(2.) The second source of these disturbances as existing in the Chinese officials is a reluctance of many to cultivate with Joreiguers courteous intercourse, Ut may Seem that a specification of this kind has only a remote relation to riots, but in such a supposition we mistake the significance of one of the five virtues taught by the Sayes, generally translated ceremony. indeed true that politeness in its essence is not to be forced, and yet if there are rule of etiquette, it" means that something is established by law or usage which eontliets with personal proclivities. It aay also be acknowledged that in all respectable society of every land, the spirit of exclusiveness ix taken for granted, and that each one may choose the friends he desires. Butif the exclusive spirit in China is more than a mere matter of individual inclinationand may tend to enhance a feeling of hostility or ensue in danger to life, property, and peaceful resid ence, then the question of intercourse or nou-intercourse, respectfilness or indignity, becomes one of public concern and serious import. The simple clue is movely this; a mandarin in office is not a private individual, but the Kupervr's agent. whose every act as known to the public is a publi matier inseparably linked with the peror's attains. How he treats a foreig he Minister Pleni weller, missionary, or trader, cannot remain hid the ever-inquisitive eyes of the people, or be exempt from their surmises, the Chinese official "evuld appear in publi fauitine and fne to all, anu if the foreigher's presence contained no deep meaning, which his xk would justify or the people surmise, then an ititercourse between the two might be left to con venience, and the absence of it would denote riv laum, But such is not the status of our Chinese environment or the thought hich the Chinanwn thinks.
While the residence of foreigners Peking and the exertion there and hospitals, chape tend to lessen the proj and help to assure the foreigner of his rights, the exact social relation which the Ministers of Western Powers hold with the Imperial Government has only. tended, wherever known, to cast a. slight on far Jess important persons, and to limit all efforts of a social and frien ily kind. There is only one place in Peking where the Representative of Great Britain or the Czar of all the Russias can make a call on the Chinese mandarins, and that is the guest: rooms of the Tsungli Yamen, No wond: r that Sir Harry Parkes sighed again for Japan, when he tasted the bitter pill of diplomacy in China, The one official the capital of Shantung who succeeded the most in delaying all foreign eases, in allowing vints, and in rebuffing the foreigners in a wool-guarded way, was one who frequently stid, "Twas a while in the Tsungli Yamién and understand foreign allairs.""
To one who watches the ryme, like a spectator at a show, it looks very teh as if a Foreign Minister in Peking was hardly the equal Of a Chinese mandarin, but merely an advocate at law who pleads for his client, whether citizen or corporation, King or President, before the Judges who sit in bench at the Tsungli Yamen. Festivities indeed are extended to these Represent: tives of Western Powers, and all in the same rooms of the Tsungli, but we imagine that the Chinese Ministers could easily chuckle to themselves as they delay for another six months by their compliments of old half day" some question vital to forego interests, And what, moreover, shall we say of the difficulties which for years have been experienced by these mor Foreign Ministers in receiving an with the Sovereisn of China, of the select at different times of the Hall of Tributaries as the place for the ceremonies, and of these dignitaries, who formally represent equal Powers, standing in the presence of the Emperor, who remains seated ona: raised platform before them! That. the new British Minister has received within the palace grounds, under ciremmstances more favourable and urteous, is indeed a matter of hope and muratulation; but we doubt whether th ilities of other great Powers have all 1 acceded to in China, and if so, there is indirect injury to the intercourse of all foreigners with the Chines saying all this in tone as possible, we do not w rage the good that the sun nen has actually accomplished, under sutticient pressure, for thede government as it swings with a slow but onward sweep into the circle of her sister ati ins. Frou the days of Prince Ki Wensiang to those of Prince Chin: othe Marquis Tséng, and such capable and intelligent men was not to even as Ministers Suen, Hai, Fu aid Chang, off there have been nnimberless measures b advantageous and commend al cognise also the fact, whicl: these men can best appreciate, that Peking itself is one of the must coun vative cities in all China, and that especially Mauch a surveillance of e censors: and n ts, that' the least change from thy imperil one's fully the beset a hina, but in the matter there need to a new rule, but act in conformity with the treaties, and even the principles of China's Sazes.
been said of the relations in kew in essenes ity nf intercourse mers are to ask with wi a reply is and in all the tre 1
Chinese high in the policy auk may rightfully. re-Fan course with every but they need not ste the fet that at the capital and th ports persons with whom to hold relations are aire evedited, and thy s thereof But we go a step further in the principle, that where there i lishment of ut sel n is expanded thro have time and classes of the when a in office receives a missioner his call, and we have also noted the harm that results when a missionary's cand, letter, and. his identi: or the worth and legality of his work will be ignored, Such at is given amen in i ble hall, that may when' a body of similar tas rogand because teachers of Chri nity not to be wished for, but merely Eh nese or Western scholar, a doer of youd deeds whether native or foreign, a respectable representative man wherever found, ix to be esteemed for h al worth, and not discriminated either favourably or otherwise, merely because of territorial bounds or the name of one's religious creed. Especially do we empha sise this principle, if peace is to be effected between Chinese and foreigners, and these expensive disturbances which thirty years and more have witnessed are to be made ly impossible.
()_In considering the responsibility of the Chinese officials, we note as a third source of the reign disturbance: the failure to punish aficiats who ave blanc lite in these trunties dud. to veteard. those who ase meviturions, s the ground for one of the qu ed in the summer of ISM of the Tsungli Yamin by the 1 Minister, Why was the Wahu yin trate who did his best degraded, white his superiors who would: not help were not degraded And the answer we part in May, 1892, in a memorial of the Governor of Anhui: As the magistrate does not appear to bea very suitable person for Wuhu, it seems better that he should definitely vacate that post, and be given another as soon as there is one at liberty." Mr: Drunniond, who has had. wide dealings with Eh affairs, gives his conclusion thas ence int lay opinion goes to show that officials who are known to be strongly anti-foreign in sentiment never have been, and never will be, in disfavour with the Government." All this might be let pass, if the tendency vance' the anti-foreign and retire the one who is a friend of foreigners, That a change has come for We re- the hetter in the last few y ours, and especially since the riots of 1891, uy be casually detected, hut the old spirit does not vanish sracofully and needs an outside pressure, The Marquis Tseng was the first Minister to foreign Courts, who on his return formed a part in the Imperial counsels, and even he was hampered in narly ways by the insinuation of his being a follower of the ners and partial fo them. After a riot which took place several yews nye in Chinan Fu, " Twotai was regarded as an op before the Tsungli Yuunén of insulting the ywanent of the forwignersanul was acca foreigners, and yet he was sven pronioted to be. Minister abroad and ix now a inember of the Tsu wnén, though his reputation to-day is of a more friendly and respectful kind. In one district: oficial das hostile to the Roman and_ even disco " Consul, for all which he was accused before the Tsungli Yann, and yet afterwards he was trans. torved to another city. where these same nisi had" still more important ease as) unsettled. So the civil and Isat Ichang have, we believe, ren mined with honour at their posts, in spite of a failure to cheek a riot. The treatment meved to Chow Han in Hunan indicates the unwillingness of the Government to punish severely a foreign-hater who happens to be a mandarin, the riots of 1891 were only the last gasp of dying conservatism, and a new era of justice and peace is now before us, then it would he well to urge on the Govern: gestion male by a most cap-Taotai. that some. re-whereby soi ven by the Txungli Yi settling foreign difficulties, success menning promotion, and failure "degradation.
ance not connected with ne to occur anywhere in the official of the jurisdiction would be quickly meted his deserts, why should Jess he done when the disturbance is against foreigners Christian community! 'The North. China Daily News in February, 1892, drew a urged contrast between how the officials at Ichang were not in the least punished for their delinquency in the anti-foreign riot, while for those concerned in' the rebellion in Manchuria there was commanded by the Emperor not only degradation but banishment. Whatever the case, the rule of Confucius is a good one, "Advance the upright and set aside the crooked, then the "people will submit, Advance the cronked and set aside the upright, then the people will not submit,"
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.