Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1900-10-05
TUAN A PRISONER.
OTHER CHINESE PRINCES SUFFER
DEGRADATION.
MOBILES TO LOSE HEADS.
The Empress Dowager Issues an Edict
Blaming the Chinese Ministers for the
Outrages Against the Foreign Legations
Our Officials Have Not Forgotten the
Treachcry OF the Chinese.

Washington Especially The earnest
representations made by Minister WI
to the Chinese government that the
United States would enter on no peace
negotiations so long as Prince Tuan
was retained in favor have produced
the desired effect. A cablegram was
received from Consul General Goodnow
informing the Department of State of
Prince Tuan's degradation. He has
been stripped of all his honors and
is a prisoner, awaiting trial before the
Imperial Clan Court. Mr.. Goodnow
states that Sheng, the director of tele-
graphs in China, has handed him an
edict, bearing date of September rs, at
Tsignan, in which the Emperor and
Empress Dowager blame their MINIS
tiers for encouraging the Boxers. Four
princes have been degraded, and
Prince Tuan is deprived of his salary
and his official servants. The I'm
perial Clan Court, before which he
will be tried for his life, is explained
by Minister WI to be judicial body
of privies of the empire, whose sole
duty is to try malefactors of the i'm
perial family.
The imperial family in China is an
elaborate and far-reaching aggrega-
ton. The Emperor has one legitimate
wife. two wives of an inferior rank and
an extensive harem. Every succeeding
generation of the imperial offspring
stands one grade lower in the ranks
of the Chinese nobility, until at the
seventh remove they have descended
to the plain people. But all offspring
of the Emperor in every generation
has the inalienable right of trial by
this special board, known as the I'M
perial Clan.
The Department of State was very
much gratified at the receipt OF the
news, for it indicates a wholesome
change of spirit on the part of the
Emperor Dowager. Now that she has
officially declared herself against the
Boxers, all the viceroys will be quick
to take their cue, and the revolution,
being now declared only a rebellion,
will be crushed by the viceroys, while
the Boxers themselves will be hunted
down and slaughtered like wild
beasts.
A brief cablegram was received from
Minister Conger, in which he acknoWl-
edges the receipt of the message sent
| him, stating that Prince Ching re-
quest for preliminary negotiations
! had been granted. He Is especially
warned to remember that he is dealing
with Earl Ii and Prince Ching in his
capacity as minister of the United
States alone, and that he is absolutely
without authority to speak as medi-
ator, or as agent for the other powers
Minister WI is very anxious that
Earl LIS request to have Mr.. Conger
act as mediator be granted by the gov
eminent but there is no disposition In
Washington just now to undertake the
task of international peacemaking un'
til the Chinese government shows it.
self ready and able to resume its ex'
ecutive functions at Pekin.
There is still lively recollection
here of the treachery and trickery with
which the Chinese government reward.
ed President McKinley's courteous ano
friendly response to the first appea
made for mediation. Besides, It IL
doubtful If the other powers are in
mood to receive suggestions from THIS
government as mediator at this time
Russia and France will probably soor
direct their respective representative!
in Pekin to follow Mr.. Conger's ex
ample in opening preliminary negotla
tions, but England, Germany anC
Japan, for various reasons, are at pres
ent unwilling to treat with China.