The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1900-12-07
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
10 the Senate and House Of Representa-

tivcs:
At the outgoing of the old and the in
coming Of the new century you begin the
last session OF the Fifty-SiXth congress
with evidences on every hand of indi
vidual and national prosperity and with
proof of the growing strength and i'll
crcaSing power for good Of Republican
institutions. Your countrymcn will join
with you in felicitation that American
liberty is more firmly established than
ever before and that love for it and the
determination to preserve it are more
universal than at any former period of
our history.
In our foreign intercourse the dominant
question has been the treatment OF the
Chinese problem. Apart from this our
relations with the powers have been
happy.
The recent troubles in China spring
from the nntiforcign agitation which for
the past three years has gained strength
IN the northern provinces. Their origin
lies deep in the character of the Chinese
races and III the traditions Of their gov
ernmcnt The telegraph and the railway
spreading over their land, the steamers
plying on their waterways, the merchant
ana the missionary penetrating year by
year farther to the interior, became to
the Chinese mind types of an alien in
FaSlon, changing the course of their ma
tlonal life and fraught with vague fore
holdings Of disaster to their beliefs and
their self CONTROL
POSTING Of antiforcign placards became
daily occurrence. which the repeated
feprobation Of the imperial power failed
to check or punish. These inflammutory
appeals to the ignorance and superstition
OF the masses. mcndacious and absurd in
tneir accusations and deeply hostile in
thclr spirit, could not but work cumula-
i've harm. They aimed ut no particular
Gloss OF foreigners: they were impartial
IN attacking everything foreign.
An outbreak in Shangtung in which
German missionaries were slain was the
TOO natural result of these malcvolent
tcachlngS. The posting of scditous pla-
cards, cXhorting to the utter destruction
or foreigners and Of every foreign thing
continued unrcbukcd. Hostile dcmonstra-
ions toward the stranger gained strength
by organization.
The Boxers
The sect commonly styled the Boxers
developed greatly in the provinces north
or the 1ang-tsc and with the colusion of
many notable officials, including some in
the immediate councils Of the throne it.
scif, became nlarmngly aggressive No
foreigners life, outside OF the protected
treaty ports, was safe. No foreign inter-
The diplomatic representatives OF thc
powers III Icking Strovc in vain to check
TINS movement Protest was followed by
demand and demand by renewed protest.
10 DC met with pcrfunctory cdicts from
the palace and cyasivc and futile nssur-
ances from the tsung-li-yamcn
Inc increasing gravity OF the condi-
tions in China and the immincnce of peril
to our own diversified interests i'm the en-
.pirc, as well as to those of all the other
treaty governments, were soon aDprcci-
atch by this government, causing it Dro-
found solicitude. The United Stotos
from the earliest days Of foreign inter
course with China had followed a policy
or peace, omitting no occasions to testify
good will, to further the extension OF Inv
Tul trade, to respect the sovercignty OF its
government and to insure by all lcgiti-
mate and kindly but earnest means tho
fullcst measure of protection for the lives
ana property Of law abiding citizens and
for the exercise OF their bcncficcnt col.
ings among the Chinese people.
Mindful of this, it was felt to he nnpro
pirate that our purposes should be pro-
nounced in favor Of such course as would
naSteh united action Of the powers Mt Pc
King to promote the administrative 70.
forms so greatly needed for strengthen
ing the imperial government and main
tanning the integrity Of China, in which
we believed the whole western world to
be alike concerned. 10 these ends
caused to be addressed to the several
powers. occupying territory and maintain.
ing spheres OF influence in China the cir.
GUAR proposals OF 1899, inviting from
thcm declarations of their intentions and
views rs tothc dcsirab bility of the ndon
tion OF measures insuring the benefits 81
equality Of treatment OF nil forf,irp fro ,1o
throughout China.
with gratifying unanimity the 70.
sponscs coincidcd in this common nolicv
enabling me to see in the successful tcr
minntion Of these negotiations proof OF
the friendly spirit which anmatcs tho
various powers interested in the untram.
iheied aeVelopment OF commerce and in.
dustry in the Chinese empire as n source
of vast benefit to tho whole commercial
world.
Iii this conclusion, which / had the
9ratlhcatlon to announce as n completed
engagement to the interested bowers on
March 20, 1000, I hopefully disccrned n
potential factor for the abatement of the
'distrust of foreign purposes which for a
year past had appeared to inspire the
policy of the imperial government and
for the effective eXcrtion by it of power
and authority to quell the critical anti.
foreign movement in the northern prov.
inces most Immediately influenced by the
Mantchoo sentiment.
Marine Guard Withdrawn.
Seeking to testify confidence in the will.
ingness and ability Of the imperial nd.
ministrntion to redress the wrongs and
prevent the evils we suffered and feared,
the marine guard, which had been sent
10 Picking in the autumn Of 1890 for the
pfStection Of the legation, was with.
drawn ut the earliest practicable mo.
mcnt; and alf~prnding questions were re.
mittcd, rs far as NNe were concerned, to
tho ordinary resorts of diplomatic inter.
course. '~
The president continues by narratinp
the growth Of the Boxer movement, the
fighting Mt Taku and the siege of the lc.
cations In Peking and continues:
On July II the besicged had their first
communication with the tsung-li-yamcn,
from whom message camo inviting to a
conference, which was declined. Core.
.spondencc, however, ensued, and n sort
nf tcff Il