George F. Seward to Prince Kung, February 6, 1880

Mr. Seward to Prince Kung.

The undersigned is constrained to inform your imperial highness that reports are current and have reached his ears indicating that the disposition of a large part of the high officials of this capital toward the late imperial ambassador, Chung How, is very hostile; it would seem even that fears are entertained for his life.

Under any ordinary circumstances the undersigned, availing of his privilege as a foreign minister, would apply to your imperial highness for information, but it must be supposed that your imperial highness will not be prepared to make any statement whatever, so long as the matter referred to is under the examination of your government.

The undersigned has no alternative, then, but to point out to your imperial highness in this way the fact that the arrest and degradation of a high official for no other offense than that of having returned to his own country after the completion of a special mission abroad, will seem to his government an extraordinary proceeding, the more so when the expectation of the given officer to so return had been announced from the very beginning of his mission, and had been declared to the foreign legations by the Yamên itself at a moment which would indicate that he might have been stopped if it were desired that he should remain at his post.

The undersigned is aware that there may be other charges against the late ambassador, but his government will not think it strange that in speaking of the matter the undersigned should put forward with prominence the allegation made in two imperial decrees and the only one which has been made public.

If it be true that dissatisfaction exists with the late ambassador in respect of the work done or left undone by him during his recent mission, neither will this appear in the eyes of his government an adequate ground for extreme measures. It is not to be presumed that a high functionary has not acted to the best of his judgment and ability, and with the disposition to do his duty.

The case is not without concern to foreign governments when viewed from the one or the other standpoint. They have invited you to establish missions abroad because they have desired to avert the recurrence of difficulties and to draw more closely the bonds of friendship. But what high officer will care hereafter to go abroad when the duty before him is so perilous? What boldness or vigor can be expected of a minister who has to direct his steps to avert not only disaster from his state, but also disaster of the gravest sort from himself? It is the interest of your government and ours that able and experienced men shall fill your missions, and so far as the procedure pursued in the course of the late ambassador appears calculated to discredit such employment, so far it must be regretted by us.

The undersigned is not disposed, either, to pass by the fact that in recent years a better feeling has grown up between foreigners and the people of your empire, and that many of your officers have come to regard foreigners as actuated by generous sentiments and a right regard to justice. What then will be the effect upon the growth of this sentiment of the extreme measures with the late ambassador? Will it point every officer in the empire to the proposition that a special danger attends the conduct of international relations, and that their only safety lies in unreasoning opposition to foreigners? Will it lead the people to believe that the disasters which have befallen the imperial ambassador indicate a revival of the ancient hostility to foreigners? If so, will not the conduct of international affairs become more difficult in every way, and occasions for complaint be multiplied?

The undersigned does not at all magnify the importance of this case. The officer in question has served his government in distinguished ways, and, it must be presumed, acceptably. The matter has importance in this view, but it has a broader importance in view of the fact that his service has been largely in the unfrequented field of foreign intercourse. It is one, then, of unusual significance for your people and for ours, and it will be watched accordingly.

The undersigned has hesitated to address your imperial highness in regard to the matter, but his sense of duty to his own government and his friendliness to yours have left Mm no alternative but to do so. It remains only for him to express the hope that the considerations which he has put forward are receiving attention.

The undersigned seizes the occasion to convey to your imperial highness the expressions of his highest consideration.