"
This view of the Chinese Government, so completely in harmony with that
of the United States, was by my direction speedily formulated in a
treaty draft between the two nations, embodying the propositions so
presented by the Chinese foreign office.
The deliberations, frequent oral discussions, and correspondence on the
general questions that ensued have been fully communicated by me to the
Senate at the present session, and, as contained in Senate Executive
Document O, parts 1 and 2, and in Senate Executive Document No. 272,
may be properly referred to as containing a complete history of the
transaction.
It is thus easy to learn how the joint desires and unequivocal mutual
understanding of the two Governments were brought into articulated
form in the treaty, which, after a mutual exhibition of plenary powers
from the respective Governments, was signed and concluded by the
plenipotentiaries of the United States and China at this capital on
March 12 last.
Being submitted for the advice and consent of the Senate, its
confirmation, on the 7th day of May last, was accompanied by two
amendments which that body ingrafted upon it.
On the 12th day of the same month the Chinese minister, who was the
plenipotentiary of his Government in the negotiation and the conclusion
of the treaty, in a note to the Secretary of State gave his approval to
these amendments, "as they did not alter the terms of the treaty," and
the amendments were at once telegraphed to China, whither the original
treaty had previously been sent immediately after its signature on March
12.
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