Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-12-03
PRESIDENTS message.

The President begins bis message by
ommenting briefly upon the strength,
prosperity and integrity of the country,
calling attention to the increase In
population since the beginning OF the
! century. When The sixth Congress as
sembled in November. 1900 the popu-
lation was 5 .30S. 4S3. 1t Is now 10. oo4,-
799 We nave Increased in territory
from 9O9. $50 square miles to 3.S46, 59o.
The message then proceeds: "lu our
foreign int recourse the dominant ques-
ton has been the treatment OF inc
Chinfse problem. Apart from ibis our
relations with the powers have Deen
bappy. The recent troubles IN Cnlpa
suring from the anti.foreign agitation
| which for the past three years mas
gained strength in the northern prov
inces. Their origin lies dep 10 tne
| character OF be Chinese races ana ID
the traditions Of their government
| The Tai Ting rebellion and the opening
of Chinese ports TO foreign trade aud
settlement disturbed alike the homo
gently and the secusion OF Chi0s. Fer
several years before the present trouble
all the resources OF foreign diplomacy,
| backed by moral demonstrations OF the
physicsl force of fleets and arms, have
been needed to secure due respect for
the treaty rights CT foreigners and 10
obtain satisfaction from the responsible
authorities for the sporadic ou'rages
upon the persons and property OF un-
offending sojourners which from time
to time occurred at widely separated
points In the northern provinces, as 10
! the case OF the outbreaks in Szschuen
and Shan.tupg." The President then
| outlines tae development OF the boxer
movement and the efforts OF the repre-
sentatives OF the powers in PekIn 10
check 1t. their protests and demands
upon the Chinese government however
ooly being met with periunctory edlcts
| from the palace and eyssive and futile
assurances from the Tsung Ii Yamen.
| The United States from the earliest
DAYS OF foreign intercourse with China
had followed policy ofpeace, emitting
no occasion to testify good will TO fur.
| ther the extension OF lawful trade and
| to insure by all legitimate end kindly
but earnest means the fullest measure
| of protection for the lives and property
OF orr law abiding citizens among the
Chinese people. ITO these ends L
caused says the President, Ito be adj
dressed 10 the several powers o cupy.
ing territory and maintaining spheres
of ir flueuce 10 China the circular pro-
posals of 1899, inviting from them dec
| larations of their intentions aud views
as to the desirability OF the adoption OF
measures insuring the benefits OF
J equality OF treatment Of all foreign
| trade throughout China. With crafty
ing unanimity the responses coincided
| 10 this common policy. Seeking to
testify confdencsin the willingness and
/ ability OF the imperial administration to
| redress the wrongs aud prevent the
evils we suffered and feared, the Marine
Guard, which had been sent to Pekin
| in the autumn of 1899, was Withdrawn
at the earliest practicable moment, and
all pending questions were remltted, a.
far as we were concerned, to the ordi'
nary resorts of diplomatic intercourse"
Then, recountng bow the Chinese gov
ernment had proved unable to check
| the Boxers end appeared to be prey
| to internal disseDsioD, the President
| leads I'D to the combined naval demon
stration in Chinese waters by the other
powers, stating that while the United
States did not participate in the CON-
bined demonstration, we promptly sent
from the Philippines all ships that
could be spared for servlcs ON the
| Chinese coast. Marines were landed
az Taku end sent to Pekin for the pro-
lection OF the American Legation, the
other powers taking similaf action, but
still the peril increased. Ii referring
to the attack upon the Taku forts by
the powers the President makes
quite prominent the fact that
the American Admiral took no part
ia the affair on the ground that we
were not at war with China and
that a hostile demonstration might
consolidate anti-foreign elements and
thus strengthen the Boxers to oppose
the relieving column. Tho message
continues: 1.-THE siege and the relief
OF the legations has passed into IN
dying history. In all the stirring chap
ter which records the heroism OF the
DEVOTED band, clinging to hope in the
face OF despair. and the uDdaunted
spirit that led their relievers through
battle and suffering to the goal, 1t Is q
memory of which my countrymen may
be Justly proud that the honor Of our
flag was maintained alike In the siege
and the rescue, and that stout Ameri-
can hearts have agsin sot high, 10 fer
vent emulation with true men CT otner
race and language, the indomitable
courage that ever strives for the cause
OF right and justice" After a brief
resume OF the attacks upon the lega-
tions, the killing OF the German minis
ter, Baron Yon Ketteler, and the means
OF defense adopted by the hesieged, in
the course of which be refers 10 the gal
liant sortie led by Capt. Myers OF the U.
s. Marine Corps, the President relates
the history of the joint relief eXpedi-
ton. In this connection he Gays:
1.-THE United States soldiers, sail
ors aud marines, officers and men
alike, 10 those distant cimes
and unusual SURROUNDINGS, show
ed the same valor, discipline and good
conduct and gave proof OF the same
high degree of intelligence and eff
hcieucy which have distinguished them
10 every emergency" In regard to the
settlement Of the Chinese question by
the powers the President favors the
Russian proposition locking to the res
toration of the imperial power In
Pekin. He Gays, however, that for
real culprits, those who haye misled
the imperial judgment and diverted
the sovereign authority to their own
guilty ends, full expiation becomes i'm