The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-02-15
THE EMPEROR's AUNT.
All Interested in China Must Attend to
These Views Of the Energetic Old

IneSe NleWS OF the EllSi 6S|iS ~
Lady.
Shanghai, Dec. 27.-The text of Sc
cret edict issued by the Dowager EN-
press on her own initiative on Novem'
Der 81 last, and of a circular dispatch
! recently addressed by the Tsung- va
men to all the viceroys and governors
of the Maritime and Yank-tsze prov
inces, is published by the North China
! Herald. The empress edict which was
addressed to the viceroys, governors
Tartar generals and provincial COM
manders in chief, is as follows:
| "Our empire is now laboring under
great difficulties which are becoming
daily more serious. The various powers
cast upon us looks of tigerlike voracity
| hustling each other in their endeavofs
| to be the first to seize upon our inner
most territories. They think that Chi
| ma, having neither money nor troops,
would never venture to go to war with
them. They fail to understand, howev-
| er, that there are certain things which
| this empire can never consent to, ana
that if hardly pressed upon, we have
no alternative but to rely upon the JUS
| tice Of our cause, he knowledge OF
which in our breasts strengthens our
| resolves and steels us to present uni
ted front against our aggressors. No
one cam guarantee in such circum-
stances who will be the victor and who
the conquered in the end. But there is
an evil habit which has become almost
custom among viceroys and COVER
nors, which, however, must be eradica-
ted at all cost. For instance, whenev-
err these high officials have had on their
hands cases of international dispute,
all their actions seem to be guided by
the belief in their breasts that such
cases would eventually be amicably ar
ranged. These words seem to be out OF
their thoughts; hence, when matters do
come to crisis, they, OF course, find
themselves utterly unprepared to resist
any hostile aggressions on the part Of
the foreigner. We, indeed consider
this the most serious failure in the
duty which the high provincial authori-
ties owe to the throne, and we now find
it incumbent upon ourselves to censure
such conduct in the most severe terms.
ut is our special command, therefore,
that, should any high official find him
self so hard pressed by circumstances
that nothing short Of war would set
tie matters, he Is expected to set him
self resolutely to work out his duty to
this end or perhaps it would be that
war has already actually been declared.
In such circumstances there is no pos
sible chance Of the imperial govern
ment's consenting to an immediate con-
ference for the restoration Of peace. 1t
behooves, therefore, that our viceroys,
governors and commanders in chief
throughout the whole empire unite
forces and act together without distinc-
tion or particularizing of Jurisdictions
so as to present a combined front to the
enemy, exhorting and encouraging their
officers and soldiers in person to fight
for the preservation of their homes and
native soil from the encroaching foot
steps Of the foreign aggressor. Never
should the word peace fall from the
mouths of our high officials, nor should
they they even allow it to rest for mo-
ment within their breasts. With such a
country as ours, with her vast area,
stretching our several tens Of thousands
of Ii. the immense natural resources,
and her hundreds Of millions of inhab-
itants; If only each and all of you would
prove your loyalty to your emperor and
love of country, what indeed is there to
fear from any invader? Let no one
think of making peace, but let each
strive to preserve from destruction and
spoliaton his ancestral home and
graves from the ruthless hands of the
invader. Let these our words be made
known to each and all within our de-
mains"
The circular dispatch issued by the
Tsung-li- Yamen to all the viceroys and
governors of the Maritime and Yang
tsze provinces in obedience to verbal in
structions of the Dowager Empress was
transmitted through the grand council
to the ministers to the Yamen and says:
"As the Italians have not had their
ambitions gratif1ed in respect to the
cession Of Sammun Bay to them, it is
unprecedented that they may try to seek
opportunity for selling other portions
of our coast. Moreover, the arbitrary
and aggressive actions of the French at
Kwan- chau-wan, where they are stir
ring up disturbances in order to obtain
further pretexts for demanding conces-
sions from the imperial government,
may lead to actual hostilities between
China and France.
1T behooves us, therefore, to exercise
the utmost vigilance and watchfulness
to guard against sudden aggression, and
to be always prepared to resist an en-
envy. Your excellency is, therefore,
urged to enjoin all this upon the gene
rails and commanders of troops garri-
soning important points within your jul
risdiction; and not only this but to be
to give aid to your brother
vicerovs and governors whose terrific
ries adjoin your own. 1t has been an
evil practice among the high provincial
to consider that the duty of
any zone of them lies only in guarding
safely the region lying within his own
jurisdiction, ignoring the crises that
may be taking place IN the next ad-
joining provinces, forgetting that. his
neighbor being overcome, his turn for
overthrow becomes a near possibility. |
This lack of union is lamentable, but ii |
must not be continued from this date. |
This Yamen has received the special |
of her imperial majesty the |
DoWagsr Empress, and his imperial m a.
esty the Emperor, TO grant you full |
power and liberty to resist by force of |
arms all aggressions upon your several |
prOclaiO1inQ q state of |