The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1900-07-14


going fully into the matter for the in
formation o. our representatives afore
said.
I'm the first place there arose in the
provinces of Chi Ii and Shan Tung &
band of rebellious subjects who hat
been in the habit of practicing boxing
and fencing in their respective villages
! and at the same time clothing their
doings with spiritual and strange rites
The local authorities failed to take due
notice of them at the time. According
! ly the infection spread with aStonish-
mig rapidity. Within the space of a
month it seemed to make its appear
ance everywhere, and finally even
reached the capital itself. Every one
| looked upon the movement as super
natural and strange, and many Joined
it.
Then there were lawless and treach-
| erous persons who sounded the cry of
Down with Christianity About the
middle OF the fifth moon these persons
began to create disturbances without
I warning. Churches were burned and
! converts were killed. The whole city
was i'll fernent. A situation was ere
ated which could not be brought under
control. At first the foreign powers re-
quested that foreign troops be allowed
of legations. The imperial government
having in view the comparative ur-
gency of the occasion, granted the re-
quest as an extraordinary mark of
courtesy, beyond the requirements OF
international intercourse. Over 500 for
eign troops were sent to Pekin. This
shows clearly how much care China
exercised in the maintenance of friend
ly relations with other countries.
oa FOL
had much to do with the people. But
from the time the foreign troops en-
tered the city the guards did not de-
vote themselves exclusively to the pro-
lection OF their respective legations.
They sometimes fired their guns on the
top of the city walls and sometimes pa
trolled the streets everywhere. There
were reports of persons being hit by
stray bullets.
Moreover, they strolled about the
city without restraint, and even at
tempted to enter the Tsung Hua gate
Cthe eastern gate of the palace ground).
They only desisted when advance was
positively forbidden.
con this account both the soldiers
and the people were provoked to re-
sentiment and voiced their Indignation
with one accord. LaWlesS persons then
took advantage of the situation to do
in burning and killing Christian con-
VertS.
The powers thereupon attempted to
reinforce the foreign troops in Pekin,
but the reinforcements encountered re-
sistance and defeat at the hands of the
insurgents on the way, and have not
yet been able to proceed.
THE insurgents of the two provinces
of Chi Ii and Shan Tung had by this
time effected complete union, and
could not be separated. The imperial
was by no means reluctant
to issue orders for the entire suppress
sion of this insurgent element. But
as the trouble was SO near at hand,
there was a great fear that due pro-
lection might not be assured to the le-
cations If the anarchists should be
driven to eXtremitieS thus bringing on
a national calamity. There was also
a fear that uprisings might occur i'll
the provinces of Chi Ii and Shan Tung
at the same time, with the result that
both foreign missionaries and Chinese
converts in the two provinces might
fall victims to popular fury.
1T was, therefore, absolutely neces-
Sary TO consider the matter from every
point of view. AS a measure OF precau-
ton it was finally decided to request !
The foreign ministers to retire temper
arily to Tien Tsin for safety. 1t was
while the discussion of this proposition |
was in progress that the German min
ster, Baron Won Ketteler, was assassi- |
hated by riotous mob one morning
while on his way to the Tsung Lii va /
men. On the previous Gay the German |
had written a letter appoint |
ng a time for calling at the Tsung Ii |
famen. But the Yamen, fearing he |
night be molested on the way, did not
consent to the appointment as suggest
I'd b. the minister.
Since this occurred the anarchists
assumed a more bold and threa tening /
lttitude, and consequently it was not .
Ieemed wise to carry out the project of |
ending the diplomatic corps to Tien
Tsin under an escort. However, orders
we're issued to the troops detailed for
he protection Of the legations, to keep
trict watch and take greater precau-
ions against any emergency.
ITO our surprise, on the Goth of the
fifth moon June 16), foreign (navaD
Ulcers at Taku called on Lo Jung
<wang, the general commanding, and
demanded his surrender of the forts,
otifying him that, failing to receive
ompliance, they would, at . o'clock the
ext day, take steps to seize the forts
" force.
10 Jung Kwang being bound by the
uties of his office to hold the forts,
ow could he yield to the demand? On
he dav named they actually fired on
ne forts, which responded and kept up
ghting all day and then surrendered.
'hus the conflict of forces began, but
the initia tive did not come
rom our side. Even supposing that
lima were not conscious of her true
how could she take such
tep as to engage in war with all the
overs simultaneously, and how could
he, relying upon the support of an an
rchist populace, go into war with the
overs ?"
Our position in this matter ought to
e clearly understood by all the pow
RS. The above is a statement of the
rongs we have suffered, and how
hina was driven to the unfortunate
osition from which she could not es-
ape.
Our several ministers will make
nown accurately and in detail the I
of this decree and the policy
China to the ministers of foreign af- {
lirs in their respective countries, and
ssure them that military authorities
re still strictly enjOined to afford pro- i
ctiOn to the legations as hitherto, to
lie utmost of their power. AS for the
ldTcnlSlS, Iney VIII De severely Qealt
18th as circumstances permit.
1.-The several ministers will continue $
the discharge of the duties of their !
ices as hitherto without hesitation or l.,
)ubt This Geographic decree. to be
ansmitted for their information. Re- t
,at this S
The document gave great satisfaction +
IRE. as it showed assuming there was
me foundation for the first reports
at the imperial government had en-
uraged the Boxers and even partici-
tied in the attacks on the legations,
at an effort is about to be made to I
trieve that mistake The note is said 6
have originated with the privy coun- '
!. and at the state department this S
'dy is declared to be identical with
@ Tsung Ii Yamen being the power S