Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-11-07
I@Blo Statesman.
An Extraordinary imperial Edfct-
ssTremble and ObeY.O

An Extraord tnary Imperial Edict-
ssCremble and Obey.O
Great anxiety is said to be felt at Pek-
ing by the Chinese Government, owing to
HO-nan, and the following imperial edict
has appeared in the Peking Gazette:
Last year, when the Nien-fei rebels
forced their way from Ho-nan into HUI
peh, we repeatedly ordered Ii Hung
chang and Tseng Kuo-chaun, with Hsiang
and Hwai regiments and the whole avail
able force of the province of Hu-peh, TO
attack them with vigor, and we were in
expectation of hearing that they had been
annihilsted on the spot and their rebellious
spirit quelled forever. These banditti,
however. penetrating as far as Hwang- ma
and Sui-tsaO in HO-nan, and the districts
of Many yang and Hsui-lo in Hu-peh, ran
riot in every direction, and though We
have received frequent reports of victories
day failed to produce any beneficial re-
suits. In the 5th moon Of the present
year (June, 1869 the provincial au-
| thorities of Shang-tung and Ho-nan
reported that these rebels, entering HO-
nan in a vast horde, passed by the towns of
Ye-hsien, Hsiang-ch'eng, Hsu-chow, and
| Lam k'ao, invaded Shun-tung, and bore
| straight through the Show-chang district
| by way of Chun-chu to the Grand Canal.
They have now a second time forced their
way into the country about Tai-ning and
Ning-yang, and are gradually nearing the
capital of the province (Chi-nan-foo.) But
what effectual resistance have they en-
countered? The high civil officials in the
different provinces, and those in command
OF the troops are always talking OF the
preparations they are making to Withstand
| and crush the robbers, but what is the dis
gusting reality? When the rebels ap-
proach, these officers form no properly de-
fined plan of resistance, and when they re-
tire they consider they have achieved their
object, if they can only get them out of
their own Jurisdictions, and in the mean
time the Treasury is drained, and the
people oppressed without end. When will
the bands of these Nien-fei, now in the
very heart of the kingdom, be sub.
dued !? We have already handed
over to the Board Ting PaO-chen, that he
may receive the severest punishment that
the law allows for his recent loss OF the riv-
er wall, and have ordered the execution in
the presence of the whole army of Chu-
Wan-mei, the officer in command OF the
garrison. We now command that Tseng
Kuo- -chuan, Governor of Hu-pen, be de-
prived of his official button, and that, in
company with Li-Hou-nien, Governor OF
Ho-nan, his punishment be before all other
adjudged by the board, that all may know
the lightness of the sentence hereby award
eu. we also cOmmanu LII dunS-cDaHS =
strictly to inquire into and report to the
throne, the names of the several officers
who by their feeble opposition allowed the
rebels to escape them. With regard to Ii
Hung-chang himself, the officer specially
lcOmmissined to superintend the operations
Idirected against the Nien-tei, inasmuch as
over half year has elapsed without any
sensible advantage resulting from his gen
eralship, he has certainly abused the trust
reposed in him by hissOvereign. We there
fore order him. in expiation of his present
disgrace, to win renown for himself by al
once taking active command of the troops
and leading them into Shan-tung, where
in conjunction with others, he must seoul
the country and stamp out the smallest
lspark of rebellion existing there. Any
subsequent failure to cope with the man
9uvres of the rebels will draw down OF
the aforesaid commissioner and governor q
punishment so heavy that they will find i
difficult to bear up against it. Tremble ane
Il lnhpU