vernment of the United States is
to seek a solution which may bring about permanent safety and peace to
China, preserve Chinese territorial and administrative entity, protect
all rights guaranteed to friendly powers by treaty and international
law, and safeguard for the world the principle of equal and impartial
trade with all parts of the Chinese Empire."

Faithful to those professions which, as it proved, reflected the views
and purposes of the other co-operating Governments, all our efforts
have been directed toward ending the anomalous situation in China by
negotiations for a settlement at the earliest possible moment. As soon
as the sacred duty of relieving our legation and its dependents was
accomplished we withdrew from active hostilities, leaving our legation
under an adequate guard in Peking as a channel of negotiation and
settlement--a course adopted by others of the interested powers.
Overtures of the empowered representatives of the Chinese Emperor have
been considerately entertained.

The Russian proposition looking to the restoration of the Imperial power
in Peking has been accepted as in full consonance with our own desires,
for we have held and hold that effective reparation for wrongs suffered
and an enduring settlement that will make their recurrence impossible
can best be brought about under an authority which the Chinese nation
reverences and obeys. While so doing we forego no jot of our undoubted
right to exact exemplary and deterrent punishment of the responsible
authors and abettors of the criminal acts whereby we and other nations
have suffered grievous injury.

For the real culprits, the evil counselors who have misled the Imperial
judgment and diverted the sovereign authority to their own guilty ends,
full expiation becomes imperative within the rational limits of
retributive justice. Regarding this as the initial condition of an
acceptable settlement between China and the powers, I said in my message
of October 18 to the Chinese Emperor:

I trust that negotiations may begin so soon as we and the other offended
Governments shall be effectively satisfied of Your Majesty's ability and
power to treat with just sternness the principal offenders, who are
doubly culpable, not alone toward the foreigners, but toward Your
Majesty, under whose rule the purpose of China to dwell in concord with
the world had hitherto found expression in the welcome and protection
assured to strangers.