It Was Well Known Beforehand
That An Attack On The Missionaries Would Take Place Unless The Authorities
Adopted Very Efficient Measures Of Protection.
The foreign residents and
the consulates were warned of the coming outburst, and a very heavy
responsibility will always rest on those who might, by the display of
greater vigor, have prevented the unfortunate occurrences that ensued.
At
the same time, allowing for the prejudices of the Chinese, it must be
allowed that not only must the efforts of all foreign missionaries be
attended with the gravest peril, but that the acts of the French priests
and nuns at Tientsin were, if not indiscreet, at least peculiarly
calculated to arouse the anger and offend the superstitious predilections
of the Chinese. That the wrong was not altogether on the side of the
Chinese may be gathered from an official dispatch of the United States
Minister, describing the originating causes of the outrage: "At many of
the principal places in China open to foreign residence, the Sisters of
Charity have established institutions, each of which appears to combine in
itself a foundling hospital and orphan asylum. Finding that the Chinese
were averse to placing children in their charge, the managers of these
institutions offered a certain sum per head for all the children placed
under their control, to be given to them; it being understood that a child
once in their asylum no parent, relative, or guardian could claim or
exercise any control over it. It has for some time been asserted by the
Chinese, and believed by most of the non-Catholic foreigners residing
here, that the system of paying bounties induced the kidnaping of children
for these institutions for the sake of the reward.
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Page 597 of 704
Words from 161972 to 162258
of 191255
