Mr. Conger to Mr.
Hay.
Legation of the United States,
Peking, January 19,
1903.
No. 1191.]
Sir: I have the honor to report that on
yesterday the monument erected by the Chinese Government in compliance
with the terms of the protocol of September 7, 1901, on the spot where
the German
[Page 78]
minister, Baron von
Ketteler, was murdered, on the 20th of June, 1900, was formally
dedicated in the presence of high Chinese officials, members of the
diplomatic corps, the German garrison, an equal number of Chinese
soldiers, most of the foreigners here resident, and an immense crowd of
Chinese.
The inaugural ceremony consisted of libations poured out by his highness,
Prince Chung, brother of the Emperor, who made a brief speech in
Chinese, which was translated into German and to which Baron von der
Goltz, German chargé d’affaires, made reply in German, which was
translated into Chinese. At the close of the ceremony the Germans
marched through the central arch, preceded by a German band.
The monument is a large granite pailou, composed of three arches, built
across the street, and bears inscriptions in German, Latin, and Chinese.
I inclose translated copies of the inscriptions, and of the speeches
made.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1.]
Inscription on monument erected by the Chinese
Government to Baron von Ketteler.
This monument has been erected by order of His Majesty the Emperor of
China for the Imperial German Minister Baron von Ketteler, who fell
on this spot by heinous murder on the 20th of June, 1900, in
everlasting commemoration of his name, as an eternal token of the
Emperor’s wrath about this crime, as a warning to all.
[Inclosure 2.]
Speech of Prince Chung at the dedication of the
von Ketteler monument.
The monument erected to the memory of the late Imperial German
minister, Baron von Ketteler, stands before us. By order of His
Imperial Majesty I have poured out the libations and have
inaugurated therewith formally this monument.
My sovereign wishes this monument to be a warning to the people, a
token of the friendship existing between our two nations, and a sign
of the blessings which general peace bestows.
May the name of the deceased Baron von Ketteler remain lasting for
all times, like the stately monument before us; that is my sincere
wish.
[Inclosure 3.]
Reply of Baron von der
Goltz to Prince
Chung.
The monument standing before us, so say the inscriptions engraved
thereon, has been erected to the everlasting memory of the Imperial
German minister, Baron von Ketteler, murdered on this place on June
20, 1900, and as an eternal token of the Emperor of China’s wrath
about the crime.
Your Imperial Highness has now inaugurated this monument through
libations in accordance with the orders issued by His Majesty. China
has therewith fulfilled loyally one of the obligations which it took
upon itself after the events of 1900.
May the Ketteler monument transmit this glorious name to all
posterity, and may it remain for all time a symbol of China’s wish
to foster and to strengthen good relations with the foreign
countries.
