We turn from European complications to our own troubles in
the East. The story of our Chinese misfortune may be briefly told. When Plenipotentiary Brace appeared on the 25th of June, at the entrance of Pei-ho, with his escort, to exact the stipulated admission to Pekin, he was told that there were no orders for his admission ; when he tried to force an entrance, batteries were unmasked, and he was repulsed with great loss. Both Envoy and Admiral are charged with indiscretion. It is said that they applied at the wrong entrance, and should have followed General Ward, who discovered the right door : but we have yet to learn that the General made good his admission. It is also said, that the local authorities alone were responsible for the repulse ; an absurd plea : imagine the Mayor of Dover, the beadle and police held out as answerable for driving away the French Ambassador, with severe loss, because he ought to have landed at Folkestone or at Sandwich.
The earliest comments on the occurrence were full of error. The American commander was blamed for refusing his coopera- tion : the charge has been retracted, on evidence that the Ame- ricans had shown a brotherly diligence in aiding us. But a few days since, keen-sighted persons who have the gift of seeing through millstones discerned an avowed hostility between France and England : the Moniteur puts forth the announcement of cooperation spontaneously tendered by France in avenging out- rage and enforcing treaty compacts.
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