Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1900-12-13

Ieeeeosatioa Of the imperial power In Pc
Kin has been accepted as In full con
sonance with our own desires, for ",
thave held and hold that effective repara
ton for wrongs suffered and an endur
ing settlement that will make their re
currence impossible can best be brought
about under an authority which the Chi
nese Nation reverences and obeys While
so doing we foregO no jOt OF our un
doubted right to exact exemplary and de-
terrent punishment of the responsible
authors and abettors of the criminal actf
whereby we and other nations have suf
fered grievous injury.
For, the real culprits, the evil coun'
| sellers who have misled the imperial
judgment and diverted the sovereign au'
thority to their own guilty ends. full ex'
piation becomes imperative within the
rational limits OF retributive Justice. Re.
garding this as the initial condition OF
an acceptable settlement between China
and the powers, l said In my message
of October is TO the Chinese Emperor:
II trust that negotiations may begin sc
soon as we and the other offended gov
ernments shall be effectively satisfied OF
Your Majesty's ability and power to
treat with just sternness the principal
offenders who are doubly culpable not
alone toward the foreigners but toward
Your Majesty. under whose rule the pur-
pose of China to dwell in concord with
the world has hitherto found expression
in the welcome and protection assured to
strangers"
Taking as a point OF departure the
imperial edict appointing Earl LII
Hung Chang and Prince Ching
Element, and the edict of September
25 whereby certain high officials were des-
ignated for punishment. this Government
has moved in concert with the other
powers toward the opening of negotia-
tlons which Mr.. Conger assisted by Mr..
Rockhill, has been authorized to conduct
on behalf of the United States.
General bases Of negotiations. formu-
lated by the Government Of the French
Republic. have been accepted with GER
tain reservations as to details, mace
necessary by our own circumstances ana
by like similar reservations by other
powers open to discussion in the prog
ress Of the negotiations. The disposition
Of the Emperor's Government to admit
liability for wrongs done to foreign gov
ernments and their citizens and to act
upon such additional designation of the
guilty persons as the foreign Ministers
at Pekin may be in position to make
gives hope OF complete settlement OF
all questions involved. assuring foreign
rights Of residence and intercourse CD
terms of equality for all the world
I regard as one of the essential factors
Of a durable adjustment the eecurement
Of adequate guarantees for liberty OF
faith. since insecurity Of those natives
who may embrace alien creeds is scarce
ly a less effectual assault upon the
rights Of foreign worship and teaching
than would be the direct invasion thereon.
Matter Of Indemnity.
The matter OF indemnity for our
wronged citizens IL a question of grave
concern Measured in money alone a
sufficient reparation may prove to be be-
yond the ability of China to meet. All
the powers concur in emphatic disclaim-
ers of any purpose of ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
through the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the en-
pire. l am disposed to think that due
compensation may be made In part by
increased guarantees Of security for for
eign rights and immunities. and most
important of all, by the opening OF China
to the equal commerce of all the world.
These views have been and will be earn
estly advocated by our representatives.
The Government Of Russia has put for
ward a suggestion that in the event OF
protracted divergence of views In regard
to indemnities. the matter may be rele-
gated to the court of arbitration at The
Hague. favorably incline to this. be-
lieving that high tribunal could not fall
to reach a solution no less conducive to
the stability and enlarged prosperity OF
China itself than Immediately beneficial
to the powers.