No. 148.
Mr. Seward
to Mr. Evarts.
Legation of
the United States,
Peking, January 29, 1880.
(Received April 2.)
No. 575.]
Sir: I have the honor to recur to my dispatch, No.
557, and to hand to you, herewith, translations of two imperial decrees
which have relation to it and to the charge against Chung How.
It is not positively known whether the tenor of the discussions which have
been going forward are favorable to the ratification of the treaty or the
reverse, but it is persistently rumored that the tone of the larger part of
the official class in Peking is very hostile to the treaty, and credence is
given to this by the fact that Chung How is being dealt with very
harshly.
What the fate of this well-known officer is to be, cannot now be told. It is
believed, however, that his estates will be confiscated, and that he will be
banished to a remote part of the empire.
The very greatest sympathy is felt for him by the foreign representatives,
and they would not hesitate to speak in his behalf if they could see the way
to do him any good whatever.
I have, &c.,
[Page 216]
[Inclosure 1 in No. 575.]
an imperial decree.
Their Imperial Highnesses the Empress Dowager and the Empress Mother
decree:
Whereas it was ordered that the treaty made by Chung How, and the several
papers upon the subject by the foreign office, and the memorials by Wang
Ren-kan and Sheng Yu, of the Han Lin, Chang Chihtung, be referred to the
grand secretariat, the six boards, the nine lower courts, and the Han
Lin for consideration; and whereas the report of the grand secretariat
and their associates has been received, together with three memoranda
from the vice-president Chang Hui, and memorials from president Wang
Ching Li, vice-president Chien Pao Lien, vice-president Chow Le Run, of
the astronomical board, Poo Ling, Chang Chai, Kuo Tsung Chu, of the
censorate, Yu Shanghua, Wo Chew, Hu Pin Chin, Censor Kung Hsien Chueh,
Huang Yuanshan, Lien Han Chih, Leng Chenghsin, all censors, Chang
Huakuei, also through the censorate; and also certain memorials hitherto
received from Hao Wamping, Leng Ching-ling, of the censorate, Wo Lapu,
Wang Hsien Chien, of the Han Lin, Yu Yinlin, of the Han Lin, Censor Yen
Yin Fang:
Let the earlier and later memorials and reports be referred to the
princes of the first and second grades, the high ministers of the
imperial presence, the grand council, the prince and ministers of the
foreign office, the grand secretariat, the presidents of the six boards,
and the chief censors for careful consideration and a suitable
report.
Chun Chin Wang* will, of course, act with them in their
deliberations and reports.
Respect this.
[Inclosure 2 in No. 575.]
an imperial decree.
The board of civil office memorializes us, in obedience to our command,
that they take the matter into grave consideration, and request that
Chung How, ex-senior member of the censorate, be removed from office, in
accordance with the statutes, for the violation of the regulations.
Chung How, in obedience to our command, went as our envoy abroad, and,
without awaiting the Imperial will, ventured of his own motion to return
to this capital. The nature of his offense is very grave, and a simple
removal from office is not sufficient to cover it.
Let Chung How first be deprived of rank, arrested, examined, and handed
over to the board of punishment to be dealt with for his offense.
Respect this!
