The Stirring World (5)
The world was stirring, but he could hardly admit it. When he saw the world’s bad boy, the British Empire, playing with the sleeping Siberian bear’s fur by yanking its whiskers, the 2nd-rate great power, the United States of America, which had boldly listed its name on the list of those ‘friends’, was doing what exactly?
“Your Majesty, I have an urgent report...”
“Oh, it’s fine. It’s just that dinner is running late today because of the meeting, that’s all.”
He was slicing steak.
Very large and appealing.
Juicy.
Reading the visitor’s expression, the host spoke cheerfully.
“Thomas, have you eaten dinner yet? If you haven’t, why don’t you join me now?”
“Now?”
On the host’s invitation, the visitor with a bundle of documents tucked under his arm wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Look at the time, half past nine in the evening?
At this late hour, isn’t steak a bit heavy?
Reading the visitor’s expression, the host explained without misunderstanding, shaking his own flesh vigorously from side to side.
“It would take a while to eat alone. If you’ve already eaten, tell them to bring dessert. Sit down.”
It wasn’t just steak, after all.
Adding that, the portly man sliced the steaming giant steak and took a big bite.
How delicious.
“Don’t refuse, Thomas.”
Lifting the knife, he pointed to the empty seat for the man called Thomas. He was the 22nd President of the United States of America, Grover Cleveland.
“... Understood, Your Majesty. Then I’ll have just coffee.”
“Tsk tsk, does that fill your stomach? Well, okay.”
On the host’s invitation, the man finally sat down, hiding his full belly inside his coat.
He was the newly appointed Secretary of State, Thomas F. Bayard.
A short while later, after the White House servant brought light dessert and coffee and left, the President who had been diligently slicing steak and stuffing it into his mouth opened his mouth again with a look of having just remembered something.
“Hmm, an urgent report?”
The President asked, and the Secretary quickly answered.
“Yes, Your Majesty. This is an urgent telegram from Nagasaki, Japan. Since it came via military cable, it’s considered an urgent matter to report...”
“Where, give it here.”
After wiping his lips with a napkin, Cleveland received the neatly organized report on his palm.
For a long time, only the sound of the paper ‘srruk’ turning filled the room.
“Hmm?”
The content was very surprising.
Cleveland, who had been busy with election campaigns and had been planning to eat properly tonight, was momentarily distracted.
Finding a noticeable phrase between the dense report sentences, Cleveland murmured quietly.
“‘The Revolution of the Korean Peninsula and the Possibility of War with the Qing Dynasty’?”
Cross-checking the content in the report and telegram, the President soon looked at his Secretary of State with an odd expression.
War? Us? Why?
“Does the current Qing Dynasty have any reason to harm our relations? We don’t have any problems on our side, either.”
As Cleveland pointed out, there had been no issues between the United States of America and the Qing Dynasty in March 1885.
No diplomatic disputes, no trade disputes, no emotional frictions.
Conversion? Haha! His voters didn’t care about such trivial things. Maybe if gold mines were discovered in some Asian backwater, but not that.
Moreover,
“Thomas?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“The stamp on this report is February 7, 1885, right? I assumed office on March 27th.”
“It’s a report left in the State Department during the previous president’s term. It seems there was only a modification order, no record of the report—”
“So that’s what interested Arthur.”
Most importantly, Grover Cleveland, President of the United States of America, had only been in the White House for a week since his inauguration!
Anyway, realizing that this matter was not due to his own command but a task left by his predecessor, Cleveland said in a relaxed voice.
“Look here, Thomas. I entered the White House three days ago. Ah, I came in early in the morning and slept, so it’s four days.”
While making excuses, Cleveland picked up the fork and knife again and pushed the report far away.
His action was stopped by the Secretary of State.
“Your Majesty.”
Bayard, who had entered the administration with him and immediately met the previous cabinet’s staff, thought differently.
“If you read the back of the report, your thoughts will change a lot.”
“Hmm? What do you mean?”
Thoughts change?
With a tense expression, Thomas slowly began to explain the situation in the Far East to his superior who hadn’t fully grasped the situation yet.
“The State Department believes that things are progressing quite urgently.”
“Why?”
“Because the previous president left without handing over everything to us, the current masters of the White House! Currently, the United States of America is facing two huge problems in the Far East: alliance building and war intervention!”
“W-what!? Alliance? War? What nonsense is that! Aah!?”
Startled by Bayard’s bomb declaration, Cleveland dropped the steak piece he was about to put in his mouth and hurriedly picked it up.
“What a waste!”
Even though it was dropped, it wasn’t on a dirty carpet but on a clean white table, so it was okay, he consoled himself.
Anyway,
“What are you talking about! I didn’t receive any word from Arthur (Chester Arthur - 21st President of the United States) at all! War in the Far East? What is this alliance?”
“Because they’re Republicans.”
With a single line of text, the Secretary of State calmed the surprised superior by saying it was the previous president’s outrage.
“After Lincoln, our Democratic Party first took power. How much do the Republicans hate us?”
“But Arthur had a pretty solid relationship with us—”
“Is responding with scandal for scandal a solid relationship? Didn’t those friends poke at your adultery issue first?”
“Aah! It’s not adultery!”
Originally, calling it adultery was embarrassing.
Cleveland himself was single, and the other was a divorced woman with a child. How could adultery be established?
Both were lonely!
Like a superior reaching for the ceiling to act out a tragic theater actor, Bayard shrugged and replied.
“Fortunately, both were exempt from the army, so it was fine.”
“That couldn’t be helped!”
The President, whose face twisted at his subordinate’s poking of his sore spots — the love affair and military service issues — nervously pushed the plate aside.
“I wasn’t worried about the future of the federation, was I? But look at my body. I didn’t have a uniform that fit my body, and I couldn’t even enter the trenches in the first place!”
Seeing the President’s ugly side profile showing his fat belly and thick thighs like a horse, Bayard, realizing it, waved his hand and said.
“Ah! I understand! I was wrong.”
“Anyway.”
His superior was a person elected with a natural and witty demeanor, so he could easily counter the black propaganda the Republicans had been shooting.
Would anyone who called him adulterous and mocked him with ‘Where did our dad go?’ get a response like ‘Your dad went to the White House!’?
Anyway, after gesturing for the meal to be cleared, Cleveland returned with a serious attitude and commanded the Secretary of State as President.
“Explain it again. Korea and alliance, Qing Dynasty and war, in that order.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Bayard, bowing his head, spread out the report and maps and began to explain the overall chaotic situation in the Far East, which he had organized in just two days as a capable man.
“Think simply, Your Majesty. Currently, the United States of America is in a temporary alliance with France and the new government of Korea.”
“Temporary alliance? Ah, what about the new government of Korea?”
Answering with a slight tap on his forehead, Bayard replied as if he had just remembered.
“Ah, I should start from there. Currently, Korea has had a revolution and established a republic.”
“Revolution and republic? There, wasn’t it a monarchy...”
“It’s not at all, Your Majesty. There it is now a republic. It even proclaims to the world that it shares the same ideology as us.”
“Oh.”
“Free souls, for example.”
When Cleveland, who would think it’s ignorant if an outsider saw it, asked, Bayard lowered his expression stubbornly.
However, Bayard did not commit the sin of despising his superior who didn’t know Korea’s current situation.
Unfortunately, in this era, the small nation of Korea in the Far East was of less interest to even the politicians of the current United States of America than the Western Indians.
Instead, it was Cleveland’s memory that was more remarkable for remembering that Korea was previously a monarchy, the Secretary of State Thomas Bayard who had inspected all diplomatic situations of the United States of America.
Anyway, the President, who naturally rejoiced at the news that the new government of Korea was a republic proclaiming the same ideology as the United States of America, asked.
“Then it’s good news. A republic in Asia? This is great, it will last long and nothing will happen. Or, was there intervention from outside?”
When the President asked indirectly, ‘Were those pirate fellows or frogs involved?’, Bayard corrected his misunderstanding.
“There are rumors of foreign advisors and missionaries actively cooperating with the main personnel of the new government, but the local diplomat’s evaluation is that the main actors were the Koreans themselves.”
“Really, what a peculiar case.”
Agreeing with the President’s admiration, Bayard continued.
“Therefore, the previous President and Secretary of State had thoroughly reviewed two proposals that came through official and unofficial channels of the local diplomats.”
“Two?”
“One is the main point of the United States of America and France, which are at war with the Qing Dynasty in the Indochina Peninsula, and Korea, whose relations have soured due to its revolution, forming an anti-Qing alliance.”
“Anti-Qing alliance.”
Why bother?
The President, who had already been beaten up by the Qing in a groggy state by France and was reluctant to join the evil plan of the previous regime, asked.
“The second?”
“The southward advance of the Russian Empire. As you know, the current Russia is openly talking about border disputes with the Qing Dynasty? It’s like saying we’ll divide the goose that lays golden eggs before it goes into the bear’s mouth.”
“W-well, it’s straightforward.”
“It is straightforward. And it’s a perfect opportunity for our American market to extend to the Indochina Peninsula occupied by the new government of Korea and France, and further to Manchuria, Liaodong, and Siberia.”
“But is this the right time? Heh heh.”
Plainly.
South of Russia, protecting allies is just a pretext. Isn’t it saying we’ll completely knock down the Qing Dynasty and eat their panties?
“Wait a minute.”
Something smells suspicious. It’s very rotten.
Cleveland, feeling a strong chill on his back, asked while leaning back.
“How far has the previous one moved?”
Answering slowly while rummaging through documents, Bayard replied.
“According to the report from Lucius Foote received last Saturday, American Civil War veteran Brigadier General Dye and officers below have been dispatched to train the new government’s army, and under the Finance Ministry, Western banks have provided a long-term loan to the new government of up to 500,000 dollars—”
Military advisors to the new government? What is this 500,000 dollar loan?
No, more than that—
“No, you’ve already done it all and what’s the point of asking for approval!?”
The portly President jumped up from his seat with unbelievable agility and shouted.
However, Bayard read the report calmly with an expression that it wasn’t over yet.
“If you hear that a fleet of 30,000 guns and an emergency fleet for the Nagasaki port has been requisitioned by force, you’ll faint.”
“You said that just now!”
“Did our Pacific Fleet provide shells to support the French expeditionary fleet?”
“No way, did we declare war on the Qing Dynasty now?”
“No.”
“Then what is this shell donation nonsense! Are these people all crazy in a group!?”
The President, trembling like a shepherd facing an indescribable weirdness beyond shock, sighed and said.
“Didn’t I tell you earlier? It seems a lot of things have already progressed.”
At the irresponsible answer from the Secretary of State, Cleveland went mad.
“But this is not the time! You’ve already done everything and abandoned it to the successor! It can’t be helped, I’m going to the Congress right now—”
“The Congress already knows.”
“What...?”
“Here it is written too.”
Does the Congress know? Not me?
Explaining to the President who seemed to think ‘Is the world abandoning me?’, Bayard said.
“Among the records that have not yet been deleted, there is a Senate meeting record. The new government of Korea will open up the potential for developing northern mines to only the United States of America and France, our allies and friends.”
“Only us and France?”
“Yes, and it seems all unequal treaties with other countries we had diplomatic relations with have been abolished.”
By now, the President was greatly confused.
What confidence do the new government kids have to abolish all treaties? Are they crazy?
However, the shocking news that Secretary of State Bayard was delivering had not yet ended.
“Additionally, it actively expressed willingness to permit some free whaling and fishing rights in the sea called the East Sea. It’s also based on the fact that they ordered the California state government and the Senate to flexibly negotiate loans with banks.”
“... No, there’s more?”
More.
More shocking conditions.
“How did you know? The most absurd thing is that foreigners who can write their names in their own characters and record their family relationships themselves will be granted their own citizenship upon registration at the government office. Well, when you hear the details, it’s temporary, so...”
“... Not only tax exemption, but also permission to establish companies and banks including mine development! My god, am I dreaming right now?”
“Ships can use all ports freely upon registration. By the way, it’s fine to hire only one-third of the crew as Koreans.”
“When did it get this drastic!? Oh my!”
Drastic upon drastic. Really, there was no way to express it.
No, can we even give this much? Even if it’s an alliance!?
Looking at the President staring blankly at the ceiling with unfocused eyes, Bayard quietly asked for permission.
“According to information from France this morning, it seems the French Parliament has also passed an urgent support resolution for the new government of Korea. What should we do?”
“...”
What to do, we can’t send troops, but we have to at least save face.
Without doing that, what kind of scolding would we get?
“Haha.”
“Haha, haha.”
At the brazen expression of Bayard asking for permission that wasn’t even real, Cleveland President burst into a helpless laugh.
At first, he thought the Republicans and Arthur were mocking him, but now.
“A golden bag?”
Yes, a golden bag. The owner gave it as a gift.
Grover Cleveland, the 22nd President of the United States of America.
He had proudly appeared in the New York Times with a diplomatic success in the Far East obtained in just one week after starting his term.
Of course, the title was
“Since your Qing Dynasty is finished, now the Far East is dominated by France and the United States of America!”