Mr. Denby to Mr.
Blaine.
Legation of
the United States,
Peking, May 10, 1889.
(Received June 19.)
No. 885.]
Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith a copy of
my communication to the foreign office of the 4th instant, relating to the
missionary troubles at Chi-nan-fu.
I inclose also a translation of the reply of the Yamên thereto.
The facts as reported to me by the head of the Presbyterian mission are
stated in my communication.
In my dispatch No. 723 of October 6, 1888, I deemed it my duty to suggest to
your predecessor that, in the event of all other means failing, [Page 109] it might be well to consider the
propriety of my going in person to Chi-nan-fu, or sending a member of this
legation, to endeavor to effect a settlement of this troublesome question.
Such a trip would be very expensive, and I did not feel authorized to take
it unless so directed by the Department, and unless authority were conferred
to draw for the necessary funds.
The missionaries agree with me in the opinion that personal intervention at
Chi-nan-fu by one in authority offers the only means of securing favorable
results. I have no personal desire to incur the fatigue of such a trip, but
I am prepared to do so, if some time shall elapse and still nothing be
done.
I therefore submit for your consideration the question whether I shall be
authorized to go to Chi-nan-fu should all other means fail of success.
It must be remembered that the question of the right of the missionaries to
acquire land at Chi-nan-fu has produced great annoyance to our fellow
citizens, to the public, and this legation.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 885.]
Mr. Denby to the
Tsung-li Yamên.
Legation of the United States,
Peking, May 4,
1889.
Your Highness and your
Excellencies:
I have the honor to inform your highness and your excellencies that I am
again compelled to call your attention to the trouble of the
missionaries at Chi-nan-fu.
The missionaries have been notified by the local magistrate that they can
not retain the piece of land that they bought, which lies outside of the
city. This is the second place that has been refused to them. It is
claimed that this second piece of land was not owned by the person who
sold it to the missionaries, although he had a stamped deed from the
person who now claims it. It is claimed also that there is a grave on
the land. This is true, but when the missionaries bought the land it was
stipulated that this grave should remain there three years. The reason
given was that the dead person, who was a poor woman, had died of
cholera, and it would not do to disturb the body immediately. On these
trivial pretexts the deeds are not sealed, the sale is rescinded and the
middle man has been incarcerated.
It thus appears that although the missionaries made two bona fide purchases, they have in each Case been refused
possession of the places bought.
I renew the statement heretofore repeatedly made to your highness and
your excellencies that the missionaries are willing to accept any
suitable piece of land that may be satisfactory to the authorities.
I have the honor to state further that by the direction of my Government
I must request that in the final settlement of this case damages be
awarded to the Rev, Gilbert Reid for the serious beating suffered by him
at the hands of a mob. I have to request that his case be considered and
a reasonable compensation be made to him for his wrongs and
injuries.
Your highness and your excellencies are aware that this matter has been
long pending. If it be the intention of the local authorities to deny
the missionaries the right to acquire a suitable place to carry on their
charitable and religious work at or near Chi-nan-fu, and if they are to
be sustained by your highness and your excellencies in that
determination, it would be best to make the declaration positive and
final, so that I can inform my Government of the conclusion.
But I have been led to believe by the communications of your highness and
your excellencies that this case would be amicably settled, and I still
hope that such may be the case.
I avail, etc.,
[Page 110]
[Inclosure 2 in No. 885.]
The Tsung-li Yamên to Mr.
Denby.
Your Excellency: Upon the 4th instant the
prince and ministers had the honor to receive a communication from your
excellency setting forth that the missionaries had reported that the
magistrate at Chi-nan-fu had refused to allow them the second piece of
land, a vacant lot outside of the city, etc.
In reply, the prince and ministers would observe that, in regard to this,
on the 18th of February, 1889, they received a note from your excellency
having relation to it, and they at once transmitted a copy of same to
the governor of Shan-tung requesting him to instruct the local officials
to expeditiously and satisfactorily take action and settle it, but up to
the present time no report has been received from the said province.
Now, having received your excellency’s dispatch under acknowledgment, it
is right to again address the governor of Shan-tung in the matter,
pressing him to issue strenuous injunctions to the officials under his
jurisdiction to speedily bring the case to a close. On receipt of a
reply the prince and ministers will inform you, and in the meantime they
send this acknowledgment for your excellency’s information.
A necessary communication, etc.,
