The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-07-12
MINISTER WIS MESSAGE.
Text of a Long Cablegram from the
War Board at Peking.

WASHINGTON. July 11.-An imperial de-
cree. dated the third day of the sixth
moon June 29). was received by telegraph
to-day by Minister Wu from the taotai
of Shanghai. transmitted on July l, from
the treasurer of Chilli province. who re-
ceived it by special courier on June 80 from
the Board of War. who in turn received it
from the Privy Council in Peking. The
decree follows:
''The circumstances which led to the
commencement of fighting between Chinese
and foreigners were of such a complex
confusing and unfortunate character as to
be entirely unexpected. Our diplomatic
representatives abroad, owing to their dis
tance from the scene of action, have no
means of knowing the true state of things
and, accordingly, cannot lay the views of
the government before the ministers for
foreign affairs of the respective powers TO
which they are accredited. Now We take
this opportunity of going fully into the
matter for the information of our repre-
sentatives aforesaid.
I'm the first place. there arose in the
provinces of Chilli and Shan-Tung a band
of rebellious subjects who had been in the
habit Of practicing boxing and fencing in
their respective villages. and at the same
time clothing their doing with spiritualistic
and strange rites. The local authorities
failed to take due notice of them at the
time. Accordingly the infection spread
with astonishing rapidity. Within the
space of a month 1t semed to make it's ap-
pearance everywhere. and finally even
reached the capital itself. Everyone looked
atrrra md
strange. and many joined it.
"Then there were lawless and treacher-
Gus persons who sounded the cry of Down
with Christianity About the middle of
the fifth moon these persons began to
create disturbances without warning.
Churches were burned and converts were
killed. The whole city was in ferment.
A situation was created which could not be
brought under control. At first the for
eisn powers requested that foreign troops
be allowed TO enter the capital for the
protection of the legations. The imperial
government. having i'm view the compara-
tive urgency of the occasion, granted the
request as an extraordinary mark of cour-
tesy. beyond the requirement of interna-
tional intercourse. over five hundred for
eign troops were sent to Peking This
shows clearly how much care China exer-
cised in the maintenance of friendly rela-
tions with other countries.
TROOPS TRIED TO ENTER PALACE.
"The legations at the capital never had
much TO do with the people. but from the
time foreign troops entered the city the
guards did not devote themselves exclu-
sively to the protection of their respective
legations. They sometimes fired their guns
on the top OF the city walls and sometimes
patrolled the streets everywhere. There
were reports of persons being hit by stray
bullets. Moreover. they strolled about the
city without restraint and even attempted
TO enter the TsungHu gate (the eastern
gate OF the palace groundsD They only
desisted when admittance was positively
forbidden. On this account both the SOL
ciers and the people were provoked TO
resentment and voiced their indignation
with one accord. Lawless persons then
took advantage of the situation to do mis-
chief and became bolder than ever in
burning and killing Christian converts.
"The powers thereupon attempted to re-