CONGRESS. (THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.) 



from the Tsung-li-Yamen. The circle of the Boxer 

 inlhiL-nre narrowed about Pekin, and while nomi- 

 nallv stigmatized as seditious, it was felt that its 

 -pirit pervaded the capital itself, that the imperial 

 forci-s were imbued with its doctrines, and that the 

 immediate counselors of the Empress Dowager 

 were in full sympathy with the antiforeign move- 

 ment. 



The increasing gravity of the conditions m China 

 and the imminence of peril to our own diversified 

 interests in the empire, as well as to those of all 

 the other treaty governments, were soon appre- 

 ciated by this Government, causing it profound 

 solicitude. The United States from the earliest 

 days of foreign intercourse with China had fol- 

 lowed a policy of peace, omitting no occasions to 

 testify good-will, to further the extension of law- 

 ful trade, to respect the sovereignty of its Govern- 

 ment, and to insure by all legitimate and kindly 

 but earnest means the fullest measure of protec- 

 tion for the lives and property of our law-abiding 

 citizens and for the exercise of their beneficent 

 callings among the Chinese people. 



Mindful of this, it was felt to be appropriate 

 that our purposes should be pronounced in favor 

 of such course as w^ould hasten united action of 

 the powers at Pekin to promote the administra- 

 tive reforms so greatly needed for strengthening 

 the Imperial Government and maintaining the in- 

 tegrity of China, in \vhich we believed the whole 

 Western world to be alike concerned. To these 

 ends I caused to be addressed to the several powers 

 occupying territory and maintaining spheres of in- 

 fluence in China the circular proposals of 1899, 

 inviting from them declarations of their intentions 

 and views as to the desirability of the adoption of 

 measures insuring the benefits of equality of treat- 

 ment of all foreign trade throughout China. 



With gratifying unanimity the responses coin- 

 cided in this common policy, enabling me to see in 

 the successful termination of these negotiations 

 proof of the friendly spirit which animates the 

 various powers interested in the untrammeled de- 

 velopment of commerce and industry in the Chi- 

 nese Empire as a source of vast benefit to the whole 

 commercial world. 



In this conclusion, which I had the gratification 

 to announce as a completed engagement to the 

 interested powers on March 20, 1900, I hopefully 

 discerned a potential factor for the abatement of 

 the distrust of foreign purposes which for a year 

 past had appeared to inspire the policy of the Im- 

 perial Government, and for the effective exertion 

 by it of power and authority to quell the critical 

 antiforeign movement in the northern provinces 

 most immediately influenced by the Manchu sen- 

 timent. 



Seeking to testify confidence in the willingness 

 and ability of the imperial administration to re- 

 dress the wrongs and prevent the evils we suffered 

 and feared, the marine guard, which had been sent 

 to Pekin in the autumn of 1899 for the protection 

 of the legation, was withdrawn at the earliest prac- 

 ticable moment, and all pending questions were 

 remitted, as far as we were concerned, to the ordi- 

 nary resorts of diplomatic intercourse. 



The Chinese Government proved, however, un- 

 able to check the rising strength of the Boxers, 

 and appeared to be a prey to internal dissensions. 

 In the unequal contest the antiforeign influences 

 soon gained the ascendency under the leadership 

 of Prince Tuan. Organized armies of Boxers, with 

 which the imperial forces affiliated, held the coun- 

 try between Pekin and the coast, penetrated into 

 Manchuria up to the Russian borders, and through 

 their emissaries threatened a like rising through- 

 out northern China. 



Attacks upon foreigners, destruction of their 

 property, and slaughter of native converts were 

 reported from all sides. The Tsung-li-Yamen, 

 already permeated with hostile sympathies, could 

 make no effective response to the appeals of the 

 legations. At this critical juncture, in the early 

 spring of this year, a proposal was made by the 

 other powers that a combined fleet should be as- 

 sembled in Chinese waters as a moral demonstra- 

 tion, under cover of which to exact of the Chinese 

 Government respect for foreign treaty rights and 

 the suppression of the Boxers. 



The United States, while not participating in 

 the joint demonstration, promptly sent from the 

 Philippines all ships that could be spared for serv- 

 ice on the Chinese coast. A small force of marines 

 was landed at Taku and sent to Pekin for the pro- 

 tection of the American legation. Other powers 

 took similar action, until some 400 men were as- 

 sembled in the capital as legation guards. 



Still the peril increased. The legations reported 

 the development of the seditious movement in 

 Pekin and the need of increased provision for de- 

 fense against it. While preparations were in prog- 

 ress for a larger expedition, to strengthen the 

 legation guards and keep the railway open, an 

 attempt of the foreign ships to make a landing at 

 Taku was met by a fire from the Chinese forts. 

 The forts were thereupon shelled by the foreign 

 vessels, the American admiral taking no part in 

 the attack, on the ground that we were not at war 

 with China and that a hostile demonstration 

 might consolidate the antiforeign elements and 

 strengthen the Boxers to oppose the relieving 

 column. 



Two days later the Taku forts were captured 

 after a sanguinary conflict. Severance of com- 

 munication with Pekin followed, and a combined 

 force of additional guards, which was advancing 

 to Pekin by the Pei-Ho, was checked at Langfang. 

 The isolation of the legations was complete. 



The siege and the relief of the legations has 

 passed into undying history. In all the stirring 

 chapter which records the heroism of the devoted 

 band, clinging to hope in the face of despair, and 

 the undaunted spirit that led their relievers 

 through battle and suffering to the goal, it is a 

 memory of which my countrymen may be justly 

 proud that the honor of our flag was maintained 

 alike in the siege and the rescue, and that stout 

 American hearts have again set high, in fervent 

 emulation with true men of other race and lan- 

 guage, the indomitable courage that ever strives 

 for the cause of right and justice. 



By June 19 the legations were cut off. An 

 identical note from the Yamen ordered each min- 

 ister to leave Pekin, under a promised escort, 

 within twenty-four hours. To gain time they re- 

 plied, asking prolongation of the time, which was 

 afterward granted, and requesting an interview 

 with the Tsung-li-Yamen on the following day. 

 No reply being received, on the morning of the 

 20th the German minister, Baron von Ketteler, set 

 out for the Yamen to obtain a response, and on 

 the way was murdered. 



An attempt by the legation guard to recover 

 his body was foiled by the Chinese. Armed forces 

 turned out against the legations. Their quarters 

 were surrounded and attacked. The mission com- 

 pounds were abandoned, their inmates taking 

 refuge in the British legation, where all the other 

 legations and guards gathered for more effective 

 defense. Four hundred persons were crowded in 

 its narrow compass. Two thousand native con- 

 verts were assembled in a near-by palace under 

 protection of the foreigners. Lines of defense were 

 strengthened, trenches dug, barricades raised, and 



