Benjamin H. Helm to P. S.—The reason we have not written oftener is because we heard that Mr. Lyon wrote daily. B. H, September 9, 1872

Mr. Helm to Mr. Lord.

Sir: Doubtless you have been fully informed respecting the troubles in which the natives, who were instrumental in securing property for the foreign residents at Hang-, chow, have been involved by the tyrannical action of the native officials. If it may not be too late to express my view, I would briefly state what seems to me to be the true issue.

As we generally hear and believe, the officials have, since last winter, desired to have some action taken, because of the foreign houses built here. But, until the 1st of September, nothing of importance transpired, and we only knew of the state of feeling among them by rumors from natives. Of the anonymous placard posted all over Hangchow in one night last spring, you have also been informed, I believe. We did not much believe it was done by any official, and hence took no notice of it. But the present action appears in a different aspect. You know of the arrest and beating of the two middle-men concerned in the securing of our two places. One of these places was secured for sixty years, using in the transfer the character (Chinese character), (I think this is the character,) which Mr. Inslee told us you had suggested to him as the most appropriate. We have held undisturbed possession now over two years, and no objection was made to our securing it, or since as to our possessing, as far as any public or official act is concerned. The other piece we secured last winter, and no open opposition was made. We only heard that other parties were trying to purchase it to secure the erection of a temple. I do not mean by these statements to say that the treaty gives us an explicit right to buy and to build, but while there is nothing, as far as I know, prohibiting it, neither we nor the natives violated any law of the land, or even acted in the face of any official proclamation.

I observe the treaty guarantees us liberty to be in the interior for twelve months and to preach the gospel. And to stay here with comfort and safety, other than native houses are necessary; hence we have built. The piece of property acquired last winter was bought in the name of a native Christian woman, and hence the middle-man did not act for foreigners in the strict and literal sense. But he was the middle-man in securing the other piece, and was beaten for this as well. Their sufferings are very great. One of the men is over sixty years of age; is an opium-smoker, (although a well-to-do stone-mason,) and his constitution is feeble. He swooned away under the beating. The cangue was put on for three months, and the natives say he cannot survive the treatment, for he is furthermore sick.

Since we last wrote you all the parties in the securing of Mr. Lyon’s property have, as far as possible, been arrested.

We heard this morning that while the officials promised on last Saturday to issue the proclamation we asked, (and I do not think it at all covered the grounds of the case,) they proceeded to yet further extremities and put the cangue on Be-sien-sang, who sold the land I am now on, to the native Christian woman. His head is all swollen up from the treatment. When the cangue was put on, the official said he would “do it to the death,” and sealed it himself. This we learned by one brick-mason, Li, who has acted for us also in securing the above-mentioned land. He learned it from Be-sien-sang’s family. He is shut up in the yamên, and cannot be seen; but a relation of his, who is in the official quarters, told his family. Be-sien-sang is a scholar, and our teachers think it cannot be true, as he would have first to be degraded. But the news comes from his own family, and I give it as probably true. The whole course of action is outside of the law, and the people, we learn, sympathize with the oppressed. I am no alarmist, and I do not expect any immediate overt act against our persons or property, but it seems to me that unless stopped, we cannot expect either to again find any one willing to assist us in securing any property, or to remain long in undisturbed possession of what we have. The object seems to be, eventually, to get us out, and if out of Hangchow, why not every other inland city?

Besides, humanity calls on us to do all we can to secure the release and redress the wrongs of the poor innocent men who are suffering for us, in so far as it is possible. Therefore, the case seems to me of general importance and of some urgency.

Hoping you will pardon me for trespassing so much upon your time, I beg to subscribe myself,

Respectfully, &c.,