The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-07-25
Dispatch Received
From Minister Conger.
he WAS STILL ALIVE ON
LAST WEDNESDAY.

Washington, July 20 Like I;
fash of sunlight out Of the dark SKY
came the intelligence at an early
hour today that United States Minis
ter Conger had sent cipher cable
dispatch from Pekin to the state de-
partment at Washington, making
known that two days ago be was
alive and that the foreigners were
fighting for their lives The message
was received by the Chinese minis
ter, WI Ting Fang, at 8 80 N.
Within an hour the welcome intelli-
gence that Conger had been heard
from, after weeks of silence and evil
report. was flashed through the coun
try and indeed throughout the world,
dispelling the gloom which bad pre-
vailed everywhere and bringing to
officials and to the public generally a
sense of profound relief
The dispatch was in reply to Sec
retary Hays cable inquiry to Min
lister Conger on July IL, and as both
messages were in the American
cipher code they were regarded by
the officials as above the suspicion of
having been tampered with in the
course Of transmission through Chi
nese channels
Mr. Wa promptly communicated
the dispatch TO the state department,
where the translation was made from
the cipher figures and soon all Wash
ington was astir with the intelli
gence 1t was telegraphed by Sec
retary Hay to the president, who
responded with hearty expression
of qualification, and word of it was
sent to the various cabinet officers
They gathered in Secretary Hays
Office and au impromptu cabinet con
feronce was held in the diplomatic
chamber, mainly for the purpose of
exchanging congratulations and of
taking a survey of the situation to
see if it had been materially changed
by this important development.
First Of all, from the standpoint of
the administration officially the most
welcome feature of the message was
its assurance that the American min
lister himself was alive two days ago
But with this cheering news came
the ominous statement of Minister
Conger that the besieged foreigners
were in the British legation under
continued shot and shell from Chinese
troops and that only quick relief
could avert general massacre.
After the first flush of tbankfulness
this graver feature of the message be-
gan to impress itself upon cabinet
officials most deeply AS one of
them remarked: "There are the
poor creatures, penued up under fire
of shot and she'll appealing to US for
help I"
The consultation brought about no
pronounced change OF policy, Tor 1t
was felt that already every energy
mad been bent toward meeting the
situation and that there was absolute.
y nothing more tina. could be done
After all, the cabinet officials felt, aud
so stated, that the message was an
evidence of the friendliaess and good
faith of the pro foreign element of
the Chinese and that wisdom dictated
. course which would continue to
utilize this friendship. The govern
nent accepted the message as authen
tic and Secretary Hay transmitted it
to all our ambassadors and ministers
abroad with instructionsto to lay it before
the respective governments to which
they are accredited and to urge upon
them the necessity of cooperation for
the immediate relief of the foreigners
at Pekin
ORDERS TO REMAY
rnooeooo WAC cont by Secrefarv