The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-08-08
OUR OFFER TO MEDIATE.
Text Of the Presidents Letter Reply
ing to the Emperor Of China.
SEVERAL CONDITIONS IMPOSED.

First, Diplomats Must Be Put In ComInu-
nication With Their Governments -
Second, All Danger to Their Lives Must
Be Kemoved-Third, Chinese Go gern-
ment Must Aid Allies to Restore order
Washington, D. G. (SpcciaD. The
following correspondence between the
President of the United States and the
Emperor Of China has been made pub
lie by the State Department In the
form of translation Of cable dis
patch received by Minister WI from
the Taotai Of Shanghai, as follows:
Have received a telegram from
Governor Yuan (of Shantung), who,
having received from the PriYy Coun;-
Gil (at Pekin q dispatch embodytng
IN imperial letter to the President OF
the United States, has instructed me
to transmit it to your EXcellency. The
imperial message is respectfully trans
mitted as follows: I -.
"'China has long maintained friend.
ly relations with the United States,
and is deeply conscious that the ,ob1ect:
of the United States Is international
commerce. Neither country enterta1ns
the least, suspicion or distrust toward
the other. Recent outbreaks Of mu-
tual antlpathy between the people and
Christian missions caused the rorelSn
Powers to view with suspicion the po-
sition OF the Imperial Government as
favorable to the people and prejudtcial
to the missions, with the result that
the Taku forts were attacked and cap
tured. Consequently ther has been
clashing of the forces, with calamitous
consequences. The situation has be.
come more and more serious and criti-
cal.
"'We have just received O tele-
graphic memorial from our envoy. WI
Ting Fang, and it Is highly gratifying
to us to learn that the United States
Government, having in view the friend
ly relations between the two countries
has taken deep interest in the pres
ent situation. Now, China, driven by
the irresistible course Of events, has
unfortunately incurred we'll night uni.
versal indignation. For settling the
present difficulty China places special
reliance in the United States. We ad-
dress this message to your EXcellency
In all sincerity and candor. with the
hope that your Excellency will devise
measures and take the initiative in
bringing about a concert of the Powers
for the restoration of order and peace.
The favor of kind reply is earnestly
fa1
est anxiety
1T is, therefore. my duty to transmit
the above, with the request that your
Excellency, in respectful obedience of
imperial wishes, will deliver the same
to it's high destination and favor me
with q reply.
"YU LIEN-YUEN,
"Taotai at ShanghaiD
The cable message was at once COM
municated to the President at Canton,
and the following was his reply:
Il have received your >Majesty's mes
sage, and am glad to know that your
Majesty recognizes the fact that the
Government and people Of the United
States desire Of China nothing but
what is just and equitable. The pur-
pose for which we landed troops in
China was the rescue Of our legation
from grave danger and the protection
Of lives and property Of Americans,
who were .sojourning in China in the
enjoyment of rights guaranteed them
by treaty and by international law.
The same purposes are publicly de-
clared by all the Powers which have
landed military forces in your Majes-
tvs empire.
II am to infer from your Majesty's
letter that the malefactors who have
disturbed the peace of China, who have
murdered' the Minister Of Germany
and a member of the Japanese lega-
tion. and who now have besieged in
Pellin the foreign diplomatists, who
still survive, have not only not re-
,eived any favor or encouragement
from your Majesty. but are actually
In rebellion against the imperial au-
:hority. If this be the case, l most
solemnly urge your Majesty's Govern
nent to give public assurance whether
The foreign Ministers are alive, and,
If So in what condition.
80. TO put the diplomatic represen-
tatiyes of the Powers in immediate
and free communication With their re-
sDective Governments and to remove
all danger to their lives and liberty.
''3. TO place the imperial authori-
ties of China in communication with
the relief expedition, so that co-opern-
ton may be secured between them for
the liberation Of the legations. the pro-
lection Of foreigners and the restora-
ton of order.
If these objects are accomplished,
it is the belief of this Government that
no obstacles will be found to exist on
the part of the Powers to an amicable
settlement Of all the questions arising
out of the recent troubles. and the
friendly good offices OF this Govern
ment WILL with the assent Of the other
Powers. be cheerfully placed at your
Majesty's disposition for that purpose.
"WILLIAM MCKINLEY"