The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-03-13
1t Was a Chinese Trick.
That Peace Commission Sent
to Japan.

abcr,iye peace propositloas ct CANA to
japan has been received here. The
documents we're lai3 before the jap
anese Par2iamen. on the 9TH Of Febru-
ary last, and have been translated into
Eogllsh and printed for the lutorcsa-
ton of the foreign governments They
are quite Interesting. Tie last of the
series is most explanatory and fully Dis
closes the attitude Of Japan towards
China. 1t consists of 9 translation Of a
speech addressed by Count Ito, the
japanese plepipo;entiary, to Chang In
Hoon and Shao Yu Lien, the Chinese
peace commissioners, at a conference
held on the ID of February. Count
Ito spoke as follows:
..The measure which my colleague
and myself fud it necessary at this mo-
ment 70 adopt is the logical and 10
evita5le result of 9 situation for which
We are in 10 wise responsible.
China has hitherto held herself al
most entirely aloof fron other powers,
and while she has IL som instances en-
loved the advantages accTuipg to her
as a member Of the family Of nations.
she has perhaps more frequently denied
tue responsibilities of that relation. She
has pursued a policy Of isolation and
aissruss and consequently her external
relations have DOT been characterized
By that f-ankuess aud good fats which
are essential to good neighborhooa.
-.Iastances are not wanting in which
Chinese commissioners after having
formally agreed to International con1-
pacts. have refused to aiz their seals.
and cases might be cited in Which
treaties soleaaly concluded have been
uncsremoniously and without apparent
reason repudiasad. These unfortunate
occurrences fnd q sufficient explanation
10 tie fact TIA. China was rot OK those
occasions seriously in earnest. but be-
voad that. 1t might be ssia witt truth,
that the officials uho we're designated,
to carry 90 negotiations have not beea
clothed with the necessary authority for
the purpose.
ct has from tee first been the wish
ofJapan 20 avoid results which history
teaches her are liable to be the outcome
of negotiations With Chinese officials, who
are not clothed with full power iu the
sense in which that term is usually W.
dsrstocd. Consequently the Iope:ial
government made it a condition prece-
dent to any peace negotiations that the
Chinese olenipotensiaries should be
furnished with full powers to conclude
peace, and twas ouly upcn receiving
positive assurances from the Chinese
government that the condition prece-
dent had been complied with and that
the Chinese plenipoteut;aries then on
their way to Japan had such powers,
that Ills Majesty. the Emperor Of ia
pap, conferred upon my colleague and
myself the full powers to conclude aud
sigo preliminarles Of peace With the
plenipoten,;aries Of China"
That Jour excellencies' powers are.
Notwithstanding that assurance, fatally
defective, is to me a sure indication
that the government of China is not yet
really solicitious Of peace.
CRITICISM is yearly exhausted by a
elm Mo comnar;son OF the two ipssru-
meoss which we're reciprocaily exchang-
ed a; this period yesterday, bat it is
not ou, of place to point out that oae
fui6lls 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 regarded as essential TO such
powers it even fails to- indicate the
subject upon which your excelleccies
are to negotiate F; it does not authorize
your excellencies to couclude or sign
anything; it is silent on the subject o;
the subsequent imperial ratification CT
your excelleocies' acts. 10 short. it
would seem tina: the authority which
has been conferred rpoc your excel
l%encies' would be completely fulfilled by
you reporting 10 your g~o7ercneot
what my colleague and myself might
have to say. IL this situaiiou, it would.
be impossible for US to consiaue nego-
tiations.
at may be urged that rsuage is not
e%utireiy ignored in this Instance. |
cannot admit the sutHciency Of such at
explanation. disclain any right to
Interfere with the purely domestic Gus
toms Of China, on: ! deem it nos only
right, but my duty to insist that Ia III
terua:ional CONCERTS affecting ny own
country. the peculiar methods Of China
shall yield to the superior rules of IL
teruatioaa! Intercourse. The restora-
,ion Of peace is a matter Of he greatest
importance. 20 bring abocs a re-cs:ab-
lishmeut Of amicabie relations i Is not
only necessary tia. treaties with that
49, ou eho,lI 10 eioooG h,. -