters requiring their united action.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
His Imperial Highness Prince Kung,
Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs.
Prince Kung to Mr. Burlingame
Prince Kung, chief secretary of state for foreign affairs,
herewith sends a reply.
I recently received your excellency’s despatch, in which you
informed me “that the President of the United States having
promoted George P. Seward, now American consul at Shanghai, to
be United Slates consul general at that port, you request me to
notify the same to the governor of Kiangsu, in order that he may
co-operate with Mr. Seward in the conduct of public affairs,”
&c.
[Page 370]
On looking into this matter it appears to me that a consul
general properly ranks with a treasurer or judge of a province,
and this point was discussed in some communications which passed
“between their excellencies the two imperial commissioners
Kweiliang and Hwashana and the Hon. Mr. Reed. The latter, in his
reply of November 10, 1858, says: “The question of the relative
rank of consuls general does not arise with the United States,
which has no such officer in China.” In the despatch under reply
you inform me that Mr. Seward has now been promoted from a
consul to be a consul general, and though Mr. Reed’s despatch
states that the United States government has no such office as a
consul general,* yet, as
your excellency has conducted the business and intercourse
between our two nations in an equitable and honorable manner,
and this post of consul general has been newly established, it
will be both proper and expedient to inform the superintendent
of customs and the governor of Kiangsu, Li, of the same, that he
may notify the treasurer and judge of that province and the
collectors of customs at the open ports of the same, who will
recognize Mr. Seward as such, and co-operate amicably with him
on all occasions that require united action, and treat him in
the same kind and respectful manner as is shown to the consuls
general of all other nations.
His Excellency Anson Burlingame,
United States Minister to China.
January 4, 1864—Tungchi, 2d year, 11th
moon, 29th day.
