Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-10-29
The Chinese Insurrection.

| PROCLAMATION TO THE PEOPLE OF CANTON.
| The following letter from the Chinese rebel
chief to the residents in Hong Kong has been
forwarded from Hong Kong;
~, Hung Seu Tsne, by the grace of Heaven
bestowed in the course of time, reviving, after
an interval of ages, the Prince of Peace, TIA
peror (kwangto) of a new dynasty, the Ming
restored great Tor stout) Chinese, signify my
| pleasure to you. barbarian slaves and foreign
devils, saying:
"You, ye foreign slaves, are but as fowls,
apes, or dogs by kind. You are ignorant Of
the five relations; you are not susceptible of
civilization. 1t was solely because the rulers
of the south--faithless to China, and coveting
their money-fostered the men from afar, and
invited you, ye slaves, to bring tribute and to
trade, that you obtained authority to build
houses and to trade in Chusanand Ningpo, in
the provinces of Fokien and Chekeang-that
you were suffered to anchor at Macao and
Whampoa, in Canton, and carry on your com
merce. For years you brought tribute and
came as guests, you were obedient to our laws,
you submitted to the influence of our peoples
feelings. You had been as women for 200
years, when you gradually, Tor secretly became
pretentious, and the imbecile governors of the
eighteen provinces were uduU-lleQ rs lar as
coping with you went
Admira Kwan died gloriously in action with
you. Jehshan Lungwan sold themselves like
traitors. Keshen Keying sold you Hongkong
and lied to the Emperor matter of knash-
ing of teeth. You usurped territory, plundered
the people, their women, took their houses, des
ecrated their graves, ruined their fields, burnt
their temples, &C., with the heart of the fox,
affecting the ierceness Of the tiger.
"'Ayyap 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 the peo-
pie would resume their allegiance to China.
~, the King, have spoken of war, and have
talked Of the movements of troops. We have
many thousand guns of divine power, weigh
ing millions of pounds. We have many my.
Rad vessels 100 chang in length, which, with
out wind, can convey themselves hence to the
three Kiang provinces. On a lucky day, which
we shall select, we shall descend straight on the
provinces of Canton, and in the autumn shall
send challege to fight. Our clustering stand
ards will shade the nine heavens, and with
numberess swords and spears we shall enclose
the seas. Our divine fire shall consume your
ships, our troops your dwellingsj our divine
WedpOuS suhli udSu W pOlc, duu Jul ulFiuc
Youths and maidens shall be as thunder shak-
ing 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
persist in your blindness, and adhere to your
former course-euormously vicious and violent
when the soldiers of heaven shall come, and
the winged sword shall have no eyes to see, do
not charge me, the King, with want of hui
mainly. .
"Let every one tremble and obey this de.
cree which is rendered for the information of
the foreign slaves and hairy devils"
Marking letter is forwarded by Yang
Seu Using, Elder of the Left Wing, King Of
the Grace of Heaven, Minister-in-C Chief of War
at Home and Abroad, King of the State of
Peace, &C."
The envelope to the above states that the en-
closure is letter sealed with the imperial seal,
addressed June the 9Th to the authorities in
Hong-kong, to whose Office it is to be carried
with all speed, and delivered by way King Chew
Foo lin Hoopeh,) and Seang Yang Foo lin
Hoopeh,) by the hands of an officer Of the Salt
Fleet.