The Chairman opened the proceedings by saying Ladies and Gentlemen,—This meeting of the community is called for the purpose of taking such steps as may seem advisable with regard to the abominable anti-forei publications that are issued parts of China, particularly in the province of Honan. The subject has been so fully and powerfully Inid before us all by the Reverend Grifith John and other missionaries whose position enables them to speak with authority, and so well treated in the local press, that I do not propose taking up your time by going at any length into there. There can be no question but that these publications have had the effect intended of embittering the minds of the natives against all foreigners, and while we in Shanghai have escaped any trouble it is because the natives are aware that we have men-of-war in port, and a very efficient body of volunteers and police who could and would speedily put down any local riot. This does not make us indifferent to the sufferings that our fellow countrymen at other ports have gone through, or to the probability that they may have again to suffer, unless some very decided measures are taken by the Treaty Powers to show the Chinese that the present state of affairs cannot be permitted to continue; and it is ty back up the efforts that have been made to this end, by the residents at other places, and to strengthen the hands of our Consular representatives in the steps that we may be sure that they have taken tahring the matter before the home Governments, that we are met here to-day. As I said, we in Shanghai have escaped actual outbreak, but it is evident to any one carefully observant, that the anti-foreign feeling is by no teans absent, Straws show how the wind blows, and the greatly increased ubstructiveuess of the Chinese officials in every matter connected with these Settlements, and their evident desire to interfere in the affairs of the Settlements, unquestionably arise from feelings antagonistic to all foreigners; while at the same time any complaint against their own countrymen, nid before the officials, is contemptuously ignored. I may add that I sent one of these publications, one of which 1 have in hand, some mails ago, to the Secretary of the China Association in London, to be made such use of as that body may sew fit, The meeting is now ready to receive any resolution that may be offered, Mr. R. W. Little—Mr, Chairman, Ladies, and Gentlemen,—I wish, as I have no doubt you wish, that the moving of this resolution, copies of which have been distributed throughout the theatre, had been placed in stronger hands than mivo; but the importance of the subject will, I hope, make up for my deficiencies. Most of you, Limasine, have copies of this resolution, but peri will be in order if I read it to you. It is as follows "Phot this general public meeting of Shanghai desires to express its full endorsement of the petitions sent to the Murquis of Salisbury and the President of the United States by the Hankow and Kiukiang communities on the subject of the recent anti-foreign riots in the Yangtae valley, and to support them in drawing the attention of the representatives of all the Treaty Powers at Peking and their respective Governments to the wide difui Central China of virulent an foreign literature in the shape of place pamphlets, and books, whereby ood relations that would otherwise subsist between China and foreigners have been and are seriously endangered; and to the unwillingness displayed by the Chinese authorities to put down this manifest evil by stopping this diffusion and punishing its promoters, although the authors and dis.
ators of the objectionable publications perfectly well known. to them, Th meeting therefore hereby.requeststheChairman to send a copy of the record of the proceedings to-day to the Duyen of the diplomatic body at Peking, requesting him to communicate the same to his colleagues, and beg them to th him in laying this protest before his and their governments, that steps may be promptly taken t" mitigate the evil complained of, and avert. the serious consequences that may be otherwise expected."
T do not imagine that any exception can be taken to the general drift of this resolution, though perhaps there might be deveficial alterations in the wording of it. The main object of this meeting is to buck up what has been done in Hankow, and later in Kiukiavg. We owe to Hankow, and especially to the energy of Dr. Grifiith John (applause), the detection of the source of these placards, pamphlets and books, The book which has been published in Hankow, containing a large number of these placards, was chiefly intended to_be sent home to the governments and leading people there, so that they may realise what this anti-foreign propaganda is; and there have been, I understand, very few copies reserved for China, Through the kindness of the British and Foreign Bible Society here, Ihave been handed a large number of the placards, which perhaps some of you
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.