Ch*én, decorated with the official button of the premier civil grade, ex officio Vice-President of the Bourd. of War and of the Court of Censors, Governor of Hunxn province and the dependencies thereof, superior Olticer in command of the Brigadier-Generals of the said province, ant Commander-in-Chief of the pro forces, Inspector-Generat and Chief Commissioner of the Commissarint and Army Pay Departments of Hunin, ete. ete, hereby issues the following mast important proclamation for the information of all igners to propagate religion and to travel terior of the Empire is, as matter of fact, recorded in the Trenties between Chinn' and foreign countries and sanctioned by Imperial edict. It, therefore, rests upon us all as faithful officers of the Crown and all subjects of the Throne to! all nothing but myths and wholly without reverentially obey the Imperial commands. In this way there would be peace on all sides and, moreover, we would sustain our country's reputation ax the Land of Proprieties and Courteous Kindness. But there been desperadoes who by diaing groundless rumours created tx, under the name of public indignation, against missionary chapels and served their own ends to obtain plunder and pillage. The result was that often law-abiding but ignorant people were led astray and assist ed these very rowdies to deeds of savagery. Troubles then arose and serious riots with grave responsibilities to all concerned resulted. Surely no one can he so as to fail to perceive that such arson, murder, collecting a mob to fight or plunder, are always severely punished by Jaw, the more guilty ones to decapitation or strangulation, und those of lesser guilt given to-the cangue and corporal punishnent with the bamboo or banishment. The laws of the land are all built on the priuciples of justice and common sense, Although there are such differences as division of countries and empires and hence there is a China and Foreign Countri no distinction cas be wade betwoon Chi: nese and Foreigners in the eye of the law of the Luna. foreigners come to} our country and live mong us so does the Emperor regard them in equal terms of sympathy as he does those of own people. To burn or put to the sword a Chinese is always followed by the prompt punishment of the murderer; is it strange, forsooth, that a murderer of a foreigner should also be punished in the same smanner—by death? This is pi and most easy for all to under For instance, last year at Kution, (Kucheng or Hwasang) provines of Fukien, of the men connected with the burning of a missionary chapel there and the murder of number of missionaries no less than ated for their crimes. Now these were all composed of men who premeditated the deed, hence their sanguine ary ends were brought upon themselves. by their own hand, and no one was to blame but themselves, But suppose there had hoon some amongst them who had been led astray by the specious and evil influences of others. To auch as those who paid the forfeit of their lives. in that matter, what glory was there? What kind of an ending was theirs Surely this cannot be said to heilike dying in the front rank of battle fighting the enemies of their country Can thes, therefore, be called patriotic heroes by posterity? But the misery of it was that they died the victims of evil counsellora—dosperndoes who had plainly defied the Imperial edicts by their acts, What ap-Proprinte form can we bestow upon these foolish victims of misplaced trust When countries resume peaceful relations with one another friendly intercourse is at once restored on both sides; what profit then can there possibly be to the country at lege if in some sudden brawl a few lives are lost? The murderers only put to the test the sharpness of the executioner's sword upon the bodies transmitted to them by their parents—and all for nothing—while their kith and kin are loaded with the ignominy of it! Who then can refrain from a chill of horror when contemplating the risks that are run under such circumstances Now it has been again and again proved that all rumours that have been circulated about missionary chapels were merely the product of the imagination of 'a set of rowdies and desperadoes. Indeed, the late first Marquis Tseng Kuo-fan, who stood at the head of his generation in an-lent sage-like qualities, when occupied in tsin investigating the Great Riot [of 1870] after most careful and searching enquiries found out to his entire satisfaction that the alleged causes which inflamed the populace to riot and murder were after foundation. To prove. this still-further it has also been demonstrated that the ruincurs against missionary chapels which led" to riots in other provinces and which happened after the Great Riot were also found to be myths and similar in substance to what had been discovered by the late Marquis Tseng.
It is apparent, therefore, that even if in some instances certain bias may have been shown in giving the results of such intions, it is hardly likely that all of igh officials who conducted these enquiries through a period of many years, could possibly have been biassed in the same way as to be so unanimous as to one and all declare that all the rumours which had been disseminated to create riots were "entirely baseless."
The matter of fact is that these disseminaters and manufacturers of anti-missionary riots merely do so from selfish and personal greed for gain, intending to take advantage of the disturbances they have raised to plunder and enrich themselves at will. The guilt of such men can therofora only be placed at the same level as any common murderer or incendiary; the mischief and disasters they bring upon others are equally crimes against humanity, and as cold-blooded and merciless as is the most pronounced assassin. I have therefore determined to treat such criminals Jwhen caught in the first instance on the same basis as the law declares should be the sentence of the anonymous placardist, viz:—death by strangulation, and on such basis give the severest sentences on the guilty.
Hence I would earnestly exhort my peop'e and all observers of law and order to turn a deaf ear to the specious disseminators of such rumours and guard against their evil influences which only lend to.the commission of grave and serious crimes. My sincere hope is that, from the day of the Frog pen sad treat'all: propngatore of the propagation of this proclamation, you may
Christian religion from foreign countries in the same light. as you generally troat the professors of Buddhism or Taoism that you would treat foreign travellers passing through your cowns and villages with the same courtesy as you would treat your own countrymen from distant pro-Vinces travelling through your native province. Let each man live his daily, quiet life,; and pursue his own avocations and thereby enjoy the blessings of peace which is the heritage of all. In this way you will not disappoint me, nar render void the earnest words of advice 1 now give you in this proclamation. For if any' of you turn a deaf ear to them you may rest perfectly assured that once you are found guilty of breaking the laws you will find that Tam not the one to gloss over your crimes not likely to show leniency in your cases. You will then find it too late to repent of your follies. It is for this that I nov issue to you all my proclamation and it behoves all of you to pay earnest and respectful heed to these my words. Beware how you disobey Published for general information. To be placarded throughout this province and dependencies. 23rd Year of Kuang Hsii, 28th day of the 12th moon (18th January, 1898).
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.