Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 5, 1881

No. 185.
Mr. Blaine to Mr. Holcombe.

Department of State,
Washington, November 23, 1881.

No. 137.]

Sir: Mr. Angell’s dispatch No. 199, of August 18, last, has been received. It reports an attack upon the American mission at Tsi-nan-fu, and incloses his correspondence relating thereto.

In approving Mr. Angells action, I am free to say that the protection of American missionaries must be trusted to the minister at Peking, and at this great distance the matter left largely to his discretion.

It seems, however, that the Chinese Government should, in a spirit of impartial justice at once put a stop to these uncalled-for and unprovoked annoyances, by promptly punishing the offenders, and by affording our citizens every possible protection in the future.

I am, &c.,

JAMES G. BLAINE.