The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-30
Sketches Of the Royal Pair---Yht Brother Of INC
Sun and Happy Sister Of the Neon
Matchmaking at Contradictory and Pe-
litical Intrigue Soothsaying Science
and the Course Of the Stars
as Directing and Con-
trolling Agencies.
How the Event May Affect the
Interests of Foreigners.

family ana Of the Cabinet advisers OF the Crown.
The event will constitute an important epoch In
the history Of the aged land over which he rules
not only as affecting its internal condition, but
also as influencing Its relations to resident foreign
and the general interests of the peoples OF the
outside world trading in the far East
SKETCHES or THE IMPERIAL PAIR.
His Majesty T0ung-Chi, Emperor OF CHINA, was
born the 2lst OF April, in the year 1865. lie is,
consequently, In the sixteenth year of his age He
has reigned by deputy regency since the 2lst Of
August 1851, having coregents the Empress
Dowager Of China, TITAN, and the Empress Mother,
THiSsi; the former exercising vast influence over
hia mind and on the course Of Court affairs gen.
orally
Tho bride elect, Alute, has been selected for the
marital and throne honor by the Empress Dowager.
She lie daughter OF Chung-Ch'i, junior officer OF
she Hanlin College, and a Mandarin OF the fourth
rank.
The Expresses Of China are chosen for their per-
sonal qualities only and entirely regardless OF their
parents rank or political prOclivities, otherwise
the selection of Alute might be OF some political
significance, as both the father and grandfather
(by the mothers side) Of the Empress elect were
prominent leaders OF the antiforeign party OF
China, which was overthrown by Prince K1ng In
1851. tV
HER FAMILY DESCENT.
The young lady, Alute, is Mongol by descent, her
father Chung Chi, being son Of Saishanga M0ngol
Mandarin, who held high Office at the beginning Of
the last reign, and her mother O daughter Of the
late Tuanhua, Prince Of Cheng, who was promi-
nent member OF the anti-foreign party that held
sway during the closing years OF the late En-
peror Hlenfung Her grandfather Tsai-Shang-a,
was o banner man, whose nl-success against
the Taipings when commanding o body
of imperialsts troops in 1863 LED
Ia
rebels Thy the drilled troops under "barbaran''
uOreign) commanders did not tend to increase his
foreigners and their institutions A curiously
Irritating addition to the causes OF any
TO his more successful rivals in the art Of
generalship was made by the appropriation,
se nrtat s hsgnng 81 the the IT tn geay
or Board Of Foreign Affairs. much greater reason
for strong feeling against outsiders can be urged
is daughter Of the late Tuanhua Prince OF Cheng,
who was leading member OF the exceedingly anti
foreign party which held sway during the closing
November, 1851 fine leading members We're tried
and condemned to DEATH and Tuanhua, a mti-
gated penalty, was given permission to commit
suicide.
Three other ladies have been chosen to share the
domestic bliss OF Aute. but In subordinate capa-
city with regard to household authority in the
management OF affairs In the palaces OF Pekn.
There are in this respect alone some particulars
connected with the Emperers approaching mar
record. The statement will doubtless "horrify'
home readers-when they, they see the rela,
case may turn outl Three DEGREES have been
issued relative to the marriage. The second de.
cree appoints three other ladies to be members OF
Ills MaJesty's future harem. The first is o daughter
OF clerk in the Board Of Punishment, the second
Of project in the provinces and the third of Sais
hanga, grandfather OF the Empress elect, OF whom,
therefore, the last chosen is aunt.
CONSULTING THE STARS FOR LUCKY DAY
A third fmnprial Chinese decree dreCta the
Astronomical Board in Pekin to select lucky day
IN the ninth month tOctober) on which the mar
rage ceremony Will take place, and appoints Prince
Kung and Paoyun to make all the necessary cere
mOnial arrangements.
POLITICAL OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES DIPLOMATIC
CONSEQUENCES.
As mere Incident the Emperors marriage win
But the event has political Importance quite ute
rior. The formal assumption by him Of the reins Of
power cannot 1hg deay S aer his marriage
on his own responsibility Is that Of admitting for
eign Ambassadors to audience. 10 seems to
have been tacitly agreed among Western Powers
that they would forbear pressing this claim until
the Emperors Independence from control should
be fully recognized The epoch of marriage in
China Is generally held to be the signal for this
emancipation, so we may anticipate that the ques-
OF 1878 To persons Unfamiliar with ' the e expa ae
CANT assumption OF Chinese Emperor this matter
must seem much less Important than 1t really is;
for 1t does involve the crucial point OF the
foreign trade and diplomatic relations questions.
Isolated for centuries from the rest OF the world,
ders, over whom her superiority is unbounded,
China has regarded herself the centre of civiiza-
dom" And the Emperor is Of course az far above
"outsideh sovereigns as China is superior to the
nations over whom they rule There is only one
Emperor, and the other rulers OF the world are his
vassas 1t Is easy to conceive that the dvsers OF
the young Emperor have steadfasy declined to deal
with demand so preposterous in Chinese eyes az
the admission OF foreign ambassadors to an audi
ence as representatives OF sovereigns equal with
of tbp inpa
vator would have been In danger. A powerful
mandarin andaS might n,s,s have dared and stcered
powerful, and the instinct Of Chinamaa
gency. The responsibility could not have been put
upon the Emperor, for he was too young; it would
teen was acting under the infuence Of his Minis
tiers; but His Majesty IL now near seventeen, ac-
cording to the Chinese mode OF reckoning, which
sets down baby rs a year old directly IL III
born; and when to the weight OF these seventeen
years is added the dignity Of marriage all China
will concede certain amount OF individual
will to its ruler. The Emperor, then, Is the only
man who can cut the knot without danger to his
a a 70 H has the solution n OF the
Gently or persist In dashing his head against the
WA waii remains to De seen. The Pekn correspond
pressed by the fact that the Empress elect r. the
Fran, y. OF minister who was intensely in
rErrIcoAr INFLUENCE.
Tne personal and family history of the new EN-
PISbs SSob poSScsseS somewhat unusual interest
20 foreigners. the majority OF residents in China
nave, as rule Deen Ignorant of the precise ex-
che councils Of the PekR Cabinet It Is never.
theiess an indsputabe fact that up TO a recent
period the Empress Dowagcr mainly directed both
the domestic and foreign policy or the Chinese
government, and that, too, with rare ability.
Moman-like, Der temper and feelings sometimss
oyermastered her caution, the mysterious arrest
and threatened degradation OF Prince KING I'm
lS6l, being usually regarded as the result of some
such OutDurst consequent on q personal quarrel
BUT, TAKEN az whole her discretion and tact
rave peen or immense service to the Cabinet
~ must be borne In mind that although the
Chinese Council Of State approve the selections made
,9r ane imperial ,I harem the main responsibility OF
or real Empress, lies with the present Empress,s
regent, we nave just referred to the pr0-f0reign
pr0cnvities tpcrhaps we should say her sense of
what was prudenU OF the dOwager and we must