Evening star., 1900-07-24
The Presidents Response to the
Chinese Emperor's Letter.
POINTS OUT THE WAY TO PEACE
Foreign Ministers Should Be
Placed in Safety.
HE WOULD THEN MEDIATE

the President of the United States and the
Emperor of China was made public by the
State Department today:
Translation of a cablegram received by
Minister WI on July 20, 1900. from the
taotai of Shanghai, dated July 10, 1900:
Have received a telegram from Governor
Yuan of Shantung. dated 23d day of this
moon July 10, who. having received from
the privy council (at Pekin) a dispatch en-
bodying an imperial letter to the President
of the United States, has instructed me to
transmit it to your excellency. The I'M
perial message is respectfully transmitted
as follows:
Chinese EmperOr's Letter.
The Emperor of China to His Excellency,
the President of the United States.
Greeting: China has long maintained
friendly relations with the United States,
and is deeply conscious that the object of
the United States Is international COM
merce. Neither country entertains the
least suspicion or distrust toward the other.
Recent outbreaks of mutual antipathy be-
tween the people and Christian missions
caused the foreign powers to view with un-
warranted suspicion the position of the
imperial government as favorable to the
people and prejudicial to the missions, with
the result that the Taku forts were at
tackled and captured. Consequently there
has been cashing of forces with calamitous
consequences. The situation has become
more and more serious and critical. We
have lust received telegraphic memorial
from our envoy, WI Tins-fang, and it is
highly gratifying to US to learn that the
United States government, having in view
the friendly relations between the two
countries, has taken deep interest In the
present situation. Now China driven by
the Irresistible course Of events, has un-
fortunately incurred weli-nigh universal
Indignation. For settling the present diff
Guilty China places special reliance in the
United States We address this message
to your excellency in all sincerity and can
didness with the hope that your excellency
will devise measures and take the initia-
tive in bringing about concert of the
powers for the restoration of order and
peace The favor of kind reply is earn
estly requested, and awaited with the
greatest anxiety.
Kwanghsu, 26th year, 9th moon, 23d day
DULY -, 1890.
1t Is, therefore, my duty to transmit the
above with the request that your excel
lency, in respectful obedience of imperial
wishes, will deliver the same to its high
destination and favor me with reply.
YU LIEN-YUAN, Taotai at Shanghai.
Kwanghsu. 2jth year, 9th moon, I'D day
July ~. 1900.
The President's Response.
This cablegram was at once communicate
ed to the President at Canton, and the fol-
lowing is his reply:
The President of the United States to the
Emperor of China greeting:
l have received your majestys message of
the 18th of July, and am glad to know that
our majesty recognizes the fact that the
government and psopie of the United States
Gesire of China nothing but what Is just
and equitable. The purpose for which we
landed troops in China was the rescue OF
cur legation from grave danger and the
protection Of the lives and property of
Americans who were sojourning in China III
the enjoyment of rights guaranteed them
by treaty and by international law. The
same purposes publicly declared by all
the powers which have landed military
forces IN your majestys empire.
l 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 legation. and VINO now hold be-
s!eged in Pekin those foreign diplomatists
VINO still survive have not only not re-
ceived any favor or encouragement from
your majesty, but are actually in rebellion
against the imperial authority. If this be
the case, | most so!emnly urge upon your
majeSty's government to give public assur-
ance whether the foreign ministers are
alive, and If so, in what condition.
.. To put the diplomatic representatives
of the powers in immediate and free COM
munication with their respective govern
men.s and to remove all danger to their
lives and liberty.
3. To place the imperial authorities OF
China in communication with the relief eX-
secured between them for the liberation of
the legations, TIE protection of foreigners
and the restoration of order.
If these objects are accomplished 1t is the
belief CT this government that no obstacles
will be found to exist the part of the
powers 10 an amicable settlement of all the
questions arising out of the recent trou-
bles and the friendly good offices of this
government WILL with the assent of the
other pc wers, be cheerfully placed at your
majestys disposition for that purpose.
WILLIAM MCKINLEY.
July q, 1900.
By the President:
JOHN HAY, Secretary of State.
Clever and Sincere Response.
The Department of State made public the