Under certain circumstances foreign residents could 'offer up' petitions at the city gates! It was a privilege that had its origin a long while ago. At the same time it was discouraged by the authorities, while strict orders were given to the guards at the gates to keep a sharp look-out and close them if any number of barbarians were known to be approaching. This old custom originated in some question, such as praying for a diminution of duties (all duties being more or less arbitrary), or for permission to ship off an extra weight of silks, which was fixed at a certain number of piculs per vessel,[65] and called the 'silk privilege,' or on some matter affecting their personal comfort. The Co-Hong frequently co-operated with us, recommended our petitioning, and even themselves made a draft paper. Answers to these petitions were invariably received, when the Hong merchants would prepare for us a rejoinder, if necessary.
Great precautions were taken to keep the intention as quiet as possible, consequently all who were disposed to join a party in presenting a petition were advised in time. None were more anxious to accompany it than the younger members of the community, who considered it great fun! To refer to a particular case, directly in front of the American Factory, at the river side, there existed a huge mound of earth and rubbish that had its origin with the great fire of 1822. While the new Factories were going up and the damaged ones being repaired the workmen and coolies threw all sorts of rubbish on the spot. Subsequently it became a depository of refuse of all sorts, and finally a resort of loathsome beggars, of whom many died on it; but beyond obtaining the carrying away of the dead bodies, all efforts by the foreigners to get the whole thing removed had proved ineffectual.
The Hong merchants now and then sent a number of coolies, but they made small impression upon it; and at length, mostly at their suggestion that it was 'Mandarin pigeon,' it was resolved to present a petition at the city gates, which they themselves prepared and we copied.
On the day agreed upon, therefore, the party going were quietly advised and informed at which gate to meet. Taking different streets in small numbers of three or four, all drew towards the 'petition gate,' as we called it, and suddenly with a rush entered it. The surprise of the guards was complete. They hastily closed the ponderous outer gate to prevent the Chinese entering and possibly creating a row. Seeing the petition on red paper held up above our heads, they knew from experience the object of our visit, and forthwith despatched a messenger to the Hoppo's 'Ya-Mun.'[66] Any annoyance caused us by Chinese lookers-on or by any who tried to crowd about us called for prompt 'whipping' by the soldiers, as was always the case, letting foreigners have their own way, and laying it well over the shoulders of their own countrymen who attempted any interference or who did not 'move on' fast enough. It happened that on a previous occasion of petitioning an unpleasant incident occurred, which arose from a fancied insult; blows had been exchanged, and certain words used by an excited member of the foreign party in reference to the soldiers became a tradition, 'Knock them down, friend Olyphant, they are only tea and rice,' and the best of the joke was that the speaker was a Quaker and Mr. Olyphant one of the quietest men in the world, and the last person to strike any one.
Such exhibitions were much to be deplored as encouraging the belief that foreigners were indeed 'unruly devils'—a pugnacious, wild, boisterous people. Presently we heard the sound of the gong and the loud cries of lictors preceding the Mandarin calling out his rank and office as well as keeping the street clear. The space between the large outer and inner gate is the thickness of the wall, about thirty feet, and twelve to eighteen feet broad, the quarters of the guard, about twenty or twenty-five in number, being in recesses on either side, and in this space petitions are received. The Ta-Yin[67] (great man) having entered with other Mandarins and attendants, after salutations and surprise at seeing so many foreigners, they seated themselves on chairs brought by their followers. He then commenced by telling us of the extreme impropriety of entering the gates in opposition to the will of the 'Son of Heaven,' cautioned us to be wary how we did the like again, lest we might check the flow of Imperial benevolence towards all coming from a distance, &c. &c., which was the usual opening formula, when a Linguist being found cut and dried on the spot (sent privately by the Hong merchants), stepped forward, knelt on both knees, and 'handed up' the petition. In the meantime it was a strange sight to see the houses, shop doors, and windows inside the city full to overflow of Chinese, intently looking on in profound stillness and curiosity.
His Excellency, having read the paper, said in placing it in the hands of an officer that a communication would be sent to the Hong merchants, 'that we must return to our Factories, be henceforth reverently obedient, when all would be well, otherwise His Sacred Majesty, Ruler of all under the Sun, notwithstanding that he was the incarnation of consideration for all beyond the Western Ocean, might be provoked to withdraw his beneficent,' &c. &c. 'That the laws of the Celestial Empire must be obeyed,' and this was the closing formula.
Business being thus ended, a disposition was shown for a little conversation. Acting as interpreter, I was invited to speak of the distance of our countries from the 'Celestial Flowery Land,' how many moons it took to come and to return; all which was done in laying great stress upon the clear light of day into which we emerged as we left our own gloomy shores and approached the 'Middle Kingdom'! Questions were asked as to our respective nationalities, our names also; and in their attempts to repeat such as Zacharia, Krieroffski, Burr, and Brown, they turned to one another and laughed heartily at their unsuccessful efforts. The teapot and servants to prepare the infusion being indispensable in the suite of Mandarins (as well as pipe-bearers), tea was presently offered to us; we in exchange 'offered up' Manila cheroots. No one exhibited the slightest impatience, no matter how many hundreds of Chinese were obliged, outside or inside, to make great détours to reach other gates.
The Mandarins being provided with two watches each, next began a comparison of time; they asked our ages, how long we had lived within the benign sway of that 'Almighty Ruler' under whose protecting wings we found ourselves; and being assured, in reply to other enquiries, that in our distant countries now and then a sun, very occasionally two or three moons, with a rare glimmer of a star, might be seen, they rose from their seats, took leave, and were soon out of sight. The great gate was then opened after a violent effort, with a loud grating of its enormous hinges, and the 'foreign devils' returned to the Factories, after an hour or two agreeably passed. The petition in question resulted in the Hong merchants receiving orders for the immediate removal of the unsightly mound, of course at their expense. They were effectually carried out and the ground was levelled off. It then became the favourite resort of the Indian servants of Parsee and Moormen residents.