皇帝和总统的对话--义和团
前面的三个皇帝与总统对话，都有点勉强，虽然道光与塔勒确实就美国专使顾盛（Caleb Cushing）交换了信函，还是有点松散的感觉。而本博所记的皇帝与总统的对话，是义和团促成的，没有义和团，就没有这次皇帝与总统直接对话。1900年，义和团事起，越来越严重，光绪皇帝给美国总统发了两封信，一封是7月，还在北京，一封是10月，朝廷已经出走陕西，在潼关发的电报。以前我只是听说有此事，没见过原信，还有点怀疑，以为跟所谓光绪在北京大学演讲那样，后人伪托。知道了美国档案馆网后，去查也没有查到，还是在FRUS1900年里查到了。
因为当时义和团在北京已经包围了英美领馆，所以通讯很困难，这封信走了一个大弯子才到达美国人手里，只有翻译件，兵荒马乱的，又是通过电报传送，估计美国人没有原件，不知中国方面有没有留下底稿。伍廷芳1900年7月20日收到上海道台，实际上是苏松太道道员余联沅，因为太道衙门设在上海，所以也称上海道，收到余联沅的电报，而余是收到山东巡抚袁世凯的电报，袁又是从北京的内阁收到的，内容是光绪皇帝给美国总统的信，当时的美国总统是麦金莱（William McKinley）。这里只给一个大意简述，反过来把全文从英文翻译成中文，很难，可以参考几幅光绪的国书原件中的文字：
大清朝皇帝问大美国伯理玺天德好。（第一句问候抄其它原件，下面纯为现代语言简述）大清与美国一直保持友好关系，也深知美国的目的是国际贸易。两国相互都不猜疑或不信任。近来的人民和教会的仇恨引起外国列强无根据地怀疑大清政府敌视外国人而偏向中国人。结果是大沽炮台被攻占，形势越来越严峻，我们刚收到伍廷芳的电报奏则，欣闻美国政府考虑到两国长远的友谊，对局势深表关切。由于事态发展的不可抗力，中国很不幸地引发了国际间的愤怒。为解决目前的困局，中国依赖于美国，我们衷心坦诚地给阁下致信，望阁下能采取措施，说服列强，恢复秩序和和平。急切盼望回复。光绪二十六年六月二十三日。
麦金莱总统7月23日回信：
美国总统向中国皇帝问好
收到阁下7月19日信，很高兴阁下认识到美国政府和人民对中国除了正义和平等之外别无所求。我们派军队到中国是为了解救我们的公使馆，保护在条约和国际法规定下享受他们的权力的美国人的生命和财产。其它列强也表达了相同的目的。从来信我推断那些在北京闹事破坏和平，杀害德国公使，和一名日本使团成员并正在包围北京的外交人员的暴徒们,没有得到阁下的任何支持，而实际上是反政府分子，如果我的推断正确，那么我恳请阁下的政府公开宣示，外国公使们是否还活着，如果活着，他们的情况如何。并让列强的外交官立即与其国家进行无障碍的联络，同时消除对他们生命安全的威胁。中国政府与八国联军建立联系，双方合作解救外交使团，保护外国人，恢复秩序。如果这些目标都实现了，本政府相信，联军方面就不会再对解决近期动乱设置任何障碍了。本政府会尽力，为阁下达到此目的效劳，其它列强也持同样的态度。
麦金莱 1900年7月23日。
1900年10月，光绪再次给美国总统写信，
（1900年10月17日由公使伍廷芳交给总统）
下面的电报发来的大清帝国信函，日期是1900年10月14日，由内阁从陕西潼关发出，再由盛宣怀从上海转发，日期为10月16日，经伍公使接收。
大清皇帝问美国大伯理玺天德好
我等对阁下主动自北京撤军并同意为友谊而在中国和各列强间调停深表感激，特命全权公使伍廷芳亲自将此电信送交阁下表达我们诚挚的谢意。并请求阁下利用你的影响来消弭此次事件给各国带来的不良印象，尽快谈判和平解决。对此我们对阁下不胜感激。
美国总统10月18日回信
（1900年10月18日传给伍公使发送）
华盛顿 1900年10月18日
中国皇帝光绪阁下好
我与阁下有同感，列强与中国之间的问题可以和平解决，恶意可以彻底消除。本政府希望尽快解决问题，只要阁下政府能严办肇事者，他们不仅对外国人，也对中国犯下罪行。
麦金莱
以上是FRUS记录的皇帝与总统的对话，真正的对话，虽然隔着大洋。美国方面还注意到，第二封信似乎有点草率，末尾都没有象往常那样落款。麦金莱也就只留了名字。
原文附下：
Translation of a cablegram received by Minister Wu on July 20, 1900, from the taotai of Shanghai, dated July 19, 1900.
Have received a telegram from Governor Yuan (of Shantung), dated 23d day of this moon (July 19), who, having received from the privy council (at Pekin) a dispatch embodying an Imperial letter to the President of the United States, has instructed me to transmit it to your excellency. The Imperial message is respectfully transmitted, as follows:
The Emperor of China to His Excellency the President of the United States, greeting:
China has long maintained friendly relations with the United States and is deeply conscious that the object of the United States is international commerce. Neither country entertains the least suspicion or distrust toward the other. Recent outbreaks of mutual antipathy between the people and Christian missions caused the foreign powers to view with unwarranted suspicion the position of the Imperial Government as favorable to the people and predjudicial to the missions, with the result that the Taku forts were attacked and captured. Consequently there has been clashing of forces with calamitous consequences. The situation has become more and more serious and critical. We have just received a telegraphic memorial from our envoy, Wu Tingfang, and it is highly gratifying to us to learn that the United States Government, having in view the friendly relations between the two countries, has taken a deep interest in the present situation. Now China, driven by the irresistible course of events, has unfortunately incurred well-nigh universal indignation. For settling the present difficulty, China places special reliance in the United States. We address this message to your excellency in all sincerity and candidness, with the hope that your excellency will devise measures and take the initiative in bringing about a concert of the powers for the restoration of order and peace. The favor of a kind reply is earnestly requested and awaited with the greatest anxiety.
KWANG-HSU, twenty-sixth year, sixth moon, 23d day (July 19, 1900),
It is, therefore, my duty to transmit the above with the request that your excellency, in respectful obedience of Imperial wishes, will deliver the same to its high destination and favor me with a reply.
Yu Lien-yuen，Taotai at Shangahi.
KWANG-HSU, twenty-sixth year,sixth moon, 23d day (July 19, 1900).
The President to the Emperor of China.
The President of the United States to the Emperor of China, greeting:
I have received Your Majesty's message of the 19th of July, and am glad to know that Your Majesty recognizes the fact that the Government and people of the United States desire of China nothing but what is just and equitable. The purpose for which we landed troops in China was the rescue of our legation from grave danger and the protection of the lives and property of Americans who were sojourning in China in the enjoyment of rights guaranteed them by treaty and by international law. The same purposes are publicly declared by all the powers which have landed military forces in Your Majesty's Empire.
I am to infer from Your Majesty's letter that the malefactors who have disturbed the peace of China, who have murdered the minister of Germany and a member of the Japanese legation, and who now hold besieged in Pekin those foreign diplomatists who still survive, have not only not received any favor or encouragement from Your Majesty, but are actually in rebellion against the Imperial authority. If this be the case, I most solemnly urge upon Your Majesty's Government to give public assurance whether the foreign ministers are alive, and if so, in what condition,
2. To put the diplomatic representatives of the powers in immediate and free communication with their respective Governments and to remove all danger to their lives and liberty.
3. To place the Imperial authorities of China in communication with the relief expedition, so that cooperation may be secured between them for the liberation of the legations, the protection of foreigners, and the restoration of order.
If these objects are accomplished it is the belief of this Government that no obstacles will be found to exist on the part of the powers to an amicable settlement of all the questions arising out of the recent troubles, and the friendly good offices of this Government will, with the assent of the other powers, be cheerfully placed at Your Majesty's disposition for that purpose.
WILLIAM McKINLEY.
JULY 23, 1900.
By the President:
John Hay, Secretary of State.
(Handed to the President by Minister Wu, October 17, 1900.)
The following telegraphic Imperial letter, dated October 14, 1900, forwarded by the privy council from Tung-Kuan (in Shensi) and retransmitted from Shanghai by Director-General Sheng under date of October 16, has been received by Minister Wu:
The Emperor of the Ta Tsing Empire to His Excellency the President of the United States, greeting:
We are extremely grateful to Your Excellency for taking the initiative in the withdrawal of troops (from Pekin) and for consenting, in the interest of friendly relations, to use your kindly offices between China and the friendly powers who have been offended on account of the recent unexpected uprising in China.
We therefore especially delegate our envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary, Wu Ting-fang, to personally deliver this telegraphic letter to Your Excellency conveying our sincere expression of thanks.
We beg that Your Excellency, in the interest of peace and international good relations, will exert your friendly influence with other powers toward the complete effacement of all ill feeling and the speedy determination on their part to negotiate for a peaceful settlement. For this we shall feel unbounded gratitude toward Your Excellency, whose good offices we are now earnestly beseeching.
---------------------------------
[Communicated to Minister Wu for transmission, October 18, 1900.]
WASHINGTON, October 18, 1900.
His Majesty Kwang Ilsu, Emperor of China, greeting:
It has afforded me much pleasure to receive Your Imperial Majesty's telegraphic letter of October 14, which has been delivered by Your Majesty's minister in Washington.
I cordially share Your Majesty's wish that there may be a peaceful settlement of all questions between China and the powers whose interests and nationals have so grievously suffered wrong in Your Majesty's dominions, and that the outcome may be the complete effacement of ill feeling between them. The desire of this Government that such a settlement may be brought about speedily has been made known to all the powers, and 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 has hitherto found expression in the welcome and protection assured to strangers.
WILLIAM McKINLEY.