Benj. P. Avery to Prince Kung, June 3, 1875
Mr. Avery to Prince Kung.
His Imperial Highness Prince Kung, &c., &c., &c.
Sir: It is my duty to lay before your imperial highness the facts of two different acts of violence committed by disorderly and foolish people upon the persons and property of American citizens at Shui Chang, within the treaty limits of Kin-Kiang port, province of Kiangsi, and to ask that you will require the local authorities to settle them without delay, in that spirit of justice and friendship which I know it is the desire of your highness to manifest in all your dealings with my country.
I am informed by the consul of the United States at Han-kow, within whose jurisdiction Kiu-kiang and Shui Chang are included, that at midnight of the 21st of May, 1873, the buildings which had been rented and furnished at Shui Chang for missionary purposes, by Americans from Kiu-kiang, were attacked by a mob, without any cause, except ignorance and hatred of foreigners. By this mob, which the missionaries declare was instigated and led on by certain men of literary degree, who ought to know better, the chaplain was beaten, his effects stolen, the furniture of the place smashed or carried away, and four large boxes of books scattered to the winds. Mr. Henry M. Hall, on hearing of this outrage, went to Shui Chang, from Kiu-kiang, to ask for justice from the district magistrate, who received him properly, and promised that the guilty should be punished, and the people warned against insulting or maltreating the missionaries of my country. On his way from the magistrate’s Yamen, Mr. Hall was set upon and beaten by a furious mob, although he was accompanied by an escort of soldiers.
The mob even attacked a temple in which he took refuge, and if the magistrate himself had not come to the rescue and arrested some of the gentry who led the populace, Mr. Hall would have lost his life. From the effects of this violence Mr. Hall’s health seriously impaired, he was obliged to return to America, and the matter was therefore not then prosecuted.
Again, on the 3d of November, 1874, two other American missionaries, having previously secured the rental of a place in Shui Chang, proceeded from Kiu-kiang, with passports from the United States consular agent at the former place, for the purpose of fitting up a chapel, going to the Yamen of the Che-hsien, who was not the same magistrate who was there the year before, in order to ask from him a proclamation warning the people against molesting them. The Che-hsien kept them waiting on the premises about four hours, during which time a mob gathered, who abused them with foul language, and in their violence pushed in the lattice-work of the small room in which they were sitting. The officials, for a long time, made no serious attempt to disperse the crowd which pressed into the audience-room, where the Che-hsien at last received his visitors. He declined to issue a proclamation until he had been instructed by both the taoti and foutai. Meanwhile the crowd outside had increased, and, pushing its way into the small waiting-room where the Americans had left their native attendant, Chao-hung-Kwie, this inoffensive man was beaten in a shameful manner. The Americans requested the Che-hsien to drive out the mob, but he refused to do so, until they came into the audience room, when he had them pushed back into the street. He refused to see the passports of the’ Americans, and declined to do anything for their protection, unless they consented to depart at once under an escort, which they did. The Che-hsien promised to go with them himself, but did not do so, except for a few steps, into the street, when he turned back to his Yamen. The Americans were gradually deserted by their escort, and the mob set upon them again, once more beat their student-helper, Chao-hung-Kwie, robbed him of his money and clothes, and followed the Americans outside the city, pelting them with bricks, until they fell into a deep stream in the darkness, for it was now night, when they were further pelted by the light of lanterns, until they reached the opposite bank, and, after wandering about in great distress for two hours in the darkness, found their boat, in which, next day, they returned to Kiu-kiang. Their chair-coolies were also driven away from the city, and Pi-hsien, an assistant whom they had left at the Yamen, returned to Kiu-kiang, without his money and part of his clothes. .
Immediately after these events the missionaries appealed to the United States consular agent at Kiu-kiang for redress of their wrongs, asking that he demand of the taotai of that place reimbursement for their pecuniary losses as follows: For riot of 1873, in which they lost money expended for chapel-rent, furniture, wages of men, books, ready money, and traveling expenses, $200; and for riot of 1874, in which was taken from the persons of their native assistants money and clothing to the amount of $40, besides the traveling and, other expenses to which the mission was subjected, and the personal loss of the two missionaries, the sum of $125; besides just compensation for personal injuries. In addition, they demanded that the building rented at Shui Chang as a chapel be delivered into their hands for one year, properly furnished; that the three Shen Ching who were instigators of the riot be punished, as also the Che-hsien who refused to protect the missionaries in 1874, and that proclamations be issued warning the people hereafter not to molest them. Mr. Rose, the consular-agent at Kiu-kiang, having failed to induce the taotai to make satisfactory settlement of the claim, submitted the matter to his superior, the consul at Han-kow, who instructed him, on the 21st of December, to demand an immediate investigation by the taotai. Mr. Rose again urged the case on the attention of the taotai, but receiving no satisfaction, the consul at Han-kow himself addressed that functionary, February, 1875, informing him that Kiu-kiang came under his jurisdiction; that he had person ally examined the missionaries as to the facts of the repeated violence at Shui Chang, and stating that he would refer the matter to this legation unless the Taotai did his duty.
The taotai, on March 6, replied to the consul denying that there was any evidence to snhstantiate the statements made, declining to enter into any further examination, and expressing himself satisfied with the denials of the Che-hsien of Shui Chang, to whom he had referred the matter, and who would, of course, try to screen himself and please the violent people who had mobbed two American citizens and their native helpers under his very roof. Yet, after denying that there was any violence committed, the taotai admits that the people did rush together in tumult, because they did not wish missionaries to come among them, and says he wrote to Mr. Rose asking him to tell the missionaries not to go to Shui Chang again.
I will frankly say to your imperial highness that I shall counsel my countrymen who wish to preach and sell religious books, not to press themselves where they know the people are hostile and violent, although the treaty gives them the right to go and do these things; but I must say the missionaries who went to Shui Chang are positive the people would not molest them if they were not deceived and instigated by a few men of literary degree who act out of malice. Even in that case, had the magistrate done his duty fearlessly on the first sign of trouble, there would have been no serious disturbance. The Taotai of Kiu-kiang in like manner, by neglecting to enforce justice in this case, encouraged the mob in his own city to attack the American missionary premises there, as they did on the 1st of May when they demolished the doors and windows, destroyed what furniture was not carried off, pillaged and tore down the rooms of the two native assistants, threw down the walls of two school-rooms, and totally destroyed the furniture of the same.
In this case, as he could not deny what was done so near at hand, the Tao-tai at once agreed to have the chapel and buildings connected with it restored and refurnished, to make good all other losses sustained by the mission, to punish the ringleaders of the riot, and to issue a proclamation.
Had he been as just and reasonable in the Shui Chang case, the last riot would probably not have happened.
As he refused to deal justly in that matter, the consul has appealed the case to me, and I have now had the honor to lay all the material facts before your imperial highness.
I have no doubt that with your usual sense of right, and desire to preserve friendly and pleasant relations between China and the United States, you will comply with my request that the Shui Chang affair be promptly settled by the proper authorities, and the very reasonable demands made by our consul be complied with. The amount of money damages asked for is very trifling, and no compensation seems to have been insisted upon for personal injuries. The main thing is to repay actual losses, to punish the ringleaders, to give the American missionaries a years’ possession of the rented premises, and to issue a proclamation warning the people not to molest them.
If these things are done, I have no doubt the people of Shui Chang will be as peaceable and friendly hereafter as those of most other places in China frequented by foreigners. The whole trouble rises from the malicious falsehoods told about missionaries, whose only object is to do good and not to force their doctrines on any who dislike them. Then there is too much ignorance among the people about the rights of foreigners under the treaty, and for this reason the proclamation to be issued at Shui Chang should state those rights.
In this connection I beg leave to suggest to your imperial highness that if the governors-general of all the provinces were instructed to issue proclamations stating the general rights of foreigners under the treaties, declaring that the imperial government wishes to remain at peace and friendship with foreigners, and warning the people not to molest them, we should have very few cases of violence reported, and any difficulties occurring in spite of the precautions of the local authorities would be more likely to be settled promptly on the spot.
Wishing to your imperial highness daily health and happiness, I renew, &c.,