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thus conceded with every ap liberality and good faith. The statesmen of that time seemed un- of the bitter frait which was wrapped in these innocent-looking demands. The of the whole French policy in the Far was by that simple concession introduced the Chinese body politic-the aggressive alliance with the Church, the deep purposes of hich had been copiously expounded in State papers from the days of Louis XIV, descending in an unbroken series, with constantly accumul- sting force, to our own day. This first step, ng all subsequent steps, in the introduction missionaries was a conscious or unconscious imposition on the Chinese, inasmuch as the ulterior purpose was concealed under a pretext, nedal
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[April 27, 1901.
one city they did not hesitate to flee to another, | French Government, providing rather than invoke the strong hand of their vision a modus virendi for the Government to support them in an untenable | proposal was not well position................
Consider for a moment the position of the Chin- ese Government in relation to these dubious proceedings. Leaving aside the question of com- parative ethics, on which Western nations assume superiority over Eastern, has not the history of the introduction and spread of the Christian propaganda in China been such as to fill the Government of the country with warrantable suspicion? Have they not seen that the thing that was demanded of them has never been the thing that was enforced; that the prefence has borne no resemblance to the reality that the religion which inculcates virtue is breaking up their country as the roots of a banyan tree dislocate a stone wall? And ❘
discover some explanation, if not palliation, of the tortuous and criminal ways by which the Chinese have sought to thwart the purposes of those whom they regard as oppressors, bent on their destruction P
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ons.
parties concerned. The British and Ame Governments excused themselves from the con- sideration of it on the ground the it applied to the Catholic propaganda, while the Protes- tant missions and the Press t denounced it in the usual wholesale fashion as an insidions at- tempt to create a system of official espionage intended to paralyse all mission work. I frankly confess to having taken part in this tirade. Yet, viewed in the light of the subsequent thirty years experience, it may well seem that the Powers and the mis- sions missed an opportunity of placing the propaganda on a satisfactory working footing. The first proposals of the Chin- ese Government were not necessarily final;
cussion might have evolved a scheme which would have met the reasonable requirements of all; and if the British and American Gov. ernments had taken part in a conference with the French, the result must have been such a This would be a vain dissertation unless it definition of the privileges of the Catholio opened the door to remedial measures. And missions as would have placed a check on the this reflection brings me unfortunately to the extravagant pretensions they have since de- weakest point in this address. The calamities veloped. The Chinese circular was divided which have been entailed on the Chinese people into eight heads, each proposal being accom- are, for the greater part, as much beyond the panied by a full explanation of the reason reach of remedy as the zeal of the propaganda for it, based upon actual experience. It is too is beyond the reash of argument. The re-long for quotation, and indeed no quotation ligious aspect of the movement is not a legi- would be fair that did not include, with the timate subject for Government interference, regulation proposed, the argument attached to however much it may invite general criticism. it. The document is one and indivisible, and The mundane aims of the Romanist branch, can only be considered as a whole. It was and the territorial ambitions of the Powers published as a Blue-book, the number of which with which the Church is bound up, are of I have not got, and was appended to a bro- too old standing to be affected by transi-chure which I published in 1892. tory occurrences or by public opinion. Of the whole composite structure of the pro- paganda, therefore, all that remains which is amenable to treatment is that small fraction of. it which touches the civil relation be tween the Protestant missionaries and their respective governments, which for this pur- pose are represented by Great Britain and the United States. In perfect good faith, though utterly blind to what they were doing, these two Powers opened the door to their countrymen to overrun China, but without tak.
When the Treaties of 1858 came to be no gotiated, à material advance was made on the in that perfectly natural suspicion may we not they invited discussion, and a fair dis- French agreements of 1844 and 1846. A general demand was now made for toleration of Christianity in China. This again was a covert design to gain something more than what was asked for, since full toleration had already been socorded What was really contemplated by the two Powers, or by their respective propagandists who pushed them from behind, was aggression, religions only on the part of Great Britain: - religious, political and military on the part of France. The concession to France in 1846 was the iron wedge driven into the granite block: the concessions of 1858 and 1860 were the water applied to it, causing the rock to split. It was a gentle operation, ulterior designs being veiled by the mild phraseo- logy of the treaties. The Christian religion was represented as teaching men to be virtuous; its other attributes being carefully concealed. Thus the grand hypocrisy of Chris- tendom was embalmed in treaties dictated to China by the two victorious Powers, one Catholic and the other Protestant. It is im- possible in this case to make any distinction between them.
Whatever the defects of the Chinese circular, it was at least a tentative effort to eliminate from the missionary question the elements of danger to the State. By refusing even consider it the Western Powers placed them- Next, a fraud, andacions and flagitious, was
selves prima facie in the wrong, and thus perpetrated by a French missionary in the in-
incurred pretty nearly the whole responsibility terests of the Catholic propaganda in 1860,
for the outbreaks which have marked the past when a clause of the most drastic significance
thirty years. A cruel injury had been done was smuggled into the Chinese text only of
to the Chinese people in forcibly opening the French treaty, unknown even to its nominal
their country to foreign missionaries without negotiator, Baron Gros. It stipulated for the
any regulations for their control, or clear full restitution of the buildings and other pro-ing adequate steps to control their operations. definition of their status. The injury was ag- perties of the early Christians, irrespective of They thus imposed on the Chinese an unwork- gravated by the refusal to listen to any sug. all intermediate ownerships, and irrespective able agreement, and the ill-adjusted machine gestion for supplying the want, after the need apparently of those which had been already has broken down. The question of inland for it had been demoustrated. The Christian restored by the decree of 1846. It also provided residence had been urged by British mer-
nations thus owe an immenss moral "debt to for the permanent residence of missionaries in chants on their Government, which steadfastly China, a debt which is quite beyond their power the interior, and for their buying land and refused to make such a demand on China on the to discharge. It is a question whether their erecting houses and churches. The clause ground, as stated by Sir R. Alcock, that inland conscience is sufficiently sensitive to induce them might possibly have been repudiated by the residence was incompatible with ex-territorial to pay even a trifling instalment. For nations Chinese Government on the discovery being privileges, and by Sir Thomas Wade, that he have a kind of conscience, though its operation made that it was not contained in the French could not recommend a British Consul to be is apt to be fitful. We have heard for instance version, for by agreement between the high sent to a place where a gunboat could of pecuniary indemnities being exacted by one contracting parties it was the French text alone not reach. It would throw an unfair burden Power from another, and when found excessive which was to rule in case of disputed interpre- on the Chineza to compel them indis. the overplus has, in exceptional cases, baon tation. But the Chinese had not the courage criminately to entertain strangers who were refunded. it would be a small reparation for to face a fresh quarrel, perhaps even another exempt from thoir jurisdiction and it would the injury inflicted on China were the two great war with France. The French Government, be unfair to British subjects to allow them non-aggressive Protestant Powers even now to on its part, took no pains to bring the two vor. to reside in places where they could neither be put a bridle on missionaries of their nation- sions of the treaty into harmony, but on the controlled nor protected. Hence inland reality and prohibit them from meddling in contrary allowed full advantage to be taken of ridence was refused to merchants, though, as we
Chinese politics in any manner whatsoever. the interpolated clause. The deception was have seen, it was tacitly, by an oblique process, The missionaries enjoy liberties in the in- indeed commented upon by Protestants, but granted to missionaries & much more dangerous terior of China which are
denied their missions nevertheless availed themselves social element. But, having allowed British chants. Let
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ts mer-
of ita provisions under the “most favoured missionaries, whether explicitly or implicitly, privileges homineving their
nation - privilege. And so it came to to avail themselves of the permission; it seams | religious teaching, the solo a
clear that the Governments were morally bound to supervise them, and either to follow them up by Consular officers to prevent disputes with
for their conduct as would work automatically as bətween the missionaries and the local autho- rities.
themselves tɔ ground on which they enjoy these immunities. Of course evasion would be practised, just as under the strictest preventive system smuggling practised.
there is some virtue even in the merė stigma- tising of practice as illegal. The better class of misionaries would obey the law, those who did not would lose in – réputo, and one or two recalcitrants expelled from
pam that the whole system of inland ons for the last forty years has been
· under the aegis of this equivocal
And, broadly speaking, the mis- Chinese officials, or to impose such regulations / Witness opium on the Canton River But
with their attendant crimes and past 35 years have arisen As Protestants have of the French treaty, they can avoid the After the fact to obtained. The as most
to
ecuted in
Having omitted to make any provision what ever for a clear understanding, between the missionaries and the mandarins, and having discovered in the sequel the tragic consequences which the neglect entailed, it would appear that it became the duty of the Governments con- cerned, however lata, to make good the omis"
far as might be practicable. That daty remains to this day unfulflied.
The only attempt to supply the want of a concordat was that made by the Government itself in 1871. In that Trungli «Tamen issued an elaborate essed in the first instance to the
the
country would at least prove on
part of their Government desire to the peaceable Chinese both from the in local quarrels and from sediti on a grander scile.... It is not ▼ the bounds of possibility that som important missionary bodies then be disposed to meet heir Gover way in devising means of freeing from the political taint, thoug competitors would no doubt it their
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