The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1900-08-24
The Chinese Have Evidently Had
Their Fill Of the Allies
Fighting Qualities.
An OVERTURE FOR PEACE RECEIVED.
COnger as n Commisstoner 10 Me-
gotiatc for n Cessation of HOSTILE
ties Preliminary 10 n settlement
With the Powers.

| uat, lIotl Ii iiuHS NnaHSs hdS hot w
been made known, and il is likely that
the matter will bc one of the main
subjects of consideration at the cabi-
net meeting tomorrow.
China's Last Appeal for Peace.
China's last appeal for peace ncgo-
tiations was received early to-day at
the Chinese legation, and was trans
| mitted by Mr.. WI 10 the state de-
| partment. Secretaries Hay and Root
we're out of the city, but Acting Sec
| rotary of State Adee went over the
| subject with the president.
LII Asks Nothing hut Peace.
Earl Lis request is that the United
States shall name Minister Conger or
some other official to act as peace en-
| voy for the cessation of hostilities. He
expressed his willingness to go to
such point rs the powers may desire,
and under the intimations made, it is
thought. that Pekin or Tien Tsin
would be selected for the negotia-
tons. The Chinese envoy proposed nc
terms as to the withdrawal of troops
and made no other suggestion as to
what was to come before the commits
sion. his sole anxiety being to secure
the cessation of hostilities.
A General Council Of Peace.
The application is understood also
to have been made to the powers in
the hope that if all would name a
commissioner there would be a gen.
eral council of peace between Ii Hung
Chang on the one hand and the sew
eral representatives of the nations on
the other.
Must Take Time for Consideration.
Aside from the fact that the con.
ditions on August IL have not yet
been complied with by China, it is
possible that this government would
desire to take sufficient time TO learn
what the other powers intend doing
on the same line, as all are acting in
unison.
Ii Gives No Assaramccs.
Moreover. there are some unex-
planned features of Ii Hung Chang's
application. one of them being that
while he asks the allies to cease hos
tilities he gives no assurance that he
has the power to make the Chinese
army and the rebellious Boxers cease
their hostilities.
Chinese Troops SURROUNDED.
The situation at Pekin was made
more clear to-day from many sources.
The latest advices appears TO be that
from Consul Fowler, at Che Foo. re-
peating dispatch received from Con-
sui Ragsdale. at Tien Tsin. The lat
ter reports: Chinese troops sur
rounded in palace grounds
The Japanese legation received q
dispatch of the same general tenor.
but more in detail, stating that the
Chinese troops retreated on the 18th
within the imperial palace. and that
they were surrounded there, with the
japanese military headquarters To-
Gated in the Japanese legation.
Moving ON the Imperial City.
Admiral Remey also transmitted an
18th, saying: Troops moving on the
imperial city"
Important Information wanting.
These several dispatches from diff
ferent sources establish clearly that
the imperial palace and grounds were
under siege. But not one of the dis
patches is clear as TO how long this
condition existed. The Fowler dis
patch is the latest TO be received, and
is dated the Goth. but possibly that is
the date on which IL left Ten Tsin.
The Japanese dispatch. also, refers to
the Chinese taking refuge in the inn
perial palace on the 18th, but does
not bring the situation beyond that
! date. So that the latest information.
while showing the imperial city sur
rounded, does not disclose the issue of
the situation. nor how long it has con-
tinued.
Emperor and Empress Escape.
To-days dispatches seem to make
clear that the emperor and the en-
press dowager have made their es-
cape from Pexin. and that about the
only present service of the imperial
palace and grounds is as an asylum
in which the demoralized Chinese sol
dicrs are making last stand.
The japanese legations advices to-
day showed that the banners Of the
imperial cortege were seen leaving
Pckin on the 18th. and that probably
the empress dowagcr. as well as the
emperor, had left the city.
Consul-(;cneral Goodnow advised
the state department that he had il.
formation from Chinese sources that
the empress dowager had left Pckn.
Will show Mercy for PoIicy's sake.
The attitude which the information.
al forces will observe toward the en-
peror and empress dowagcr is under.
stood TO have received official consd.
Grafton among the powers, resulting
from request by the southern vice
roys that no personal indignity be
shown to China's rulers. In response
to this, 10 Is quite generally under.
stood. there will s,e no nersOnAl IN.