Mr. Conger to Mr.
Hay.
Legation of the United States,
Pekin, January 2,
1902.
No. 868.]
Sir: I have the honor to confirm my telegram of
the 31st ultimo, in relation to the rehabilitation of Chang Yin-huan,
and to inclose a translation of the imperial edict granting this
favor.
Chang Yin-huan was a native of Kuang-tung province, and obtained office
by purchase. In 1881 he was taot’ai of the port of Wuhu on the Yangtze,
and in June, 1884, was made a minister of the Tsungli yamen, but was
dismissed in September of the same year. In October of that year he was
made taot’ai of the Ta-shim circuit in Chihli, and the next year was
appointed minister of China to the United States and Peru. At the same
time he was made an expectant director of the metropolitan court. Other
titles were added in 1886 and 1887. In March, 1890, he was reappointed
to the Tsungli yamen. He was made director of Court of revision in 1891,
and afterwards held vice-presidencies in the Censorate and Board of
revenue, being made senior vice-president of the latter in 1892. In
June, 1895, he was appointed envoy to Japan to treat for peace, but was
not acceptable to Japan because of his insufficient rank. In March,
1897, he was sent as special ambassador to Great Britain on the occasion
of the Queen’s jubilee. In August, 1898, he became a member of the
railway board.
During 1898 he became sponsor to the court for Kang Yu-wei, whose
far-reaching schemes aroused the fears of the conservatives, and when
the coup d’état occurred in September, Chang was at once cashiered and
banished to Chinese Turkestan. In the summer of 1900, when Prince Tuan
was at the helm of state, orders were issued commanding his
decapitation, and the sentence was at once executed.
The edict restoring his honors to him posthumously is very curt, and the
intimation is plain that the favor is granted only in response to the
requests of Great Britain and the United States.
I have, etc.,
[Page 141]
[Inclosure 1.]
Translation from Peking Gazette, December 31,
1901.
On the 18th of the eleventh moon the following imperial edict was
received:
“According to a memorial of Prince Ch’ing and others, the ministers
of Great Britain and the United States have requested that Chang
Yin-huan, who had suffered punishment, might be rehabilitated,
etc.
“Let Chang Yin-huan, deceased, formerly the senior vice-president of
the Board of revenue, as a mark of special mercy, be restored to his
former official status in order to the promotion of friendly
feelings.
“Respect this.”
[Inclosure 2.]
Foreign office to Mr.
Conger.
F. O. No. 312.]
Prince of Ch’ing, imperial commissioner, president of the board of
foreign affairs, and Wang Wen-shao, acting plenipotentiary, minister
of the grand council, grand secretary, minister of the board of
foreign affairs, etc., send this dispatch:
We have the honor to acknowledge the receipt some time since of a
communication from your excellency, concerning the punishment of the
former minister (to the United States), Chang Yin-huan, saying that
your Government earnestly requested that he might be rehabilitated
and expressing the hope that we would memorialize the Throne,
praying that his original rank might be restored, etc.
We, prince and minister, thereupon prepared and submitted a special
memorial, and on the 19th of the eleventh moon (December 29, 1901)
we received by telegraph an imperial edict, as follows:
“The ministers of Great Britain and the United States requested that
Chang Yin-huan, who has suffered punishment, should be
rehabilitated, etc. Let Chang Yin-huan, deceased, formerly the
senior vice-president of the board of revenue, as a mark of special
mercy, be restored to his former rank, in order to the promotion of
friendly feeling.
“Respect this.”
As in duty bound, we have reverently copied this edict and now
transmit it to your excellency for your consideration, and trust
that you will forward it to your Government.
Kuang-hsu, XXVII year, eleventh moon, 23d
day (January 2, 1902).
