No. 60.
Mr. Low to Mr. Fish.
Peking, March 8, 1873. (Received May 23.)
Sir: I have to thank you for the instructions contained in your No. 115, which reached me at an opportune moment.
Your views concerning the whole question are comprehensive, and just to all concerned; and the instructions furnished me for my guidance do not vary in the smallest particular from those I would have prescribed for myself, had the whole matter been left to my own discretion.
The importance of the question, and the necessity that exists for its proper and speedy settlement, cannot well be overestimated; therefore, to press for its solution now is, in my judgment, a duty which all the treaty-powers owe alike to themselves and the Chinese. If it is not settled now, it probably never will be through peaceful agencies. By this I would not be understood as asserting that the refusal of the Emperor to receive foreign ministers could be properly considered a casus belli. What I do mean is, that unless a public recognition of the entire equality of other nations be made in the manner proposed, without conditions that would be considered derogatory, relations will grow worse and worse, until some overt act is committed which will provoke hostilities.
I have not failed to note your observations upon the small value which the Government and people of the United States place upon questions of ceremony. In this connection I beg to say that to such questions generally I attach little importance—less, I expect, than most of our people do. In the present case, however, substance is involved in form and ceremony, and cannot well be separated.
It may be doubted whether delay in making an effort looking to recognition [Page 152] of equality, now that the Emperor is on the throne, would be less harmful than a refusal of the demand when once it is made, for the Chinese fully expected it as soon as the Emperor attained his majority, and any hesitation on the part of foreign governments would have been set down to cowardice.
My action, as reported in my No. 233, only anticipated your instructions a few days; in the future I shall endeavor to follow the directions laid down by the Department in a prudent and careful manner.
Speculations as to the future would be valueless; therefore I shall content myself with reporting, from time to time, events as they occur.
I have, &c.,