The French chargé d’affaires to the Secretary of State.
Washington, October 17, 1900.
The Government of the Republic has highly appreciated the response which the Government of the United States has made to its note of the 4th of October; it has been especially gratifying to it to observe the sentiments of sympathy for France which have evidently inspired that reply.
All the interested powers have adhered to the essential principle of the French note. In so far as concerns the points which have called forth comments on the part of certain cabinets, they could, it would seem, be discussed among the powers or between their diplomatic representatives at Pekin in the course of the negotiations, and receive such modifications as might be judged necessary in order to more surely and speedily attain the common end.
The essential thing now is to show the Chinese Government, which has declared itself ready to negotiate, that the powers are animated by the same spirit; that they are decided to respect the integrity of China and the independence of its Government; but that they are none the less resolved to obtain the satisfaction to which they have a right.
In this regard it would seem that if the proposition which has been accepted as the basis of negotiations were communicated to the Chinese plenipotentiaries by the ministers of the powers at Pekin, or in their name by their dean, this step would be of a nature to have a happy influence upon the determinations of the Emperor of China and of his Government.
It goes without saying that this collective step would in nowise interfere with the examination of the points in the French proposition to which the reservations made by certain governments relate.
The minister for foreign affairs would be particularly happy to learn that this is also the opinion of the President of the United States and of the honorable Secretary of State, and that they have thought it opportune to send to the minister of the United States in Pekin instructions in this sense.