Chung How's Assurances Were Accepted, The Proffered Compensation
Was Received; But The Chinese Were Informed That In Recognition Of
France's Moderation, And In Return For The Reception Of Their Envoy By M.
Thiers, The Right Of Audience Should Be Conceded To The French Minister
Resident At Pekin.
The Audience Question naturally aroused the greatest
interest at Pekin, where it agitated the official mind not merely because
it signified another concession to force, but also because it promised to
produce a disturbing effect on the mind of the people.
The young emperor
was growing up, and might be expected to take a direct share in the
administration at an early date. It was not an idle apprehension that
filled the minds of his ministers lest he might lay the blame on them for
having cast upon him the obligation of receiving ministers of foreign
States in a manner such as they had never before been allowed to appear in
the presence of the occupant of the Dragon Throne. The youth of the
sovereign served to postpone the question for a short space of time, but
it was no longer doubtful that the assumption of personal authority by the
young Emperor Tungche would be accompanied by the reintroduction, and
probably by the settlement, of the Audience Question. It was typical of
the progress Chinese statesmen were making that none of them seemed to
consider the possibility of distinctly refusing this privilege. Its
concession was only postponed until after the celebration of the young
emperor's marriage.
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Words from 162801 to 163053
of 191255
