said tract of land, except so far as that right may have

been expressly relinquished by treaty.

In or near one or two of the cities of China the Emperor has set apart

certain tracts of land for occupation by foreigners. The foreigners

residing upon these tracts create courts of justice, organize police

forces, and govern themselves by laws of their own framing. They levy

and collect taxes, they pave their streets, they light them with gas.

These communities, through liberality of China, are so independent and

so unshackled that they have all the seeming of colonies--insomuch

that the jurisdiction of China over them was in time lost sight of and

disregarded--at least, questioned. The English communities came to be

looked upon as a part of England, and the American colonies as part of

America; and so, after the Trent affair, it was seriously held by many

that the Confederate ships of war would be as justifiable in making

attacks upon the American communities in China as they would be

in attacking New York or Boston. This doctrine was really held,

notwithstanding the supremacy of China over these tracts of land was

recognized at regular intervals in the most substantial way, viz., by

way of payment to the Government of a stipulated rental. Again, these

foreign communities took it upon themselves to levy taxes upon

Chinamen residing upon their so-called "concessions," and enforce their

collection. Perhaps those Chinamen were as well governed as they have

been anywhere in China, perhaps it was entirely just that they should

pay for good government--but the principle was wrong; it was an

encroachment upon the rights of the crown, and caused the Government

The Treaty With China