The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1895-05-15
UNCLE SANS AID
Was Repeatedly Requested by
China and Corea
During the Recent War In the East-Soml
Secrets of the state Department Made
Public - Gresham Refused to
Join European Powers
| and Interfere.

OF papers published relating to the for
eign relations of the United States, was
given to the press yesterday. 1t con-
,tains much interesting matter, most OF
(which has been published and 1Oe
pages of entirely new material, so far
as the public is concerned, relating to
the Japanese Chinese war.
, That part relating to the action OF
the United States when asked to use
It's good offices to secure withdrawal
of Japanese troops from Corea and thus
prevent war, shows conclusively, after |
all the speculation and comment that
has ensued, the position taken by this |
government in the matter. On June
~, 1894, Mr.. Uhl, acting secretary OF
state, sent telegram to Mr.. Sill, Uni
ted States minister to Corea, as follows
"In view of the friendly interest OF
the United States in the welfare OF
Corea and it's people, you are, by direc'
ton of the president, instructed to use
every possible effort for the preserva'
ton of peace conditions"
This was received by Mr.. Sill when
the king of Corea was about to ask for
the intercession of the United States.
Later the king decided to ask for the
intervention of all the foreign govern
ments represented at Seoul and the
ministers of these governments with
the exception of the German envoy, re-
quested the japanese and Chinese min
isters at Corea to intercede with their
governments in the matter. On July5,
Ye Sung 500, the minister resident OF
Corea in Washington, handed this tele'
gram to Mr.. Gresham, sent to him from
Seoul:
The foreign representatives at Seoul
have had meeting. The Japanese
minister declines to withdraw Japanese
troops Please ask the president of the
United States to adjust the difficulty.
China also asked the intervention OF
the United States on July Z, according
to the following cable message sent to
Mr. Gresham by Mr.. Denby, our charge
! d'affaires at Pekin:
"The viceroy Ii requests the United
States to take the initiative, urging
powers to unite in requesting Japan to
withdraw troops from Corea."
Other dispatches of this nature were
received and their purport and the po,
sition of this government is fully given
in long dispatch addressed by Mr..
Gresham on July 20, 1884, to Mr.. Bay
ard, ambassador to Great, Britain. Mr..
Gresham tells Mr.. Bayard of the re.
fusal of the Japanese to withdraw from
Corea, and of repeated requests by the
Corean minister in Washington that
the United States exert itself in the in
terests of peace.
II informed the minister, says the
secretary, ''that while the United
States sympathized with his govern
ment and desired to see the sovefeaA ATTY
respected, we must maintain toward il
and other powers an attitude. OF i'm
partial neutrality; that our influence
could be exerted with Japan only in ;
friendly way; and that in no even
could we intervene jointly with othel
powers"
! mA' plSolloAh A
the conclusion of brief conversation
with the Japanese minister few day
later on another subject, referred t,
the unfortunate situation in Corea as
. understood it, and informed the minis
ter of the earnest desire of that govern
ment that the United States shoulC
make an effort to induce Japan an
, China to withdraw their troops from
, 'Corea The minister replied that tn
, rebellion in Corea was caused by ma
administration and official corruptio
and that his government would no
, withdraw it's troops until needed re
forms in the administration of Core
, had been made"
: The most interesting phase OF the si'
$ uation did not begin until October
{ 1894, when Mr.. Goschen, charge d'a
/ faires of the British embassy in Wasl
v ington, asked in the name of his go1
: ernment whether the United State
e would join England Germany, Franc
e and Russia in intervening betwee
:. China and Japan. The basis of sue
:. intervention, says Mr.. Goschel
f would be that the independence (
i Corea should be guaranteed by til
powers and that Japan should recciN
indemnity for the expense of war"
Replying on October II, Mr., Gresha
says THAT while the president ear
=. :. estly desires that China and Japa
y shall speedily agree upon terms
peace alike honorable to both and n,
% humiliating to Corea, he cannot jo
is England etc, in an intervention as +
10 ouested,' and in his answer NJ
IS Goschen informs Mr.. Gresham that
It is now instructed to call his Gresham
# attention to the fact that the interve
"a ton contemplated would be limited
~ diplomatic action.
- On November 25 Mr.. Gresham sent
y letter to Mr.. Denby, explaining the p
sition of the United States, in whit
Ie he said. with few exceptions, Il
n record of our diplomatic history shoy
I'd no departure from the wise policy
le avoiding foreign alliances and emba
- RAISING participation in guaranteeil
>, the independence of distant states. T.
~ United States may, however, consiI
s. emily with that policy, lend their a
he to further the efforts of friendly po
s. ers unhappily at war, to compose the
e. differences whenever they concur
le expressing desire for our imparti