The difficulty in obtaining the publication of an Imperial edict in
the _Pekin Gazette_--Temporising--An important and stormy meeting
at the Yamên--Absence of the Russian Minister--Baron von Ketteler’s
accusations and merriment of the Yamên Ministers--Excuses--An
international naval demonstration deemed necessary--Yu H’sien’s
appointment--A flat refusal.
Lord Salisbury, echoing Sir Claude MacDonald’s information, duly
informed Sir Chihchen Lofengluh, in answer to a communication from
him, that the settlement of the Brooks case could not be considered as
wholly satisfactory.
The representations made to the Yamên on January 27 by Sir Claude, as
well as by the American, French, German, and Italian Ministers, asking
for a decree specifically denouncing the anti-Christian societies in
Shantung and Chili, received at first no answer, but upon a further
demand on February 21, the Legations concerned received a note from the
Yamên stating that a decree had been issued ordering the Governors of
the two provinces to put an end to the disturbances.
Sir Claude and the other four Ministers further insisted that the
decree must be published in the _Pekin Gazette_, and that it must
not only suppress the Ih-hwo-Ch’uan Society, but also the Big Sword
Society, a demand which the Yamên did not seem at all willing to
satisfy. They, as usual, temporised, but eventually framed the
proclamation of the Governor-General of Chili, the terms of which
strictly prohibited the Boxer movement. It said, among other things:
“The converts and the ordinary people are all the subjects of the
throne, and are regarded by the Government with impartial benevolence.
No distinction is made between them. Should they have lawsuits they
must bow to the judgments of the officials. The ordinary people must
not give way to rage, and by violent acts create feuds and trouble.
The converts, on the other hand, must not stir up strife and oppress
the people, or incite the missionaries to screen them and help them to
obtain the upper hand.
[Sidenote: HOODWINKING THE POPULACE]
[Illustration: THE TAKU FORTS AND THE PEI-HO RIVER]
“Those so-styled professors who practise boxing, and play with clubs,
and teach people their arts, those also who learn from these men, and
those who march about and parade the villages and marts, flourishing
tridents, and playing with sticks, hoodwinking the populace to make
a profit for themselves, are strictly forbidden to carry on such
practices. Should any disobey, on arrest the principals will receive
a hundred blows with a heavy bamboo and be banished to a distance
of a thousand miles. The pupils will receive the same beating and be
banished to another province for three years, and on expiration of
that period and return to their native place be subjected to strict
surveillance.
“Should any inn, temple, or house harbour these people without report
to the officials, or should the police and others not search them out
and arrest them, the delinquents will be sentenced to eighty blows with
the heavy bamboo for improper conduct in the higher degree.”
Sir Claude now very properly pressed to have this decree published
in the _Pekin Gazette_, and eventually a meeting took place on March
2 at the Yamên, where Prince Ch’ang Wang, Wen-Shao, Chao Shu-ch’iao,
Hsu-Jung-I, Hsu Ching-ch’eng, Wu T’ing-fen, Knei-Ch’un, and Lien Yuan
received Sir Claude MacDonald, accompanied by Mr. Ker and Mr. Fulford,
Mr. Conger (United States Minister), with Mr. Cheshire, Baron von
Ketteler (German Minister), with Baron von der Goltz; Marquis Salvago
(Italian Minister), with Dr. Merklinghaus, Baron d’Anthouard (French
chargé d’affaires), with M. Morisse.
It will be noted that the Russian Minister was not represented.
Sir Claude recapitulated the circumstances regarding the two secret
societies, and the Imperial decree published on January 11, which had
spread the impression that the Throne recognised the Ih-hwo-Ch’uan and
the Ta Tao Hwo, and stated that the Representatives of the Powers were
present further to request the publication of a decree suppressing by
name the two societies in the _Pekin Gazette_. Nothing short of this
would satisfy them.
Baron von Ketteler pointed out that in the decree already communicated
to the Representatives, the omission of the Ta Tao Hwo (society) had
been made, and that the head of the society was then in Pekin, where he
had received a special mark of favour from the Throne, instead of being
sent, as he should have been, to the Board of Punishments. This man was
the ex-Governor of Shantung, Yu H’sien, whom, with his society, the
Baron again denounced.
[Sidenote: UNDISGUISED MERRIMENT]
This statement was received with “undisguised merriment” by the Prince
and Ministers, who nevertheless had to admit that Yu H’sien was to
blame for not suppressing the disturbances. He was further accused of
inspiring the original edict that had caused so much trouble, an idea
which the Yamên pronounced entirely erroneous.
Explanations and excuses were attempted by the Yamên in order to evade
the publication of the further decree. This was probably to “save their
face”--an ever-important question with Celestials.
As a matter of fact, they barefacedly declared that the Yamên’s
memorial _did_ mention the Ta Tao Hwo (Big Sword Society), for this had
now amalgamated with the Ih-hwo-ch’uan, and therefore was included in
the denunciation of the latter society!
Baron d’Anthouard complained that no protection was afforded to
missionaries in Chili and Shantung, and said that he now wanted deeds
and not mere words to reassure him. The Yamên, as usual, said they
would consider the matter and reply. Identical notes were handed in by
all the Representatives present.
The Boxers in the meantime were fast and openly recruiting and drilling
in both disturbed provinces, and even in the neighbourhood of Tientsin
and Pekin. Of this Sir Claude was fully aware, and, alive to the sense
of danger, recommended to his Government an international naval
demonstration in the waters of North China. He watched with evident
concern the peculiar attitude of the Chinese Government--who seemed to
take no notice whatever of the representations and threats made. In
fact, a deliberate snub from the Chinese Government had to be supported
in the appointment of Yu-H’sien as Governor of Shansi.
“Altogether,” pointed out Sir Claude MacDonald to Lord Salisbury on
March 16, “Yu’s appointment to even so important a post cannot fail to
be regarded as showing an extraordinary lack of consideration on the
part of the Chinese Government for the opinions and representations of
foreign Powers.”
The Yamên at this point seem to have taken a more determined course of
aggression and bluff towards the foreign Ministers, mixed, of course,
with the customary hypocrisy and falsehood. They flatly refused to
publish in the _Pekin Gazette_ the Imperial decree, as requested by
the foreign Powers. Their plea was that it was a _T’ing-chi_ (message
from the Throne), and not a _Shang-Yu_, or Imperial decree. The rule,
they stated, is that a special Imperial message is not delivered to
the Grand Secretariat for publication in the _Gazette_. “This was an
established rule of public business in China, which it was impossible
to alter.”