“The undersigned Commissioner and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of America in China is again compelled to address your Excellency, demonstrating and protesting against the violation of our treaty of amity, the laws of civilized nations, and the rules of justifiable war.
“The United States Consul, who arrived from Hong Kong last evening, has appeared before the undersigned in person, and represented that a most diabolical deed has been perpetrated by Chinese subjects, who had administered poison in the bread supplied to the public in that colony and on board vessels in the harbour, to multitudes of men, women, and children, without distinction of nation; that he himself had partaken of the poison, from which he is still suffering, and that other citizens of the United States are rendered dangerously ill by the poisoned bread.
“The undersigned, as in duty bound, solemnly protests against this unjustifiable mode of warfare. ‘The use of poison as a means of war is prohibited by the unanimous concurrence of all the public jurists of the present age. The custom of civilized nations has exempted the persons of the sovereign and his family, the members of the civil government, women and children, cultivators of the earth, artisans, labourers, merchants, men of science and letters, and generally all other public or private individuals engaged in the ordinary civil pursuits of life, from the effects of military operations, unless actually taken in arms, or guilty of some misconduct in violation of the usages of war, by which they forfeit this immunity.’ Now, by the manner in which the poison has been administered in Hong Kong, not only the innocent women and children, and all artisans, labourers, merchants, and men of science, belonging to the English nation, had their lives exposed, but the citizens and subjects of other nations who are on friendly relations with China. Americans, French, Russians, Portuguese, and Spaniards have all received the deadly poison; and that some may yet die, remains to be known.
“The undersigned, therefore, on behalf of the Government of the United States, on the part of humanity, and (reverently) in the name of God, protests against this most barbarous deed; and as on former occasions when protesting against the offering of pecuniary rewards to perfidy and assassination of foreigners, must hold the imperial government of China responsible for all the consequences, both to individual and national interests.
“His Excellency Yeh.”
“Peter Parker.”
[17] One man appeared during the Canton conflict who is entitled to be mentioned with respect and honour—Wang, the Chinese admiral. He was well acquainted with the power of the British; and on one occasion had given evidence of great coolness and courage when accompanying H.M.S. Columbine on an expedition against the pirates. He did his best to persuade Yeh from engaging in a quarrel which could not but be disastrous to the Chinese, but he failed, as everybody failed. “You may as well reason with a stone,” was the language of a deputation that sought the British officials. Wang received peremptory orders from Yeh to attack and destroy the British fleet in the Canton river. He answered that it was impossible: that an encounter must be fatal to the imperial war junks. The orders were renewed; and he said he would do his best—as he did in the affair at Fashan, when considerable damage was done to our boats, and many of our men lost their lives. Wang’s junk was captured; and the imperial warrant, on yellow silk, was found, recording a series of adventurous and valorous deeds; but Wang was ordered to be decapitated by Yeh, because he had not beaten the British. He fled, and was concealed for some time in a village on the banks of the river. He applied to the Governor of Hong Kong, asking to be allowed an asylum there, which was cordially offered; but severe illness prevented his removal. Yeh afterwards repented of his precipitation; recalled Wang to the public service; who stipulated that he should not be employed against Western nations.
[18] The influence of Yeh at Peking was considerably strengthened by the support he received from Iliang, who obtained the credit of persuading the United States Commissioner, Mr. Marshall, not to proceed to the capital. Iliang, in one of his despatches to the emperor, says: “Whatever the barbarian chief may insinuate against Yeh-ming-chen, it is he whom they fear.”—Elgin Papers, p. 280.
[19] When in the former war Commissioner Keshen humbly represented to the emperor Taou-Kwang, that it was impossible to resist the English, he was ordered to be executed for his mendacity. His life was saved by powerful friends at court.
[20] “Her Majesty’s Government are prepared to expect that all the arts at which the Chinese are such adepts will be put in practice to dissuade you from repairing to the capital, even for the purpose of exchanging the ratifications of the treaty, but it will be your duty firmly, but temperately, to resist any propositions to that effect, and to admit of no excuses.