The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-02-25
sands Of our m-n In the various departments

sands Of our m-n In the various departments
BESIDES, the completion Of that work must
be- urged IN order 10 facilitate hnd expedite com
lnunicatiun with our STATE, IN the Pacific Stop"
For pnasibly, AT some future tim" We may have
another war. and We would greatly need such
means of transit. Moreover, II ~ important
that We more closely units tho extremes u ms
country, from The Atlantic Uths Pacific. by closer
ties u n common com mcrcial interest and greater
facilities for mutual business aud social inter
course. thereby binding the Pacific Slope mus
solgbly 10 The Union"
Here again remarked,
Yes. Mr. President, well remember that ~
tbs outbreak If tho rebellion here wAs anxiety IN
the public mind as 10 whn, courss the pnGeihc
slope would take IN tho impending confh,,'t,
Mr. Lincoln, heHr ring this, looked up full at.mr'
and, speaking cmphatically, said 49,.
Yes, secret mGchinauons were SGT on iont
there, and II viii never br know I'll the secret
Archives Of thu Government are Rad h"" near
We came 10 losing the Pacific slopo'
OF course | could not know to What he %paf,icn,
larry rciefred IN thus speaking lie shd ne
more. Then again looking thqughtfuny, toward
the fire, and esuming his quiet tone oi mono
"Of course, in the convulsiye upheayal Of all
the elements Of popular excitement ihht munt
always attend ci,l wars, and especially among
Us Americans, tho deepest cnerglrS are naturally
aroused, and the whole people are. irf the ilne
being, devoted to the stirring business OF war
Now, among our people such unusual eneIslas
cannot b. at once rrprsscd. The eNcltemrh!
of war being over, they viii naturally ana 81
necessity bs directed to and manifested in IN.
dustnal and commercial pursuits From TINS
will proceed business activities and enterprise
OF an unusually energetic character 80 that,
when the war Is actually over and peace fully
restored and our people have resumed their peace
full pursuits there will come a period ot prosperity
uneNampled herctOiurr. We may have some
political ~squabbles before w. get matters entirely
Strengthened out, but business interests WI
In the end prevail And II viii he the policy OF
the Government, as now administered 10 promote
by all appropriate means that peaceful solution
81 our present difficulties, and Will aim to BRING
the people Of the several sections II the country
into friendly business relations. thereby strength
ening the bonds Il the Union through a com
munity Il industrial and commercial interests
"TO this end, as well as for other ends, the open
ing Of the highway by rail across the continent
will be an important factor. Hence, rs ! have
said, II is the policy of the Government as now
f Faaias Iniifoa ID YE 5'% All lt ,sS nS%p'f "ad s 81 a %%,
means. For, said he. turning and looking me
full IN the face, and speaking most earnestly,
J a large proportion % the trade ~ Asia into and
across this cOEiiHcHi,' bringing his big bony fist
down on the table with an emphatic hump.
Then continuing, he said,
NOW, as | have said, there seems 10 be- some
trouble with our Chinese business; and knowing
you TO be a good organizer, want you 10 go 10
Hong Kong one OF the focal centres Of oriental
commerce, aud reyrganize our hlnese trade with
that port. | don't know how II Is Ia I've done, Tor
| don't know what Is the matter. That viii he
for you 10 find out, and then devise the remedy.
! Only know mat seizures IOr lfrpkuldrltl"S are 50
frequent as 10 depress trade, You must cndcayor
10 correct that, Al Hong Kong you Will have no
one over YOU, | can commission YOU only as
Consul, but owing 10 the necessities Of the case
existing at Hong Kong you will be charged Viz
ually with the duties Of Minister Resident as 10
that jurisdiction, as your Minister Will be- al Lon
don, a great way of. And | am sorry that cant
give YOU either the honor If the emOluments Of
that office; as We cannot very well appoint than
one Minister 10 the same Government (smiling),
You will, however, as due u. your position
harN pnrTaEnnHH in all M a liars IlTtsf'V with tina
State department here
lie ceased speaking. \ moment Of silence en-
sued. Then | remarked:
Your presenta ton Of the matter, Mt. PreSi-
dent. places II before me in a new aspect"
Il thought II would, he replied, and that's why
! wanted TO talk with you. asked Gov Seward
tSecretary Of State the other day II you had come
TO see him yet and told him that whom you came
| wanted TO talk with you. And | will further say
now that | would consider your acceptance a
favor, for wa want that Chinese business attended
10 right away, The only Instructions | would
have TO give you are, that you proceed 10 San
Francisco, where the trouble chiefly seems 10 be,
call on the Collector ot that port, gain all the in
formation you can at the Custom House there
as bearing on our Chinese trade, then proceed 10
your Consulate, and in due time institute such
measures as may be needed To remedy the difficult
ties that seem 10 embaUhss our trade with China,
Now, 90 10 Gov Seward, tell him you have seen
me and what has been said, lie will give you
more definite information than | can"
went directly Ia the STATE Department, saw
Gov. Seward, told him Of my interview with the
President and the substance Of what had been
said, received from him additional information
touching the matters relating 10 the Hong Kong
Consulate, with free access to the Consular records.
After some days - spent | decided tn accept,
and 80 informed Gov. Seward, who Immediately
gave me my passport and my commission was
forwarded TO London for approval and eXequatur.
then went once more IL the White House, was
received by Mr.. Lincoln, aud | informed him Of
my acceptance. He eS pressed grautica ton, gave
me his best wishes for my good health and sue
cessful mission, took my hand, said, Good by,
and God bless you" and We parted. never saw
him again. some six weeks afterward, and Just
before my departure for China under his COM
mission, he was shot ISAAC j. ALLEN.
NEWARK, y. j, Feb. IL,