Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-09-25
REPLY OF UNITED STATES.
Text of Notes to Powers is Mad.
Public.


China in reply to inquiries from them
as to the attitude of the United States
toward the various phases of the
Chinese problem. Altho nowhere in
the text is reference made to the
withdrawal of United States troops
from China, the official statement
issued by the navy department in adj
vance of the publication of the notes,
bears out the predication that the gov
ernment finally has decided upon such
material reduction of it's military
forces as will amount to withdrawal
of the army as an offense instrument.
The answer to the German note is
carefully phrased so as to soften the
unqualified refusal of the United
States government to make the pun
ishment of the Chinese ringleaders
condition precedent to negotiations.
Also it is noted that in the expression
of purpose to insist upon the ulti-
mate proper punishment of these Of
tenders, the state department goes far
beyond the German declaration on the
subject. The text of the reqly of the
United States to the note of the Ger
ishment, is as follows:
Responsible Leaders Must Answer.
'"The government of the United
States has from the outset proclaim
ed it's purpose to hold to the uttermost
| accountability the responsible authors
of any wrongs done in China to citi-
zens Of the United States and their
| interests, as was stated in the govern
ment's circular communication to the
powers on July 8 last. These wrongs
have been committed not alone in Pc
king, but in many parts of the empire,
and the punishment of the perpetra-
tors is believed to be an essential ele-
ment of any effective settlement which
shall prevent a recurrence of such
outrages and bring about permanent
safety and peace in China.
ut is thought, however, that no pun
tive measures can be so effective by
| way of reparation for the wrongs suf-
fered and as deterrent examples for fu-
| ture as the degradation and punish
| ment of the responsible authors by
the supreme imperial authority itself;
and it seems but just to China that
she could be afforded in the first in.
stance an opportunity to do this and
thus rehabilitate herself before the
world.
Germany's Punitive Plan Rejected.
Believing this, and without abating
in any wise its deliberate purpose to
exact the fullest accountability from
! the responsible authors of the wrongs
we have suffered in China the govern
ment of the United States is not dis
| posed as preliminary condition to
enter into diplomatic negotiations
with the Chinese government, to join
| in demand that said government sur
render to the powers such persons as.
| according to the determination of the
powers themselves, may be held to be
| the first and real perpetrators of those
wrongs.
"On the other hand, this govern
ment is disposed to hold that the pun.
ishment of the high responsible auth
! ors of those wrongs, not only in Pc
king but thruout China, is essentially
condition to be embraced and provid-
ed for in the negotiations for final set
tlement
ut is the purpose of this govern
| ment at the earliest practicable mo-
ment to name it's plenipotentaries for
negotiating settlement with China
and in the meantime to authorize it's
minister in Peking to enter forthwith
in conference with the duly authorized
representatives of the Chinese govern.
ment with view to bringing about
a preliminary agreement whereby full
exercise of imperial power for the
preservation of order and protection
of foreign life and property thruout
China, pending the final negotiations
with the powers shall be assured
Prince Ching and Earl Ii Accept.
In response to a communication
from Minister WI transmitting a
cablegram from Prince Ching, an
nouncing his appointment as envoy
plenipotentiary with full discretion
ary powers, in conjunction with the
grand secretary, Ii Hung Chang, to
negotiate peace, the state department
returned the following note:
THE government of the United
States accepts the plenipotentiary au-
thority of Lii Hung Chang and Prince
Ching as prima-facie sufficient for pre-.
liminary negotiations looking toward
the return of the imperial Chinese
government and to the resumption of
it's authority at Peking and toward
the negotiation of complete settlement
by the duly appointed plenipotentia-
ries of the powers of China
''To these ends, the United States
minister in Peking will be authorized
to enter into relations with Earl Lii
and Prince Ching as the immediate
representatives of the Chinese en-
pire."
The Russian government made in
quiries as, first, whether the federal
/ government intended to transfer the
residence of the legation from Peking
to Tien-Tsin; secondly, if Prince
Ching and Ii Hung Chang would be
recognized by the United States;
thirdly, if the government was pre-
pared to charge it's representatives
and enter without delay upon the pre-
liminary negotiations with the pleni-
potentiaries of the Emperor of China.
To the first the United States re-
piled in the negative. Regarding the
other inquiries the answer of the Uni
ted States is in accord with the men,
orandum handed to the Chinese min
lister, recognizing the authority of
the Chinese envoys.
| s---------~----------