Letter from Hattie to Edward, July 28, 1868

Letter from Hattie to Edward, July 28, 1868

Fourth of July; Imperialism; Impeachments--United States; Newspapers

In this letter to Edward, Harriet writes news from the United States and China. For instance, Hattie asks about how her family celebrated the Fourth of July and shares how the foreigners passed the day. This leads to Harriet's discussion of the English attempt to take control of China. Harriet also wants to know more about the 'Impeachment Case,' concerning President Johnson's impeachment.

Noyes, Harriet Newell

Unpublished

1868-07-28

Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant

PDF

eng (English)

Text

noyes_c_cor_011

Canton China.
July 28th /68.
My [u]own dear Brother[/u] Edward,
I have been trying
for ever so many days to get
time to commence a letter to
you and have a few minutes
this morning that I will devote
to the purpose. I have been
walking in the verandah
with Henry and he is continuing
his walk marching to the tune
of "Hail Columbia" which he
is playing on the violin. We
prize our patriotic songs here
quite as much as when on the other
side of the world. I wonder how
Seville passed the "Glorious Fourth."
We had our celebration in the eve
Henry [u]played[/u] he was Mr Hulburt
and read the "Declaration of
Independence," which I do assure
you I appreciated better than
ever before from the insight I
have gained here into [u]English[/u]
character thoughts & feelings. Henry
& I furnished the music and as
[u]no one else[/u] was present [u]all[/u] were
satisfied and the "Celebration"
passed off pleasantly. I was
quite surprised to hear that all the
English ships in the harbor at

Hongkong put up the "Stars & Stripes"
in honor of the day. I think it
was a good deal for them to do to
recognize the day that we declared
ourselves free from their power,
but they are fully aware that it is
for their interest to preserve amicable
relations with their powerful neighbor
"USA." We see here a great many
English papers, the Hongkong dailies
kindly lent us by Mr Davis,
and sometimes some of the
London papers. It is quite
evident from their general
tone that the English wanted to
get hold of China as they have
of India but they find that
France & USA have something
to say here. It is certainly a
very unjust thing to wish to
interfere with the government
of a people who are well able
to manage their own affairs
without any assistance. The
Chinese seems to understand some
thing about it, they show a decided
preference for American's not
in every day life I do not mean
but in a national way and I
learned a few days since that

at the time the treaty was made
which opened the doors of China
to the world it was stipulated
that if any diffrently should
arise between the "Celestials"
and the rest of the world USA
should be the arbiter. Perhaps
you have noticed that Hon
Anson D Burlingame was appointed
by the Chinese government to represent
them among the Foreign powers.
It was not at all to the minds of
the English to have an American
chosen but of course they could
not control it. He has a salary
of about $60,000 (sixty thousand)
a year for life, for his services.
The last mail brought us some
Cleveland Heralds Many
thanks to you it seems like
an old friend although I
hardly recognized it at first
in its new dress. In the margin
I found some scribbles in books-
Father's & Mary's handwriting
so I felt pretty sure that it had
been on the study table. It seems
so nice to have papers that you
have handled & read.

[Note: Written vertically on the fourth page]
You have never written to us what you at home thought of
the result of the Impeachment Case. It seems as though
it would have been rather a bad precedent if Johnson
had been convicted & as it is it will perhaps be a warning
to future Presidents as they will know that Impeachment is
possible. It does seem [u]too bad[/u] the way the Republican Senators
who voted not guilty have been censured. But perhaps
at this distance we do not see things [u]clearly[/u]. But I expect
all this with you is a thing so far in the past that you
have almost forgotten it so I will say "Hurrah for Grant
& Colfax," and bid adieu to politics for the present.
I am going to send you a copy of the words in Chinese of
one or two pieces so that if you have a mind to try them
you can tell someting of how Chinese singing sounds or
would sound if it was well sung. Tell Clara I thought of her
while copying "There is a Happy Land" (which she used to sing
long [u]long ago[/u] before she knew enough to teach school) & of
Father while copying the other his favorite. I almost always
think of him when I hear any one sing it I am glad
that Mr Stevens has improved your piano so much How I
would like to hear you play "The Maidens Prayer" tonight or have
a [u]nice little sing[/u] as in the olden time Goodnight Your loving sister Hattie.
[Note: Written upside down on the fourth page]
You see my letter was not finished the
morning it was commenced but instead Thurs eve Aug 13th.

中国广东
1868年7月28日
我亲爱的哥哥Edward，
几天来我一直想给你写一封信，
但直到今天早上我都没有空闲时间。
/
/
/
我和Henry一起在花园里散步
他一边拉着小提琴
一边演奏着“哥伦比亚万岁”的曲调。
/
/
我们喜欢这里的爱国歌曲，
就像我们在美国的家一样。
/
在Seville国庆节过得怎么样？
/
Henry和我在晚上过的国庆节，
/
Henry假装自己是Hulburt先生，
读了独立宣言。
现在我知道英国人是什么样子的，
我更欣赏独立宣言。
现在我认识了更多的英国人，
我比以往任何时候都更明白为什么美国需要从英国独立出来。
我们都玩音乐，
因为没有其他人参加，
但我们对我们的庆祝活动非常满意。
听到香港港口的英国船只都悬挂着美国国旗，
我感到很惊喜。
/

/
我认为他们认识到我们宣布独立于他们的那一天是件好事
/
/
/
他们也知道保持与美国的良好关系符合他们的利益。
/
/
我们读了很多英文报纸，
Davis先生借给我们香港日报，
有时还借给我们伦敦的报纸。
/
从他们的报纸上可以明显看出，
/
英国想要像控制印度一样控制中国，
/
但他们不能，
/
因为美国和法国在这里有很大的影响力。
对我来说
一个国家干涉另一个主权国家的事务是很不公平的，
特别是因为中国人可以在没有帮助的情况下管理他们的国家。
/
/
中国人清楚地明白这一点，
这就是为什么他们更喜欢美国而不是英国。
/
/
/
几天前我了解到一个事实

当中国签署开放它的条约时，
中国说，
如果它与任何其他国家有任何问题，
美国应该是它的仲裁者。
/
/
/
你知道吗
中国人任命伯林格姆代表他们出访外国。
/
/
英国人不想选择美国，
但他们对此无能为力
/
为了换取他的服务，
他终生每年有6万美元的薪水。
/
我们收到了几份克利夫兰先驱报，
非常感谢你送他们。
看报纸就像和老朋友聊天，
新包装很好看，
一开始没认出来。
在报纸的页边空白处，
我发现了一些父亲和Mary的笔记，
我认得他们的笔迹。
报纸一定是坐在书房的桌子上。
/
收到您处理和阅读的报纸特别好。
/

你从来没有写过你对弹劾案的看法。
如果约翰逊被判有罪，
这似乎将开创一个糟糕的先例，
它将告诉未来的总统弹劾是可能的。
/
投票无罪的共和党参议员受到谴责似乎很糟糕。
/
但也许我们距离太远，我们不了解美国政治。
但也许你不再那么想弹劾了，
所以我不会再提政治了。
/
我要寄给你一些中文乐谱，
这样你就会知道用中文唱歌是什么感觉。
/
告诉Clara我在写音乐副本时想到了她。
在她还没有到可以教书的年龄之前，
她曾经唱过《有一片幸福的土地》。
我在写另一个的副本时想到了父亲，因为这是他的最爱。
每当我听到有人唱歌时，我就会想起他。
我很高兴你的老师 Stevens 先生改进了你的钢琴。
我希望今晚能听到你在钢琴上弹奏“少女的祈祷”，
我们可以一起唱歌，
就像过去一样。
你看，我早上开始写信，
但是没写完，现在就是8月13日晚上。

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