The Galaxy, Volume 23, No. 2, February, 1877Various
History
The Galaxy, Volume 23, No. 2, February, 1877
Various
American literature -- Periodicals
As we have said before, we think Li-hang-chang's account is
substantially correct. There are a great many circumstances tending to
exculpate Li-sieh-tai from any wish to have Margary murdered. Had such
been his wish, he might more easily have disposed of him when he passed
through _en route_ for Burmah. Moreover, at the very time of Margary's
murder, Mr. Elias, a member of the expedition, who had struck off from
the main body in order to explore another route to Momien, was
entertained by Li-sieh-tai at Muangnow, a town at some distance from the
seat of the murder. Though completely in his power, Mr. Elias received
all possible civility compatible with a determined and successful
opposition to his further advance. Now it seems absurd to believe that
Li-sieh-tai felt any stronger personal dislike for Margary than he felt
for Mr. Elias.
In regard to his complicity in the attack on the expedition, the
evidence is just as strong on the other side. He had a deep and by no
means unnatural prejudice against English exploring parties. The last
mission of the kind had entered into negotiations, as we have already
mentioned, with the enemies against whom this Chinese general was
prosecuting bitter war. The smouldering embers of the rebellion were not
even yet entirely extinguished; the presence of an armed body of
foreigners, no matter how small, who had previously shown a friendly
disposition toward the Mohammedan usurpation, might awaken new hopes in
the breasts of the still surviving rebels. This feeling, combined with
the jealous wish of the border merchants, both Chinese and Burmese, to
retain a monopoly of the overland trade, undoubtedly inspired a general
feeling of hostility among the local officials and the people, which
found a ready instrument in the greedy and savage character of the
frontier tribes. Where so much combustible matter was heaped up, it
needed but a hint to bring on the catastrophe that followed.
While Li-hang-chang and the Chinese commission were conducting the
preliminary investigations, Mr. Grosvenor and his colleagues were
approaching. Their journey across the empire was attended not only with
no opposition or difficulty, but they were received everywhere with
great and even obsequious respect. Upon arriving in Yunnan they found an
immense pile of evidence awaiting their inspection. Mr. Grosvenor's
report has not yet been published, we believe, but from general rumor,
and the fact that nothing has been heard to the contrary, we are
justified in believing that he found the state of the case to be
substantially as it was reported by the Chinese high commissioner. After
having reviewed the evidence presented, after having witnessed the
execution of a number of wretches convicted of direct complicity in the
murder of Margary, the Grosvenor commission pursued its way, escorted by
troops that had been despatched from Burmah for the purpose.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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