Mr. Hay to Mr.
Conger.
Department of State,
Washington
,
January 18,
1900
.
No. 223.]
Sir: I inclose herewith a copy of a letter from
Rev. Judson Smith, foreign secretary of the American Board of
Commissioners for Foreign Missions, requesting the Department to take
such steps as will secure for the American missionaries in the province
of Shantung, China, protection against the dangers threatening their
persons and property, as set forth in the inclosure to Mr. Smith’s
letter.
[Page 90]
You will do what you can for the protection of these American
citizens.
The statement of Rev. Arthur H. Smith discloses incompetence or worse on
the part of the Manchu governor, and suggests that no amelioration of
the situation is likely or even possible, until he be replaced by an
energetic man in sympathy with the Pekin authorities.
You will report if any of your diplomatic colleagues are making or
propose to make similar representations.
I am, etc.,
[Inclosure.]
Mr. Smith to
Mr. Hay.
American Board of Commissioners for Foreign
Missions,
Congregational House, No. 14 Beacon Street,
Boston
,
January 11, 1900
.
Sir: Permit me to inclose herewith a
private communication just received from one of our American
missionaries resident at P’ang Chuang, in the province of Shantung,
China. The situation which is described in Dr. Smith’s letter is one
of great hazard to himself and wife and his associates at P’ang
Chuang, to another group of missionaries at Lin Ching, 55 miles
distant, and to another group of American missionaries at Chinan-fu,
the provincial capital of the province of Shantung.
Dr. Smith’s letter states the situation so fully that any extended
comment is needless. The root of the present difficulty and the
danger in the present situation are found alike in the governor, who
has control of the military force in this region, and who at present
seems to be acting in collusion with the rioters, the so-called
“Boxers”. Dr. Smith and his associates have been in constant
communication with the United States consul, Mr. Ragsdale, at
Tientsin, and through him with the United States minister at Pekin,
Mr. Conger.
This communication is sent to you in the hope that our Government may
see fit to communicate with Mr. Conger at Pekin, and to give to him
any additional instructions that may seem to be necessary to make
every exertion within his power for the protection of the lives of
our American missionaries in Shantung which are imperiled, and to
call upon the representatives of other governments at Pekin to unite
with him in such demand. If the offending governor were removed by
the Chinese Government at Pekin upon the representations of the
foreign embassies, and his place taken by one who would make due
exertion for the protection of the lives of foreigners, it would
seem to meet the case precisely.
I ought to add that four American missionaries are resident at P’ang
Chuang, and have property valued at from $30,000 to $40,000. At Lin
Ching there are ten American missionaries, with a property valued at
about $25,000. At Chinan-fu I can not state the number, but it is
not less than five or six American missionaries with valuable
property.
Without dwelling at greater length upon the situation, and fully
assured of the readiness and power of our Government to devise
suitable remedy in the case proposed,
I am, with great respect, etc.,
Judson Smith,
Foreign Secretary American Board Commissioners
Foreign Missions.
[Sub-inclosure.]
P’ang Chuang, Shantung, China
,
November 27, 1899
.
Dear Mr. Smith: You have heard in some
detail from Dr. Porter of the strange state of things in our once
peaceful parish, now full of rude alarms and of the most appalling
rumors on every tongue. We are glad that the Misses Wykoff could go
to Lin Ching for the winter, where there seemed to be work to be
done, whereas there is nothing here outside of our compound, to
which not many come, except on Sundays. It is no longer prudent to
go to villages, even for us, as it is certain to disturb the peace
of those to whom we might go, more than we could do them good. This
[Page 91] particular county is
more quiet by far (externally) than a month ago, and the magistrate
has been very friendly. But on the 18th he sent over a man to advise
us to leave the place and go to a house in Te Chou, which he offered
to rent for us. We declined, as Dr. Porter had done when the
previous offer was made, on the ground that we could no more desert
our post than the magistrate can his. The particular alarm was a
large body of “Boxers” gathered in Ch’ih P’ing, just the other side
of Kao T’ang, the next county south of this. Since then we have had
the most alarming rumors from Kao T’ang of the danger to our people
there. Three families were looted last week in a village 25 li
southeast of the city, and two days later a messenger came hurrying
in to say that two more villages were held up for immediate and
impossible ransom, and if this was not paid the families would be
looted and their dwellings burned and the helper (Mr. Ma) killed. It
is reported that a Roman Catholic preacher was lately beheaded on
refusing to recant, and his head carried about on a pole.
Since the foregoing was written, Mr. Ma, the Kao T’ang helper, has
reached here a refugee, who dare not be seen near home, as his life
is wanted, and perhaps that of two colporteurs also. The members who
can do so have all removed from their homes and hidden their
effects, but this is difficult, as no one will take them in, as they
fear pillage for harboring them.
In the P’ing Yuan district, where Li Lu Chuang was raided six weeks
ago, our people in other villages are in great terror. One of them
came last week to say that a ransom was demanded from his (heathen)
father, else they would all be raided teacher went to see the
official, who said he could do nothing about it. This is the
invariable attitude of all the district officials, who are really
very helpless in presence of this growing rebellion. It is all due
to the evident sympathy felt for the Boxers by the Manchu governor,
who was indignant that so many were killed in the fight near October
18, and degraded the prefect who was here, and gave strict orders
that hereafter the troops should on no account shoot, which is to
make them worse than useless. The ta’o t’ai (the highest executive
next to the governor) commanding this third of the province is with
the troops at Ch’ih P’ing, and, like the lesser officials, does
nothing. If things come to an extremity, the local magistrates send
word to the Boxers not to enter the city (so as to save the “face”
of the magistrate), and in cases of extremity buy them off, leaving
all outside the city to its fate.
Sincerely, yours,
