Mr. Sill to Mr. Gresham.
Seoul, Korea, July 2, 1894. (Received August 5.)
Sir: Continuing the subject of military operations in Korea, I have now to inform you that on the 28th instant Mr. Otori demanded a declaration, to be given the next day by the Korean foreign office, as to whether Korea is tributary to China or not.
This caused great consternation, as, if they answered in the negative they would offend China, while an affirmative answer might bring down the wrath of Japan. After many consultations and several reminders [Page 29] to be prompt from the Japanese, an answer was given in this sense: “Korea being an independent State, enjoys the same sovereign rights as does Japan” (see treaty of Kang-hua, 1876),1 and that in “both internal administration and foreign intercourse Korea enjoys complete independence” (see letter of the King to the President of the United States).2 They suppose that by thus quoting the treaties which China allowed them to make she can not take offense, while Japan should be content with such answer. I hear, in fact, that the Japanese are quite pleased with the reply.
I have, etc.,
- See Article I of the treaty between Korea and Japan signed at Kang-hua February 26, 1876.↩
Forwarded to the Secretary of State by Commodore R. W. Shufeldt in his dispatch of May 29, 1882. This letter reads as follows:
“The King of Ta Chao-hsien Kuo (Korea) makes a communication to the President of the United States:
“The Chao-hsien country (Korea) is a dependency of China, but the management of her governmental affairs, home and foreign, have always been vested in the Sovereign.
“Now, as the Governments of the United States and Korea are about to enter into treaty relations, the intercourse between the two nations shall be carried on in every respect on terms of equality and courtesy, and the King of Korea clearly assents that all the articles of the treaty shall be acknowledged and carried into effect according to the laws of independent states.
“In the matter of Korea being a dependency of China any questions that may arise between them in consequence of such dependency, the United States shall in no way interfere. The King has accordingly deputed commissioners for the purpose of negotiating the treaty, and now, as in duty bound, addresses this communication for the information of the President of the United States.
“A necessary communication. Dated the 291st year of the founding of Ta Chao-hsien Kuo (Korea), and the 28th day of the third moon of the eighth year of the reign of Kuang-hsü.”
See also the note of the Tsung-li Yamên to Mr. F. F. Low, in Foreign Relations of the United States for 1871, p. 112.
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