The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-07-25
PRESIDENTS ANSWER.
Informs Chinese Government Upon
What Terms He VIII Mediate.

Washington, July 24-The following
correspondence between the President of
the United States and the Emperor OF
China was made public by the state de,
partment today:
Translation of cablegram received by
Minister WI on July goth, 1900, from the
Taotai of Shanghai, dated July 10Th,
1900:
Have received telegram from Gov
ernor Yuan (of Shan Tung) dated 23rd
day of this moon (July 19th) who, having
received from the privy council Cat Pc
kim despatch embOdying an imperial
letter to the President of the United
States has instructed me to transmit 1t to
Your Excellency. The imperial message
is respectfully transmitted as follows;
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 commerce.
Neither country entertalns the least sus-
picIon or distrust toward the other
Recent outbreaks OF mutual antipathy be-
tween the people and Christian missions
caused the fore ign powers to view with
suspicion the position of the Imperial
government as favorable to the people
and preiudicial to the missions, with
the result that thu Taku forts were at
tackled Rnd captured. Consequently there
has been clashing of the forces with
I calamitous, conss quences. The situation
has become more and more Sc rious and
critical. We have just received tele-
graphic memorial from our envoy WI
Ting Fang, and 1t is highly gratifying to
us to learn that the United States govern
ment, having in view the friendly rela-
IONS f0cfx no fVrT0 "a
taken a deep interest in the present situ-
alton. Now China, driven by the ire
sistible course of events. has unfortunate
Iy incurred we'll nigh universal indigna-
ton. For settling the present difficulty,
China places special reliance in the
United States. We address this message
to Your Exc5llency in all sincerity and
candidness with the hope that Your Tx
cellency will devise measures and take
the initiative in bringing about concert
of the powers for the restoration of order
and p8ac3. The favor of a kind reply
is earnestly requested and awaited with
the greatest anxiety.
KWangh Su
Goth year, sixth moon 23rd duly 10, I9OO.)
1t is therefore my duty to transmit the
above with the request that Your Excel
ency, In respectful obedience of Imperial
wishes, Will deliver the same to it's high
de stinatiOn and favor me with a reply.
Yu Lien Yuen (Taotai at Shanghai.)
KWangh Su, Goth year, 9th moon, S3rd
day (July 10Th, 1900
This cablegrAm was at ones cOmmun1-
Gated to the President at Canton, and the
following is his reply:
The President of the United States to the
Emperor of China:
Greeting: / have received Your Males
TVS message Of the 10Th Of July, and am
glad to know that Your Majesty recOg-
nizes the fact that the government of the
United States desires of China nothing
but what is just and equitable. The pur-
pose for which we landed troops in China
was the rescue of our legation from grave
danger, and the protection OF the lives
and property of Americans who were so
journing In China in the enjoyment of
rights guaranteed them by treaty and
by international law. The same purposes
are publicly declared by all the powers
which have landed military forces in
Your Majesty empire. / am to infer
from Your Majesty S letter that the male
actors who have disturbed the peace OF
China, who have murdered the minis
ter of Germany, and member OF the
Japanese legation, and who hold be-
sieged in Pekin these foreign diplomats
ceived any favor or encourage ment from
your Majesty, but are actually in rebel
lion against the Imperial authority. If
this be the case, must solemnly urge
you or your Majesty's government to
give public assurance whether the foreign
ministers are alive and If so, in what
condition.
2-To put the diplomatic representatives
of the powers in immediate and free COM
municatiOn with their respective govern
ments and to remove all danger to their
lives and liberty.
3-To place the imperial authorities of
China in communication with the relief
expedition so that cooperation may be
secured between them for the liberation
of the legations, the protection of for
eigners and the restoration of order.
Ii these objects are accomplished, it is
stacles will he found to exist on the part
of the powers to an amicable settlement
of all the questions arising out of the
most recent troubles and the friendly
good offices of this government will, with
the assent OF the other powers, be cheer
fully placed at Your Majesty S disposition
William MCKINLEY, July %, 1900.
BY the President, John Hay, Secretary of
State.
The Chinese appeal is unquestionably
an adroit production. The Presidents
answer is equally clever and more SIN
cere; that is the opinion OF the officials
here who have carefully studied both.
The President has succeeded in asking
for conditions precedent to mediation
quite as valuable as those laid down in
Europe, yet he has so tempered his re-
quirements AS to make them unobjection-
able to the Chinese government. At the
same time there is nothing in the note
to which the European chancellories can
object, openly at least.
The President expressly states that his
mediation is subject to the approval of
the powers; he will not attempt to force
it upon Europe. And the Chinese gov
eminent must pro- the ministers in
safety.
Minister WI declares that his govern
ment will meet that obligation, in proof
OF which he produced Sheng's telegram,
in which he expressed implicit confidence.
Certainly it the last pr0misee is baseless,
the Chinese government is party to one OF
the most barefaced receptions practiced
upon another nation in the estimation
of the state department..
The department does not doubt Minis
ter Wus sincerity in any case and as for
that official, he is so confident that the
United States government is the only one
-, %1orNr~ u 49, ~.