St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-03-11


result of a situation for which we are
| in no wise responsible. China has hith-
erto held herself almost entirely aloof
| from other powers, and, while she has
| in some instances enjoyed the advant-
| ages accruing to her as a member of
| the family of nations, she has perhaps
more frequently denied the RESPONSE
| bility Of that relation. She has pur-
sued a policy of isolation and distrust,
and consequently her external relations
| have not been characterized by that
frankness and good faith which are es-
sential to good neighborhood. Instances
are not wanting in which Chinese COM
| miSsioDerS, after having formally
agreed to international compacts, have
refused TO afiiX their seals, and cases
| might be cited in which treaties, SOL
emily concluded, have been unceremo-
niously, and without apparent reason,
| repI dated These unfortunate occur
rences find sufficient explanation in
| the fact that China was not on these
occasions seriously in earnest, but be-
yond that it might be said with truth
that the officials who were designated
| to carry on negotiations had not been
clothed with the necessary authority
| lOl biic pun pOSc. II Ids IIODl Tie llISl
been the wish of Japan to avoid results
| which history teaches are liable to be
the outcome of negotiations with Chi
nese officials who are not clothed with
| full power, in the sense in which that
| term is usually understood. Conse-
qUently the imperial government made
| 1t condition precedent to any peace
negotiations that the Chinese plenipo-
| r.
powers to conclude peace, and it was
only upon receiving positive assurances
from the Chinese government that that
condition precedent had been complied
with, and that the Chinese plenipoten-
| tiaries We're on their way to Japan,
! that his majesty, the emperor of Japan,
conferred upon my colleague and my
self full powers to conclude and sign
| tentiaries of China.
| - That your eXcellencies' powers are,
Notwithstanding that assurance, fatal
| ly defective is to me a sure Indication
that the government of China is not
yet really solicitous for peace. Criti-
| cism is nearly exhausted by a simple
| comparison of the two Instruments
which We're reciprocally exchanged at
| this board yesterday, but it is not out
of place to point out that one fulfills
!. the definition which is usually given
! among civilized states to the term full
powers, while the other is destitute of
nearly all those qualities which are re-
! garded as essential to such powers. IT
even fails to indicate the subject upon
which your eXcellencies are to nego-
tiate. It does not authorize your ex-
1t is silent on the subject of the sub
sequent imperial ratification of your
| eXcellencies, acts. In short, it would
seem that the authority which has been
conferred upon your eXcellencies would
be completely fulfilled by your report
ing to your government what my col
| league and myself might have to say.
In this situation it would be impossi-
| BILE for us to continue negotiations.
| 1t may be urged that usage is not en-
| tirely ignored in this instance. l can
not admit the sufffciency of such an ex-
PLANTATION. 1 disclaim any right to in
| terfere with the purely domestic GUS
| toms of China, but 1 deem it not only
my right, but my duty, to insist that
! in international concerns affecting my
! own country the peculiar methods Of
| CHlfia SUdll ylelQ 10 the superior rules
| of international intercourse.
| The restoration Of peace is a matter
of the greatest Importance. To bring
! about a re-establishment of amicable
relations it is not only necessary that
| treaties with that object in view should
| be signed, but it is imperative that the
engagements should be fulfilled in good
| faith.
While Japan has found no reason to
| approach China on the subject ofpeace,
| she nevertheless feels bound in defer
| ence to that civilization which she
| represents to listen to any bona fide
| overtures which China may advance,
| but she will decline to take part in the
| future in any fruitless negotiations or
become party to paper peace. The
| terms which Japan agrees to will be
| scrupulously observed by her, and she
! will at the same time insist upon a
| like observance of the terms by China.
| Whenever, therefore, China finds her
self seriously and sincerely DESTROYS of
| peace and will confide actual powers to
| Chinese officials whose names and po-
sitions will serve as an assurance that
| the terms to which they may agree
! will be confirmed and carried out in
good faith, Japan will be prepared to
enter upon new negotiations.
| CTranslation.)
| Memorandum-Th imperial govern
ment repeatedly declared, through the
| United States representatives at Toxic
and Picking, that the appointment of
| plenipotentiaries with full powers to
| conclude peace was an Indispensable
requisite to negotiations on the subject
! of peace. His imperial majesty's pleni-
potentiaries however, find that the au-
| thoriZation which their eNcellencies,
| the plenipotentiaries Of his majesty,
| the emperor of China, communicated
| to them on the LIST inst. is wholly made
quate for the purpose for which it is
| claimed it was issued. 1t lacks nearly
all the essential attributes OF full pow
| ers as usually understood. The i'm
perial government has not receded from
/ the position which it announced to the
representatives of the United States
! that they had taken up the subject with
! full powers, and the imperial Japanese
| plenipotentiaries, having been entrust-
ed by his majesty the emperor of
Japan with actual, proper and complete
| full powers, cannot consent to treat
| with plenipotentiaries Of his majesty,
the emperor of China, who are only, an
thoriZed to discuss matters, to report
to the TsungH-Vamen, and to obtain
subsequent commands of the throne by
| which they are to be guided. Under
| these circumstances, it only remains
for them to declare the present negotia-
| tons at an end.
| Hiroshima, the I'd day of the I'd
month of the 26th year Of Meiji.
This Is Important.