Page 463 - Merchants and Mandarins China Trade Era

449.

conclusion of the treaty.

On July 3, 1844 Cushing and his party met the Chinese

delegation for the last time at the temple of Wang-hsia. The

appropriate representatives formally signed the Treaty of Wang­

hsia, which had been made into eight copies of which four each

were in English and Chinese. Afterwards, Ch'i-ying and the

Chinese went to Cushing's residence at Macao for a banquet.

Cushing had invited numerous American residents, as well as

their wives, to attend. Ch' i-ying, unfamiliar with the ''bar­

barian custom" of extolling women, commented that in their

presence he "was composed and respectful but uncomfortable, while

98
they were greatly honored. 11 The Imperial Commissioner recip-
rocated with a banquet of his own, for the American gentlemen.

Lasting four hours, the dinner consisted of numerous C a ntonese

delicacies and fiery Chinese wine. In following weeks Cushing
despatched the letters he carried from President Tyler to

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Ch' i-ying for presentation to the Emperor. He also sent an

engraving of the President to the Imperial Commissioner, who

98
1-wu-shih-mo: Tao-kuang, LXXIII, 8-20, and Swisher,
Management of American Barbarians, pp. 174-75.
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cushing carried two letters for the Emperor from Presi­
dent Tyler. Written by Daniel Webster, the style and language
of the first letter was simplistic and reminiscent of lraditional
American treatment of 11barbarians. 11 Although sometimes also at­
tributed to Webster, the second letter was the work of Webster's
successor, A.P. Upshur. This letter contained Cushing's instruc­
tions. Diplomatic Instructions: China, Jun. 13, 1843. See also
Tyler Dennett, Americans in Eastern Asia: The Policy of the United
States with Reference to China, Japan and Korea in the 19th Century
(New York, 1922), pp. 140-41.