National Republican., 1883-07-30

the naval officers, added to the strange sur
rouudings, combined 10 make scene both
novel and striking, the more so when It is
considered that the object of the assembly
was to complete the destruction of nations
political traditions. The two ministers
convorsed through the interpreters at
tachod TO the American legation. After the
usual exchange Of compliments, two copies
of the treaty were produced, the one
written In English and the other in Chinese.
The American cory bore tho impress of the
great seal of the United States and the sigma
ture of his exccllenoy President Arthur.
clause in the treaty referring to the coast
carrying trade Of Corea, and which was in
definite, was discussed and settled the two
copies were then signed stamped with the
official seals of the ministers, and exchanged.
Champagne was then brought in, and all pres
ont drank the healths of the king of
Korea and the President of the United
States, proposed respectively by Minister
Foote and Min You-Mok.
The next day tho American minister, ac-
companied by his suite and the naval Off
GERS, all in full dress, went to the palace to be
presented to the king. The party was re-
Ceived by several of the Korean ministers in
well furnished reception room some dis
tance inside the outer gates of the palace
where tea and cigars we're served. Soon it
was announced that the king was ready to
receive them, and the party, under the guild
ance of the ministers, soon arrived in small
court yard, at the back of which stood the
reception hall. This room was wholly open
in front looking upon the court yard, and
was approached by three flights of stone steps,
one in the center and one on each side The
king sat well back in the central part of the
room with an armed soldier standing on each
side ofhim and two eunuchs behind him When
the party of foreigners appeared in the
court yard his majesty arose and remained
standing throughout the ceremony. Tho
council of ministers entered and took up n
position at the kings right hand. Minister
Foote then entered, ascending the steps to
the left as the Korean ministers had done,
and was presented to his majesty, The
members of legation and the naval officers
were then called in and presented individ-
ually by the American minister, after which
they passed to the side of the hall opposite
the Korean officials on the left of the king.
Through his interpreters Minister Foote de-
liverod very short address to the king,
expressing tho satisfaction of his government
at the establishment Of friendly relations
with Korea. The king thanked him, and
requested that his compliments be sent to
the President of the United States, after
which the Americans took leave of his
majesty and withdrew
The king is a young man,with frank, pre-
possessing face, slight of build, and smaller
than most of his subjects He wore winged
cap worry much like the caps of his ministers (;
his dress consisted of single garment OF
bright red silk, with long, flowing sleeves
reaching to the floor at the waist it was Sc
cured by belt of crimson and gold On each
shoulder and on the breast of his garment
were large dragons in heavy gold embroidery.
The presentation of the Americans to him is
noteworthy as being the first occasion that
foreigners of western nations have seen him.
On the evening of May Goth state ban
quet was given to the American guests at the
foreign office. The courtyard and building
were brilliantly illuminated, and the affair
was quite magnificent; all, or nearly all, the
Korean ministers were present. His oxcel-
lency Min You -Mok sat at the head of the
table, with the American minister on his
right and the Japanese minister on his left.
The governor of the city of Soul sat at the
at the other end of the table, with Comman-
der Cotton and Secretary Scudder on his
right and left. The first toast of the evening
was proposed by Minister Min You Mok, who
expressed the satisfaction of his country at
being at last admitted to the brotherhood of
nations and gratitude toward the United
States as being the first of the western nations
to extend the hand Of friendship to Korea.
He also paid avery neat compliment to Japan
as the nation whose influence and example
had opened the eyes of Korea to the benefits
which would accrue through intercourse with
foreigners
On May 90 the American visitors left the
capital and returned to the Monocacy at Roze
island. Minister Foote expressed himself
highly gratifed and little surprised at the
magnifconce Of his reception, which certainly
exceeded by far the most sanguipe expecta-
tions of any one in his party. Fine quarters,
with servants, and all the luxuTies which the
city afforded, were provided, and every
courtesy and attention possible was lavished
upon the visitors by the officials charged with
their comfort, The furniture in the build
ings occupied by the naval officers had been
sent from the palace by order of the king
for their special use. A military escort ac.
companied by the party both going to and
returning from the capital; and, while in
the city, soldiers were detailed to accompany
the visitors when they wished to walk about
the city, to guard them from the too familiar
curiosity of the people. No sentiment but
curiosity was evinced by the people of the
city and country toward the foreigners; not
a single act or word of hostile or uufriendly
nature on the part of any one, high or low,
was observed during the entire visit of the
Americans