The Cornhill Magazine, Vol. I, January 1860Various
General
The Cornhill Magazine, Vol. I, January 1860
Various
England -- Periodicals; English literature -- Periodicals; Short stories, English -- Periodicals
“Yeh, governor-general of the two Kwang provinces, member of the
cabinet, and baron of the empire, hereby proclaims for the general
information:--
“These are the contumacious English barbarians, who are akin to dogs
and hogs, and like wolves and jackals in disposition, who make no
distinction in the human relations, and are destitute of propriety
or manners * * * * * who act as they list, have the tempers of wild
beasts, and go here and there in wild recklessness, regardless of human
rights or order.
“These are they who have presumed, like flocks of ravens issuing
from out their coverts, to cast contemptuous looks on celestial
awe-inspiring dignity, and seeing that our troops were unprepared,
suddenly have taken possession of our forts, and following the bent of
their lawless wickedness have burned the shops and dwellings of our
people. Gods and men are indignant, heaven and earth can no longer
endure them, and well will it be for your people if you unite in
particular, and with vigorous arm exterminate them altogether. Let
soldiers and gentry exhibit their loyalty, and with the braves, known
to be in every place, swear, as they exhibit a force and union like the
driving tempest, that they will revenge the honour of their country.
Let full obedience be given to his majesty’s rescript, and with firm
purpose and stout arm sweep them off without remainder, burning their
lairs, and exterminating their whole kith and kin.
“Then the memorial of your merit will be seen in the palace, while the
state stands secure in the greatness of its people, as in the golden
days of Shun, and the elements genially combine to produce plenty,
through the good rule universal in the land, as was seen in the halcyon
days of Tsin.
“The other nations of the West must all reverently obey our heavenly
dynasty, according to their laws and their administrators, for they
will be amerced in the same crimes (as the English) if they venture to
copy their conduct.
“Those native traitors who are serving these several tribes, by aiding
their purposes, must be strictly watched after and judged, the worst
of them by the extermination of their kindred, the lesser by the
destruction of their own families.
“Those who are employed as servants to any of the foreigners are
allowed twenty days to return to their own patrimonies, there to pursue
their several occupations. If they linger along in the hope of gain,
they will be treated and punished as traitors.
“Each one must tremblingly obey these orders without opposition.”
[13] The words of the treaty are: “If it shall be ascertained or
suspected that lawless natives of China, having committed crimes or
offences against their own government, have fled, a communication shall
be made to the proper English officer, in order that the said criminals
and offenders may be rigidly searched for, seized, and, on proof or
admission of their guilt, delivered up” to the Chinese authorities.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account