Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-02-17
Murtester 4aiIp Spp.
From the Philadelphia North American.
THE COUP D'ETAT AT PEKIN.

familiar with the Chinese history know well
that revolutions, rebelliOns and every species
OF disorder form the staple of it, and that a
revolution or coup d'etdt is one OF the com.
monests incidents in "the middle kingdom"
These intestine connections have hitherto diff
tered but little from each other in type or in
the accompanying circumstances, but the coup
detGt which has been achieved has several
novel characteristics. 1t has been effected by
two queens jointly, and carried out by them
with singular adroitness, and it has been an.
nounced to the world through the medium of
an apology or defence, published in the Pekin
Gazette. This last mentioned feature is per-
haps the greatest novelty of all, and shows
that the worlds opinion (barbarous as it isl
weighs something with the celestial court.
That an emperor or empress OF China should
deem it advisable to publish an elaborate doc.
ument, equal in length to twelve of our col
umns, the reasons Which promoted summary
mode of getting rid of an obnoxious cabinet,
is certainly sign of advancing civilization.
We will endeavor to give connected narra-
tive OF this coup detdt, SO far as can be extract
ed from the not very lucid statement in the
North China Herald, and the comments of the
London Times
The late emperor, Hen Fung left Inter alas
two widows one who, in his lifetime had
been his principal" or state wife, and was
called, par excellence, the empress and another
who became the mother of the present emper-
or, Tsai sun, who is now just seven years old.
The former of these ladies' is now 1.-THE Em-
press Dowager," or las they are respectively
styled i'll the imperial edicts) " her majesty
our sained mother" These two ladies', to
gether with the emperors brother, prince
hung, who negotiated the peace with the al
lies, were the proper guardians of the young
Tsatsun But, unfortunately, Hen Fung, of
OF late years, gave himself up to drinking, and
vail, TO nh, - s.,,h.
as to become the fool of his designing cabinet,
set of unprincipled villains, to whom all the
miseries that China is suffering under may be
attributed 1t was this cabinet that concluded
the sham peace with England and France, and
afterwards perfdiously broke it, entrapped
and murdered some OF the English commits
sioners, and contrived the affair of the Pei-ho
forts The result Of their perfdy was the CAP
ture of Pekin, and the destruction OF the en-
peror's palace. When the allies entered the
capitol these ministers hurried the imbecie
emperor away with them to the country
palace at Rhe.hol, aud there they induced him
to constitute them a council OF regency in case
OF his death during the minority OF his son.
They probably saw pretty plainly that the old
debauchee had drained ife's cup to The dregs
and that but a short time would eapse before
he would have to ''ascend the dragon to be a
guest on high" They did all they could to
slant state OF filth and sensualty and when
he did at last die, they produced his creden-
tials for taking charge OF his youthful success
sor Had they been astute diplomat fists they
would have tried to conciliate the expresses
who had the care of the child instead of do.
ing SO, they openly insulted them, and thus
rendered them implacable foes
The mode in which the coup d'etat which
was to rid the country of these usupring min
listers was effected is illustrative OF Chinese
diplomacy and manners. The empress, act
ing doubtless under the advice of prince
Kung, prepared the public for what was to
come, by the following process One of the
"censors" was made TO present petition to
the infant emperor. praying that the empress
Dowager might be empowered, temporarily,
to manage the government, assisted by two or
three experienced officers of the imperial
household. 70 this petition the child was
made to reply that during the reigning Mant-
chou dynasty there had been no precedent for
such a course, and that he, young as he was,
could not change the customs Of the country
and moreover, that it was improper 10 ask him
to depart from the dying request of his father
to commit himself TO council Of Regency,
therefore, whatever the motives of the censor
might be, his petition could not be granted
This having been made public, the feeling of
the people was speedily elected, and the EN-.
presses were emboldened to proceed further.
But the council Of Regency became alarmed,
and their leader, Su.shun, determined to try
what could be done by working on female
vanity. lie accordingly solicited an interview
with the expresses separately, and when ad.
mitted 10 their presence endeavored to pro
duce a quarrel between them by fatterng
each lady to her face and disparaging her to
the other, But the ladies were deeper than
he was for soon after lie had left the
palace they had an interview with
each other, and compared notes, and soon
made up their minds to joint and prompt ac.
tion. Having possession of the emperor, they
sent an order in his name to the council di.
recting them to issue an edict, appointing the
dowager empress regent The conederates
refused to comply with the order, and pro
duced the late emperor decree whereby they
held the regency. AT this junction the ladies
sent for prince Kung, and the coup 'detat was
prepared. An order was given by them tor
the whole court to quit Zheh0l and escort the
body OF HEN Fung TO Pekin. The council
were obliged to take part in this ceremony
but before reaching Ptkin they were surround
ed by detachment OF Tarter cavalry and ar
rested for high treason. Their trial followed
soon after, and they were formally convicted.
The grand secretary, Su shun, was beheaded
in one Of the public squares. The others OF
the consplratOrs were sentenced to be tied TO
cross and sliced gradually to death but at
the intercesson OF the expresses this sentence
was committed, and the cuprits were "inyi
ted to strange themselves-which they did
in the most Oblging manner. Some Of the
others were banshed to "the colonies"
(whever they may bel and the remainder were
degraded from their rank The empress dow
ager assumed the regency, and Prince Kung
was appointed prime minister. We are told
that he threw himself on his knees, and with
tears impored that so great an honor might
not be thrust upon him as the empress prOpos
ed, viz. that his honors should go down from
generation to generation without waning. So
the empress relented, and forced him to accept
a considerable increase of salary in lieu there
of. We do not find that the prince wept on
account of that.
The happiness of China will now depend
upon Prince Kung. He has declared himself
favorable to liberal measures and throwing
open trade to foreign nations; but he Will
have to overcome the traditional prejudices OF
the Chinese, and already we have intelligence
OF the revival of the old hostile feeling. At
Han.knOw the "braves," or Chinese in the
military service of the Tartar government,
have attacked foreigners in their houses, as
we'll as In the streets, and have posted placards
declaring their intention TO massacre the bar.
barians ii they do not leave the city. A mis-
sIonary has also been murdered near Canton,
where the same feeling of hostility is again
showing itself. Prince Kung has modified the
treaty Tien.tsing as regards the English, by
decreeing chat duties on British goods shall
not be paid between Shanghai and Han kow on
the YanR.tse kiang but as mart of the river