No. 52.
Mr. Fish to Mr. Low.
Washington, December 31, 1872.
Sir: I have received your dispatch No. 202, under date of 23d October, relating to certain proceedings at Hangchow, in which the American missionaries were interested, and covering reports made to you on the subject by Mr. Lord, the consul of the United States at Ningpo, with accompanying correspondence.
I have pleasure in saying that Mr. Lord’s conduct throughout the affair was discreet; it deserves and receives the commendation of the Department.
The treaty does not guarantee to missionaries a right to establish themselves in inland places. The local magistrates at Hangchow appear, nevertheless, to have recognized the missionaries as rightfully established at that place, a circumstance which makes their conduct in this case, as detailed in Mr. Lord’s dispatches, all the more reprehensible.
It appears that while the missionaries themselves have not been molested, either in person or property, cruel punishment has been visited upon certain Chinese, on the charge, as alleged by the officials, of “want of good conduct,” but, as suspected by the missionaries, with apparent cause, in consequence of the connection of these Chinese with [Page 138] themselves, and that on the remonstrance of the consul, the Chinese have been released.
No citizen of the United States having been molested, it would seem to be unnecessary to pursue the matter further, except that you will take a proper occasion to point out in the proper quarter the want of good faith displayed by the magistrates in Hangchow in dealing with the affairs, and complain of their failure to fulfill with promptness and exactness their promises to the consul.
It is hoped that this case may serve to bring to the attention of the missionaries the risk which they incur by establishing stations in inland places, and the embarrassment which follows the assumption of privileges which cannot be claimed or defended under the treaty.
An instruction will be addressed to the consul, Mr. Lord, agreeably to the suggestion contained in your dispatch, authorizing him to include in his miscellaneous account rendered to the Department, a charge for the expenses actually and necessarily incurred by him on this occasion, in making an official visit to Hangchow.
I am, &c.,