Mr. Denby to Mr.
Olney.
Legation of the United States,
Peking, August 12, 1895.
(Received Sept. 26.)
No. 2305.]
Sir: I have the honor to inclose a translation
of an imperial decree which was published in the Peking Gazette the 9th
instant, relating to antiforeign riots.
This decree was issued on the demand of Her Britannic Majesty’s minister
and myself. It is not as forcible or definite as we demanded, but in its
general terms is satisfactory. It recites the friendly treatment of
foreigners by China, the occurrence of riots in Szechuan and Fuhkien,
the atrocity of the circumstances, the arrest of some criminals,
instructions to capture the guilty, protective measures to be taken, and
provides that proclamations be issued warning the people against rioting
and against circulating or crediting slanders.
The Yamên has agreed to send this decree by telegraph to all the viceroys
and governors of China. I will see that it is circulated among the
American missionaries. The Yamên has also agreed that Chou Taotai should
be degraded and that publication of his degradation should be made at
Chengtu. He was chief of police for the two Hsiens of Chengtu, and he is
accused of having put up a placard containing this sentence: ‘“At the
present time we have obtained clear proof that foreigners deceive and
kidnap small children.” As this publication incited the populace to
rioting, I have been very urgent in demanding the degradation of its
author, and will, if possible, secure his banishment.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure in No. 2305.]
Decree published in Peking Gazette August 9,
1895.
From the time of commercial relations with all western nations up to
the present, foreigners have sojourned in the interior, and peace
and quiet have prevailed among them and the Chinese. We have treated
them with the same kindly feeling as our own subjects, and have
repeatedly issued our commands to the high officers of the provinces
to render to them special protection as occasion made it necessary;
but recently riots have occurred in the capital of Szechuan,
resulting in the burning and destruction of missionary
establishments. At the same time the flame of excitement in the
minds of the people has spread to several districts—Chous and
Hsiens.
Reports have now come to us from Foochow that several foreigners have
been murdered at Kutien by outlaws; and, the worst of it is, women
and children were massacred. The atrocious and wicked circumstances
of the affair have caused us to cherish a bitter hatred toward the
perpetrators of the crime. The criminals connected with the Szechuan
riots have been apprehended and placed on trial. In the Foochow case
the ringleaders have still to be arrested. Let Ching Yu (Tartar
general)
[Page 104]
and Pieu Pao-ti
(governor-general) issue instructions to the officers of the
military and civil districts with the utmost expedition to surround
and capture the outlaws and not to allow them to escape
punishment.
This class of worthless and reckless fellows fabricate rumors for the
purpose of leading astray the people and instilling suspicions into
their minds. They are to be found in most places. The main thing is
for the local officers to be on the lookout and take protective
measures and prevent this evil from taking hold on the minds of the
people.
How is it? If officials perform their duties in a perfunctory manner
the result will be that trouble will arise of a serious nature. Let
the Tartar generals, governors-general, and governors of the
provinces give instructions to all the officials in whose districts
there are missionary establishments that they must energetically
protect the missionaries and to proclaim for the information and
guidance of the people that they must not give ear to false rumors,
which are calculated to create doubts and misgivings in the minds of
the people and thus lead to trouble. Anyone who dare create
disturbances in the future will surely be severely punished
according to law. Any local officers who are remiss in the discharge
of their official duties will also have meted out to them severe
punishment, and no leniency whatever will be shown.
Let this decree be promulgated throughout all the provinces for
general information.
