The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1894-10-19

| were protected by tnelr Warsnlps'
The rebellion was soon put down,
China and Japan patched up their
misunderstanding and the matter
ended.
The principal actor in this furious
outbreak, and the instigator of all the
assassinations, was Kim ok Kun, who
had held the highest Office in Korea,
and was jealous of the preponderance
in the Kings councils of the members
of the Min family. The Queen, wo-
man of strong character, belongs to
this family, and through her in
fuence, it has been the predomlnating
power and has controlled all the prin-
cipal Offices. 1t is the opposition to
this family, led by the Kings own
father, that has stirred mp the recent
instruction. In 1884, the leader of
this opposition was Kim Ok Kun, and
he hoped, after numbering his leading
rivals, to seize power for himself and
his adherents. Failing in his plans
he fled with some of his fellow con-
spirators to Toxic, Japan. Then be-
gan the efforts of Korea, abetted by
China, to induce Japan to give the
arch rebel up, and failing in this, to
assassinate him among his protectors.
A Korean mission was despatched to
Japan in Chinese man-of-war to de-
mand the extradition of Kim and his
, followers. They were assisted in their
! efforts by the Chinese representatives
at Toxic and, it is said, by Lii Hung
n Chang, the great viceroy of Chilli.
q Many weeks were spent in the negoti-
! ations, but Japan was firm in her re-
g fusal. She took the ground that she
n had no extradition treaty with Korea ;
: furthermore, she alleged, that the
crimes for which the fugitives were
,. wanted to answer in Korea were of q
!. political nature, and it was against
q the law of nations to surrender politi-
: cal offenders. So the mission went
! home defeated Kim and four of his
! associates lived for while in peace at
q Toxic. Three of his comrades. doubt
. ing the ability of Japan to withstand
q the pressure, fled to San Francisco.
- Had Kim respected his asylum it is
:. barely possible that he might have
- lived there securely for the rest of his
- days. But in the following year
i 1885, there was another plot to over
= turn the Korean Government, and
- there was evidence that Kim, the dar-
I ing, restless and designing politician,
: was at the bottom oft Demands for
- his exhibition were at once renewed
u China and Korea both asserted that as
~ long as Kim remained in Japan hi
:; would be able to create disturbance
- in his native land. Japan remained
~ firm in her refusal, giving as her onl.
reason that political offenders were
, never cxtradited in Western countries
~ and if the Eastern nations desired t
~ be treated as equals by those of tn
- West, they must learn to act upon tn
, same principles. No further attemp
=, to secure the extradition of Kim wa
= made, but Korea at once began to tax
- measures to effect the removal of thi
10 troublesome person by other pre-
- cesses.
ne Three futile expedients for the as
a. sassination of Kim were attempted i,
le the following year, and were describe
N in the public prints, as far as the dc
n tails were known, late in 1856. TIL
of instrument in the most interesting c
no these attempts appeared in Japan i
he the person of Chi, an official in I'll
hit Seoul war department. In Kim
CHI palmy days Chi had been an arder
be disciple of the advanced views of tina
H. astute politician, but he was now faitl
fully serving u Government compose
on of Kim's enemies. He travelled quie
ar. ly to Japan, ard took lodgings in a
Oh ordinary inn in Toxic. On May
.ot 1886, he wrote to Kim, protesting thu
re- their old friendship still continued @
me his part, that he deeply sympathizt
,os with Kim in his misfortunesand eXilO
m and requested an interview. The o.
in assassin was too sharp for the your
ID one, however, and Kim bluntly r
Of fused to see him. At the same tin
no he directed his friends to worm the
les way into CHS confidence, and one
,od them did so with considerable skill
OTIS He told Chi that the exiles wei
sis tired of their life in Japan, sorely +
of GREETED their folly, and longed to |
back in Korea. Kim was the cause
M their present plight He had deceive
est them, and they all hated him for
m. Would Chi intercedo for them wit
in the King and the Government! The
ned would cheerfully seize Kim and carl
yas him off if they could. Nay, they hi
tho become Sc embittered by his condu
to that they would kill him, if riddir
m the country of him would be the meal
ot of making their peace with their so