Peking, Oct. 4.
In a letter which I posted you yesterday I summarized the sentiments expressed by several of the members of the Council of State—the body now acting in Peking in place of the as yet uncreated Lifayuan, or Legative Chamber, and herewith I give you a translation of the lengthy interpellation sent by the Council to the President.
As I suggested ina telegram to you to-day the jingoistic activities of certain members of this august body must not be invested with too much importance, This is undoubtedly @ serious period in the history of the country and rightly or wrongly Chinese citizens hold the view that they are about to see large slices of territory filched from, them by a nation which they regard with the utmost suspicion and distrust. The Chinese cannot blamed for remembering Korea and Manchuria; and permitting them the right not to forget incidents such as these, it is only just to accede to them the privilege of liberty of speech to express their individual or collective opinions.
It must be acknowelged that the Chinese Government very delicate position, inasmuch as it is deplorably weak on the one hand and, on the other, it is faced by circumstances which give its internal enemies a potential weapon wherewith to assail it.
The Connell's Opportunity.
Its Foreign Office is labouring unceasingly to extricate the country from the difficulty now confronting it without loss of "face," and without slipping the leash of the dogs of war by carelessness oF acy cident, knowing full well that what-over befalls, it is bound to be} castigated by soindisant patriots who hurl allegations of supinene if Japan is not greeted with force and who curse it for incapacity if bloodshed is caused. And the For-sign Office is the first organ of government attacked by the jingoes of the National Couneil—but attacked, it is fairly certain, with the tongue in the cheek.
The apparent righteous indignation of the Council of State may be ascribed primarily to a desire to demonstrate to the people that in a time of crisis like the present the Council really does represent them. There has always been considerable doubt about this. Tt will be remembered that the body was creat-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.