The almost general exclamation of the foreign spectators was in honour and to the favour of the Empress Dowager. A smile scattered all feelings of disgust and displeasure. She entered the palace as captor of the sympathies of all foreigners.
And yet, it: may not be wise to totally ignore the' crimes and cruelty of the past and accept the interpreta on that she is innocent or all wrong. The calamities of the Empire rest dt her door for permitting her advisers to rush forward into a carnival of blood, terror, and fanaticism.
Once,' and only a few months ago, the Foreign Ministers in discussing the question of camp ling the abdication of the Regency of the Empress Dowager, remarked that that matter could be left to the time of actual return, ' Of course she will never be allowed to again exercise auth-city." But here she is, chief factor in the procession, real ruler of the palace and the Empire.
Why Not Tt may, indeed, be best to allow her to continue to direct the atlairs of State at this exitieal juncture, for she certainly has the commanding will and the latchless mind. The Emperor seems to be ineapacitated.
But one thing remains.
Tf it is not the business of other Powers to concern themselves with C urf intrigues 3 if the Emperor hys pro forma requested the Empress awager to resume the Regency (Septem-bor, 1808), and if s.0 is do facto Sovereign, why should not the Foreign Ministers have their audiences with her, and at once openly begin to have sealings with her concerning all that pertains to the improved relations of China with the world Why leave it to their wives 7
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.