The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-02-15
CAPITAL CHAT
How an Ambassador Must
Address the Emperor.

The Chinese Empress Makes Postnumous
Address Which Sounds Quite Mortal.
Poor Mr.. and Mrs. Yang Yu--A Popular
Show Gailery--Timid Men.
WASHINGTON. Feb. H. - Especial. T.
Sometimes 1t happens that the Chinese
minister at this capital finds 1t necessary
10 address Communication direct to the
emperor and empress dowager of his coun-
try. In that case there is certain form
of memorial which he must strictly od-
here TO. His document must begin as fol-
lows IYour maiesties' slave. Yang Yu,
upon his knees addresses the throne. Look
ing upward, he imploros tho glances OF
your sacred majestles upon n memorial
revorontly prepared showing" otc. A lit
tie later on 1t Is Incumbent upon him to
use some such phrase as this: Your
slaves merits sink into insignifcance
when compared with the abundant favors
which you lmvo showored upon him." He
Is then permitted TO continue his memo
rial, but must take care that such words
as your slave" looking upward, ""rev.
erent request" etc, are frequently used In
the course of his plea. Now and then, by
way Of variety, he finds IL advantageous
10 begin n paragraph with this phrase:
"Prostrate, your servant begs to make
the following observations" In conclu-
sion IL is good form for him to say, "Pros-
trato, your slave presents this memorial to
tho throne and prays your majesties to
cast your sacred glances thereon and to
issue your Instructions In the premises
Diplomatic correspondence IN tho Chinese
.lo~
of similar forms, and 1t Is considered not
surprising that tho Chinese legation in
this city should need larger force of Sec
retaries, translators, clerks and copyists
than the embassy or legation Of any other
nation.
A Voice From the Grave.
A friend of mino who is able to read
Chinese, and who gets regularly through
the mails The Official Gazette OF Peking,
calls attention to remarkable document
which appeared in that paper on tho occa-
sion OF the death of the empress dowager
not long ago. 1t purports to be the vale
dictory mandate Of tho empress dowager'
and Is curiosity In the way OF official
pronunciamentos, being literally, II we
may accept the fact that the empress her.
self prepared it, voice from the grave
1t starts out by telling In glowing words
Of the faithfulness and virtues of the sur
viving emperor, how diligently he had In
quired rfter the health of the deceased
and what a great man he Is. Then fol.
lows this paragraph:
Notwithstanding the complex nature Of the
multifarious affairs Of government which have
claimed our diligent attention both night and
day, IL has still been our good fortune TO enjoy
robust health and n strong bodily constitution.
49,. 80
be prolonged till we had reached the state OF
helpless old age. On the 7th inst. we were at
tackled by n slight indisposition. His imperial
majesty waited on us with q restorative and
was solicitous for our health. Unexpectedly.
on the following day, our condition became
dangerous. and gradualb, !, about the hour OF
p. m, our senses became scattered until all
hope of recovery has passed away.
At what time after this tho empress
sufficiently recovered to write her valedic-
tory does not appear in the record, but in
order to show her appreciation of the
kindness of his majesty she goes on TO
command that lit is our wish his majesty
the emperor will on consultation and in
obedience to tho prescriptions Of tho old
canon, lay aside the mourning garb after
81 days" The valedictory closes with the
following extraordinary paragraph:
We have heretofore been the leading example
of economy and frugality in the palace. and
we wish that little moderation should be
practiced in funeral trappings and ceremony,
that due regard may DO given to economizing
labor and material
OF course the address was written by
some official after tho empress DEATH and
1t was only BY convenient fiction that IL
was ascribod 20 her. The Chinese are
queer people, sure enough.
A Hard Lot.
Mr.. and Mrs. Yang Yu, the Chinese
minister and his wife, are really 90 he
pitied. Pcrhapsno other persons in Wash
ington havo had 90 90 through such an
ordeal Is that which they have suffered
during tho social season. Thrco or four
nights week they Gro asked. out TO din
nor and must OF course accept. But In
Washington tho custom OF inviting in
terpreters Of legations has never obtained,
and the result is that Mr.. and Mrs. Yang
Yu arc compelled to sit from 7:30 or s
o'clock in the evening iii half past 10 or
II without speaking word. .ras,nuch as
they arc seated nc different parts Of the
table, IL is Impossible for them 10 converse
with one another aud as their command OF
English is limited 90 Yes, please" and
"No, thank you," and How do you do''
it Is easy To imagine the torture which