No. 224.
Mr. Frederick F. Low to Mr. Fish.
No. 12.]
Legation of the United
States, Pekin, June 27, 1870. (Received August
20.)
Sir: It becomes my painful duty to inform you
that on the 21st instant a terrible riot occurred at Tien-tsin, which
resulted in the death of sixteen French subjects, three Russians, and
the destruction of the French consulate, Roman Catholic cathedral, and
the establishment of the Sisters of Charity. In addition to the
foreigners killed, several native Christians, as well as the servants
employed in and about the mission establishment and consulate, were put
to death. The exact number of these unfortunate Chinese it is, as yet,
impossible to ascertain. This tragedy was enacted on the afternoon of
the 21st instant, news of which reached Pekin on the evening of the 22d.
The scene of the riot was in the Chinese city, some two miles distant
from the “Concession,” where most of the foreigners reside.
Notwithstanding this, the excitement and alarm among all foreigners
living on the “Concession” at Tien-tsin have been great, fearing an
attack upon the foreign settlement, without regard to nationality. As no
foreigner has, as yet, dared to venture into the Chinese city, where the
outrages were committed, our information in regard to the origin of this
sad affair is meager, and much of it contradictory. Most of the
information comes through Chinese channels, and it is necessary to hear
all sides in order to come to any reasonable conclusion as to the truth
of the matter. Even now I am only able to give you my opinion as to the facts, which may be
modified or changed entirely by future evidence.
In order that you may be able to see and understand the whole case
clearly, it is important that you should have before you the history of
these Catholic establishments and their management in China, which
appear to have been the sole cause of the riot.
At many of the principal places in China open to foreign residence the
Sisters of Charity have established institutions, each of which appears
to combine in itself a foundling hospital and orphan asylum. Finding
that the Chinese were averse to placing children in their charge, the
managers of these institutions offered a certain sum per head for all
the children placed under their control given to them, it being
understood that a child once in their asylum no parent, relative, or
guardian could claim or exercise any control over it. It has been for
some time asserted by the Chinese, and believed by most of the
non-Catholie foreign population residing here, that the system of paying
bounties induced the kidnapping of children for these institutions for
the sake of the reward. It is also asserted, and I believe it to be
true, that the priests or Sisters, or both, have been in the habit of
holding out inducements to have children brought to them in the last
stages of
[Page 356]
illness, for the
purpose of being baptized in articulo mortis. In
this way many children have been taken to these establishments in the
last stages of disease, baptized there, and soon after taken away dead.
All these acts, together with the secrecy and seclusion which appear to
be a part and parcel of the regulations which govern institutions of
this character everywhere, have created suspicions in the minds of the
Chinese, and these suspicions have engendered an intense hatred against
the Sisters on the part of all the common people who live any where near
a mission; and any rumor concerning the Sisters or their acts, however
improbable and absurd, found thousands of willing and honest believers
among the ignorant and superstitious people. Some time about the end of
May or beginning of June an epidemic prevailed at the Sisters’
institution at Tien-tsin, and a considerable number of the children
died. In some way the report got abroad that the Sisters were killing
the children to get their eyes and hearts for the purpose of
manufacturing some sort of a medical specific, much sought after in
Europe, and commanding a fabulous price. This report spread from one to
another, and soon the belief became general among the common people, not
only in Tien-tsin, but for many miles around. I heard of the excitement
as early as the 5th of June. Crowds of people assembled from time to
time near the mission buildings, indulged in excited and angry
conversation, and on more than one occasion demanded of the Sisters that
the children should be liberated. It is said that one day the crowd
became so noisy and violent that the Sisters, fearing violence from the
mob, consented that an examination should be made by a committee of
five. The consul, hearing of the disturbance, made his appearance about
this time, and, although the committee had been selected and were then
in the building, he stopped the whole proceeding and drove the committee
from the building with angry words; and some say he used his cane in
expelling them. Subsequently the district magistrate took a man who had
been industriously spreading the reports, who said he could point out
the persons that were guilty of acts of sorcery and other crimes, to
question him in the presence of the Sisters, and when confronted by them
admitted that all his stories were without foundation and false. This
appeared to quiet matters for a few days, but the excitement soon
revived again, apparently more intense than before, the populace now
demanding the release of the children as a sine qua
non. The day prior to the outbreak the district magistrate, who
is about on a par, in point of rank and authority, with the mayor of one
of our cities, called upon the French consul and stated that unless
permission be given for a thorough examination of the Sisters’
establishment, it was difficult to foretell the result. The consul,
construing this language into a threat, replied that, the magistrate
being inferior in rank to the consul, no negotiation could take place
between them for the purpose indicated, or any other. On the afternoon
of the 21st the mob assembled in front of the consulate, making a great
noise and throwing stones and other missiles at the building. Seeing the
impracticability of dispersing the mob unaided, the consul started for
the yam un (office) of Chang-how, the highest officer living in
Tien-tsin, for the purpose of asking assistance to quell the riotous
proceedings. Notwithstanding Chang how’s statement, that the consul
fired a pistol at him in his yamun, I don’t believe it. The consul
undoubtedly reached the yamun of Chang how in a state of excitement
bordering upon insanity, told his business, and started out again,
accompanied by some mandarins. When he reached the street he met the
mob, noisy and turbulent, and in the excitement he, I doubt not, shot
two or three shots from his revolver at the crowd.
[Page 357]
This appears to have been the signal for
the bloody work of the mob. The consul and his clerk were immediately
killed; and as all accounts agree substantially with the report of Air.
Meadows,-as to. the subsequent action of the mob, I beg to refer you to
Mr. Meadows’s letters, which accompany this dispatch. As an evidence of
the widespread knowledge of what was going on at Tien-tsin, and the
evident determination of the people generally that no information should
reach Pekin until their fancied wrongs had been avenged, I would refer
to the fact that the courier that was intrusted with Mr. Meadows’s
letter was intercepted some distance this side of Tien-tsin, seized,
beaten terribly, and carried back to Tien-tsin vi et
armis. Several couriers dispatched to the other legations
received similar treatment; so that for two or three days the foreign
residents of Pekin were considerably excited, fearing that the contagion
might spread to this city. The news, being known among the natives here
quite as soon as it was by legations, caused considerable commotion for
a while. The native workmen engaged in the erection of a building for
the Sisters in this city quit their work, and the servants at the
Catholic establishments and some at the French legation took “French
leave.”
The reported atrocities connected with the assassination of the Sisters
seem too horrible and fiendish for belief. If true, it goes to show to
what a pitch of frenzy the ignorant and superstitious Lan be wrought by
rumors too absurd for belief by any educated and Christian people. The
report now is that these poor creatures were taken out of the building;
put to death by means of spears, knives, and swords; their eyes and
hearts taken out; and their bodies thrown into the flames of the burning
buildings. The fury of the mob seems to have been directed toward the
teachers of the Catholic religion, in which the Chinese appear to have
included all Frenchmen. This opinion must have
originated in the fact that all the Roman Catholic missions in China are
under the care and special protection of the French minister at Pekin,
and the French consuls at the several open ports. In addition, all or
nearly all French subjects residing in China are Catholics in faith, and
worship at the various Catholic churches scattered through the empire.
It is supposed that the killing of the three Russians was done by
mistake, the mob supposing them to be Frenchmen. The truth of this
theory appears to be established by the fact that there were a few
English, Germans, and Swiss living in the city, not far from the scene
of the riot, who were not harmed or molested, and by the additional fact
that the Protestant chapels in the city were not injured beyond the
carrying off of the movable furniture, books, &c. I hope, and am
inclined to believe, that the fury of the mob is spent, and that all
real danger to the foreign residents on the “Concession” is over,
although the history of mobs, the world over, goes to prove this fact:
that the motive which incites riots is, during their progress, often
lost sight of, and their subsequent acts are controlled by persons who
join them for purposes of robbery and plunder alone. It is only in this
view of the case that there is danger in the future; and I shall not
feel sure of quiet and order until a gunboat arrives at Tien-tsin. The
British gunboat Opossum is said to be at Chefoo. If so, she will be
likely to make her appearance at Tien-tsin in two or three days at
furthest. I have no idea where any of the United States fleet are; but
it is fair to presume they are all on the coast of Japan, where the
climate is more agreeable than on the Chinese coast in summer.
* * * * * * * *
When the news of the massacre—for it can be called by no other
name—reached Pekin, a meeting was called of all the representatives
[Page 358]
of the treaty powers residing
here, to consult upon the measures necessary to adopt for the mutual
protection of our countrymen. Although the information we had received
was meager, disjointed, and much of it evidently unreliable, it was
thought best, without waiting for details, to address a joint note to
the government here, as being the best step to awaken the chief
officials to a due sense of their responsibility, and induce them to
adopt measures promptly to restore order and quiet; for prompt action on
their part seemed necessary, not only for the safety of foreign
residents in Tien-tsin, but in Pekin also. A copy of this note
accompanies this. It is but just to say that the government here shows
every disposition to do all in its power, but it is weak and effeminate,
and requires the constant advice and aid of the foreign representatives
to point out the proper steps to take. I inclose a copy of the note from
Prince Kung, received on the 25th instant, stating what had been done
toward quieting things at Tien-tsin. In addition to this, all the
available troops in this vicinity have been brought into the ci% and
posted in the neighborhood of the Catholic establishments for their
protion. I also send herewith translations of all the decrees that have
appeared up to. this date. In the foregoing I have endeavored to give
you the substance of the best information that has reached me up to this
day. Until further intelligence is received I forbear criticising the
causes which led to this terrible affair, or speculating upon the
probable or possible effects of it, upon the future intercourse of China
with the western nations. Enough, however, is known to establish clearly
three facts:
1st. That the action of the Sisters of Charity, or of those who
controlled their institution, in the purchase of children, was the cause
of the rumors which incited the mob.
2d. That the action of the mob was not directed against foreigners
because they were foreigners. It appears, rather,
to have been a religious crusade against Catholics; not particularly for
the reason that Catholics were teaching the Christian religion, but
because of their action in filling the asylums with children against the
washes of the Chinese, and in a manner calculated to arouse prejudices
and engender hatred. All French subjects were included in the category
of those who committed these crimes, because the French government
appeared to be the guardian and protector of the Catholic missions.
3d. That the action of the French consul was unwise, in not giving his
consent for the use of any reasonable means to disabuse the minds of the
people and allay the excitement; and also in firing his pistol into the
crowd of people, which precipitated a bloody collision between natives
and foreigners, thereby sacrificing his own life and the lives of others
who had placed themselves under his protection.
I think I hazard nothing in saying that the representations of Great
Britain, Russia, and North Germany agree with me in these opinions.
In thus expressing my opinions as to the causes of the riot, I do not
desire to be understood as excusing or palliating this terrible crime,
or the action of the officials; who, by their inertness, if not by
direct complicity in the plot, failed to take any resolute action to
quell the disturbance and protect the lives and property of those who
were residing upon Chinese soil, in pursuance of treaty rights, and
engaged in lawful undertakings, in accordance with the strict letter of
treaty stipulations.
[Page 359]
[Inclosures.]
A.—Dispatch signed by all the representatives of treaty powers
residing in Pekin, June 24, 1870, to Prince Kung.
B.—Prince Kung to Frederick F. Low, giving details af action
taken.
C.—Translation of imperial decree.
D.—Letter from Jno. A. T. Meadows to Frederick F. Low, June 22,
1870.
E.—Letter from Jno. A. T. Meadows to Frederick F. Low, June 24,
1870.
A.
Representatives of Treaty Towers
to Prince Kung.
Sir: It is with the deepest grief and
indignation that the undersigned, who represent the foreign
governments accredited to China, have learned the news of the
atrocious crime which has been committed at Tien-tsin. as it were at
one of the gates of the capital of the empire. The consul of France,
the missionaries, and Sisters of Charity and other Frenchmen
residing at Tien-tsin, have been massacred and their establishments
burned. From the particulars which have yet reached Pekin, not very
exact, it is true, there is reason to fear that the fanatical
populace will not refrain from further excesses toward the foreign
residents at Tien-tsin.
The undersigned do not doubt that the government of his Majesty the
Emperor of China in its wisdom sympathizes in the general
indignation felt in consequence of these atrocities, and is fully
sensible of the grave responsibility which rests upon it, as well as
its duty to take the necessary measures to prevent the repetition of
such acts; which, wherever they may occur,
cannot fail to seriously compromise the position of the imperial
government in the eyes of all the world.
The occurrences at Tien-tsin prove, in fact, that foreigners are not
everywhere sufficiently protected by these Chinese, local
authorities. It is therefore for the interest of the imperial
government itself to demonstrate, by the clearest acts, its firm
intention to assure the safety of all foreigners who have trusted
themselves to its fidelity, wherever they may be within the confines
of the empire. If such a catastrophe as this could happen only
eighty miles from the capital, the undersigned cannot but fear that,
unless the guilty persons are promptly punished, new attempts will
be made at places further from the capital, where the authority of
the central power has less efficiency. It is indispensable that, as
other countries hear the tidings of this crime, they should at the
same time be informed that justice is being done: and thus each of
them will be reassured as to the condition of its citizens who have
trusted themselves to the protection of China.
The undersigned gladly avail themselves of this occasion to renew to
his imperial highness the assurance of their respectful
consideration.
REHFUES, North German
Confederation.
FREDERICK F. LOW, United States of
America.
AUG. T’KINT VON ROODENBECK, Belgium.
T. F. WADE, Great
Britain.
His Imperial Highness Prince Kung,
&c., &c.
B.
June 25, 1870.
(Fungchi, 9th
year, 5th moon, 27th day.)
Prince Kung, chief secretary of state for foreign affairs, herewith
has the honor to state, in respect to the riot which has occurred at
Tien-tsin, that he has already been honored with a decree from the
throne, ordering Tsang Kwohfan, governor general of this province,
to go there and attend to its suppression.
The Foreign Office has also sent a letter to Tsunghow, at Tien-tsin,
ordering him to
[Page 360]
take
measures to arrest the lawless men who had stirred up this émeute and execute upon them the severest
penalties of the laws, in order to vindicate the justice of
government, and restrain all further outbreak. He was also directed
to take the utmost precaution in protecting the foreign consulate
and residences, so that no further molestation need be
apprehended.
A dispatch has also been received from him, in which he states that
at an early hour on the 22d instant he went to the office of the
commissioner of customs, where he met all the foreign consuls, and
assured them that there was no cause for further alarm. He had also
sent officers to the foreign hongs at the city, who had ascertained
that no damage had been done to them, and had taken letters from
them down to the foreign settlement at Tszchuhtm, in order to
relieve the anxiety of the friends of those living there, He had
further detailed officers to go to various points to repress any
disturbance and afford all possible protection, which had still
further quieted the apprehensions of all classes, as he was assured
by the replies already received from the consuls.
Haying received these particulars, I have the honor to make them
known for your excellency’s information.
His Excellency F. F. Low, United States
Minister.
C.
[From the Pekin Gazette of June 26th.]
an imperial decree.
Tsunghow has memorialized us respecting a riot among the people at
Tien-tsin, and lighting with the religionists, requesting that his
guilt [in the affair] may be investigated, and the local officers be
severally examined with severity in reference to their degradation.
It seems that some children were kidnapped, and some reckless
villains implicated the Roman Catholic establishments in the
practice, which led the people of Tien-tsin to suspect evil and
excite strife; and further, Mr. Fontanier, the French consul, fired
his pistol when at the office of Tsunghow, and at the district
magistrate of Tien-tsin, which had irritated the crowd to such a
degree that they killed Mr. Fontanier and burned the Roman Catholic
establishments. Tsunghow is in charge of comercial affairs, and he
therefore is not the one to keep the place quiet; but Chow, the
intendant, is responsible for taking the lead, and yet adopted no
precautionary measures in the matter; nor did the prefect, Chang, or
the district magistrate, Lin, at Tien-tsin, either of them act right
at all in reference to it, whereby this very serious matter has
attained such a pass. Their delinquencies admit of no
palliation.
Let Tsunghow and all the other officers be handed over to the board
that their proper punishment may be decided. Let Tsang Kwoh-fan, as
soon as he reaches Tien-tsin, investigate the whole thing most
thoroughly, and report in a memorial. Let those lawless people who
have kidnapped children, and the leaders in this riot, be all seized
and dealt with severely, according to law. And lastly, let him and
Tsunghow jointly search into the causes of this whole affair to the
very bottom, and manage it equitably, without the least partiality.
Respect this.
D.
Mr. John A. T. Meadows to
Mr. Fred. F. Low.
United States Consulate,
Tien-tsin,
June 22—1 a. m.
Sir: I have the honor to make the following
report to your excellency on events which have taken place at this
place for your information:
For some days past great excitement has existed in Tien-tsin among
all classes of the Chinese inhabitants against the foreign (French)
and Chinese Roman Catholics, in consequence, it is said, of the
priests and Sisters of Charity, through their employés, having
kidnapped numbers of Chinese children for some months back, and when
any of them died, caused their eyes and hearts to be extracted for
medicinal purposes. An intense hatred has been laterly created
through these reports on the part of the people against the French
Roman Catholics, and I felt certain there would be an outbreak on
the part of the people if the French residents did not take measures
to do away with the impression existing among the people. To-day Mr.
Fontanier and the assistant of the consulate proceeded armed to the
Yamên of his excellency Chunghow, and on their way back to the
consulate, accompanied by Chunghow, and when they met the district
magistrate, who stopped Chunghow to speak to him, Mr. Fontanier
fired on Chunghow and the magistrate three shots from his revolver,
beside striking Chunghow slightly with the butt of his pistol on the
head. The Chinese people who surrounded them
[Page 361]
rushed oh Mr. Fontanier and the assistant and
killed them. The excitement now became intense among the people, who
in a large body proceeded to the Tien-ehu-tang, killed the three
priests there, two French people en route for
Pekin, and all the Roman Catholic Chinese, after which they burned
down the building. The crowd now became greater, and the authorities
could not control it. The people now proceeded to the Jin-tsz-tang,
where the Sisters of Charity resided, killed five sisters and all
the Chinese Roman Catholics in the building. Three more Roman
Catholics, met in the street, were also killed about this time. This
building was also burned down. The whole of the mandarins of the
city had now reached the spot, and persuaded the people to disperse.
These latter found the bones of children in the Jin-tsz-tang, which
roused their fury exceedingly. No injury has been done to the
persons or property of the people of other nationalities. The ladies
of the American and British Protestant missions went to the British
consulate to stay this night with Mrs. Lay, the wife of the British
consul.
JOHN A. T. MEADOWS, United States
Vice-Consul.
E.
Mr. John A. T. Meadows to
Mr. Fred. F. Low.
United States Consulate,
Tien-tsin, June 24, 1870.
Sir: At 2 a. m., on the 22d instant, I had
the honor to address your excellency regarding serious matters which
had occurred here during the 21st instant. My dispatch I handed to
Mr. Arendt, vice-consul of the North German Confederation, who was
sending a dispatch by special courier to Pekin at that time. This
morning I was astonished to receive back my dispatch from Mr.
Arendt. It appears, from Mr. Arendt’s note, that the messenger had
been unable to proceed on to Pekin. As I am desirous of at once
sending you all information up to this moment, I once again address
you. My first dispatch, which I inclose, will convey to you the
first accounts we received of the terrible events of the day
previous. I am now able to correct some of my report, having since
received more correct information. After the Jin-tse-tang people
were killed, it appears there were nine Sisters of Charity and a
number of Chinese. There were over thirty female children found in
the place, who were sent to the mandarins. At the Tien-chu-tang
there was one foreigner (French) killed and one native priest; also
Mr. Tomassen and wife of the French legation, who arrived per Manchu
from Shanghai, and a number of Chinese servants. At the French
consulate, situated within the Tien-chu-tang premises, there were
killed Mr. Fontanier, the consul: Mr. Simon, the vice-consul, and a
number of Chinese. Mr. Chalmaison and his wife, store-keepers, were
killed in their store near the south gate. They were Roman
Catholics. Two Russian-Siberians, and the wife of one of them, were
killed as they were coming down in sedans from town, at the time the
people were burning the Jin-tsz-tang, being evidently mistaken for
French Roman Catholics, as none of the Swiss, German, and English
people, all Protestants, were molested, although living separately
in town. There appear to have been altogether nineteen foreigners,
French and Russians, killed on the 21st instant. The people in the
settlement have naturally been in considerable alarm, but the moment
I learned, at 5 p. m. on the 21st, that the Chinese people had
dispersed after destroying the Tien-chu-tang and Jin-tsz-tang, Roman
Catholics, without molesting the Protestant residents in town, I
felt sure we would not be disturbed in the “settlement,” and such
has been the case up to this moment. At 10 a. m., on the 22d
instant, Chunghow met all the consuls at the residence of the
commissioner of customs. He detailed how Count Fontanier had acted
like a madman, and that he attributed the destruction of all the
people to his firing his revolver at himself (Chunghow) and the
magistrate. He expressed great regret at what had occurred, and
owned that owing to the unexpectedness of the outbreak, the people
were masters of the position for that day. Mrs. Stanley and family
are living on board the Manchu, where other missionary ladies are
living, as well as Mrs. Forbes and Mrs. Stamman, merchants’ wives.
There are now no foreigners living in town. Chunghow saved the life
of one Frenchman named Contris, who was able to reach his yamun,
where he was cared for till he could be sent down to the British
settlement. I write this dispatch in great haste, as I am anxious to
dispatch it without delay. I am very much grieved that my first
letter has been returned.
Beside the Manchu, we have the British steamer Appin in port. The
Dragon had left, but some letters would reach her at Takoo, and we
will early see a gunboat here. There are no vessels of war here at
present.
The bodies of the consul, vice-consul, Tomassen and wife, the priest
Chevrier, and those of the Russians have all been got possession of,
and the latter buried.
JOHN A. T. MEADOWS, United States
Vice-Consul.
[Page 362]
Note to accompany Mr. Meadows’s letters.
Mr. Meadows, the United States vice-consul at Tien-tsin, is in the
employ of Chunghow as superintendent of the arsenal at Tien-tsin,
and, as a consequence, their acquaintance and intercourse are
intimate. Without imputing to Mr. Meadows any desire to misrepresent
facts, it is undoubtedly true that his personal friendship toward
Chunghow would cause him to believe the statements made by the
latter in preference to basing his opinion on the information which
comes through other sources. Mr. Meadows’s statements about what
took place at the yamun of Chunghow is substantially disproved by
all the testimony we get from other sources.
It is but natural that the Chinese officials should try to relieve
themselves of the grave responsibility, and they will be likely to
do so by every possible means. Hence their statements in regard to
the occurrences of the 21st should be accepted with caution unless
supported by other evidence.
It would appear to be an improbable story that the French consul
should attempt to take the lives of Chunghow and the district
magistrate, the men on whom he was obliged to rely for protection,
and whose aid it was the object of his visit to obtain.
