Anti-foreign Yu-H’sien appointed Governor of Shansi--A slap in
the face for England and America--An alarming telegram--Imperial
decree satisfactory as far as it went, in Sir Claude MacDonald’s
opinion--The decree.
Another slap in the face from the Chinese was reported on March 15,
when the late Governor of Shantung, Yu-H’sien--who was the main
instigator of the outrages in that province, concerning whom the
United States Minister had formally demanded that he should never be
re-employed, and upon whose punishment for the murder of Mr. Brooks the
British Minister had insisted--was with great pomp appointed Governor
of Shansi.
If a man of the stamp of Sir Harry Parkes, instead of one of the stamp
of Sir Claude MacDonald, had been in Pekin at this juncture, he might
have thought that the time had come to set his foot firmly down and
seriously to demand what the Chinese Government meant by this open
encouragement of the anti-foreign movement. Sir Claude, however, seemed
satisfied to let the Chinese temporise, and accepted their usual
far-fetched excuses as plausible.
The telegram of the missionaries from P’ing Yin and T’ai An: “Outlook
very black, daily marauding; constant danger; edict suppressing
(Boxers) published; troops present but useless; officials’
complete inaction, T’ai An prefect blocks; secret orders from
Throne to encourage,” was represented by Sir Claude as exaggerated,
notwithstanding that every non-official person in China knew it to be
but too correct.
[Sidenote: AN INFLAMMATORY DECREE]
Sir Claude asked the Yamên Ministers to telegraph to the new Governor,
Yuan, that he had called at the Yamên that day (January 11) to complain
of the conduct of the prefect, T’ai An.
A wonderful feat of strength of character, equalled by the following
threat, which Sir Claude MacDonald no doubt believed made the Chinese
tremble in their shoes, whereas they, more likely, smiled behind his
back.
[Illustration: JUNK ON THE PEI-HO RIVER]
“I requested,” he writes, “that my words might be carefully recorded
for submission to the Throne....” and continues: “Whether these
negotiations take a friendly line or the reverse depends entirely on
the behaviour of the local authorities, and the manner in which they
carry out the commands of the Emperor as expressed in the edict.”
The Imperial decree, so much desired, was at last issued, and was
approved by Sir Claude, who reported it to be “satisfactory as far as
it went.”
It is sufficient to read the edict itself to be aghast at the attitude
of our Representative in Pekin. Never was a more openly revolutionary
and inflammatory decree published in more hypocritical words. Sir
Claude does not appear to have seen through the veil. He innocently
hints, in a letter to Lord Salisbury, that the decree is regarded in
some quarters with misgivings, but he had not thought it expedient as
yet to make any remarks on the subject to the Tsung-li-Yamên.
In justice to Sir Claude MacDonald, and to prove my words, it will be
well to give the Imperial decree itself, dated January 11, 1900:
[_Translation_]:
“Of late in all the provinces brigandage has been daily more
prevalent, and missionary cases have recurred with frequency. Most
critics point to seditious societies as the cause, and ask for
vigorous suppression and punishment of these. But reflection shows
that societies are of different kinds. When worthless vagabonds
form themselves into bands and sworn confederacies, and, relying on
their numbers, create disturbances, the law can show absolutely no
leniency to them. On the other hand, when peaceful and _law-abiding
people practise their skill in mechanical arts for the preservation
of themselves and their families_, or when they combine in village
communities for the mutual protection of their rural population, this
is in accordance with the public-spirited principle (enjoined by
Mencius) of ‘_keeping mutual watch and giving mutual help_.’[2]
[2] The italics are my own.
“Some local authorities, when a case arises, do not regard this
distinction, but, listening to false and idle rumours, regard all
alike as seditious societies, and involve all in one indiscriminate
slaughter. The result is that, no distinction being made between the
good and the evil, men’s minds are thrown into fear and doubt. This
is, indeed, ‘adding fuel to stop a fire,’ ‘driving fish to the deep
part of the pool to catch them.’ It means, not that the people are
disorderly, but that the administration is bad.
[Sidenote: CRITICAL TIMES]
“The profound compassion and favour of our dynasty have blessed the
country for over two hundred years; the people eat our produce and
tread our soil; they have natural goodness implanted in them; how can
they of their own free will come to adopt bandit ways, and bring down
punishment upon themselves?
“The essential thing is that the Viceroys and Governors of the
provinces should select officers worthy of confidence, who should
rule their districts well, and give rest to their people. When
litigation arises between converts and people, it should be dealt
with according to justice, without the slightest partiality for
either side. Such conduct serves as a matter of course to fulfil
the people’s trustful hopes and to quiet popular feeling in time of
trouble, changing serious affairs to trifles, and causing trifling
ones to disappear. The stability of the country’s institutions, and
the consolidation of international relations, alike depend on this.
“The Viceroys and Governors of the provinces have received the
fullest and weightiest marks of our favour. If they offer their
united services in these critical times, they must be able to carry
into effect the determination of the Throne to treat the matter with
paternal kindness, and to regard all men with equal benevolence. Let
them give strict orders to the local authorities that in dealing
with cases of this kind they should only inquire whether so-and-so
is or is not guilty of rebellion, whether he has or has not stirred
up strife, and should not consider whether he belong to a society or
not, whether he is or is not an adherent of a religion.
“As for our common people, let them give thought to the protection
and security of their native places, their persons and their homes.
Let them not give ear to those who would unsettle their minds, and
so bring upon themselves calamities and military operations. Nor let
them on the other hand presume upon influence and authority to oppose
their fellow villagers.
“It is our earnest hope that in this way the hamlets will be at
peace, and that thus we may be relieved of our anxious care by day
and night.
“Let this decree be published abroad.”
It is not difficult, even for one not versed in Chinese affairs, to
read plainly between the lines of this hypocritical decree, and to
see by many of its allusions that, far from being a decree to spread
peace and quiet among the masses, this was an inflammatory placard
spread abroad to instigate citizens against foreigners. In fact, it
begins by showing the Imperial approval of “the law-abiding people who
practise their skill in mechanical arts for their self-preservation,”
&c. These people were merely the Boxers, and their mechanical arts
the manufacture of spears, swords, and guns. It even goes so far as
admonishing them to keep mutual watch and give mutual help.
It is curious that our Minister should approve of such a decree
as satisfactory, even “as far as it went.” Indeed, it would seem
sufficiently plain that the publication of such a decree could only
produce an effect contrary to that of the decree demanded of the
Emperor by the foreign Ministers, and by Sir Claude MacDonald in
particular. But possibly Sir Claude was a person easily pleased.
[Illustration: 念彼觀音力
雲雷鼓拆閃
LIGHTNING, THUNDER, AND WIND
(_From a Chinese painting_)]