[Inclosure in No.
274.—Translation.]
The viceroy of Canton to
Mr. Seymour.
Canton, October 31,
1886.
Sir: Having received your two dispatches, one
on August 28 and one on September 2, I, the viceroy, after perusing and
investigation, found that when your former dispatch came to hand I had
already ordered the Kwei Ping magistrate to investigate, administer, and
trace up the lost articles and report them, and if Mr. Fulton should
return to the district to see that ho is protected.
I also have ordered the Ching Yuen magistrate to investigate into the
case that occurred during August, 1884, when the missionary chapel was
robbed, and have those that began the disturbances and those that
destroyed and robbed away articles classified seized, tried, and
satisfactorily administered.
Therefore, in regard to the two cases of Kwei Ping and Ching Yuen
districts, I, the viceroy, have repeatedly and strictly ordered their
respective magistrates to protect foreigners if there are any, to hasten
and satisfactorily settle the preceding cases, and forbid them to delay
or to be partial.
I have ordered them so many times that I think that each magistrate will
not dare to delay or not to administer the affairs.
I refer to the clause in the dispatch saying that these affairs can be
easily settled with your honorable consul, but the Ching (or Tseng) Yuen
case is not a simple affair.
The official has been changed and things are different from what they
were before, so it must be thoroughly investigated before it can be
settled, and not because the native official wishes to delay.
With reference to whether the Kwei Ping case can be immediately settled
satisfactorily it must be distinctly inquired, how the trouble
originated, who caused the trouble, who were the ringleaders, who were
the followers, before it can be justly decided.
With reference to the two cases that could be easily settled, I, the
viceroy, only can strictly hasten, but can not decide beforehand.
With regard to the settlement of the cases by the viceroy in Canton;
since Kwei Ping is several thousand lis from Canton, and Tseng (or
Ching) Yuen is several hundred lis away, whether the affairs pertaining
to the cases are true or untrue, and the causes of the troubles, all of
which I have not witnessed with my own eyes, so that I can not decide
the ease without certainty.
Your dispatch also stated that the man who leased the house to Mr. Fulton
at Kwei Ping said “that placards were posted offering a reward for his
head at Kwei Ping.” I am afraid that this news has been inaccurately
reported, otherwise it must be that the man has been accustomed to
pursue evil doings, and that he has gathered enmities with his
fellow-countrymen; but this is not the foreigners’ business.
I, the viceroy, have been accustomed to treat the Americans intimately,
so I must order the Kwei Ping magistrate to protect Mr. Fulton when he
reaches the district, so as to please your honorable consul’s
wishes.
In regard to your honorable consul’s dispatch of July 11, 1886, in which
it is stated that Mr. Fulton altogether lost property to the amount of
$5,300, I, the viceroy, then referred to the dispatch of General “Loo”
(the general of Kwong Si) and the “petitions of the colonel of “Chum
Chow,” and the Kwei Ping magistrate, all stating that Mr. Fulton himself
said that “the clothing and articles lost were not of much consequence,”
and that “all lives were secured, very fortunate”; all these words were
uttered by Mr. Fulton himself, so that it cannot be untrue, and if the
articles lost amounted to $5,300 he would have distinctly told the
native official and not state that they were not of much
consequence.
I, the viceroy, having a regard for the friendly terms of our two
countries, that peace rest between us is considered important, and that
the affairs concerning losses considered small, therefore I did not
mention, them in my answers, and since your honorable consul has
repeatedly sent dispatches to me urging the settlement of the two cases,
also did not mention the lost articles again, is similar to my ideas.
Although the affairs are small, yet it is important in connection with
the settlements, so I must clearly state it in the beginning, and think
that your honorable consul sees it hero.
Again, the two cases of Kwei Ping and Tseng (or Ching) Yuen are only
disturbances suddenly arisen, which is a small affair, as the Americans
did not receive any wounds or injury; and I, the viceroy, as soon as
your honorable consul’s dispatch was received, ordered each magistrate
to immediately and satisfactorily administer the affairs, and have
repeatedly and strictly hastened them; sol, the viceroy, did not spare
any moment in attending to the American cases, and can say that I. have
exerted all my power, but in the case of the Chinese club-house at San
Francisco, where the Americans totally killed over thirty Chinese
subjects, and that several hundred thousand dollars’ worth of property,
etc., were lost, which is inhuman oppression to the extreme, and
compared with the two cases of Kwei Ping and Tseng (or Ching) Yaen must
be one hundred times as severe.
[Page 178]
Although the indemnity has been considered and decided upon, and yet is
not settled. China has exerted her utmost in administering the small
cases of America; so America ought to immediately and satisfactorily
settle the serious cases of China.
Your honorable consul ought to personally telegraph and petition to his
excellency the American minister at Peking to write to your honorable
country’s Secretary of State (within this day) to consider
satisfactorily and pay the indemnities to the Chinese minister and
severely punish the rioters, so as to be in accordance with the public
agreements.
Although this case is not connected with the Kwei Ping and Tseng (or
Ching) Yuen cases, yet your honorable consul having previously sent
dispatches respectfully asking me, the viceroy, of reasonable affairs,
so I, the viceroy respectfully ask reasonable affairs of your honorable
consul, and think that your honorable consul will comply with this.
Besides ordering the Kwei Ping magistrate to immediately investigate into
the true fact of this case, clearly trace up, satisfactorily administer,
and report the affairs, and if Mr. Fulton returns, to the district to
protect him with ail his power and to put a stop to all placards posted,
and order the Ching (or Tseng) Yuen magistrate to investigate into the
case occurred during August, 1884, when the missionary chapel was
robbed, to have those that began the trouble and those that destroyed
and robbed away property, etc., seized, tried, and immediately
administered, so I reply to your honorable consul with compliments,
etc.
