Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Proclamation from Mandarin Governor of Whampoa (China. June, 1857)

China
The Polynesian. Honolulu: June 6, 1857

The Moniteur de la Flotte publishes the following proclamation from the Mandarin governor of Whampoa:

“Infamous foreigners have presumed to raise the standard of revolt against the sublime and venerated authority of the Emperor. They have attacked the city of Canton in order to burn it,  and already they have received the punishment they merited, for our invincible troops have repulsed them, and killed a great number of them. Let them be attacked from every part of the empire. Let every inhabitant of China who shall meet an Englishman inflict on him the fate he merits. Already do our innumerable fleets and our mighty armies, which are dreaded by the whole world, advance to drive them away. Let everyone unite with that army; let everyone take part in the war, and teach foreigners to tremble before the will and before the anger of our Sovereign, whose gaze is as burning as the rays of the sun, and whose power is in measurable. He who shall not act in conformity with these orders, shall be considered a traitor, and they may expect from us a chastisement as prompt as terrible.

You hear! Obey.
The Mandarin Governor, TCHYN-TOO.
Done at Whampoa the 9th day of the 12th moon”


The Moniteur de la Flotte says, on the publication of the preceding document, the foreign ships anchored in the roads or in the Tehou-Kiang sailed away, taking with them the few Europeans in the town. The utmost excitement prevailed. 


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