Sung Tajin, Who Had Been Specially Recalled From His
Governorship In Ili To Take Part In The Reception Of The Europeans, And
Whose Sympathy For Them Was Well Known, Was Also Disgraced, And Did Not
Recover His Position Until After The Death Of Kiaking.
The failure of the
Amherst mission put an end to all schemes for diplomatic intercourse with
Pekin until another generation had passed away; but the facts of the case
show that its failure was not altogether due to the hostility of the
Chinese emperor.
No practical results, in all probability, would have
followed; but if Lord Amherst had gone somewhat out of his way to humor
the Chinese autocrat, there is no doubt that he would have been received
in audience without any humiliating conditions.
Long before the Amherst mission reached China evidence had been afforded
that there were many elements of disorder in that country, and that a
dangerous feeling of dissatisfaction was seething below the surface. The
Manchus, even in their moments of greatest confidence, had always
distrusted the loyalty of their Chinese subjects, and there is no dispute
that one of their chief reasons for pursuing an excluding policy toward
Europeans was the fear that they might tamper with the mass of their
countrymen. What had been merely a sentiment under the great rulers of the
eighteenth century became an absolute conviction when Kiaking found
himself the mark of conspirators and assassins. The first of the plots to
which he nearly fell a victim occurred at such an early period of his
reign that it could not be attributed to popular discontent at his
misgovernment. In 1803, only four years after the death of Keen Lung,
Kiaking, while passing through the streets of his capital in his chair,
carried by coolie bearers, was attacked by a party of conspirators,
members of one of the secret societies, and narrowly escaped with his
life. His eunuch attendants showed considerable devotion and courage, and
in the struggle several were killed; but they succeeded in driving off the
would-be assassins. The incident caused great excitement, and much
consternation in the imperial palace, where it was noted that out of the
crowds in the streets only six persons came forward to help the sovereign
in the moment of danger. After this the emperor gave up his practice of
visiting the outer city of Pekin, and confined himself to the imperial
city, and still more to the Forbidden palace which is situated within it.
But even here he could not enjoy the sense of perfect security, for the
discovery was made that this attempted assassination was part of an
extensive plot with ramifications into the imperial family itself.
Inquisitorial inquiries were made, which resulted in the disgrace and
punishment of many of the emperor's relatives, and thus engendered an
amount of suspicion and a sense of insecurity that retained unabated force
as long as Kiaking filled the throne. That there was ample justification
for this apprehension the second attempt on the person of the emperor
clearly revealed.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 171 of 366
Words from 88645 to 89153
of 191255
