Kiang Peng ting, the expectant-taotai, now reports that Yang Tsu-jui and Chen Peng hsiang had not previously entered the church, but that last year he had opened a shop in partnership with another man, when, finding himself in financial difficulties, he joined the Catholic Church in the 3d moon of the current year, and that Yang tsu-jui entered the Protestant Church. In the 4th moon they commenced litigations; both parties, relying on the protection they hoped to get (from the church), ignored the magistrate's summons for a trial. The elders of each denomination naturally held their own members to be in the right. On the 30th of the moon the Catholic, Chen feng hsiang, collected a crowd of men of like faith, who proceeded to the Protestant church, dragged Yang Tsu-jui outside of his door, and beat him. The injuries inflicted were slight, however. Yang Tsu-jui in his turn also collected men to make retaliation. They broke the doors and windows of the church and smashed the furniture of three Catholic families, one man and a woman getting slightly hurt in this affray. The magistrate and military proceeded posthaste to restore order and were slightly injured in their effort. On the 6th of the moon a younger brother of Yang Tsu-jui assaulted Len Tai-lai of the Catholic Church and hurt him severely. The deputed expectant-taotai ascertained the facts that Cheng Peng-hsiang and Yang Tsu-jui are the respective leaders of the affray. They having run away, instructions were given for the arrest of their families (or members thereof). On demanding the ringleader from the Protestants, the pastor promised to find and to deliver him to justice. On the other hand, Mei Wang-hsing, the Catholic priest, in his letter openly and defiantly screens Chen Peng-hsiang, and the latter, presuming on the priest's attitude, resists all the more the orders of the court. Both parties to this feud are notorious persons, and as it makes no difference to which religion they belong, I have given orders to the magistrate and military to effect the arrest of these ringleaders and to have them punished. The missionaries on both sides have been asked by letter to dismiss from membership Yang Tsu-jui and Chen Peng-hsiang, after which they will be deprived of their official rank and severely dealt with. The governor finds that at the bottom of this trouble is a debt (of money); that both parties, relying on their connection with the church, collected a crowd to fight each other; that the Catholics first attacked the Protestants, and that afterwards the Protestants retaliated on the Catholics, the disturbance reaching such a pitch that the civil and military local authorities received injuries in the mêlée. Although the injured parties have recovered, such cases should be dealt with and punished, as they have broken the law of the land and infringed the rules of the church. The deputed expectant-taotai is therefore again instructed to arrest the ringleaders and to punish them, and this communication is sent to the American and French consuls asking them to instruct priest Mei Wang-hsiang, residing at King-Kiang, the Rev. Mr. Nichols, residing at Nanchang, to expel from the church the ringleaders, Chen Peng hsiang, Yang Tsu-jui, and other noted criminals in the case, and deliver them up to the local authorities and dealt with, in order that peace may be restored. THE VICEROY'S REMARKS. Some time ago there was a similar outbreak between Catholics and Protestants at Jen Keang, when the French consul-general sent his vice-consul Kai to make inquiries, with the message that no matter to what religion the breakers of the peace belonged, they were to be given up to the local authorities to be dealt with, and you, the consul-general, consented to give your support on this point and sent a letter to the governor of Kiangsi to the effect that the case was to be settled by him and leaving the matter to his sense of justice. In the present case the Catholics and Protestants at Hsin Kau hsien, on account of some debt, collected a crowd of church members to create a disturbance and retaliated on each other. The civil and military authorities in their efforts to quell the riot, were themselves slightly wounded. Of late, these Christians, relying on their connection with the church, have acted contrary to and not in accordance with the law, which works harm, not simply to that neighborhood, but it also affects the honor of the church. The ringleaders of this disturbance should therefore be seized and severely dealt with. Such men should not be upheld nor screened, otherwise they will get bolder and bolder, leading to trouble without end. Catholics and Protestants have repeatedly been at variance with each other. If no stop is put to these disturbances, how can the people live together in peace? As missionaries preach, exhorting men to do good, they should quickly devise ways and means to control their converts and do whatever is possible to stop the bad practice of receiving members indiscriminately into the church. In case it should happen again that non-Christians bring lawsuits against native Christians, the missionaries should, according to rule, no longer interfere in such matters, so that all may be treated alike which would only result in good. It is also hoped that the Catholics and Protestants will not again offend against each other; still more do I hope that the people and Christians will be thoroughly disarmed of their suspicions and dislike of each other. [Subinclosure 2.] Mr. Goodnow to Viceroy Liu Kun-yi. UNITED STATES CONSULATE-GENERAL, SIR: I have read very carefully your dispatch of August 26, regarding the disturbances in Kiangsi province between (so-called) Catholics and Protestants, and I have read carefully the letter inclosed from His Excellency Li and the reports of the magistrates on the trouble in Chinching district. I do not find that anywhere is it charged that the Rev. Mr. Nichols, the American missionary, interfered to screen from justice the man who had become a member of his church. It is not necessary that the man should be dismissed from the church before he is punished by your officials. I hold that membership of an American church does not in any way lessen the obligations of a Chinese to his own Government, and its officers have constantly refused to take any part in a purely Chinese matter, even though one of the disputants might be a member of an American church; nor do we intend to interfere in such cases, unless, indeed, the man is persecuted on account of his religion. I talked with the Rev. Nichols very recently and he assures me that he never takes a man in his church without going first to the magistrate of the district_in which the man lives to find if there was reason against the man becoming a member of his church. For this cautious course i commended him. I desire again to say to your excellency that your power is exactly the same over Chinese members of American churches as it is over any and all Chinese in your district, having due heed to the treaty prohibitions of persecution for religion's sake. In the particular case of which you write there is no reason why you should not deal with Yang Tsu-jui according to Chinese law and absolutely as though he were a Confucianist. The gospel of Christ is preached by our missionaries not to subvert your authority nor to erect an empire within the Empire. It inculcates in the most positive terms that Christians shall render to the lawful authorities wherever they may be all the submission and obedience to which those authorities are entitled under the law. With expressions of the highest respect, I am, etc., JOHN GOODNOW, Consul-General. Mr. Hay to Mr. Wu. No. 213.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: Referring to your note No. 213, of October 25 last, inclosing for the Department's information the translation of a dispatch addressed to you by His Excellency Liu Kun-yih, viceroy at Nanking, relative to a rupture at Hsin-Chin between Chinese converts of the American Protestant mission and those of a Roman Catholic mission, * * I have the honor to inform you that the Department is in receipt of a dispatch, dated January 21 last, from Minister Conger, inclosing a copy of correspondence on the subject with the United States consulgeneral at Shanghai. As showing how sedulously the American missionary societies in China endeavor to prevent such unseemly occurrences, I have the honor to inclose herewith for your information a copy of a communication," dated August 26, from Viceroy Liu to the consul-general, and a copy of the latter's reply," dated August 29. In this case the American mission at Nanchang, the nearest station, had no connection whatever with the matter. The correspondence exchanged between the consul-general and the viceroy in August makes this clear, and disposes of the viceroy's complaint addressed to you on August 19. Accept, etc., JOHN HAY. PROTECTION OF MISSIONARIES BY UNITED STATES NAVAL FORCES. Mr. Conger to Mr. Hay. No. 845.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Peking, December 12, 1901. SIR: I have honor to inclose herewith copies of correspondence with Rear-Admiral George C. Remey, commanding United States naval force on Asiatic Station, and with the United States consuls, relative to a suggestion of Admiral Remey that the heads of the various American mission stations in China be asked to furnish him certain information as to the navigable ports nearest to the mission stations and the routes that should be taken by a relieving force to reach the members of the missions. Deeming the suggestion a wise and timely one, I have instructed our consuls to assist the Admiral in securing the information he desires. I have, etc., E. H. CONGER. [Inclosure 1.] Rear-Admiral Remey to Mr. Conger. YOKOHAMA, JAPAN, November 20, 1901. SIR: On the recent occasion of a tour of the United States vice-consul at Canton through the districts around Swatow, China, Ensign E. Woods, U. S. Navy, of the U. S. S. Monterey, who accompanied the vice-consul, obtained much information and procured a number of maps of the country, all of this being of interest to the Navy Department, and possibly of valuable use. A great deal of Ensign Woods's report was made up from data furnished by missionaries in the country, some of whom had made the surveys from which these excellent maps were constructed. 2. This experience has led to the suggestion that missionaries in other parts of China may be in possession of much information that would be of use to the commander in chief of the navy force on this station, and also to the Navy Department. It was also the experience of the commander in chief during the Japanese-Chinese war that, in going to different ports to bring off missionaries and families who were threatened by local disturbances, the commanding officers of vessels were frequently embarrassed for lack of information as to the navigable ports nearest to the mission stations, and particularly as to the routes that should be taken by a relieving force to reach the members of the missions or meet them en route. It is therefore requested, if you concur in the expediency of the plan and see no objections to it, that the heads of outlying mission stations of our nationality be asked to send to this office such data as they have personal knowledge of, under the following general heads: (a) A map, on as large a scale as possible, showing the location of the mission. A map is considered necessary on account of the lack of good standard maps, and particularly on account of the confused spelling of the Chinese names. a Printed, ante. (b) Indicate on the map the nearest sea or river port to which a vessel should be sent in case it became necessary to relieve the mission; and trace the route one would probably take to reach this port, stating whether the route, or any part of it, would be practicable for field artillery. (c) In the case of a river port, or any port that is not actually on the seacoast, and well known, it will be absolutely necessary to indicate the minimum depth of water at various seasons of the year between the sea and the port indicated. (d) Local maps showing rivers and creeks that are navigable by ships and boats (giving depth of water when possible), the positions of walled towns and fortifications, and the nature of defenses on each, etc., will always be of great interest, and in time of trouble would be of the utmost importance to a relieving force. There should be no hesitancy in answering questions because of a lack of knowledge of the proper military and technical terms, or because perfectly reliable and complete information can not be given. Apparently insignificant items may sometimes be of great value. The sources of all information should, however, be always carefully and conscientiously stated, so that the commander of a relieving force may know what reliance to place on them. GEO. C. REMEY, Rear-Admiral U. S. Navy, Commander in Chief. Yours, respectfully, [Inclosure 2.] Mr. Conger to Rear-Admiral Remey. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 20th ultimo suggesting that the heads of the various American missions be asked to furnish certain information desired by you regarding the navigable ports nearest to the mission stations and the routes that should be taken by a relieving force to reach the members of the missions or to meet them en route. Fully approving of the suggestion, I have addressed the United States consuls in China instructing them to transmit the substance of your dispatch to the heads of the various American missions in their consular districts. I am, etc., E. H. CONGER. [Inclosure 3.] Mr. Conger to United States Consuls in China. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I inclose to you herewith a copy of a dispatch from Rear-Admiral George C. Remey, commander in chief, United States naval force on Asiatic Station, suggesting that the heads of American mission stations in China be asked to furnish certain information desired by our naval authorities; and printed memoranda specifying in detail the information desired. You will transmit to the heads of the various American missions within your consular district the sense of Admiral Remey's dispatch and copies of the inclosed memorandum," requesting that the most careful attention be given this matter and that the information desired in as accurate and full detail as possible be sent to him. I am, etc., Mr. Hay to Mr. Conger. E. H. CONGER. No. 442.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, January 23, 1902. SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch, No. 845, of the 12th ultimo, reporting that you have instructed the United a Extracts from Admiral Remey's dispatch, printed, ante. States consuls in China to assist Rear-Admiral Remey, U. S. Navy, commander in chief of the United States naval force on the Asiatic Station, in obtaining certain information desired by him regarding the navigable ports nearest to the mission stations and the routes that should be taken by a relieving force in order to reach the members of the missions or to meet them en route. The Department cordially approves your action in the matter. JOHN HAY. REHABILITATION OF CHANG YIN-HUAN. Mr. Conger to Mr. Hay. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, (Mr. Conger reports the rehabilitation of Chang Yin-huan.) No. 868.] Mr. Conger to Mr. Hay. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I have the honor to confirm my telegram of the 31st ultimo, in relation to the rehabilitation of Chang Yin-huan, and to inclose a translation of the imperial edict granting this favor. Chang Yin-huan was a native of Kuang-tung province, and obtained office by purchase. In 1881 he was taot'ai of the port of Wuhu on the Yangtze, and in June, 1884, was made a minister of the Tsungli yamen, but was dismissed in September of the same year. In October of that year he was made taot'ai of the Ta-shun circuit in Chihli, and the next year was appointed minister of China to the United States and Peru. At the same time he was made an expectant director of the metropolitan court. Other titles were added in 1886 and 1887. In March, 1890, he was reappointed to the Tsungli yamen. He was made director of Court of revision in 1891, and afterwards held vice-presidencies in the Censorate and Board of revenue, being made senior vice-president of the latter in 1892. In June, 1895, he was appointed envoy to Japan to treat for peace, but was not acceptable to Japan because of his insufficient rank. In March, 1897, he was sent as special ambassador to Great Britain on the occasion of the Queen's jubilee. In August, 1898, he became a member of the railway board. During 1898 he became sponsor to the court for Kang Yu-wei, whose far-reaching schemes aroused the fears of the conservatives, and when the coup d'état occurred in September, Chang was at once cashiered and banished to Chinese Turkestan. In the summer of 1900, when Prince Tuan was at the helm of state, orders were issued commanding his decapitation, and the sentence was at once executed. The edict restoring his honors to him posthumously is very curt, and the intimation is plain that the favor is granted only in response to the requests of Great Britain and the United States. I have, etc., E. H. CONGER. |