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Daily Press. 7.8.09.
BOYCOTTING THE PORTUGUESE,
OUTCOME OF THE "FATSHAN”
AFFAIR
C
Our Canton correspondent writes on the 16th inst.:-Aa important meeting of the Self- Government Society was held yesterday evening, and thousands of persons, representing every section of the people, attended the meeting. Chan Wai Po was unanimously elected Chair- man, and he opened the proceedings by reading the circular convening the meeting, a trans- lation of which I sent you yesterday. The Chairman then informed the meeting that he had been handed a copy of a letter which had been written by Messrs. Butterfield and Swire te the British Consul to come to some settle- He said that the ment of Noronha's case. audience could see from this that Massrs. Butter- field and Swire had done all in their power to bring the Fatshan incident to a satisfactory conclusion, and had made ample compensation to the deceased's family. The Chairman then called upon Mok Wing Yu, who had full power to represent and act for Messrs, Butterfield and Swire, and Bo Ya Tui, acting on behalf of the family of the deceased Ho Yu Ting, to come to a final settlement. They informed the audience that they had arrived at a satisfactory settlo- ment, and thanked the Society for the interest and help they had given to the case.
The Chairman then said that the Fatshan affair as regards Messrs. Butterfield und Swire was concluded, and he proposed that they should sond telegrams to their countrymen informing them of this fact. The audience approving, &
I telegram was thereupon drafted.
The Chairman then resumed.
The Con-
sul for Portugal had not done his share of the business. He had refused to re-try Noronha or to offer an apology. He had falsely accused the Society of bribery, and had refused Viceroy Chang's proposal to hold a joint trial. The Chairman asked the assembly to decide on some form of retaliation for this insult to the Society, and to the Chinese nation in general. As far as he could see, all they were able to do was to reqaeet the Portuguese Cousul to hold another trial, and to be careful in their future con- nections with the Portuguese. There wore very few Portuguese firms, and not much business was carried on with the Chinese. The Portuguese were mostly employed by other foreign firms, as clerks, etc., and some were employed in Chinese firms. The Portuguese were a violent people, as they could see from the murder of Ho Yu Ting. It hebove them, there- fore, to have no more business transactions with them, lest they be treated as their poor country- maa Ho Ya Ting had been. They should have no further dealings with any firm, Chinese foreign, who employed Portuguese clerka or assistants; and he asked the audience whether they approved of this course.
Kong Shui Chenn, au influential member of the gentry, then stood up and proposed that the Chairman's suggestion be adopted; and he further moved that telegrams be sent to their compatriots in every country to refrain from having any business transactions in future with firms employing Portuguese.
Ho Wai Nung seconded the proposal, and the audience unanimously concurred, signifying their approval by shouting and clapping most uproariously.
After partaking of refreshments, the audience
dispersed, and the meeting was postponed till
this evening.
←
THE DRAFT TELEGRAM.
422
C.O 30925
RECP
1GB 16 SEP 09
35376
1 SEP 22 (309)
The teleg am drafted at the meeting and to
be forwarded to the various places read as follows:-
"With reference to the Fatshan incident the Potognese Consul has, up to the present, not yet settled the matter, but has brought forward false allegations against the members of our . Society, whereat we have beeo much provoked. Messrs. Butterfield and Swire have maintained in a proper maaner the friendly relations with the Chinese, offering a sum of $5,200 as compensation to the deceased's family and promising to urge the ortuguese Consul to take up the case with a view to arriving at a settlement and to ac- cord better treatment to Chinese passengers in the future. The family of the deceased bas "reed to accept the money. The ill-feeling
inst the British firm aforesaid is now pla cated, and we should resume dealing with the firm in the ordinary course of business as be- fore. However, steps must be taken against the Portuguese.
"(Sgd.) THE CANTON SELF-GOV. SOCIETY."
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