No. 124.
The commission
to Mr. Evarts.
United
States Commission,
Peking, September 27,
1880.
No. 4.]
Sir:
* * * * * * *
We reached here upon the 19th instant, and found waiting our arrival a
communication from the foreign office, informing us of the appointment of
two commissioners by the Chinese Government, with full powers. Copies of
this communication and our reply are inclosed.
The two commissioners are men of high rank and large influence, and are both
members of the privy council of State; they are also ministers in the
foreign office. They are both advanced in years. His excellency Pao Chün is
a Manchu, distantly related to the imperial family. In addition to the
offices mentioned above, he is president of the Imperial College of
Literature and superintendent of the board of rites. He has had long
experience in foreign matters, and is understood to be conciliatory and
progressive in his policy. His excellency Li Hung Tsao, is a Chinese. He was
the tutor of the late Emperor Tung Chih, and has the reputation of being one
of the most profound scholars in the empire. [Page 169] He has been a member of the foreign office for about five
years, and is credited with being anti-foreign or reactionary in his
views.
We have, &c.,
- JAMES B. ANGELL.
- JOHN F. SWIFT.
- WM. HENRY TRESCOT.
[Inclosure 1 in No. 4.]
Prince Kung to Mr.
Angell.
Prince Rang, chief secretary of State for foreign affairs, herewith makes
a communication:
Upon the 23d ultimo, I had the honor to receive a dispatch from your
excellency, stating that the President of the United States had
appointed your excellency, the Hon. John F. Swift, and the Hon. William
H. Trescot, commissioners plenipotentiary to China, and empowered them
to confer with commissioners appointed with full powers by the Emperor
of China, and has also empowered them to negotiate and sign treaties or
conventions to the end of effecting a settlement of questions of
interest now pending between the two governments. Your excellency also
requested me to memorialize the throne with a view to the appointment of
commissioners upon the part of China.
I at once addressed the throne upon this subject, and upon the 5th
instant His Imperial Majesty issued his mandate in the following
terms:
“Let Pao Chün and Li Hung Tsao, be appointed commissioners
plenipotentiary for conference upon matters of the treaty and subjects
of interest. Respect this.”
It becomes my duty to forward a copy of this decree, as above, for your
consideration.
Peking, September 18,
1880.
[Inclosure 2 in No. 4.]
The commissioners
plenipotentiary to Prince Kung.
Your Imperial Highness: Upon our arrival at
this capital we had the honor to receive your imperial highness’s
communication addressed to Mr. Angell, and in response to his letter of
August 23, by which we are informed that His Imperial Majesty has been
pleased to appoint their excellencies Pao Chün and Li Hung Tsao
commissioners plenipotentiary on the part of China to treat with us upon
certain matters of interest now pending between the two governments.
The United States will not fail to appreciate the promptness and good
disposition thus shown by the government of His Imperial Majesty, and in
acknowledging receipt of your imperial highnesses communication, we beg
leave to add the expression of our sincere desire, that through our
deliberations results may be reached at an early moment which will prove
beneficial alike to China and the United States.
We have, &c.,
- JAMES B. ANGELL.
- JOHN F. SWIFT.
- W. H. TRESCOT.
