1918

UNITED STATES
TREATY BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES OE AMERICA
AND CHINA
Signed, in the English and Chinese Languages, at Tientsin
18th June, 1858
Ratifications exchanged at Pehtang, \&th August, 1859
The United States of America and the Ta-Tsing Empire, desiring to maintain
firm, lasting, and sincere friendship, have resolved to renew, in a manner clear and
positive, by means of a Treaty or general Convention of Peace, Amity, and Commerce,
the rules which shall in future be mutually observed in the intercourse of their
respective countries; for which most desirable object the President of the United
States and the August Sovereign of the Ta-Tsing Empire have named for their
Plenipotentiaries, to wit: the President of the United States of America, William B-
Reed, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to China; and His
Majesty the Emperor of China, Kweiliang, a member of the Privy Council and
Superintendent of the Board of Punishments, and Hwashana, President of the Board
of Civil Office and Major-General of the Bordered Blue Banner Division of the
Chinese Bannermen, both of them being Imperial Commissioners and Plenipotenti¬
aries : And the said Ministers, in virtue of the respective full powers they have received
from their Governments, have agreed upon the following Articles :—
Art I.—There shall be, as there has always been, peace and friendship between
the United States of America and the Ta-Tsing Empire, and between their people
respectively. They shall not insult or oppress each other for any trifling cause, so as
to produce an estrangement between them; and if any other nation should act
unjustly or oppressively, the United States will exert their good offices, on being
informed of the case, to bring about an amicable arrangement of the question, thus
showing their friendly feelings.
Art. II.—In order to perpetuate friendship, on the exchange of ratifications by
the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate of the United States, and
by His Majesty the Emperor of China, this Treaty shall be kept and sacredly guarded
in this way, viz.: The original Treaty, as ratified by the 'President of the United
States, shall be deposited at Peking, the capital of His Majesty the Emperor of China,
in charge of the Privy Council; and, as ratified by His Majesty the Emperor of China,
shall be deposited at Washington, the capital of the United’States, in charge of the
Secretary of State.
Art. III.—In order that the people of the two countries may know and obey the
provisions of this Treaty, the United States of America agree, immediately on the
exchange of ratifications, to proclaim the same and publish it bv proclamation in the
Gazettes where the laws of the United States of America are published by authority;
and His Majesty the Emperor of China, on the exchange of ratifications, agrees
immediately to direct the publication of the same at the capital and by the Governors
of all the provinces.
Art. IV.—In order further to perpetuate friendship, the Minister or Commis¬
sioner, or the highest diplomatic representative of the United States of America in
China, shall at all times have the right to correspond on terms of perfect equality and
confidence with the officers of the Privy Council at the capital, or with the Governor-
General of the Two Kwang, of Fohkien and Chekiang, or of the Two Kiang; and
whenever he desires to have such correspondence with the Privy Council at the capital
he shall have the right to send it through either of the said Governors-General, or by