Directory_and_Chronicle_1841 — Page 461

442

Edicts Relating to Military Operations.

AUG.

captured. By this system of extending the rewards to all classes, the impe- rial troops will feel ashamed to be outdone in courage and activity, they will therefore fight with the keenest animosity; and in fine, this being the time when we must of necessity make use of all our vessels and all our people. the proposals of the gallant foo tootung to close the ports is quite imprac- ticable, and needs not further to be discussed.

Regarding the subject of “ native traitors,” those who, properly speaking, belong to the two provinces of Keängsoo and Chěkeäng are very few indeed. And those that are from Canton and Fuhkeen, are yet born the children of your sacred majesty. Perhaps through desire of gain, perhaps pressed by want, they have entered the service of the rebels. But both these supposi- tions admit of palliation, and the door of repentance may still be left open to them; if they can indeed assist in killing the robbers let them be praised, and rewarded on the same footing as your majesty's well-behaved subjects. Those who are sensible of their crime, who fear the punishment, and who voluntarily give themselves up, let them only be required to give some proofa of their sincerity, and get some person or persons to become security for them, when they should be let freely go and absolved from all further con- sequences on account of their previous conduct. But those who know well what they are about, and contentedly follow the rebels, plans must be laid, and money must be paid to have them seized and brought to trial, when their heads will be struck off and exposed on the sea-beach in terrorem ; their pro. perty will be confiscated and their crime laid at the door of their families and relations, in order to reform men's hearts, and strikingly manifest the laws of the land. If, however, we proceed on one broad principle of seizing in. stanter, the whole of the native traitors, not only would this be blocking up the road of self-renovation to them, but we should thereby confirm them in their intention to follow the fortunes of the rebels; and not only would the search (in the maner proposed) be like pursuing fish through the ocean, but I fear that it would likewise give vent to a great deal of malignity; mutual recriminations, and false accusations would be the consequence, whereby numbers of innocent people would be involved, which is by no means proper.

Your slave in one word takes this stupid view of the question :-the sup- plies to foreigners must be interdicted, but the ports must on no account be closed; native traitors must be searched after and apprehended, but there must be method and discrimination in setting about it. I have communicated with the fooyuen Lew Yunko upon the subject, and finding that he takes much the same view of matters as myself, right it is that I obey the im. perial decree in memorializing your majesty on the subject. Moreover, at the present moment Tinghae in Chekeäng has been recovered, and the foreign ships have all fled away, therefore the circumstances of the case now, are widely different to what they were previously. Your slave dares not in the slighest degree to procrastinate or throw obstacles in the way of public business, but as in duty bound submits his real opinious to your ma jesty in the foregoing statement. A most respectful memorial.