Peking, July 27, 1870.
Sin: Referring to my No. 13, of 27th ultimo, condemning ts late riot at Tientsin, I have now the honor to lay before you sundry documents (A, and B.) in further explanation of that painful affair.
Since the riot occurred I have tried to gather all the information possible in regard to it, its causes, and details; to ascertain where the responsibility rests for this mas-sacro, and the measures being taken to punish the guilty, and afford redress for the outrages committed.
The opinions expressed in my No. 12, as to the cause of the riot, are in some degree modified, but they are in no essential particular changed.
ar The exact facts in regard to the killing of the consul and the other people, and the destruction of the buildings, are involved somewhat in doubt. The testimony in regard to these particulars is conflicting and contradictory, and probably the precise truth never will be known. I see no reason to alter or modify the opinions already expressed. Most if not all the bodies of the foreigners killed have been recovered. Many of them were horribly mutilated, indicating that the fury and fiendishness of a mob composed of Chinese may be equalled, but cannot be excelled, by the wild savages of the American continent.
rhe complicity of the local officials in this affair seems more certain, the more it is investigated. When they saw the storm gathering they failed to take any effective steps to prevent it, and the opinion is [ere in Tientsin that the mob received rect aid and countenance from the local officers and soldiers.
The belief is general among all classes that children are kidnapped and sold by the natives for base pu, and that this is true there seems to be no doubt. The practice is reprobated by all classes, and the guilty persons are punished without mercy when detected. When such a practice exists it is not strange that foreigners should be liable to suspicion also. 'The with which all matters connected with the Sisters' establishments are conducted renders them peculiarly liable to suspicion in the eyes of ignorant people. To this may be added the natural repugnance and hatred of the literati and gentry, who are ever ready to take advantage of any rumor to arouse the prejudices of the common people against foreigners, and impress upon them the belief that "barbarians" are capable of atrocity too absurd for belief, except by the ignorant and superstitious.
An excitement of a similar character occurred about the same time at Nankin, several hundred miles distant, which seems to be a remarkable coincidence. This could hardly be accounted as accidental, and affords grounds for the belief which general-"Ty prevails among foreigners, that the riot Tientsin was not a sudden local excitement, but rather a part of a.general plot to arouse the prejudices and passions of the people, with a view to the total extermination of the foreign residents. I am not prepared to accept this view of the case, and shall not, until evidence can be produced stronger than any that has come yet.
The particulars of the Nankin troubles are detailed with greater clearness in the report of the governor general of that province to the Foreign Olfice, a translation of which I inclose.* It appears from this that the excitement was us great, the same stories were current in regard to the doings of the Catholics, and the dan as imminent, as at Tientsin; and that violence was prevented by the vigorous action of the local officials, coupled with the prudence of the Catholic missionaries, who permitted a thorough inspection to be made of their institution. Tee one it appears, went far to quiet the apprehensions of the people, and prevent s popular outbreak.
T inclose several edicts and proclamations going to show what measures are being Yaken by the government to punish the guilty parties and afford redress for the outrages committed.
Teang-kwo-fan, who is deputed to investigate the whole affair, and is now at outsin engaged in that business, is governor general of his province, and one of the ablest officers in the empire. His name is familiar to those who read_our diplomatic correspondence as being the author of a somewhat celebrated paper—a report to the Foreign Office in 1867 giving his opinions upon the different points of the British treaty, which was then up for discussion and revision. This report, although pri-vote and confidential to his own government, was surreptitiously obtained in some way by the foreign legations, and translated, It appears in Diplomatic Correspondence, 1868, Part I, pages 519, 520, and 621. He is a man of mature years, great experience in official affairs, and generally regarded as anti-foreign in his views and feelings. But, whatever his private feelings toward foreigners may be, and however much he may desire that the empire should be Festore to its ancient exclusiveness, he has seen enough to satisfy himself that this cannot be, and that all attempts to resist, by force the peaceful residence of foreigners in China, in accordance with treaty stipulations, are acts of folly and madness, As an officer he will, Tam persuaded, duly appreciate the obligations imposed upon him to search out and punish the guilty, and, in good faith, try to devise measures to prevent a recurrence of such outrages in the future. But, whatever may be done in the way of punishment and indemnity for the past, absolute security in the future cannot be expected until the minds of the people are divested of their absurd and wicked prejudices concerning foreigners. This can only be accomplished by time, aided by the influence of the governing class, The necessity of this education the high officials are beginning to realize, and the importance of their immediate action for this Binlomatic representatives residing here, is being constantly red by the The decree appointing Tsunghow, or Chunghow, as his name is generally rendered by foreigners, as imperial envoy to proceed to France to endeavor to arrange {his difficalty, appears to be sep, in the right direction. It evinces a disposition to conform their international intercourse to the forms and usages of western nations.
The present aspect of affairs certainly looks troubled; but I hope a satisfactory settlement may be brought about without resort to hostilities.
My action will be controlled in a great measure by events as they occur. It will be my first duty to see that citizens of the United States are allowed to participate in all the rights and privileges granted to other Seo page
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.