December 23, 1871

　Prince Kung herewith makes a communication in reply.
　On the 22nd of November 1871 I received your Excellency’s despatch saying “Recently in a personal interview the Corean despatch received through the Board of Rites was with other matters discussed. In order to put in an authoritative form what was said at our interview I write this dispatch. In addition to what was there said I beg to subject for your information copy of a letter which I wrote to the King last summer. After you shall be made acquainted with its contents, you will, I trust, be willing to send the original on to Corea &c.”
　I have carefully examined your dispatch and its enclosure, and in reply have to inform Your Excellency that it places me in a position of difficulty and embarrassment to relieve myself from which it will be necessary to discuss each point mentioned by you separately.
　Originally your Government had no cause for suspicion or enmity against Corea; the war vessels which went there last spring were sent with peaceful intention for the purpose of arranging and settling important public business and not to make war or seek cause for strife. On their arrival at an important pass in the inner waters the Corean soldiers on guard there, without notice opened fire upon the vessels and thus commenced hostilities. In return the United States forces destroyed the forts that originally commenced the attack and slew the soldiers within them, thus inflicting a severe punishment in retaliation for the insults and injuries your vessels had received.
　Now you desire that this Government shall send the letter to Corea which the King or his subordinates originally was unwilling to receive from you.
　Is it your purpose to censure the King; or, as before to intimate your wish to correspond and consult on business matters? If the former, I would most respectfully observe that the destruction of the ramparts and the slaying of the soldiers some time ago is an ample punishment for their offense; if the latter, I can only refer you to what that Government has said in regard to the two important questions ― the rescue of shipwrecked seamen and commercial intercourse. As to the first, that has been done without discussion or treaties; in regard to the second, negotiation, the King positively affirms, would be useless.
　I have to observe further, that in their relations with China the United States is a friendly power and Corea is a tributary state. Each have their own opinions upon public matters, and these opinions differ widely. Were China to become an intermediary, she would be likely to get involved in the discussion which might possibly lead to an interruption of the friendly relations at present existing. This would be very unfortunate.
　The United States desire to have intercourse with Corea; but that Government on the other hand does not wish it. Corea has peculiar views on this point of which you are aware, and it is needless for me to repeat them as they will not convince your Government; nor would it serve any useful purpose to repeat to the Government of Corea the various matters treated of in Your Excellency’s despatch, for that country would give no heed to your suggestions or arguments.
　China cannot force the United States to accept the statement of Corea as final and conclusive; nor on the other hand can she compel the King to accede to your demands or comply with your wishes.
　The reasonable view of the whole case is this; your country being a nation at amity with China it ought likewise to respect the free action of a country which is a Chinese dependency, and not force such country to comply with your demands respecting things which it may be unwilling to carry out. This would be the way to consolidate (our) peaceful and harmonious relations.
　With reference to the question of sending letters for you to Corea, I would observe that the Board of Rites has entire control over that matter.
　That Board when it memorialized the Throne last spring asking permission to send your letter stated that a like request would not again be made. This fact the Yamen made known to you at the time, and it cannot now undertake to reverse the decision of the Board of Rites made at that time. Your Excellency has the reputation of conducting business in a pacific spirit I feel confident therefore that you will view this matter in the proper light.
　With reference to that portion of your despatch under reply in which you give the substance of the conversation that occurred at our interview, and state that if you have misunderstood me in any particular you desire to be corrected, I have to say that I have thoroughly reviewed it and find that you have misapprehended me on some points.
　For instance you understood me to say that Corea is stupid. What I did say was that your country has its own laws for the regulation of its internal concerns; there are also fixed rules for conducting intercourse between the United States and China. These laws and regulations Corea neither knows nor understands.
　Again, you understood me to say that Corea is tributary to China in name only, not in reality. What I said on that occasion was that although Corea is a tributary state of China, yet in all that concerns her government, religion, laws and prohibitions, she is independent. Hitherto China has exercised no control over the internal affairs of that country.
　If it is your desire that China shall advise or instruct Corea as to her proper course, I would remark that the relations between the two countries would not warrant the application of force to compel compliance; and as to advice and admonition if Corea will not give heed all our efforts would be in vain.
　I have in the foregoing frankly stated my views and I trust that your Excellency will consider them in a calm and considerate spirit.
　To this end this communication is made.

December 23, 1871