Prince Kung to Anson Burlingame, May 9, 1863

Prince Kung to Mr. Burlingame

Prince Kung, chief secretary, &c., &c., makes a communication:

Burgevine, having robbed public money and committed an assault upon an officer, ought, according to law, to have been arrested and punished. Your excellency wrote many despatches with reference to his case. In them you strongly expressed yourself to the effect that Burgevine repented and that he would certainly reform. You also transmitted a copy of statements made in his favor by the officers of the “Ever-Conquering Legion.” Hence, I, on my part, seeing that Burgevine was willing to repent, and that your excellency vouched for him in such strong terms, thought that these were not empty words, and therefore afforded him an opportunity to reform, and make amends for his past conduct, and ordered him to return to Shanghai, and wait for the orders of the governor of Kiangsu. But now a despatch has been received from the said governor, in which he states that, since Burgevine committed the outrage, both natives and foreigners have regarded him as a bad man, and were alarmed at hearing that he was returning to Shanghai, and intending to take again the command of the force; that since Burgevine returned to Shanghai, he, in conjunction with the petty officers who had been dismissed the service, were circulating false reports, to which no stop could be put, thereby increasing the alarm and uneasiness already entertained; that the officers of the whole force presented a petition to him, (the governor,) in which they state that, just when everything was made ready to start on a military expedition, the officers, both native and foreign, hearing that Burgevine was coming back to take command of the force, became suspicious and distressed, showing hesitation and an unwillingness to proceed, all which may prove an impediment to the prosecution of the war; in short, the question whether Burgevine should again be employed or not involves the question whether the public interest should be injured or not; and they (the officers) begged that the affairs should be examined into and settled. Thus far the governor’s statement. Now I find that the offence committed by Burgevine is of a very grave character indeed. In China there is no such principle by which men or officers guilty of such an tim could escape the punishment provided by law. The reason why I, for a acte, made allowance in Burgevine’s case, and ordered him to go back to Shanghai, was simply because your excellency so strongly interceded for him, and vouched for his good conduct. But now, according to the statement of the governor of Kiangsu, it appears that both the Chinese and foreign officers (of the force) are not willing to submit (to the arrangement of having Burgevine restored to the command.) And hence it is apparent that the alleged statement of the officers, formerly transmitted by your excellency, are all false and spurious, fraudulently gotten up by Burgevine, hoping that he would be able thereby to ward off the punishment due to him, and be restored to the command of the troops. I have, moreover, heard the reason why he came to this place the first time was, because, whilst in Shanghai, he had handed in fraudulent accounts of debts; the bills, being found to amount to sums greater than was thought he had really spent, were, of course, repudiated by the authorities at Shanghai. Seeing that he was baffled in his schemes, he proceeded to the capital, intending to make false accusations. From this it is manifest that also his insatiable cupidity well harmonizes with the character of a villain. Being deceived by him, your excellency took up his part, and defended him, and vouched for his conduct; but now, seeing that both the native and foreign officers are suspicious (of him,) the case then seems to be that he, misleading you, you misled me. I am now informed that he has arrived at Tientsin without a passport, and intends to come hither again. Freely thus coming and going, just according to his own pleasure, regardless of all law and order, is unprincipled to the very extreme. I have, therefore, instructed his excellency the commissioner of trade at the three ports to arrest Burgevine, and at once deliver him over that he might be punished according to the law of China. In the case, however, he should pass through Tientsin, and secretly arrive at this capital, I expect that your excellency will hand him over to the foreign office, so that he might be punished in a manner we should think proper. Such individuals as he are greatly injuring the reputation of your country. I therefore suppose that your excellency will no more be indulgent to him.

A communication to his excellency the honorable Anson Burlingame, &c., &c., &c.