Mr. Conger to Mr.
Hay.
Legation of the United States,
Peking, China, December 29,
1898.
No. 124.]
Sir: I have the honor to report that at the
request of Bishop Earl Cranston I requested the Tsung-li Yamên, November
9 last, to issue special instructions to the viceroy of Szechuan to take
such measures as will insure the protection of all missionaries going to
and from and attending the annual conference to be held at Chung-king
during January next.
[Page 205]
The Yamên telegraphed the instructions; but on the 17th instant the
viceroy requested that, because of existing disturbances in the
province, the conference be postponed.
I telegraphed this request to Rev. Spencer Lewis and asked him to notify
Bishop Cranston. He replied that it was too late to postpone the
conference, as some parties had already arrived safely at Chung king and
others were en route. I therefore communicated this fact to the Tsung-li
Yamên, and insisted that extraordinary precautions must be taken to
protect these people, in accordance with treaty obligations, etc., which
they have promised to do.
The situation in Szechuan is most disturbed; but due and ample warning
has been given the Chinese Government, and it is to be hoped that no
trouble will result.
I inclose copies of correspondence between the Tsung-li Yamên and the
legation on the subject.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1 in No.
124.]
Mr. Conger to the
Tsung-li Yamên.
Legation of the United States,
Peking, China, November 9, 1898.
No. 35.]
The undersigned, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of
the United States of America, has the honor to inform your highness
and your excellencies that in January next there will be held, at
the city of Chung-king, the general annual conference of all the
Protestant missionaries in western China, and that of the Methodist
Episcopal missionaries. The former will continue from eight to
twelve days, and the latter from four to six.
The missionaries from all west China are expected to gather there,
and in going and coming will probably occupy the most of the months
of January and February. In order, therefore, to allay any fears
that just now may possess any of the missionaries, and to avoid the
possibility of trouble or danger, the undersigned would respectfully
request that your highness and your excellencies take the precaution
to cause such timely proclamations to be issued, and such prompt,
special, and explicit orders given to the provincial and local
officials as will insure the safety of all the missions in west
China and the security and protection of all parties going to and
returning from the above-mentioned meetings.
The undersigned avails himself of the occasion to assure your
highness and your excellencies of his highest consideration.
[Inclosure 2 in No.
124.]
The Tsung-li Yamên to
Mr. Conger.
Peking, November 13,
1898.
No. 26.]
Your Excellency: The Yamên has the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s note, wherein you
state—
that in January next there will be held, at
the city of Chung-king, the general annual conference of all
the Protestant missionaries in western China, and that of
the Methodist Episcopal missionaries. The former will
continue from eight to twelve days, and the latter from four
to six,
[Page 206]
The
missionaries from all west China are expected to gather
there, and in going and coming will probably occupy two
months. In order, therefore, to allay any fears that just
now may possess any of the missionaries, and to avoid the
possibility of any trouble, the undersigned would
respectfully request that your highness and your
excellencies take the precaution to cause such timely
proclamations to be issued and such prompt, special, and
explicit orders given to the provincial and local officials
as will insure the safety of all the missions in west China
and the security of all parties going to and returning from
the above-mentioned meetings, etc.
Upon receipt of your excellency’s note, the Yamên immediately
telegraphed the viceroy of Szechuan to instruct the local
authorities to afford satisfactory protection at the time
mentioned.
A necessary reply to your excellency’s communication.
[Inclosure 3 in No.
124.]
The Tsung-li Yamên to
Mr. Conger.
Peking, December 17,
1898.
No. 45.]
Your Excellency: We have the honor to
inform you that on the 15th instant this Yamên received from the
viceroy of Szechuan the following telegram:
I am in receipt of the Tsung-li Yamên’s communication stating
that they have received a dispatch from Minister Conger to
the effect “that in January next there will be held, at the
city of Chung-king, the general annual conference of all the
Protestant missionaries in western China, and that of the
Methodist Episcopal missionaries, and that instructions be
sent to the local officials to insure protection to all
those parties going to and returning from the conferences.”
I then ordered the local officials to act accordingly, and
the case is on record.
Moreover, before the Yu Man-tzu were pacified, banditti
everywhere, feigning the names of Yu Man-tzu, have been
creating trouble, and the state of affairs is very grave, so
that it will be necessary to move troops. Chung-king is a
place where trouble frequently occurs, and it is difficult
to preserve quietness. Although the missionaries have
decided to hold their conferences in January, there is a
possibility that these worthless fellows will take this
opportunity to cause trouble, making it even more difficult
to rectify matters. Therefore, would it not be well to
address Minister Conger with the request that he will
telegraph the chairman of the forthcoming conferences to
delay their meetings temporarily until quiet is restored?
etc.
Upon investigation we find that the facts given in the viceroy’s
telegram are truly so. The special object in view is to prevent any
misfortune from springing up in order that the missionaries may be
protected.
We send this note for your excellency’s information, and would beg
you to telegraph the chairman of said conferences to put off their
meetings in Chung-king for the present, in order that any future
trouble may be avoided.
Cards of ministers, with compliments.
[Inclosure 4 in No.
124.]
Mr. Conger to the
Tsung-li Yamên.
Legation of the United States,
Peking, China, December 19, 1898.
The undersigned, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of
the United States of America, has to-day received the note of your
highness and your excellencies, in which it is stated that the
viceroy of Szechuan telegraphs, in reference to the proposed
missionary conference to be held in Chung-king in January next, that
the—
State of affairs is very grave and that
there is a possibility that worthless fellows will take this
opportunity to cause trouble, aud he therefore recommends
that Minister Conger be requested to telegraph the chairman
of said conference to postpone their meetings for the
present, etc.
[Page 207]
The viceroy’s suggestion has been telegraphed to Rev. Spencer Lewis,
a leading American missionary at Chung king; but he must inform your
highness and your excellencies that only one of the conferences is
wholly American. The other is a general conference, composed of
English, Americans, and all other Protestant missionaries.
He, however, apprehends that it is now too late to stop the gathering
of these people at Chung-king, because some of the delegates are
already en route thither, and others are sure to start before they
can be communicated with, so that whether or not the conferences are
held many of the missionaries will be going to or from their homes
and will require protection. Besides, it is the annual meeting of
the American Episcopal Mission, over which the bishop presides and
makes important communications and suggestions. For this supervisory
purpose Bishop Earle Cranston has come from the United States and is
now somewhere on his way from Shanghai to Chung-king, and it will be
very difficult, if not impossible, to reach him.
It seems, therefore, that it is not likely that the gathering of the
missionaries at Chun-king can now be prevented, and having once
gathered there a quiet and orderly conference could do no harm.
The undersigned feels that he is in duty bound to lay before your
highness and your excellencies these facts, in order that such
further precautionary measures may be taken as the exigencies of the
occasion require.
Since the viceroy himself acknowledges the existence of danger from
some worthless fellows, any lack of watchfulness or failure on his
part to provide means to restrain and control these fellows will be
inexcusable and indefensible.
Although the undersigned has telegraphed the missionaries at
Chungking, yet because of the several nationalities interested and
of the impossibility of informing the delegates in time, a
postponement of the gathering may be impossible, he insists that
under these extraordinary circumstances extraordinary efforts should
be put forth by the Chinese Government to meet the obligations which
treaty obligations fix upon it.
The undersigned avails himself, etc.,
[Inclosure 5 in No. 124]
Mr. Conger to The
Tsung-li Yamên.
Legation of the United States,
Peking, China, December 22, 1898.
In reference to the proposed missionary conference to be held in
January at Chung-king, and in reply to his telegram suggesting a
postponement thereof, the undersigned, envoy extraordinary and
minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America, has this
day received a telegram from Rev. Spencer Lewis, of Chung-king, as
follows:
Too late postpone conference. Parties arriving safely. Others
already starting, require viceroy’s protection,
which he has the honor to bring to the immediate
attention of your highness and your excellencies.
Since the conference can not be postponed, the undersigned requests
that the viceroy may be ordered to take whatever extra precautions
may be necessary to prevent trouble.
The undersigned avails himself, etc.,
[Page 208]
[Inclosure 6 in No.
124.]
The Tsung-li Yamên to
Mr. Conger.
Peking, December 26,
1898.
Your Excellency: We have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s communications of the
19th and 22d instants, respectively, relative to the missionary
conferences to be held at Chungking in January next.
You therein state that you have wired Rev. Spencer Lewis to postpone
said conference and that you have received his reply as follows:
Too late postpone conference. Parties arriving safely. Others
already starting, require Viceroy’s protection.
Since the conference can not be postponed, your excellency requests
that the viceroy may be ordered to take whatever extra precautions
may be necessary to prevent trouble.
In addition to wiring the viceroy to adopt measures for protection,
as in duty bound, we sent this note for your excellency’s
consideration.
Cards of ministers with compliments.
