Mr. Denby to Mr.
Blaine.
Legation of
the United States,
Peking, April 12, 1892.
(Received May 27.)
No. 1514.]
Sir: I have the honor to inclose a copy of a
communication sent by me to the foreign office on the subject of the “Hunan
publications,” wherein I urgently request that the circulation of these
publications be suppressed. Strenuous efforts have heretofore been made by
the diplomatic body to secure this result, but as I have received lately
several petitions from American citizens to press this subject, I judge best
to send to the foreign office the inclosed communication.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure with No. 1514.]
Mr. Denby to the
tsung-li yamên.
Legation of the United States,
Peking, April 12,
1892.
Your Highness and Your Excellencies: I have the
honor to inform your highness and your excellencies that I am in receipt
of divers petitions signed by Americans and others, asking me to request
your highness and your excellencies to take active steps for the
suppression of what are generally called the “Hunan publications.” A
very general belief prevails among foreigners in China that publications
of this nature were last year influential causes of riots, and it is
feared that if they are now permitted to circulate freely among the
people like disorders will ensue during the present spring. The papers
and placards complained of are in no sense a fair or proper argument
against Christianity, but are obesene libels charging foreigners with
every species of crime and immorality and are directly calculated and
intended to produce antiforeign riots. Their plain purpose to accomplish
this end is set out in language which advises murder, arson, and
outrage. No government in
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the
world would fail to take the most urgent measures to restrain the flow
of vile obscenity embodied in these publications. It is well known that
the recent riots were preceded by the circulation of these publications;
that the names of the authors and circulators thereof are, in some
cases, known; that these persons are not a secret society, but act
publicly; and that while the local officials have shown great energy in
arresting and punishing the members of the Kolao Hhui, but little has
been done in punishing the persons who have circulated these
publications. The question of preventing riots and public disorders is
as important to the Chinese Government as it is to foreigners, but in a
different sense. For the foreigner, his life and property are involved.
For himself protection is, as to all other persons, the supreme law of
nature. Riots involve the Chinese Government in great expense, weaken
its just authority, and bring it into disrepute among foreign nations. I
am persuaded that your highness and your excellencies desire that peace
and tranquillity shall prevail in China as earnestly as I, myself, do. I
beg, therefore, that active measures be taken to suppress one of the
chief causes of disorder; that is to say, the libelous publications
above referred to.
