APPENDIX B
THE
BURLINGAME TREATY
TREATY OF TRADE, CONSULS, AND
EMIGRATION
Concluded July 28, 1868; ratification advised by the Senate
with amendments July 24, 1868; amendments incorporated in the treaty July 28,
1868; ratified by the President, October 19, 1868; ratifications exchanged
November 23, 1869; proclaimed February 5, 1870.
Whereas since the
conclusion of the treaty between the United States of America and the Ta Tsing
Empire (China) of the eighteenth of June, 1858, circumstances have arisen
showing the necessity of additional articles thereto, 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 H. Seward, Secretary of State, and His Majesty the Emperor of China,
Anson Burlingame, accredited as his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister
Plenipotentiary, and Chih-Kang and Sun Chia-Ku, of the second Chinese rank,
associated High Envoys and Ministers of his said Majesty; and the said
Plenipotentiaries, after having exchanged their full powers, found to be in due
and proper form, have agreed upon the following articles:
ARTICLE I
His Majesty the Emperor of China, being of the opinion
that, in making concessions to the citizens or subjects of foreign powers of the
privilege of residing on certain tracts of land, or resorting to certain waters
of that empire for purposes of trade, he has by no means relinquished his right
of eminent domain or dominion over the said land and waters, hereby agrees that
no such concessions or grant shall be construed to give to any power or party
which may be at war with or hostile to the United States the right to attack the
citizens of the United States or their property within the said lands and
waters. And the United States, for themselves, hereby agree to abstain from
offensively attacking the citizens or subjects of any power or party or their
property with which they may be at war on any such tract of land or waters of
the said empire. But nothing in this article shall be construed to prevent the
United States from resisting an attack by any hostile power or party upon their
citizens or their property. It is further agreed that if any right or interest
in any tract of land in China has been or shall hereafter be granted by the
Government of China to the United States or their citizens for purposes of trade
or commerce, that grant shall in no event be construed to divest the Chinese
authorities of their right of jurisdiction over persons and property within said
tract of land, except so far as that right may have been expressly relinquished
by treaty.
ARTICLE
II
The United States of America and His Majesty the Emperor of
China, believing that the safety and prosperity of commerce will thereby best be
promoted, agree that any privilege or immunity in respect to trade or navigation
within the Chinese dominions which may not have been stipulated for by treaty,
shall be subject to the discretion of the Chinese Government and may be
regulated by it accordingly, but not in a manner or spirit incompatible with the
treaty stipulations of the parties.
ARTICLE III
The Emperor of China shall have the right to appoint
Consuls at ports of the United States, who shall enjoy the same privileges and
immunities as those which are enjoyed by public law and treaty in the United
States by the Consuls of Great Britain and Russia, or either of
them.
ARTICLE IV
The twenty-ninth article of the treaty of the
eighteenth of June, 1858, having stipulated for the exemption of Christian
citizens of the United States and Chinese converts from persecutions in China on
account of their faith, it is further agreed that citizens of the United States
in China of every religious persuasion, and Chinese subjects in the United
States shall enjoy entire liberty of conscience, and shall be exempt from all
disability or persecution on account of their religious faith or worship in
either country. Cemeteries for sepulture of the dead, of whatever nativity or
nationality, shall be held in respect and free from disturbance or
profanation.
ARTICLE V
The United States of America and the Emperor of China
cordially recognize the inherent and inalienable right of man to change his home
and allegiance, and also the mutual advantage of the free migration and
emigration of their citizens and subjects respectively from the one country to
the other for purposes of curiosity, of trade or as permanent residents. The
high contracting parties therefore join in reprobating any other than an
entirely voluntary emigration for these purposes. They consequently agreed to
pass laws making it a penal offence for a citizen of the United States or
Chinese subjects to take Chinese subjects either to the United States or to any
other foreign country, or for a Chinese subject or citizen of the United States
to take citizens of the United States to China or to any other foreign country
without their free and voluntary consent, respectively.
ARTICLE VI
Citizens of the United States visiting or residing in China
shall enjoy the same privileges, immunities or exemptions in respect to travel
or residence as may there be enjoyed by the citizens or subjects of the most
favored nation; and, reciprocally, Chinese subjects visiting or residing in the
United Stats shall enjoy the same privileges, immunities, and exemptions in
respect to travel or residence as may there be enjoyed by citizens or subjects
of the most favored nation. But nothing herein contained shall be held to confer
naturalization upon citizens of the United States in China, nor upon the
subjects of China in the United States.
ARTICLE VII
Citizens of the United States shall enjoy all the
privileges of the public educational institutions under the control of the
Government of China; and, reciprocally, Chinese subjects shall enjoy all the
privileges of the public educational institutions under the control of the
Government of the United States, which are enjoyed in the respective countries
by the citizens or subjects of the most favored nation. The citizens of the
United States may freely establish and maintain schools within the Empire of
China at those places where foreigners are by treaty permitted to reside; and
reciprocally, the Chinese subjects may enjoy the same privileges and immunities
in the United States.
ARTICLE VIII
The United States, always disclaiming and discouraging all
practices of unnecessary dictation and intervention by one nation in the affairs
or domestic administration of another, do hereby freely disclaim and disavow any
intention or right to intervene in the domestic administration of China in
regard to the construction of railroads, telegraphs or other material internal
improvements. On the other hand, His Majesty the Emperor of China reserves to
himself the right to decide the time and manner and circumstances of introducing
such improvements within his dominions. With the mutual understanding, it is
agreed by the contracting parties that if at any time hereafter His Imperial
Majesty shall determine to construct or cause to be constructed works of the
character mentioned, within the empire, and shall make application to the United
States or to any other western power for facilities to carry out that policy,
the United States will, in that case, designate and authorize suitable engineers
to be employed by the Chinese Government, and will recommend to other nations an
equal compliance with such application, the Chinese Government in that case
protecting such engineers in their persons and property and paying them a
reasonable compensation for their service.
In faith whereof the respective
Plenipotentiaries have signed this treaty and thereto affixed the seals of their
arms.
Done at Washington the twenty-eighth day of July, in the year of our
Lord, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
[Seal.] William H.
Seward
[Seal.] Anson
Burlingame
Chih-Kang
Sun Chia-Ku