Alas, alas! my little children; follow the great doctrine; make men of your men; burn these books. So shall you live in an infinitesimal degree as you ought to live. (Here follow four lines of unintelligible verse.)

An anonymous notice issued by Mr. Kung-i, of Pai-ling Shan, betwixt night and day in the second moon of the cyclical year Kuei ssǎ (1893).

[Inclosure 2 in No. 1-Translation.]

Placard of April 4.

To the head of the religion addressed:

You, crowd, listen with your ears. Fortune is decreasing and the doctrine of the world is being lost. The Royal Ancestral Temple has been befouled by interrelation with barbarians. There is no promise in the treaties permitting the establishment of schools and the propagation of religion.

You, heads of religions, have one by one come in saying, "We come to worship God," which you do by prayer only; you say you believe in Jesus, but show it only by hymns. Among you there is neither sincerity nor sense; you never perform what you preach. You say, "Honor thy parents," yet during their life you neither care for nor obey them, and after their death [you have] neither tears nor [funeral] ceremony. Is this human nature? When you marry you first mate [like beasts], and without shame even enter upon marriage a second time. Upon the least evidence of incompatibility you break the marriage tie. Your crowd, originally beggars, sold themselves for the wages offered by the church. Your hearts are full of covetousness for good houses and an easy life.

At first you deceived the children of [native] aristocrats by promises of instruction in English and Chinese, but finally you force them into your religion, and out of the money intended for scholars' food and clothing you have to get your squeeze. Is not that vile? You know that your trips for preaching are only pretexts for sightseeing and the sale of books. You call this preaching! If there is an eternal hell, you shall first enter it. Do you not fear this? Why, then, discuss with you? We religious scholars, how could we hold converse with a miserly crowd? To speak clearly: You crowd, gather together your possessions and depart quickly. If you don't, with the armor and shields of patriots, and crying out your sins, we will come and attack you on the 7th of the third moon.

Know the same.

No. 2.1

Mr. Heard to Mr. Gresham.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,

Seoul, Korea, April 6, 1893. (Received May 9.) SIR: Continuing my dispatch of April 4, I have now the honor to inform you that the followers of Confucius in Seoul addressed a memorial to His Majesty on that day setting forth that the Tong Hâk professed false doctrines which were corrupting the people, and asking that they might be compelled to return to the right path or be utterly exterminated. It was known that such a petition was in preparation, and some anxiety was felt lest the opportunity might be taken while attacking the Eastern religion to include in their denunciations the people of the Western religion. But this does not appear to have been the case. His Majesty replied that the Government had charge of the affair and would attend to its duty, admonishing the petitioners at the same time to devote themselves to the study of the principles they professed.

This seems to end the matter for the moment.

I inclose copy of the letter I addressed to-day to the admiral.

I have, etc.,

AUGUSTINE HEARD.

[Inclosure in No. 2.]

Mr. Heard to Admiral Harmony.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
Seoul, Korea, April 6, 1893.

SIR: I have the honor to inform you that for the last two or three months rumors of approaching trouble have been prevalent.

On the 29th ultimo a body of about forty men, representing a new sect called the Tong Hâk, or Eastern religion, of which the founder was put to death as a heretic and a sorcerer by the governor of Cholla Do in 1864, appeared and prostrated themselves before the palace gates. They wished to present a petition to the King requesting that their founder might be rehabilitated and the practice of their religion allowed. It was also supposed to contain a request for the expulsion of foreigners. His Majesty did not receive the petition, and after two days ordered them to be gone and abandon their false doctrines. He admonished them to study the true wisdom of Confucius, and added that if they did not heed his admonition he would seize and punish them severely.

Many hundreds of this sect are supposed to be in this city, and the adherents are very numerous in the southern provinces. Great excitement has prevailed among the natives, in which foreigners have in some measure shared. Insulting placards have been affixed to the residences of American missionaries in which they have been ordered to leave the country before the 22d of April, and there is general uneasiness, which would be much allayed by the presence at Chemulpo of an American man-of-war.

I have thought it my duty to make you acquainted with the circumstances.

No. 3.]

I have, etc.,

AUGUSTINE HEARD.

Mr. Heard to Mr. Gresham.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,

Seoul, Korea, April 7, 1893. (Received May 9.) SIR: I have the honor to inform you that I received last evening a note from Mr. Hillier, from which I extract the following:

Mr. Yuan sent his secretary to me this afternoon with a message to the effect that two Chinese men-of-war would be in Chemulpo to-morrow morning; also that a strong decree would appear, probably to-morrow, warning the people that enough had been heard about heterodoxy and orthodoxy, and that anyone who vented any more opinions on the subject had better be careful. Lastly, he authorized me to say that he, Yuan, would be responsible, as far as in him lay, for the safety of foreigners and foreign property, and that he was fully confident of his ability to maintain peace and order.

For anyone who knows the energetic character of Mr. Yuan this is a sufficient guaranty of safety.

No. 4.1

I have, etc.,

AUGUSTINE HEARD.

Mr. Heard to Mr. Gresham.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,

Seoul, Korea, April 20, 1893. (Received May 23.) SIR: Since my dispatches with regard to the Tong Hak, of April 4, 6, and 7, no serious incident has taken place, but considerable agitation has prevailed among the native community. The officials and higher

classes persist in denying that any danger is to be apprehended, though the streets are strongly patrolled at night, and it is said that several arrests have been made. Many petitions have been presented to the King by bodies of scholars and officials, asking that the Tong Hâk should be severely punished, and His Majesty replied on the 13th instant by a decree in the Royal Gazette, of which a translation is inclosed. The sensation of the fortnight, however, has been the receipt of a manifesto of the Tong Hâk a few days ago, which was affixed to the gate of the Yamên of the governor of Cholla Do, and said to have been posted in every district of the province. It is reported to have been telegraphed to the King, accompanied by alarming statements of the strength and determination of the signers. It is very violent and calls for the extermination of foreigners. I inclose a translation.

On the 13th instant the Japanese consul issued a notification privately to his countrymen warning them that, in consequence of the approach of the Tong Hâk, it was necessary to prepare the women and children for immediate removal to Chemulpo. The Korean authorities would, no doubt, do their best to protect them, but this protection was not to be relied on, and all strong and able-bodied men were ordered to report themselves at the police station or the consulate for instructions. This notification was brought me on the afternoon of the 14th instant, and I at once wrote to Mr. Sugimura to ask if it were true that he had issued it, and added that if he had I presumed he had in his possession authentice intelligence of danger.

He replied that he had issued a notice, but that his information was derived only from rumor. He had, however, sent trustworthy men to Cholla Do to investigate, and on their return he would communicate to me any facts they might bring. The immediate occasion of this notification was the posting on his gates of an insulting placard ordering the Japanese to leave the country forthwith. Many families of Japanese have betaken themselves, I am told, already to Chemulpo for security. On casting one's eyes over the summary of events, one can hardly help feeling that something serious is preparing; but yet the confidence one has in the peaceful nature of the Koreans and the long absence of any demonstration of hostility have contributed to produce an almost total lack of alarm among foreigners, although, of course, there are exceptions. So much is this the case that H. M. S. Severn, 6,000 tons, a large cruiser, arrived in Chemulpo on the 15th instant and left again yesterday for Shanghai. Captain Henderson told Mr. Hillier that he would respond to any telegraph and be here in case of necessity in less than forty-eight hours. I asked Mr. Hillier, when he mentioned this to me, if he felt certain he would be able, in the event of a serious attack on foreigners, to use the telegraph. He confessed he had not thought of this.

Apart from the danger of willful interference, there is danger of accidental break, which occurs frequently. The line to Fusan is now interrupted.

Although there is a very general disinclination to regard the situation as serious, there are a few persons who think it possible; that behind the screen of the Tong Hâk there may be preparing the return blow of the Tai Wen-kun for the attempt on his life last year. If this be the case, the situation is very grave indeed. Commander Dayton's statement that the State Department had telegraphed Admiral Harmony to send a ship here leads me to suspect that the King had made the request that this should be done through his legation in Washington,

as he did at the time of the death of the Queen Dowager, in 1890. I think there is no question that he is much alarmed at the present state of things.

On the morning of Sunday, the 16th instant, I received a telegram from Admiral Harmony, dated at Nagasaki, asking, “Is there any trouble in Korea?" I replied immediately, "Wrote you 6th; some alarm; doubt if real danger; sending ship would be prudent."

On the afternoon of Tuesday, the 19th instant, the U. S. S. Petrel arrived in Chemulpo, and her commander, J. H. Dayton, with four of his officers, came to Seoul the next day. They are now here. Commander Dayton informed me that he was on his way from Yokohama to Shanghai, and touching at Nagasaki on Sunday found the admiral preparing to leave for Korea in consequence of orders from the State Department. The Petrel was sent instead, immediately. The admiral had telegraphed me, but had received no reply.

Commander Dayton had seen Captain Henderson of the Severn, and was disposed to return to his ship and leave at once. As Captain Henderson had made up his mind to go away, he naturally did not give Commander Dayton the impression that it was necessary to remain; but I told him that under the circumstances I thought it was his duty to remain, at any rate for a few days, and then be governed by circumstances, which he very willingly consented to do.

A day or two after the date of my dispatch of April 7 two Chinese ironclads arrived in Chemulpo, and since then two Japanese men-ofwar. They still remain there. No ammunition having been received for the rifles, of which I had the honor to advise the receipt last mail, I have requested Commander Dayton to supply me with 50 rounds per rifle, or 600 cartridges.

I have, etc.,

[Inclosure 1 in No. 4-Translation.]

DECREE.

AUGUSTINE HEARD.

[Published in Korean Court Gazette of April 13, 1893.]

Some Confucian scholars have recently submitted a petition to us, the contents of which have greatly surprised and grieved us.

Foolish and simple people have been stirred up and deluded by vague and meaningless talk, which has gradually imbued their minds and unsettled them. The laws have been set at naught by blinded and disorderly persons, to the bitter disappointment of well-disposed people. Now, the great principles upon which laws are based is to exhortations followed by punishments, and audacious contempt of the laws is carried to an extreme when people are willfully deluded by strange and heterodox talk.

The ignorant must not thus be imposed upon with impunity, and metropolitan and provincial authorities are hereby called upon to arrest the so-called heads of this movement forthwith. They are, further, to prohibit the spread of this heterodoxy by proclamations, and cause everyone to attend quietly to their own affairs.

If these evil ways are not amended, and people assemble together and become clamorous, will not the authorities hear of it? If it comes to their knowledge, and they stand by with folded hands, will they not be failing in their duty as leaders and guardians, and be remiss in the adoption of preventive measures? Would such conduct as this be called loyal fulfillment of their obligations? In the capital there are courts of justice; in the provinces, official establishments. The penalties incurred will be determined by the exigencies of the locality, and it will be the duty of the officials to make use of every means at their disposal under pain of severe treatment if they fail to do so.

The purport of this royal order will be embodied in street orders which will be issued by the authorities with a view to compelling the people to amend their ways and to live peaceably. They must be made aware that the law shall be obeyed.

[Inclosure 2 in No. 4.]

Translation of manifesto issued by members of the Tong Hak Society.

Men have three tasks which confront them in the fulfillment of the duties of life. (1) The task of laying down rules or limitations of conduct under which they shall carry out the requirements of loyalty to their fullest extent and, if needs be, to sacrifice their lives as servants of their country.

(2) To put forth all their efforts in the direction of loyalty and filial piety and to die, if needs be, for the sake of their personal belongings.

(3) To maintain widowed chastity and to die, if needs be, in the fulfillment of conjugal obligations.

Life and death are the appointed lot of all mankind; this is the unfailing law, whatever may betide. Those who are born in times of freedom from trouble and in periods of peace and happiness should pursue the path of patriotism and filial piety with a joyous heart, while, on the other hand, those who live in seasons of danger and difficulty should sacrifice their lives in the cause of patriotism and of filial piety. This is the task of all true servants of the state, and is a task that may devolve upon them in the course of the permutations of things. Those who love their lives are opposed by the difficulty of sacrificing their lives in the service of their King and their parents. Those who are ready to sacrifice their lives will willingly accept the task of giving them up for their King or their parents, and no one who clings to life can be a true subject or son. Those who are ready to part joyfully with life are the men who are capable of building principles of loyalty and filial piety upon a sure foundation.

1

Japanese and foreign rebels and thieves are now introduced into the very bowels of our land and anarchy has reached its zenith. Just look round on the capital under present conditions. It is the lair and den of barbarians. Think of the oath of [the year] Yen Ch'en, of the disgrace of [the year] Ping-tzu! Can you bear to forget it? Can you bear to talk of it? Our three thousand millions of people in the Eastern Kingdom are now all in the grasp of wild beasts, and our ancestral homes of five hundred years' duration will shortly witness the disaster of dispersion and dismemberment. Alas for charity, patriotism, prosperity, prudence, filial piety, brotherly love, loyalty, and good faith! What has become of them all at the present time?

Let it, moreover, be remembered that most of the Japanese rebels cherish feelings of hatred toward us, and nurture within them the germs of disaster for our land which they will bring forth to our hurt. The danger threatens us at any moment, and can we regard the situation with tranquillity? It might truly be said of the present condition of affairs that it is in proximity of brushwood.

We who issue this notice are simple, ignorant people, but for all that we are inheritors of the laws laid down by previous rulers, and we till the ground of our King to maintain our fathers and mothers. Although officials and people differ as honorables and commons, where is there any difference between them in the obligations of loyalty and filial piety?

We desire to display our humble loyalty to the State and to secure to her loyal and upright servants their state emoluments to which they are entitled; but we are perplexed as to what to do, and it is not for us to institute comparisons as to the sincerity of our love for the King and loyalty to our country. There is an old saying, "When a great house is about to fall one piece of wood will not support it; when a great wave is about to roll in a single net will not keep it back."

We, who number several millions, have sworn to the death that we will unite in one common effort to sweep out the Japanese and foreigners and bring them to ruin in our sage desire to render to our country the fidelity which even a dog will show to his master, and we humbly hope that everyone, within one common resolution, will combine their efforts and will select loyal and patriotic gentry to assist them in supporting the wish of the country. This is the earnest prayer of millions of people.

(Transcribed by the Tong-Hâk men.)

[Inclosure 3 in No. 4.]

Notification issued by the Japanese Consul.

APRIL 13, 1893.

Information having come to hand that the Tong Hâk have left their homes in Chulla Do and Kyung-sang Do and are now on their way to Seoul, it will be necessary for Japanese subjects to be on the qui vive. No doubt His Majesty will notify

'The year 1592, the date of the Japanese invasion.

"The year 1876, the date of the treaty of Kanghua with Japan.