"Ch'én, acting District Magistrate of Héngyanghsien, and Sheng, acting District Mogistrato of Tsingch usnisien in the prefecture of Héngchou, Hunan, hereby make 'a joint proclamation for the information of all concerned. Whereas sincerity and confidence between host and guest and the fostering of harmony are virtues which are no strangers amongst the people of this Empire, from the times of the "ancients to the present day, therefore our Imperial Sovereigns, when. permitting international intercourse' and commerce with the countries beyond the seas, also consented to the insertion of clauses in the Treaties allowing travelling and missionary work. In consequence, not only have Westerners come to China for travel in very large numbers, but the Chinese who have gone abroad for the same purpose are by no means small in number.
To give an instance which must be appreciated by the people of our two districts, they are all aware of the travels in Western countries of their illustrious fellow citizen, H.E. Wang Chih-chun, the present Provincial Treasurer of our sister province of Hupeh, What man, woman or child in Héngchou prefecture is ignorant of the important mission of His Excellency to the West at the command of the Emperor? Nay, who amongst them has not waxed enthusiastic when speaking of the glory and honour shed upon the prefecture in the selection by the Throne of their fellow townsman to such an important mission abroad? Who has not read H.E.'s diary of his travels and can forget that portion which spoke of the honour and distinction showered upon H.E. by the officials and people of every Western city ELE. and suite passed through, and the friendliness and hospitality extended we the mission by their hosts? Especially should the members of our literati consider this and weigh the above words when according treatment to those who come to this country from afar. They should welcome strangers who come into this city on the sine principles as were extended to their fellow townsman when he was traveling abroad. What n ight have they to act contrariwise and by heat and bully the stranger within the gates matter of fact, local officials in foreigners who come within their jon do so because they have written instructions to treat them courteously and kindly as guests from atr, and, moreover, to supplement the wish of his Majesty the Emperor on behalf of foreigners, and his anxiety to consolidate friendly ties between our country and the West.
Hence we cannot help asking the rowdies and restless spirits of our towns, who, the moment a foreigner reaches our boundaries in his travels, at once begin to start unfavouruble rumours in order to incite the ignorant amongst the people to create hostile demonstrations against the st-anger, what really is your intention in doing all this? Is it because you desire to battle against Westerners?" But the strangers generally number at most a couple of persons; what glory or heroism then can there possibly be in conquering a single man or couple of men? Isit because you wish to oppose the local authorities But the local authorities are only observ ug the Treaties in giving protection to the foreigner, and by preventing riot and bloodshed are really protecting the people also.
Ye, who have been nurtured by your Emperor, who call yourselves loyal' and who love your country, why de you, instead of reading useful books of the day dealing upon the momentous questions of the hour, and studying to solve the prolems of making the Empire powerful, asso many literati of other provinces are eagerly striving, why, we ask, instead of improving your minds, d-" you rather join the restless spirits for the purpose of exciting the people against [the very persons who can instruct you) Tf for th sake of argument, you indeed succeed in creating such adisturbance as to bring an overwhelming army upon our boundaries, and war becomes an actual fact causing great drains upon the treasury, does it not strike you that instead of wiping out the shame and disgrace of the past you have, on the-contrary, increased the anxieties and sorrows of your Sovereign; and that for such a crime although you die a thousand deaths you cannot condone your offence As for the practice of the local rowdies and desperadoes ofvathering in large crowds and relying upon their numbers to cause riots to spring up—such practices are the greatest baneof this prefecture. Formerly, when the German named Wolfe, and afterwards, the Englishman John [Dr. Griffith John] arrived at our boundaries, the local desperadoes, making a pretence of preventing these foreigners from viewing the Stone Drum, gathered great mobs on the opposite banks of the river and also went so far as to throw bricks and stones at the strangers. And even when the authorities arrived. the scene, trusting in their numbers they refused to listen to reason or disperse. AS a mutter of fact, when the troops were collected it would have been an easy matter to~ charge the mob and arrest one or two of the ringleaders, and severely punish them in order to overawe the riotous spirits of the city; but the authorities could not find it in their hearts to decapitate any one without first teaching the citizens of this city and the: two districts concerned that they tread dangerous ground in repeating such riots. With this end in view, therefore, we hereby issue the present proclamation to every condition and class of our people, as well us to the people of the various shops, and stores who belong to the local militia organisations, calling upon all to behave themselves, You are to consider it to be your duty to exhort, exch man in his own circle, the people, old and young, high or lo whom you can influence, so that all may know that China and the countries beyond aroon most friendly terms; that as strangers come within our gatex so do our countrymen visit the cities of the West, a practice which has become very common at the present day; and that from henceforth if ever the people should see foreigners entering the boundaries of this city, the strand gets should be allowed to do so unmolested. You are not to treat them as monstrosities simply because you happen to have seen 60 fow of them.
'Young boys and children also should be taught and kept within bounds by thole parents and elder brothers, for the former have often been the cause' of many riots. Boys wud children are in future to be prohibited from collecting in crowds and following at the tail of the foreigners, making great noise and displaying unguly antics as they havehithertodone. We, therefore, give full warning that after the issuance of this proclamation should such unruly conduct Still be persisted in and rowdies and shop apprentices and street boys and children continue to defy the laws and refuse to listen to reason, it must be remembered foreigners are permitted to visit our cities and towns by special articles of the: Treaties, and hence anyone. creating,. without cause or reason, a disturbance: vrainst Westerners will be guilty of disobeying the Imperial decrees, and as such ater liable to be treated by the authorities as rebels and beyond the pale of forgiveness. In consideration, therefore, of what has been stated above,' we hereby declare that we have given special instruetions to our soldiers and runners to arrest on the spot any one guilty of disobeying our commands, and afterwards not, only" will the headmen of the wards in which the cul-brits dwell be called to account for the conduct of their juniors and subordinates, but they will also be compelled to give up event one of thone who joined in the disturbances in order that everyone, high and, low, old. and young, may be punished to the utmost-extent of the law. Fathers and elder brothers of children' who have been caught throwing stones will in future have to suffer for the conduct of the youngsters, and no. leniency will be exercised in any case.
It is on account of our anxiety for your welfare and lives, ye people of Hengyang and T'singch'unn, that we now issue this joint proglimation and are not, weary in repeating again and again our warnings. in order to awaken in your hearts a comprehension of the dangers incurred! by disobeying the Imperial edicts and defying the laws which are made to guard your lives: and properties. Desist, once for all, from listening to rumours and. the specious. speeches of rumour-mongers. Beware how
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.