Chen Co Famous People, Part 2, Anson Burlingame

Famous People Chenango Co. Has Given to the World

Mrs. Archie D. Gibbs

The Norwich Sun, February 3, 1921

Part 2 - Anson Burlingame

Anson Burlingame

1822 - 1870

findagrave.com memorial #7500072

There is another man whose name, while not quite so familiar to us, is entitled to a place of honor in the roll of Chenango's great men. Anson Burlingame, of New Berlin, was not only United States' Minister to China, but had the unique honor of becoming an ambassador from China to the united States and other countries.

Anson Burlingame was born in the town of New Berlin on Nov. 14, 1820.  At an early age he moved to the state of Michigan where he received his education   He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1841, and five years later graduated from the law department of Harvard University.  He took up the practice of law in Boston and soon became recognized as a public speaker of force and eloquence.  In 1852 he was elected to the state senate of Massachusetts and two years later was elected to Congress.  He was appointed by President Lincoln in 1861 as minister to Austria.  He had proceeded as far as Paris on his mission, when it was announced that Austria refused to accept him on account of some of his speeches made in Congress. While his views on certain questions condemned him in the eyes of Austria, he found favor everywhere else, and he was immediately appointed by President Lincoln as minister to China.

It is impossible in a small space to tell of the magnitude or value of the labors of Anson Burlingame in China.  At this time, China had not been opened to the world, and its people were suspicious of foreign influence.  Mr. Burlingame had not been in China long before a complete transformation took place. Whether it was his attractive personality and pleasant manner, or his frank and open methods which found such favor there we do not know, but we do know that he became immensely popular and held the confidence and friendship, not only of the representatives of all nations, but particularly of the Regent (the Emperor being an infant) and of the Great Council of China.

When, in the year 1867, Burlingame desired to retire from his post, a most distinguished honor was conferred upon him.  He was requested by the Chinese government to represent the Chinese Kingdom as its minister with full power, to go to the United States and to all countries with which China had treaty relations for the purpose of bringing about new treaties which would secure closer commercial relations and more friendly intercourse.  Accompanied by two Chinese ministers of lesser rank, aides, secretaries, interpreters and an imposing retinue, the embassy crossed the Pacific and landed at San Francisco, where a great ovation was tendered Burlingame and his retinue. They proceeded to Washington on their mission and while in the United States, every  honor was shown them and they were lavishly entertained in New York and Boston. The embassy later crossed the Atlantic, visited England, Holland, France and other European countries, finally reaching Russia, where Mr. Burlingame was taken ill and died at St. Petersburg, at the age of 49 years.  His body was brought to his own country and laid at rest at Cambridge, Mass.  A memorial boulder and tablet were erected to his memory on the school house grounds at New Berlin in 1908.

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Obituary,
Chenango Telegraph, March 2, 1870

The Country was startled on Wednesday last by the announcement that Hon. Anson Burlingame died the previous day in the city of St. Petersburg of congestion of the lungs.  Within a period of twenty-five years Mr. Burlingmae has risen from obscurity to the highest diplomatic position in the world--his mission and his movements attracting greater attention and interest than those of any other Envoy in Europe or America. As he was a native of this county [Chenango Co., NY] and as some of his near relatives are still residing among us, more than ordinary interest is felt in his remarkable and successful career.

Anson Burlingame was born in the adjoining town of New Berlin, on the 14th of November, 1822.  His father Joel Burlingame, resided there for many years, but, some years ago removed to California, from which state he was a delegate to the Republican National Covnention, at Chicago, in 1860.  He is now a resident of Illinois.  He has two uncles still residing in New Berlin, one on his father's and one on his mother's side.  In his boyhood days Mr. Burlingame went to Detroit, where he was for some time a clerk in a mercantile establishement, and subsequently a pupil in the university of that State.  A portion of his time was also spent with engineering parties in the extreme west.  On returning to the East he entered Harvard university and graduated in 1846.  He at once engaged in politics and was elected to the State Senate and subsequently to Congress, where in his second term he gained a high position. 

After the brutal attack of Preston S. Brooks upon Senator Sumner, Mr. Burlingame made allusion to the affair in the House, at once denouncing and defying the engaged bully and his sympathizers. For this he was challenged by Brooks, and the challenge was promptly accepted, rifles selected as weapons and Canada, opposite Suspension Bridge, named as the place of meeting.  Brooks on the plea that he would be obliged to pass through a "hostile country," declined to accept the terms and that ended the affair.  He was nominated by President Lincoln as minister to Austria, and then to China.  The opportunities for usefulness in this position were at once improved.  In the prosecution of his duties he gave the Chinese Government such proof of his sympathy and desire for progress of that singular people that in 1867, on signifying his purpose to return to America, he was unexpectedly tendered the highest diplomatic honor which any Government could bestow.  It is related that Prince Kung came in solemn state to the United States Legation and presented the Imperial decree, which bears date Nov. 26, 1867, and is written on heavy yellow parchment, wrapped in yellow brocade satin, the imperial color, and encased in a yellow box.  He had given him the title of Embassador, and clothed him with the most ample powers.  He however preferred the title of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary, or in Chinese Peo-an-chew (Burlingame, Anson) Chin-chi-choong-jen-tachen) Minister of Heavy Responsibilities.

Mr. Burlingame started on his tour among the great nations almost immediately after the receipt of his papers. The Mission arrived in the United States about the 1st of June, and during its stay was entertained with generous hospitality.  The treaty was signed in Washington on the 4th of July, was transmitted to the Senate on the 11th and ratified on the 16th.  From here the Embassy proceeded to Great Britain. there the treaty was at first almost universally condemned; but Mr. Burlingame succeeded in radically changing the popular opinion and in negotiating satisfactorily.  He afterwards negotiated treaties with France and other of the European Powers, and had but recently presented himself at the Court of Russia, where he was received with extreme cordiality, and with every disposition on the part of the Czar to promote the objects of his mission.  His sudden death will cause universal regret, for he was engaged in a great and important work of which much was expected.

Obituary

Cambridge Chronicle, February 26, 1870

The public mind was startled on the 23d inst., at the sad and unexpected news of the death of Hon Anson Burlingame, which event occurred at St. Petersburg on that morning.  No further information accompanied the simple announcement of his death, and we can only await intelligence in regard to the fact.  Having passed a large portion of his life here among us, and endeared himself by personal association and friendship with many of our citizens and more especially of the young men of Cambridge, we have watched his career with an interest that has followed him in all his devious journeyings while fulfilling the great mission which he had undertaken for the Chinese Empire.

We remember his first efforts in behalf of freedom and humanity when it was no light thing for a young man to strike out of the popular path, and take up the cause of the oppressed.  The Free-soil party, which numbered him as one of its earliest champions, bold, uncompromising, and untiring in his labors, was largely indebted to his eloquent words of persuasion for its subsequent growth and ultimate national triumphs.  Here in Cambridge, his name was often a household word among the young men in the early days of Free-soilism.  Young men imitated his oratory, voted for him for numerous offices, and in a thousand ways testified their admiration for his chivalric character. Chivalric he was in the true sense of the term.  He had ever a strong sympathy for the oppressed of whatever nation, and his heart overflowed with an abundant love which reached towards all, whether friend or foe. The young men were his especial favorites as we had said, and to them he was much indebted for his early successes.  He fully recognized this indebtedness himself, and always testified to it whenever he had opportunity.

Mr. Burlingame first entered public life as a Senator from Middlesex County in the legislature of Massachusetts, and shortly after received the Free-soil nomination for Representative to Congress for this district, which was then represented by Hon. Wm. Appleton. Two of our young men of Cambridge were instrumental in securing for him this nomination, which though not resulting at this time in an election, was at least the foundation of his subsequent triumphs. The second time his name was brought before the people, he was elected by a large majority, and was afterwards repeatedly re-elected until the presidential year of 1860, when he was defeated by a small majority, by his opponent Hon. Wm. Appleton. We can hardly depict the gloom which overshadowed the faces of his immediate and attached friends of this district on that eventful night, as the announcement of his defeat fell upon them. The great national triumph seemed forgotten in this overthrow of the popular idol.

On that evening a small and mournful party occupied a lawyer's office on Tremont street, in Boston, and were brooding upon the misfortune that had befallen them.  Suddenly Burlingame appeared among them, and it was his office to cheer the sad hearts that we all had as we contemplated our defeat.  But Burlingame, though feeling intensely the mortification of defeat, was quite philosophical as he remarked, "I do not care for myself, but I am afraid my friends have bet largely upon my success, and so have lost."  There were not, however, any bets made or lost, so far as we knew.

This defeat, as it afterwards appeared, was the turning point in Mr. Burlingame's fortune, for he was certain to receive some high appointment from President Lincoln, as a recognition of his great services in the Republican cause.  His subsequent career is well known to us all.  He went to the almost unknown Empire of China, with little diplomatic knowledge, and fully conscious that he had a great task before him, to represent and defend the interests of his country, at such a strange court as that.  The world now know how well he accomplished his mission, until he, at length surrendered his trust as American minister, to enter upon a larger field of labor in behalf of the Celestial Empire itself.

What a duty was this which had fallen to his lot, to be instrumental in bringing to the advanced civilization of modern Europe, and of the New World, the civilization of a great empire still in undimished vigor, which flourished at the very dawn of history. The work which he had undertaken was nearly finished, treaties had been made with many of the nations he had visited, and they had been ratified by the Chinese rulers.

Apparently but little more seemed necessary for him to do in connection with his mission.  Had he lived, doubtless a more advanced career awaited him.  But he is struck down while in the height of his honors.

"Dead; in the crowning grace of time,

\The triumph of life's zenith hour,

\Dead; while we watched his manhood's prime

Burst from slow bud into flower."