Mr. Hill to Mr. Herdliska.
Washington, September 21, 1900.
- Part 1. On September 17 the Chinese minister presented copy of
a circular telegram from Prince Ching, announcing appointment as
plenipotentiary conjointly with Earl Li Hung Chang to negotiate
peace,
[Page 306]
and requesting
the United States minister at Pekin be instructed to open
negotiations. The following reply has been handed to-day to
Chinese minister:
The Government of the United States accepts the plenipotentiary authority of Earl Li Hung Chang and Prince Ching as prima facie sufficient for the preliminary negotiations looking toward the return of the Imperial Chinese Government and to the resumption of its authority at Pekin, and toward the negotiation of a complete settlement by the duly appointed plenipotentiaries of the powers and of China.
To these ends the United States minister in Pekin will be authorized to enter into relations with Earl Li and Prince Ching as the immediate representative of the Chinese Emperor.
- Part 2. On September 17 the Russian chargé delivered a
memorandum, inquiring, first, whether the United States intends
to transfer its legation from Pekin to Tientsin; secondly, if
full powers of Prince Ching and Li Hung Chang are recognized by
the United States as sufficient; and, thirdly, if the United
States is prepared to charge its representatives to enter
forthwith upon preliminary negotiations with the
plenipotentiaries of the Chinese Emperor. The following
memorandum in reply has been sent to the Russian chargé to-day:
- 1.
- The Government of the United States has not any present intention to withdraw its legation from Pekin.
- 2.
- The Government of the United States accepts the plenipotentiary authority of Earl Li Hung Chang and Prince Ching as prima facie sufficient for the preliminary negotiations looking toward the return of the Imperial Chinese Government and to the resumption of its authority at Pekin, and toward the negotiation of a complete settlement by the duly appointed plenipotentiaries of the powers and of China.
- 3.
- To these ends, the United States minister in Pekin will be authorized to enter into relations with Earl Li and Prince Ching as the immediate representatives of the Chinese Emperor.
- Part 3. On September 18 the German chargé communicated by note the Imperial Germin circular proposing that, as prerequisite to any negotiation, the Chinese Government deliver the real responsible authors of crimes against international law recently perpetrated in China. To this the following note has been handed German charge to-day:1
You will communicate all foregoing to minister for foreign affairs, inviting information of the replies of his Government in the three cases.