Office of the Historian

Mr. Burlingame to Mr. Seward

No. 140.]
Legation of the United States, Peking, May 8, 1867.

Sir: I have the honor to send you (A) a despatch from Prince King, giving information of the appointment of Wo-jin as an additional member of the foreign office. Also an extract from the “Peking Gazette” (B) disclosing the reasons for that appointment.

Wo-jin is one of the chief men of the empire and at the head of the opposition to the foreign policy of the government. He criticised severely the employment of foreigners by the government, to teach the languages and sciences of the west, and intimated that Chinese might be found to do that work. The government immediately decreed that he should find such learned Chinese and set up a school of instruction. Whereupon, Wo-jin, much disturbed, said that he could not find them. The government decreed that he should enter the foreign office. This also alarmed him, and he tried to escape this new position, but was not permitted to do so. Hence the notice to us of his appointment. This is considered by us a very skilful method of silencing the leader of the opposition.

I have the honor to be your obedient servant,

ANSON BURLINGAME.

Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.

[Page 483]
[Translation.]

Prince Kung to Mr. Burlingame

April 26, 1867, (Tungchi, 6th year, 3d moon, 22d day.)

Prince Kung, chief secretary of state for foreign affairs, herewith makes a communication :

I have the honor to inform your excellency that this office yesterday received the following imperial rescript :

“The cabinet minister, Wo-jin, is hereby appointed an additional member of the board of foreign office.”

The purpose of this communication is to give you notice of his appointment.

To his Excellency Anson Burlingame, United States Minister.

[Extract from the Peking Gazette, April 29, 1867.]

An Imperial rescript.

The cabinet minister Wo-jin having on a previous occasion memorialized the throne, stating that in his opinion before the astronomical and mathematical college was established, it would be best to search widely through the country for able scholars to manage it, and that no doubt talented men well acquainted with these branches could be found, a rescript was then issued requiring him to search and obtain the services of as many such persons as he could confidently recommend; and then to select a proper locality where to establish his institution, which should be entirely under his own control.

The said minister has now presented a second memorial in which he says that in his opinion there are no such men as he spoke of, and that he cannot venture recklessly to recommend anybody.

Seeing, therefore, that he has nobody in view worthy of his recommendation, let him keep the subject before him, and make careful inquiries that he may inform us when he has found such scholars and can bring them forward. Let him, therefore, start his institution for learning and practicing these sciences, in order to carry into effect the proposals he formerly made. Respect this.

[Extract from the Peking Gazette, April 29, 1867.]

Imperial rescript.

The cabinet minister Wo-jin having been recently ordered to act with the foreign office board, sent up a memorial in which he earnestly requested that his appointment might be rescinded; but we again ordered the general council to give him notice that his declination could not be accepted.

To-day he has sent another memorial stating that as his understanding is very mediocre, and he is rather set in his ways, he is afraid that he will only be an impediment in the management of affairs, and therefore again earnestly requests that he be not required to act on this board.

Now the various matters brought before the office for foreign affairs are of the highest importance, and Wo-jin is himself a dignitary of the highest rank, so that it is incumbent on him at this juncture to exert all his energies of mind and body to aid in their difficult management. In this way he can fulfil the obligations resting on him. How can he excuse himself by such trifling reasons as these ?

Let Wo-jin’s memorial receive no further attention. Respect this.