Mr. Conger to Mr.
Hay.
Legation of the United States,
Pekin, China, March 13,
1900.
No. 342.]
Sir: I have the honor to inclose a translation
of an imperial decree published on the 9th instant.
This is tangible evidence of the very strong antiforeign sentiments of
the Empress Dowager and her closest advisers, and it is certainly very
unfortunate for China.
Such persecution is a warning to officials everywhere against helping
foreigners or learning anything from them. This result is now very
apparent in Pekin, and is made worse by the evident protection being
extended to the so-called Boxers, who have been so violently persecuting
Christians, and whose members are esteemed by the Government as patriots
whose avowed object is to deliver China from all foreigners.
The five Hanlins condemned in the decree, it is understood, were all
members of the reform party, but it is known that the chief offense of
at least two of the principal ones was being associated with foreigners
in their authorized schemes for the development of China.
Wu Shih-chao was the Chinese director of the Pekin syndicate—English. The
British minister protested against his removal, but without avail.
Kuei To was opening mines in Manchuria in some foreign fashion. It is
reported that many other arrests are to be made. It is possible that
these men are known or believed by the Throne to be connected [Page 110] or in sympathy with Kang
Yu-wei, but the effect is, nevertheless, to make Chinese officials and
capitalists afraid to undertake new work or new developments, and is
doing China great harm, but it seems impossible to make her realize
it.
I have the honor to be, etc.,
[Inclosure.]
A decree published in the manuscript Pekin
Gazette of March 9, 1900.
We have received a memorial from the high officers of the Hanlin
College (Imperial College of Literature) in regard to the question
of discerning the conduct of individual officers of the college,
and, based upon adduced facts, they have denounced certain
officers.
Kuei To, a Hanlin compiler of the second class, had undertaken the
management of commercial affairs, but under his management he failed
to attain any good results. Money has been used to no proper
purpose, and he has been guilty of pilfering. Let him be handed over
to the board for the determination of a penalty.
Chou Hsi-ngen, a Hanlin compiler of the second class, who is at
present at his native place, has a particular way of doing business,
which is by bragging and boasting. He is frivolous and fickle
minded, brazen faced, and careless of public opinion. Let him be
suspended from his official duties and handed over to the local
officers concerned to be kept under the strictest discipline.
Chen Ting, a Hanlin of the second class, is a man of a perverse,
malignant, and crafty disposition whose principles are not upright.
He has been expounding the meaning of a work called “Chiao Pin Lu
Kang I,” which for the most part contains seditious views and
arguments. Wu Shih-chao, a Hanlin graduate of the third degree, has
been sitting quietly taking his leisure and collecting and hoarding
up a pile of money. He has a heart that can not be fathomed. Shen
Ping, a Hanlin compiler of the second class, is wild and mad with
the loss of right feeling disease, and is perverse, contumacious,
and false at heart.
These three officials are certainly unworthy of their official dress
(official position). It was recommended by the memorialists that
these officers should have their official rank taken away and handed
over to the local officers to be kept under the strictest
discipline, but this would be treating them in a very lenient
manner.
Both Chen Ting and Wu Shih-chao have already been deprived of their
official rank. The officers, of the college of literature are hereby
commanded to send these men to the board of punishments, to be by
that board transmitted to their native places, and the viceroy or
governor concerned is to see that they are to be imprisoned for life
in the capital of the province in which they reside. Shen Peng, some
time ago, applied for home leave and left Pekin. Lu Chuan-lin, the
acting viceroy of Nankin, has memorialized us by telegraph that he
has been arrested and brought before the court. Let this degraded
officer be incarcerated for life in the provincial capital
prison.
The Imperial College of Literature is the important precinct where
the treasury of literary talent and learning is, and from it
selections are made for official posts. The members of the college
are all respectable persons and of good conduct, and they delight in
proper behavior. How is it that these unworthy persons should have
attained a Hanlin position? Let the chancellors of the college from
time to time hold an investigation as to the class of men connected
with the college, and those who set the rules and regulations at
defiance and commit a breach of etiquette, are to be rigorously
denounced to us for punishment, and on no account must any leniency
be shown toward such.
