Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-08-30
CHANG AND THE PRESIDENT
China and America Shake Hands
Through Them.
MET AT WHlTNEY'S HOME
The Oriental Emissary Had on His Most Cor
geous Yellow Jacket
HE MADE A VERY GOOD SPEECH, TOO
Which Was Answered in Fitting Terms by
Mr.. Cleveland-After the Reception
Chang Proceeds to Pump Mayor
Strong-Incidents.
HE MADE A VERY GOOD SPEECH, TOO

liam c. Whitney, Fifth avenue and Fifty
seventh street, at few minutes after IL
a. m. today. The house for the time be-
ing was in the hands of the government
and represented the official residence of
the executive.
President Cleveland, accompanied by
Attorney General Harmon, arrived at
the Whitney residence at o'clock, nav
ing come from Gray Gables on Mr.. Still
mans steam yacht Sapphire expressly
for the purpose of honoring the guest OF
the nation with his greeting.
Secretary Lamont came up from Sea-
bright, N. J., and joined the president a
little later.
Secretary of State Olney escorted Ii
Hung Chang from his hotel to the house.
Just before the distinguished guest ar
rived Secretary Carlisle walked through
the crowd on Fifth avenue and entered
the house.
Assistant Secretary of State w. w.
Rockhill, Gen. James H. Wilson, John
Russell Young, Ex-Secretary of State
John w. Foster and Mr.. William c.
Whitney were the only others present at
the reception. Lii Hung Chang, his sons
and secretaries of the highest rank were
taken in open carriages from the Wal
dorf up Fifth avenue to the reception.
The Sixth United States cavalry acted
as escort for his excellency.
Ii was escorted up the steps of the
Whitney house by his secretary and at
once taken to the large ball room just
| off the main hall. The interior of the
| house had been decorated with green
| palms, and the gorgeous tapestries,
which had been removed some time ago
| for the summer season. had been hung
for today'S reception
The reception was held in the white
| and gold ball room of the Whitney resi-
| dence.
Lii Hung Chang and his suite, upon en-
| tering the Whitney residence, were ush-
| cred into the drawing room at the left of
| the entrance. President Cleveland and
| the members of his cabinet who were
| present took positions in the center OF
| the ball room, the president standing be-
meath a group of Chinese flags dtaped on
| either side with a gilded American eagle
| above which were the stars and stripes
| When all was ready for the presentation
| Private Secretary Thurber notified the
| guests of the fact. Ii Hung Chang and
| his secretaries and members of his suite
| then entered the room. Secretary Olney
| introduced the viceroy to President
Cleveland
The ambassador, who wore new and
| far more gorgeous yellow jacket than
| that worn upon his arrival yesterday,
| bowed low and shook hands with Presi-
| dent Cleveland. All present were stand
| ing and so remained throughout the cere-
mony. which was very formal.
| The secretary of Ii Hung Chang, 10
| Fung Luh, handed to his excellency a
| letter from the emperor of China to the
| president of this nation 1t was a very
| elaborate affair, done in Chinese on
| parchment and wrapped in a yellow silk
covering, upon which was the Chinese
dragon, worked in red, blue, green and
white. The parchment resembled large
music roll. Ii Hung Chang presented
10
made an address on his own account,
which was interpreted by Fung Luh.
The translation of Ii Hung Changes re-
marks is as follows:
Changes Speech.
"Your Excellency: 1t affords me great
pleasure to have the honor to be present.
ed to your excellency. The reputation of
your highly esteemed virtues is widely
known throughout the world, and in you
the citizens of the United States of
America have invariably placed their
confidence, consequently both the inte-
rior administrations and exterior rela-
lions of this great republic are in state
of prosperity.
ut will always be the desire of my al
gust master, the emperor of China, to
maintain the most cordial relations with
America, whose friendly assistance, rem
dered to the government of China after
| the China-Japanese war. and whose pro-
lection for the safety of the Chinese i'm
migrants in America are to be highly ap-
| preciated.
81 am specially appointed by my au-
gust master, the emperor of China, to
present to your exceliency the letters of
| credence, and to convey to your excel
| lency the assurance of his most friendly
feelings towards the United States of
America in hope that your exeellency
operate with him to promote the friendly
| intercourse between our two countries
| for the cause of human kind.
II trust that your excellency's govern
ment will continue to afford protection
| and kind treatment to the Chinese i'm
migrants in America, and to render
| friendly assistance to the Chinese gov
eminent when required.
MAY the people of our two great ma
| tons enjoy the benefits of perpetual
peace"
Mr.. Cleveland's Reply.
Mr.. Cleveland replied as follows:
"Your Excellency: 1t gives me great
pleasure to receive from your hand the
personal letter from your august SOW
eign and to greet you as his personal rep
resentative.
''Since our two countries became better
acquainted many incidents have occurred
calculated to increase our friendly rela-
tions, and not the least gratifying of
these are the kindly expressions contain
ed in the letter of your emperor and the
visit to our country of his most distin-
guished subject, who has been so honor
ably and prominently connected with
public affairs In his own country, and
with all that has been attempted in the
direction of its advancement and i'm
provement.
Your visit to US at this time Is made
more impressive by the thought that it
serves to join in one suggestion the most
ancient civilization of the east and the
best type or newer civilization in the
western world. Notwithstanding the
widely different characteristics of the
two countries, the welcome which Is ten
dered you by the government and citi-
zens OF the United Staes illustrates in the
strongest possible manner the kinship of
the nations.
1--WE feel that in the arrangement of
your tour you have not allotted to your
sojourn among us sufficient time to gain
an adequate observation of all we have
accomplished as nation.
ut will not, however, escape your no.
tice that rich and fertile domain has
here been quickly created by those who