Frederick F. Low to To his Excellency Frederick F. Low, United States, August 24, 1870
Mr. F. F. Low to Mr. Fish.
Sir: Since the late riot at Tien-tsin much speculation has been indulged in as to the causes, and much pains have been taken to ascertain the fact whether it was local in its origin or whether it was a part of a wide-spread conspiracy.
Most foreigners at the ports were quite willing to accept the latter view, and the newspapers, so far as I have seen, adopted the same theory. The columns of the press during the past two months have teemed with editorials and correspondence which, if true, would justify every foreigner in departing the country instanter, without standing upon the order of his going.
The measures of redress advocated by the people and the press have been extravagant, unreasonable, and in most cases impracticable. All sorts of measures of retaliation have been proposed; scarcely any proposing anything less than the opening up, by force, of the whole empire to foreign intercourse; and from that up to the decapitation of all the government officials, the overthrow of the present government, and placing the country under a foreign protectorate.
My opinion from the first has been that the disturbance was local, confined to Tien-tsin and its vicinity. I do not believe there was any knowledge of the intended riot among the natives in this city, eighty miles distant. All the testimony that comes to me from reliable sources only confirms the opinion I had formed. The danger that I apprehended was the effect the news of the riot would have upon the inhabitants at points distant from the scene of the disaster. It seemed altogether likely that the Chinese would, as a matter of course, believe the tales of their own countrymen as to the moving causes, and justify the retribution which had befallen the Catholics for their alleged evil practices. To counteract the effect elsewhere it seemed to me important that an official denial, emanating from the highest authority, should be given to the truth of the stories that had been circulated in regard to kidnapping and its attendant cruelties, and that the authors of, and the aiders and abettors in, the riots should be promptly and severely punished.
I have received very interesting and instructive letters from the vice-consul at Swatow, bearing upon this subject, a copy of which I beg to inclose, (inclosure A.) From this statement it is apparent that nothing was known there of the riot prior toits occurrence. A similar statement comes to me from the consul at Neuchwang, a port much nearer to Tien-tsin than Swatow. In both places, however, the effect of the news was to create excitement among the people. Full faith and credit were given to the reports of kidnapping, and but little disguise was apparent among the people generally, in expressing their approval of the retaliatory measures.
The consul at Swatow, you will observe, expresses the opinion that punishment of the guilty, without an official denial of the truth of the reports that incited the mob, would be of little avail in quieting the people. Unless this was done the people would still believe that punishment had been inflicted in obedience to the demands of foreigners, and not to satisfy offended justice. The language of the Chinaman, “It will be hard to be right and have to suffer also,” expresses the whole idea.
In view of this popular feeling the imperial decree, a translation of which I inclose, (inclosure B,) is an important document, and will, I trust, be productive of good. It is not as clear and explicit as I could have wished, but it is all that can reasonably be expected from officials trained as they have been, and harboring superstitions that would have been considered radical in the days of Salem witchcraft.
Inclosure C is a translation of the offensive proclamation which the prefect of Tien-tsin put forth about the 10th of June, which it is believed was mainly instrumental in stirring up the people. It is certainly a very offensive document, and well calculated to produce the terrible result which followed.
Inclosure D is a translation of a decree ordering the two suspended magistrates back to Tien-tsin for the convenience of examination. These are the two officials whose summary punishment the French chargé demanded.
I regret to be compelled to say that the delay of the officials in this whole matter argues ill for the future. At first they appeared to be greatly alarmed, and anxious to get advice from the foreign diplomatic representatives as to their proper course, in order to do justice and avoid a hostile demonstration on the part of the French. Latterly this feeling has given way to one of coolness bordering upon indifference. This change is attributable partly to the action of the French chargé as detailed in my No. 24, and the knowledge that France is engaged in hostilities at home, and partly to the practical difficulties in the way of ascertaining and bringing to justice the criminals in Tien-tsin, against the public opinion of the entire population of the city. These causes are likely to defeat the well-intentioned plans and purposes of the officials, formed in the beginning; and things will be likely to drift along until France gets ready to apply force to compel a settlement.
Fans are now being manufactured and sold in Tien-tsin, having coarsely engraved views of the burning buildings and the murdering of the people in the streets upon them. Fans to the Chinese are what illustrated papers are to the people of the United States. They are made to suit the tastes of the people, and the fact that such engravings will cause a better sale for the fans is a conclusive argument that there is no sentiment of regret or sorrow among the people over the result of the riot. There is undoubtedly greater unanimity of opinion there in favor of the rioters than there is in Ireland among the peasantry in favor of one of their number who shoots his landlord. If this feeling in Ireland is strong enough to baffle all attempts of the English government to bring to justice, by the ordinary forms of law, a peasant accused of injuring the person or property of his landlord, is it surprising that this feeble central government should find it difficult to ascertain and punish the rioters in a city of 400,000 inhabitants, all of whom either aided in the massacre or sympathize with the criminals?
It is this spirit among the people that portends evil; and I shall not be surprised to hear of similar outbreaks elsewhere, unless a change in feeling of the populace soon takes place. All the foreign representatives here are doing what they can to secure action by the government which will change the current of public sentiment, and thereby add to the safety of their countrymen residing here. I shall continue to urge upon the Chinese officials measures calculated to promote the security and welfare of foreigners, and at the same time insure peace and benefits to the people here, and stability to their government. Further than this I do not feel at liberty to go, were I so disposed, which I am not.
C.
Proclamation of the prefect of Tim-tsin.
Chang, prefect of Tien-tsin, hereby issues a second proclamation respecting measures to be taken to arrest [kidnappers.]
On the 6th of June the constable of Yung-fung-tien (a village near Tien-tsin) seized and brought to this office two men named Chang and Kwoh, who had been arrested for stupefying and bewitching a lad named Li Ta-yang, in the district of Tsinghai, and carrying him off. On examination they confessed that they had used certain drugs, and recited incantations in order to bewitch children to follow them. They were accordingly ordered to be executed in that, district where the crime was committed, in accordance with directions received from the higher courts.
Rumors have been circulated that these villains had carried on their practices by direction of certain persons, and had gone about the country to bewitch and kidnap children in order to take out their brains, eyes, and hearts, to be used in preparing certain medicines. Detestable in the extreme! If instant measures are not taken to visit such things with condign punishment, how can the villagers be quieted, or the laws of the land vindicated? And the magistrate of Tien tsin has sent out his policemen, and issued orders for them to arrest such men. But as Tien-tsin is a large city, containing a dense population, and the district is a wide region, it is really to be feared that these miscreants will not give up their practices, but will steal into its purlieus and hide themselves in out-of-the-way places where they cannot be pursued, thence to watch their chance to conjure away ignorant and simple children. If such fellows are not sharply followed up and seized, how can these inhuman deeds be stopped and the country quieted? Competent detectives have therefore been appointed to follow up and arrest them, to notify which is the object of this proclamation.