Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 3, 1906, (In two parts), Part I

Minister Rockhill to the Secretary of State.

American Legation,
Peking, China, November 4, 1905.

No. 138.]

Sir: I have the honor to transmit to you, in translation, copy of a note received yesterday from the Prince of Ch’ing, reporting the murdering on the 28th October at Lienchou, in the Province of Kwang-tung, of five American missionaries and the rescue of two others; also the steps taken by the Imperial Government on its being informed of this lamentable event.

I at once sent you by cable a synopsis of the prince’s note. I confirm as follows my cablegram:^a

Late last night, in reply to a telegram sent him in the early part of the day, I received the following telegraphic report of the matter from the consul-general at Canton:

Shameen, November 3—4.45 p.m.
(Received November 3—10 p.m.)

American Minister, Peking:

Viceroy sends me telegram from subprefect at Lienchou reporting murder five American missionaries, Presbyterian mission station at Lienchou, 300 miles from Canton, near northern border this province, accessible for gunboat Ching Yuen and overland thence Lienchou 80 miles. October 28 Mrs. Edward Charles Machle, Amy Machle, Eleanor Chestnut, John R. Peale and wife killed; Edward Charles Machle, Miss E. G. Patterson escaped, now in prefect’s yamen. Church, school, hospital, residence destroyed. Viceroy my request yesterday sent Lienchou two Chinese gunboats with 60 soldiers, accompanied by two American missionaries, one American doctor, rescue escaped, recover bodies victims, for investigation necessary to establish exact cause. French missionaries reported not molested. Warned viceroy responsible for outrage. Demanded efficient protection American missionaries elsewhere. Reported subprefect Lienchou afforded no protection and dilatory. Consider advisable await return three missionaries about two weeks before (?) sending (by) commission Lienchou to investigate. Doing everything and telegraphed isolated mission warning them danger. Anti-American feeling caused by dissemination inflammatory boycott literature. First information received by boycott organization here. I believe example should be made (?) viceroy and prefect. Instruct by cable.

Lay.

I see, by appointment to-day, the minister of foreign affairs, and shall endeavor to get him to urge on his Government the taking of adequate steps to stamp out the anti-American feeling in Kwangtung Province, which has been allowed to spread and gain force until it has led to this massacre. I have been warning the Chinese Government for months that this very thing might very likely occur in some remote corner of the country if the movement against us, and especially the dissemination of inflammatory literature was not absolutely stopped. The Government has been warned and warned again by me that we will hold it strictly accountable and responsible for any such uprisings.

I this morning cabled the American consul-general at Canton as follows:

American Consul, Canton:

Fourth. Your cipher telegram received. I regret no one representing the United States Government went with party to Lienchou. Foreign office informed me yesterday of the case, which Viceroy Canton telegraphed here day before. Imperial edict issued to Viceroy Canton ordering punishment of all criminals and guilty officials also directs suitable compensation to be made and adequate protection given missions in all places. I telegraphed yesterday Department of State reporting case and am now awaiting instructions.

Rockhill.

The above telegram was supplemented this afternoon by the following:

Lay, Canton:

I think unless it is absolutely impossible you should send somebody from the consulate or the war vessel to Lienchou to represent the Government of the United States on the present investigation.

Rockhill.

I have the honor, etc.,

W. W. Rockhill.

[Inclosure.]

The Prince of Ch’ing to Minister Rockhill.

I have the honor to inform your excellency that on the 6th of the tenth moon, XXXI year of Kuanghsii (November 2, 1905), I received a telegram from the acting viceroy of the two Kuang Provinces, saying:

“I have just received a message from the American consul-general saying that an American mission chapel in the department of Lienchou had been burned and that five foreign missionaries had been killed. I at once telegraphed to the magistrate of the said department directing him to make a careful inquiry into the real cause of the trouble, and to at once arrest the murderers and punish them. I have received his reply, stating that on the 1st instant (October 28, 1905) the American chapel and hospital had been burned and five persons injured, men and women, and that the occasion of the quarrel was the refusal of the missionaries to allow the villagers to fire cannon during their celebration of a festival, and that there were two other missionaries, Rev. Mr. Ming and Miss P’a, who had fortunately been rescued. I have already appointed a deputy to take a sufficient number of troops with him and proceed to the place to make an investigation and take necessary action, to pursue and arrest the murderers and to put the bodies of the murdered missionaries in coffins, and to give uniform protection to the remaining missions, and missionaries.”

My board thereupon submitted a memorial to the Throne and has received the following imperial edict:

“Ts’en Ch’un-hsüan telegraphs than an American hospital and chapel at Lienchou, in Kuangtung Province, owing to trouble growing out of a celebration of a festival by villagers, had been burned, and that five missionaries, men and women, had been injured, and that the rest were rescued; that he has appointed a deputy to take a sufficient number of troops and proceed to the place to give protection, to investigate and take necessary action, and to arrest the muderers. The people of the province in question are turbulent, and we have already issued edicts directing the local officials to be careful to take precautionary measures as the circumstances might require, and to give thorough protection. But the department magistrate has given no heed, and has allowed such a serious matter as this to arise. His fault is one which is inexcusable. Let the names of the responsible officials be obtained, and let them first be cashiered, and let the other officials who have been careless about taking precautions be severally punished according to their guilt. Let Ts’en Ch’un-hsüan still continue to issue strict instructions to the deputy sent to at once investigate the matter and arrest all the important leaders and punish them according to law. Let there not be the least indulgence shown. That five innocent missionaries have been injured is most pitiable. Let steps be taken at once to make suitable compensation. As for the other missions and missionaries let uniform and careful protection be given to them in all places. Let there be no further remissness.

“Respect this.”

I have already telegraphed the above to the viceroy at Canton as directed, and as soon as I shall receive his reply I shall communicate it to you. In the meantime I have reverently copied the above edict and, as in duty bound, sent it to your excellency with this dispatch.

Kuanghsu, XXXI year, tenth moon, 7th day (November 3, 1905).

1. Supra.