The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-12-05

II Hung Chang's reception by the pow
eTS that be in his native land must have
seemed doubly frosty to the distinguished
Celestial after the honors heaped upon
him during his visit TO TIE other nations.
If Ii had ever read the Bible. with what
force must he have recalled the lines about
the dearth OF consideration accorded
prophets n their own countries. The Pek-
ing and Tients.ng Times. dated October 81,
spoke of Lis reception by their ma1esties,
the emperor and the empresS-dowager, IN
the following facetious manner:
His audience with the emperor lasted
Three-quarters OF an hour. and that the
aged minister should have been able 10
rise from his ksfes unassisted. as he did,
after that long brdeal. speaks Wei for his
physical endy4nce- his majesty gracious
~ commando the kneeEng minister 10
make himss comfortable by sitting back
on his legs tead OF remaining with body
upright, A court etiquette requires. To
obtain IN audience his excellency had TO
present hself at the palace at o'clock
n iI, the nins, Aaek he lie ,eft ne
a 'G Sl,s 81 hos i his kni before the en-
pressed 49, On iea1 hg her presence
ne had helped ou by eunuchs-
1T + imagine *hat while resting
his acl limbs khung-t'ang made no
fiatter compas1Bn between Chinese
court eelon and those OF the coun-
tries he has Just visited. Lip and knee
service has ever been valued in China.
Happy is the man who knows best when
and where to crook the pregnant hinges
of the knee 1t is interesting TO hear that
the empress-dowager asked the chung
tang many questions about her majesty
Queen Victoria and listened with close at
eention TO his praise of England's beloved
sovereign. He related that. feeling ia
t.gued after his audience with her majesty
at Windsor, he was conducted to a bed
chamber to rest. When dinner was an
nounced, her ma jesty, hearing that her
guest was sleeping. CONSIDERABLY ordered
that he be not disturbed and that he
NIGH. appear before her majesty after he
had rested sufficiently. It is TO be hoped
that this gracious treatment made as deep
an Impression upon the empress-dowager
heart as il has upon her minister's.
During the chung t'ang's stay at the
summer palace at incident happened, SOL
emn and portentous from Chinese
standpoint most ludicrous 10 a foreigner.
who thinks less of the sanchty that hedges
round a king. Some one suggested 10 the
CHUNG tang a walk IN the palace garden
near his lodgings, and he tnnocently teil
in with the proposal. He was carried IN
his court chair through an unfrequented
attentions from the keepers and palace
eunuchs Not a word of objection did he
hear. The next day he was Informed that
he mad committed a breach OF etiquette
and would have 70 be disciplined. the
famous viceroy Tso Tsung-tang had a
precisely similar experience some years
ago. He roanned about the imperial park
and as a penalty was fined half year
salary
In commenting editor.ally, the same pa
ner saws: 1.-THE treatment 10 which the
Ambassador Ii Hung Chang has been SUD-
ies>ted by his government on MS return 10
China can be regarded as nothing puJ an
smper.tinent and wanton Insult 10 the Tor
eign countries d. the royal courts OF Niiich
ne. as the representative or the emperor
of China, was so lately an honorea guest.
Instead OF being hattered and pleased al
the reception given TO ITS represeii'@eise
the Chinese government, Ike a spoht
cb,,d has got unreasonably jealous of Ii.
rs desire now seems 10 be 20 call atten-
ton 10 the fact that although Il, beng
sshinaupan. was good enough 20 receive
she homage OF foreign potentates. ne was
only good enough 10 be freated Win
marked d!scourtesy when ne returned 10
his own court. II = TO he sincerely toPed
that the different ministers viii promptly
stem IN and insist that the man VINO WAS
received with so much honor IN thelF re-
spective countries viii be received WIN
even gr;ater honor IN hls own III Is also
=, be trusted that the different nome gov
ernments VIII be advised 20 treat the next
representative from the Chinese govern
ment that may visit their countries Win
The contempt which such government
deserves.