The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-01-31
AUDIENCE OF DIPLOMATS
AT FOREIGN COURTS
By Hon. John W. Foster.

hope, sir, you will not think this an III
! material or trif1ing matter when you col
slider that the simple circumstance
| esenting family at Court viii make
! difference of several hundred pounds ste
= 'r7o--i- ~
a full report Of his audience OF George
! III, in the course of which he says: ne
door was shut, and 1 was left with HIS
Majesty and the Secretary alone. l MADE
the three reverences, one at the door, an
other about half way, and the third De-
fore the presence, according to the usage
established at this and all the northern
sCcurts of Europe, and then addressed
myself to His Majesty" He states tna'
the King listened to his address with ols-
nifty, but with apparent emotion, ana
that he was much affected and spoke
with manifest tremor in his reply
! 1t is of historic interest, in this con-
nection, to give an extract from King
Georges speech on that occasion: 1 am,
won NAV well suppose the last person
in England that consented to the dismem-
berment of the Empire, by the indepenu-
ience of the new States, and, Whlle lne
war was continued, I thought 1t due 10
! nv subjects 10 prosecute the war W ~
utmost But sir, have consenteu " nc
independence and it is ratified py lrea'y'
L
IPlenipotentiary; and every attention, re-
lspect and protection, granted 10 otheI
iP,enipotentisries you shall receive al
this Court. And I hope and trust thas
! from blood. religion, manners, naoits oA
intercourse and almost every other CON
sideration, the two nations Will con.ihue
for ages IN friendship and confidence
with each other.
In France the reVo-
,,oNpoE TN luton of 1889 brought
TUE ARMS OF about m r q
a FRENCHNAN change in the manner
of presentation OF
foreign Ministers, in contrast with that
which prevailed in the Court OF LOUIS
XVI James Monroe, who was sent py
President Washington as Minister TO the
new Republic at the most exciting periou
of its existence, was regarded as par
tjsan friend Of the new order of things,
and It was determined to make the pres
Ientation of his letter of credenee the
occasion of a great demonstration lie
was received in public audience by the
National Convention, whose hail was
de corate{i with the American colors. MT.
Monroe. made an address, to which the
presiding officer replied at length, ana
concluded as follows: You see here the
effusion of soul that accompanies TINS
simple and touching ceremony. | am I'M
patient to give you the fraternal en-
brace, which ! am ordered to give II
the name OF the French people. Come
and receive it in the name of the Amerl-
can people, and let this spectacle com
plete the annihilation of an impious coalI-
ton of tyrants." He thereupon, WIN
tragic effect gave Mr.. Monroe the fra
ternaI embrace {accolade) and fmprfrned
on his cheek kiss, amid the loud cheers
OF the members and spectators. When
the report of this ceremony reached
America, the Secretary of State sent Mt
Monroe a mild reproof, criticising the
gushing character of his address, and
saving it was not expected or desired
that he would yield to a public presenta-
ton of that character; and not long after
President Washington saw fit to recall
him from his mission.
There is more significance in the au-
Ciience of the head of a state with Dip
tomato representative than the mere
co,,rtly formalities to which I have re-
ferred would seem to indicate. The de-
livery and reception of autograph let
tiers between rulers implies an equality
of relations which is of high Importance
to independent nations, and this equality
and freedom of intercourse has for cen
turtles been observed among Christian
nations But the Oriental nations have
been slow TO recognize 1t. Japan brought
its Emperor out of seclusion soon after II
determined to seek admission into the
family of nations, and the Mfkado ad-
rnitted to audience the foreign diplomats
under the Court rules observed In Euro
pcan capitals. China has, however, fol
centuries resisted the practice, and W
ito a very recent date has sought to ex'
Iclude direct diplomatic intercourse witt
the Emperor. The demand has been thai
representatives of other nations mus
come as dependent States, bearing trib
ute in order to secure an audience Of
the Emperor It has also been claimed
that the diplomatic representative, wheT
he comes into the Imperial presence
must do obeisance to 1.-The Son Of Heav
en-" by performing what is termed th'
ikow-tow-that is, prostrating ones sell
and striking the head upon the ground.
| When forced to aban
WARD ENELT don this requirement
ONLY TO GOD the Chinese official IN
OR WOMAN sisted that the diplo
mat must at least knee
when he presented the letter of his Sow
ereign to the Emperor, as even thu
lprinces of the Imperial family were no
allowed to present paper to the Emper
or without kneeling. 1t is related tina
when, in 1853, Mr.. Ward. the American
Minister, having refused to kow-tow, wa
told that he must kneel when he pre-
sented the Presidents letter tn the EN-
lperor, he replied, at kneel only to Co
and woman" and that he was answered
] The Emperor is the same as God" Bd
Mr.. Ward was not convinced of this, ana
the letter was not presented.
! Nearly two centuries ago, Count Is.
mailof, attended by an imposing suite
and bearing an autograph letter and ricf
presents TO the Emperor of China, an
lpeared at Peking as the Ambassador o.
the Car of Russia. Much time was spent
lin negotiations respecting the ceremony
lof audience. The Ambassador at frs
lstoutly refused to v-tow but, be ne
convinced that his mission would other
wise be a failure, at last consented.
iextract the following from the account
of the audience by Father Ripa, who was
present as an Interpreter:
| Count Ismailof then entered. and I'm
mediately Frustrated himself before the
table, holding up the Cars letter witt
both hands. The Emperor who had a
first behaved gracieuslv TO Ismailof, nov
thought proper to nortify him by max
ing him remain some time in this pros
ttrate posture. The proud Russian wa:
indignant at this treatment, and gave
Iunequivocal signs Of resentment by Ger
ltaiI. motions Of his mouth and by turn
ing his head aside, which. under the cir
lcen stances, was very unseemly Here