Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-08-18
|PEKlNG GOVERNMENT
IS SEEKING PEACE
Imperial Edict Issued Empowering
Ii Hung Chang to Negotiate
With Powers.
REPLY no PEACE ovERruREs
The Chinese Government Informed
That Compliance With Presi.
dents Terms Must Pre-
ccdc Any P~arIcytng.

Washington, Aug. 14.-Indications
of the desire of China for a peaceful
settlement Of her present difficulties
have been multiplying for several
days. Official evidence of that desire
was presented to the department OF
state yesterday. 1t was In the form
of an edict promulgated by h EN-
peror, Kwang Hsu, appointing Earl III
Hung Chang as envoy plenipotentiary
to negotiate with the powers for an
Immediate cessation of hostilities,'
pending a solution OF the problems
which have grown out of the anti
foreign uprising in the empire. Earl
LII Is to act directly for the emperor,
and a fair inference is that whatever
terms of settlement he may reach
with the powers will be approved by
the imperial government.
During the day only one dispatch
that was made public reached any OF
the government departments from
China. A belated message from Min
lister Conger was transmitted 10 the
war department by Genera Chaffee.
1t expressed simply his ability to
hold on" until General Chaffee
should come to his relief. All the
powers of this government Will be
exerted to get that relief to him and
the other imprisoned le%gationers at
the earliest possible moment.
Minister WI was all early caller at
the department of state. lie present.
ed to Mr.. Adee a copy Of the imperial
| edict, which he had received Saturday
night.
Minister WI remained with Secre-
tary Adee for three-quarters OF an
hour, discussing the terms OF the
edict, and the probable response to II
of this government. Shortly before
| Minister WI left the department Sec
| rotary Root joined the two diplomats,
but remained only long enough to OBJ
tain a copy of the edict and discuss IL
briefly with the Chinese minister.
Minister WI expressed the BELIEF
that the edict presented a means OIL
peaceful adjustment of the present
trouble, and that the request of the
| Chinese government for a cessation OF
hostilities pending peace negotiations
was entirely reasonable.
Immediately upon the conclusion OF
| the conference, the text of h edict,
together with the details OF the call
of Minister WI, was communicated TO
| President Mckinley, at Canton, The
presidents reply as yet has not pee
received. Later in the day Acting
| Secretary Adee made public the text
of the edict.
The Imperial Edict.
The imperial edict, as transmitted
by the privy council at Picking, under
date of August s, is as follows:
"In the present conflict between
| Chinese and foreigners there has beer
some misunderstanding on the part
of foreign nations, and also a want Oh
proper management on the part OF
some OF the local authorities. A clash
of arms Is followed by calamitous re
suits and caused a rupture of friend
" relations which will ultimately do
no good to the world. We hereby ap'
point Ii Hung Chang as our envoy
plenipotentiary, with instructions 70
propose at once, by telegraph, to the
Governments of the several powers
| concerned for the immediate cessa'
ton of hostile demonstrations, penA'
ing negotiations, which he is hereby
authorized TO conduct for our part,
for the settlement of whatever ques'
| tions may have to be dealt with. The
questions are to be severally consid'
cred in a satisfactory manner, and
the result of the negotiations report
ed to MS for our sanction. Respect
this"
Reply to CHM.
Last night Secretary Adee, by di-
~rection Of President Mckinley, pre-
scented TO Minister WI for transmits
! sion to his government, the reply OF
the United States to the imperial edict
appointing Ii Hung Chang envoy to
negotiate with the powers for a ces-
sation of hostilities. In effect the re-
ply is n reiteration of the demands
previously made by the United States
upon China, coupled with a vigorous
intimation that no negotiations will