Memorial of the Tsung-li Yamen, which apwrod in the Manuscript Copy of "eKING GazerrE, on the 29th Sept., 1875.
Your Majeaty's servants Yi-sin and his colleagues (the Prince of Kung and Ministers of the Taung-li Yano), up their knees, present a Memorial.' They enter with' detail into the question of personal intercourse between the Chinese and the Foreigner, and they pray a Decree which, as a declaration from the Throne, may dissipate men's doubts, and hinder suspicions and misunderstandings.
In the 5th moon of the present year, the Yaméo of Your servants presented a Memorial, in which they prayed that a They had the honor to recei approving this proposition period, a second Deere long (Vico-Presi-1, an Expectant tai (Intendant) on the staff of the province of Chih-li, wearing the insignia of the 2ud grade, to proceed on a mission abroad.
Prostrate, Your servants would observe that, when praying the formation of a reserve of persons thoroughly conversant with Foreign affairs, the object they had in view was' not simply the transaction of business in which Chinese Foreigners may be jointly concerned. Missions to Foreign states and the question of intercourse lay equally within their prayer. Men's minds in fact must have free access to each other before angry collisions between them can be prevented. If there are to be no collisions they must thoroughly acquaint themselves each with the position of the other.
Tu the 6th year of the reign 'T'ung Chih (1867), Chili-kang and Sun Chia-ku [subordinates] in the Yamen of Your servants, went as envoys to different states.(1)
their return they mentioned that visits had been interchanged between them and the high officers of the different departments of tie Foreign states [in ques-tiou}, Your servants have also been spoken to repeatedly upon the subject by the Ministers of Foreign states residing in the capital; their remark being that as vi were never exchanged between the high officers of state depart and Miniaters of Foreign nations in the capit it was not astonishing that, when their authorities kept thus aloof, the lower orders should make light of the officials and people of Foreign nations.
Your would observe that if visits have so far neither been paid nor received by the high officers of department in the capital, their practice has been but in scrupulous conformity with the principle" that (2) officials have no interovurae [with foreigners]. On the other hand, Ulius has Jong since entered into friendly relations with Foreigners; missions are being sent abroad; the circumstances of the past and present time are not the and though it is not possible to treat envoys in every way as they are ted in Foreign states, eastern or wes+ torn, atill it does not for all that appear necessary that there should be no iutercourse with them whatever, Itis the duty, therefore, of Your servants to pray a Decree directing their Yamen to jor and decide with the high depart.
of state the [future] conditions of intercourse; to the end that the ing it may be thoroughly und that while, on the part ring into intercourse, any possible misgivings [on the subject of etiquette], may be more or less prevented, those not yet entering into intercourse, may come to understand the relations of the Chinese with the foreigner, (3).
Herein is the significance of intercourse between public servants, and it indispens ble that all, both native and foreigner, should be made to understand it thus, nother matter to be mons In the relations of governments dignity, no superiority is ide.' But there is Governments ar constantly happens that, when in copies of Imperial Decrees, words indicating this or that Government are seen to be in the body of the column [the Foreigner] will suspect that the inferiority of his Government is implied. His Govoramut, he fears, will consequently be looked down' upon by the oftcials and people of China.
Tt has been again and again explained that in Imperial Decrees, as these ate commands addressed only to the officials and people of China [no Foreign Governdesiguetion) can lawfully be raised above the column. So, in State Letters (se. of Credence, &c.) [words of the kind] are invariably elevated. In the Letters, for instance, that have on different occa+ sions passed between the Sovereigns of China and of Foreign states [the Ruler's de tion) has been go elevated on both sides, The word designating the Government of the great power addressed has also been elevated. The fact that, in the Treaties Foreign states the words are printed, is an additional proof [that their equality is admitted.) Why then should distinction as between superior and me rior be suspected toGty odad in Cals "The th Hows acted More propery te diferent ware, namely tow in accompanied life, Burlingam Quotation from the Ki, the Book of Obligations and Obserrances, commonly 8 spoken of as the Book of Bites,
digs been agreed upon, high officers in Peking teem fo be that wg the defen "The precise meant
Foreign Miaistere will have tatereourso, ° Those not yet intercourse, it fe suggested, ate either high oflcara the loseer courts, or authorities in the provinces nob open to trade, The word rendered relations includes all Political and commercial,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.