Mr. Conger to Mr.
Hay.
No. 423.]
Legation of the
United States,
Peking,
China, October 4, 1900.
Sir: I have the honor to confirm Department
telegrams of September 22 and 29 and mine of October 1, 3, and 4. I also
inclose copy of Imperial decree mentioned in my telegram of the 3d instant,
and which has to-day been received by the dean of the diplomatic corps from
Prince Ching. The punishments so far as named are grossly inadequate. Titles
of nobility can easily be restored, and it is not uncommon for a Chinese
officer to be degraded, and soon thereafter to be reinstated or promoted to
a higher place. Governor Yü Hsien and General Tung Fu-hsiang, who, with the
exception of Prince Tuan, were the worst of all, are not mentioned in the
decree.
The question of punishment is most important, but, in my judgment, it may
well be left until after preliminary negotiations are begun.
The arrival of Li Hung-chang is still awaited. More German troops are
arriving, while American and Japanese are being withdrawn. The foreign
ministers all seem to be waiting definite instructions, so no apparent
progress is being made. However, I shall do whatever I properly may to
facilitate the preliminary negotiations.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure in dispatch No.
423.]
Imperial decree issued by the Emperor at Tai-Yuan
Fu, Shansi.
On the 25th of September the grant secretariat received a decree as
follows:
The trouble at the present time which broke out between China and foreign
countries is a revolutionary movement quite out of the ordinary, and has
been the cause of bringing calamity upon us. This was not in accordance
with our wish, and it is all due to the princes and ministers of state
having participated in and protected the “Boxer” banditti movement, thus
embroiling us in trouble with friendly nations, causing injury to our
state and our removing from the capital.
We certainly can not but acknowledge that we are at fault and reprove
ourselves, the princes and ministers having without cause stirred up the
present trouble. It is urgently necessary that they should have meted
out to them various degrees of a severe form of punishment.
Let Prince Chuang, Prince I, Tsai Lien, and Tsai Ying (the last two
princes of the third order) be deprived of their rank or title of
nobility. Prince Tuan we treat (more) leniently, and he is hereby
removed from all his official appointments and handed over to the
Imperial clan court for the determination of a severe form of penalty;
he is’ also deprived of his official salary. Duke Lan, and Ying Men,
president of the censorate, are ordered to be handed over to the yamen
concerned for the determination of a severe form of punishment. K’ang I,
assistant grand secretary and president of the board of civil office,
and Chao Shu-chiao, president of the board of punishments, are to be
handed over to the censorate and board of civil office for the
determination of a penalty, in order to make an example of them.
We have been charged and intrusted by our ancestors with the performance
of an important post. Our only hope is to serve and protect the public
interests, regardless of others. The princes and ministers have not
served the country as good statesmen, and they have themselves to blame.
This is understood by the officials and people of the Empire.