The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-25
BRONZE III Lg N 7. PEKlNG: (


i considered inadmissib1e after what had
been said relative to the religious ma
ture of the ceremony performed by ma
tive officials.
They also urged that ministers at
European courts were required to kneel
at an audience with the sovereigns, cit
| ing the pope, especially, as requiring
that ceremony; but explanations were
| made to correct their erroneous impress
sions on this point. They remained I'M
satisfied, however, that such was not
the case and concluded this conference,
which lasted five hours, by saying that
they must report to his majesty that
the customs of the two countries were
so unlike it was better that no audience
should take place, much as he desired
to do honor to the American nation in
it's representative. They had conducted
their argument with patience and can
dor and exhausted every fact and rea-
son they had for it's support feeling
that the debate was an important
one, and the precedent now given could
never be exceeded on future occasions;
they were ready to give up their claims
to supremacy over foreign ministers,
but were unwilling to concede an audi
ence to them with less than was re-
quired from their own highest officials.
It was agreed at this time on my
brought the legation to the capital
should be finished, so that it could re-
turn to Pehtang on the 18th, and the
commissioners disclaimed all restraint
upon its movements. They said that
they had placed policemen in the neigh
borhood' of the Quarters occupied by. the
legation to restrain the crowd which
would otherwise throng;s hut, there was
no possible reason for preventing a few
they pleased.
A few days after the willy Judge, Sieh,
unexpectedly appeared with agftated
nlieH to suggest a plan of compromise
on the audience question which all the
Chinese thought would succeed. This
was that the commissioners should adj.
dress to me letter, stating that as the
emperor had decided to grant me an
audience it was necessary beforehand
that should state to them what form
of obeisance I would make in coming
before the throne, and they would then
make the necessary arrangements I
replied to this that when 1 delivered
the presidents letter to his majesty
would render every mark of respect
full Difference which did to the presi-
dent, without addition or diminution.
The draft of the reply which was fur
nished to the Judge was perfectly sat.
isfactory, although it did not cover the
undecided question of kneeling- And
he went through the details of the pre-
sentation in the most confident and
cheerful manner, remarking that it
would probably take place on the fol-
lowing Monday (Aug. g. 1850.
The compromise which had been
contrived between Chinese court cere-
monial and the obduracy of republican
independence consisted in placing the
table on which the presidents letter
was to be laid before the throne in such
a manner that its embroidered cover
would conceal most of my person As
approached it should then bow as low
berlain would approach either side,
as if to raise me up, crying out Don't
kneel!" Those of my suit presented
with me would then go through the
same ceremony, after which I would
respectfully present the letter by plac-
ing it on the table, from whence it
would be taken by another courtier,
who. on his knees, would hand it to the
emperor. In this singular manner was
the character of the sovereign to be
saved in the eyes of his officers, by my
being restrained. as it were, from COM
pleting a prostration which was never
intended to take place.
This unexpected concession of the
whole point was supposed to be chiefly
due to the personal wish of the emperor
to see us himself. cooperating with the
well known desire of Quillian and Wa
shana for the audiences on political
grounds. And when Sieh left the house
of the legation with the drafts of the
two papers to be submitted to the privy
council he seemed to have no doubt
that the matter would be satisfactorily
arranged.
The arrival of QuiIIian's dispatch was
accordingly anxiously looked for, but
instead of it the judge himself returned
next day. more dispirited than ever
with the information that affairs
had taken another turn and that his
motion had been outvoted- How much
hand he had in the matter himself to
get fame and promotion by his skfllful
diplomacy of a delicate question is a
point which admits some discussion.
His majesty's decision now was that
unless would either actually touch one
knee or the ends of my fingers on the
ground he would not admit me to court.
OF course this was refused. and the
question of an audience finally decided
in the negative.
The next dispatch from Quillian in
dicated his unpleasant hesitation His
view required, as the necessary Sc