John Russell Young to Frelinghuysen, January 24, 1885

Mr. Young to Mr. Frelinghuysen.

Sir: In my dispatch No. 631, dated January 21, 1885, I had the honor to send you a communication from Mr. Consul Seymour in regard to affairs at Canton. Mr. Seymour forwarded a petition from the missionaries in Canton, addressed to the British, German, and American legations, in regard to a memorial written by high Chinese officials making invidious suggestions as to converts to Christianity. The matter was discussed at length with Sir Harry Parkes and Mr. Von Brandt. The papers submitted at our conference by Sir Harry Parkes were more explicit than those sent to the legation by Mr. Seymour. Two of these papers I inclose. It seems that Her Britannic Majesty’s consul on the 21st of November called the attention of the viceroy to the tenor of the proclamation. The reply of his excellency, in the opinion of Sir Harry Parkes, Mr. Von Brandt, and myself, seemed to be as satisfactory as we could expect from the Chinese authorities. The viceroy disavows the published memorial as inaccurate, and informs Her Britannic Majesty’s consul that he has suppressed the publication and destroyed the blocks.

After mature deliberation it was thought best not to send the yamên a formal note, but to make the subject one of informal conversation with the ministers when we next had occasion to see them on business. While it is not well to allow declarations in violation of treaty, such as are contained in the memorial to which I refer, to pass without notice, the fact that the governor-general of Canton had, in his letter to Her Britannic Majesty’s consul, anticipated any action we could have demanded deprives the incident of the importance attached to it in my dispatch No. 631, dated January 21, 1885. I trust that the conclusion reached by my colleagues and myself will meet with the approval of the Department.

I have, &c.,