Mr. Conger to Mr. Hay .

No. 148.]

Sir: Referring to my dispatch No. 142, of February 8 instant, in regard to the recent disturbances in the province of Shangtung, I have the honor to inclose to you copies of further correspondence had with the Chinese Government on the same subject.

I have, etc.,

E. H. Conger.
[Inclosure 1.]

The Tsungli Yamen to Mr.Conger .

Your Excellency: We have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note wherein you refer to the riots against the missionary stations in the district of Chu Chou, Ji Chao, etc., in the prefecture of I Chou, province of Shantung, which have resulted in persecutions of Christians and destruction of mission property. You further state that you have several times requested that measures be taken by the Chinese Government to repress them, and that notwithstanding the instructions issued by this yamen to the provincial officials the rioting and persecution still continue and will continue until the ringleaders are arrested and punished. You inclose also, on a separate sheet, the names of the principal ringleaders, demanding their immediate arrest and punishment, etc.

This yamen has recently received a communication from the governor or Shantung, [Page 165] stating that he has ascertained on investigation that the districts of Chu Chou, Jih Chao, etc., in the I Chou prefecture, are quiet and peaceful, and moreover that the local officials have afforded protection to all under their jurisdiction and that there is no trouble. However, having received the above information from your excellency, this yamen will immediately instruct the govornor of Shantung to thoroughly investigate the matter. The people of Shantung are overbearing, and owing to the recent calamity (floods) are very easily excited, and it is to be feared that if they are restrained too much trouble will be stirred up similar to the uprising of the Yü Man-tzus in Szechuan, which would be difficult to control.

Your excellency must be fully acquainted with the circumstances of the situation.

On the 20th of December last we received your excellency’s note referring to the antiforeign sentiment in the province of Shantung and annoyance it was causing to both missionaries and native Christians. The governor wrote that the prefect and department magistrate had gone in person and made an investigation compelling those concerned to rebuild the mission property, to restore all the stolen things, and to sign an agreement, thus ending the matter.

Cards of ministers, with compliments.

[Inclosure 2.]

Mr. Conger to the tsungli yamen .

The undersigned, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America, has the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the note of your highness and your excellencies of the 8th instant, in which it is stated that in a recent communication to the tsungli yamen the governor of Shantung reports that all is peaceful and quiet in the district of Chu Chou, Ji Chao, etc., and that there is no trouble there. Notwithstanding this, the undersigned is informed by the missionaries that as late as January 23 no attempt had been made to arrest the rioters at Ho Chia Low, Nan T’ang Yu, and Liu Ts’un, although the officials acknowledge that orders have been given for their arrest, and that they, the ringleaders, are still defiant and insulting, and on yesterday they telegraphed that the magistrate at I Swei is even punishing soldiers for a death caused in their lawful attempt to repress the rioters. It is, therefore, apparent that orders to the governor simply “to investigate” is not sufficient, but he should be ordered to arrest and punish the ringleaders, whose names have been furnished, if order is to be restored and danger averted.

The undersigned notes the statement of your highness and your excellencies “that the people of Shantung are overbearing, and owing to the recent calamity (floods) are very excited, and it is to be feared that if they are restrained too much trouble will be stirred up similar to the uprising of the Yü Man-tzus in Szechuan, which was difficult to control,” and would greatly deplore a repetition of the Yü Mantze trouble in Shantung, but he believes if the Government shows a strong hand there at once it need not happen. Nothing encourages wrongdoers and violaters of law anywhere as an exhibition of hesitancy or weakness on the part of the governing power.

However, as the final responsibility must rest upon the Chinese Government, the undersigned awaits with interest the result of the immediate investigation which the governor of Shantung has been ordered to make, and confidently expects that it will result in the prompt arrest and speedy punishment of the ringleaders as he has requested.

Requesting from your highness and your excellencies an early report of the result, the undersigned, etc.

E. H. Conger.