Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1854-11-15
LETTER FROM A CHINESE REBEL
CHIEF TO FOREIGNERS.

2 CHIEF TO FOREIGNERS.
The following letter from Chinese rebel
chief to the residents in Hong Kong has been
forwarded to us from Hong Kong:
81, Hug-Seu-Tsene by the grace of Heaven
bestowed in the course of time, reviving after an
interval of ages, the Prince of Peace, (Ta-Ping-
Wang) recognised by Heaven as Emperor
(Kwanto) of a new dynasty, the Ming restored,
great (or stout), Chinese, signify my pleasure
to you. barbarian slaves and foreign devils, say
ing: You, We foreign slaves, are but as fowls,
apes, or dogs by kind You are ignorant of the
five relations you are not susceptible of civil-
cation. 1t was solely because the rulers of the
South-faithless to China and coveting their
money-fostered the men from afar, and invited
you, We slaves, to bring tribute and 10 trade, that
you obtained authority to build houses and trade
in Chusan and Ningpo, in the provinces of Fo-
ken and Chekeang-that you were suffered to
anchor at Macao and Whampoa, in Canton, and
carry on your commerce. For years you brot
tribute and came as question: were obedent
to our laws-you submitted to the influence of
our peoples feelings. You had been as women
for two hundred years, when you gradually Cor
secretly became pretentious, and the imbecile
Governors of the Is provinces were hand-tied, as
far as coping with you went.
"In 1888, when Lin burnt your opium, and
Admiral Kwan died goriously in action with
you, Jeshan and Lungwan sold themselves like
traitors. Keshen and Keying sold you Hong
Kong, and lied to the Emperor-a matter of
gnashing of teeth. You usurped territory, plum
dered the people, defed their women, took their
houses, desecrated their graves, ruined their
fields, and burnt their temples, &C., with the
heart of the fox, affecting the fierceness of the
tiger.
"Ayya! Is not your worthlessness low, even
to ridicule! But you looked not for it that
the wisdom of Heaven would give its clue to
the virtue of man, and that the hearts of all
the people would resume their allegiance to
China
81, the King have spoken of war, and have
talked of the movements of troops. We have
many thousand guns of divine power weighing
millions of pounds. We have many myriad ves-
sells 100 chang in length, which, without wind,
can convey themselves hence to the three Kiang
provinces. On lucky day which we shall Sc
lect, we shall descend straight on the province
of Canton, and in the autumn shall send you a
challenge to fight. Our clustering standards
will shade the nine heavens, and with number
less swords and spears we shall enclose the seas
Our divine fire shall consume your ships, our
troops your dwellings; our divine weapons
shall flash to the poles; and our divine youths
and maidens shall be as thunder shaking the
skies.
"Now, hereby signify to you my pleasure
that you Immediately release such of our peo-
pie as are in your prisons, and treat Chinese
gentlemen with respect. If our houses and
wealth are restored, and your foreign guns and
devil ships given up to us, we will secure to you
your miserable existence. But, if you will per-
sist in your blindness, and adhere to your for
mer courses-enormously vicious and violent,
when the soldiers Of Heaven shall come, and
the winged sword shall have no eyes 10 see, do
not charge me, the King, with want of human
ity.
"Let every one tremble and obey this decree,
which is rendered for the information of the for
eign slaves and hairy devils.
Nanking-Ths letter is forward by Yang
Seu-Tsing, Elder of the Left Wing, King by the
grace of Heaven, Mnister.in-chief of War at
Home and Abroad, King of the State of Peace,
&C."