The Qing Dynasty is about to end

Chapter 677 The Last Petition from Chinese in California
The pine forests of Mount San Bruno outside San Francisco were already filled with the smell of gunpowder. When Leland Stanford's carriage stopped in front of the winding mountain road, he and California Secretary of State William Holden looked out the window and saw that sandbags had been piled up on the hillside - several shiny 12-pound rifled cannons had been set up, with the muzzles facing the throat of the main road leading to downtown San Francisco.

"parking!"

Patrick O'Donnell, an Irish militia captain wearing a bowler hat, blocked the way with his gun. The knees of his overalls were worn white, but the brass medal on his chest was polished to a shine, and the words "God and the True Covenant are with you" were crookedly engraved on the barrel of his gun.

"I'm Secretary of State Holden, and this is Mr. Stanford." Holden held up his gold-stamped ID.

O'Donnell lowered the muzzle of his gun by half an inch: "County Magistrate Smith has ordered that all vehicles must be unpacked for inspection." He lifted the rear curtain of the carriage, and when the four suitcases were opened, there were bundles of California Bank bonds inside, with the hemp ropes binding them covered with Crocker Bank's sealing wax.

"This is a token of my sincerity to Bishop Hong." Stanford tapped the floor of the car with his walking stick. "The Port of San Francisco has been shut down for half a month, right? How many days do you have left of flour?"

The captain had a calm expression and smiled faintly, "Don't worry, we have enough flour. The True Yodists believe in sharing food, so believers can buy rationed bread, eggs, bacon, salted fish, vegetables, butter and milk at affordable prices!"

As the carriage rolled over the gravel road, Holden caught a glimpse of about 100 militiamen wearing bowler hats and overalls conducting drill outside a bastion-shaped Unity Farm at the foot of the mountain. Judging from their appearance, they all seemed to be Chinese. This anti-Chinese movement seemed to be on the verge of collapse!
True Covenant Cathedral, San Francisco.

Hong Renzheng was wearing a bright yellow robe and sitting on a throne next to the altar. Lai Wenguang, the newly appointed Bishop of the True Testament Diocese of California, was also wearing a yellow robe. He was sitting next to Hong Renzheng with his hand on the hilt of a Taiping sword, his face full of murderous intent.

"Hand over 50,000 tons of flour and 50,000 hogs," Holden unfolded the list, "and the state government can temporarily suspend Chinese exclusion."

Hong Renzheng sneered: "The Chinese Exclusion Act is a federal law. Does the governor have the right to suspend it?"

"Although the Chinese Exclusion Act was enacted by the federal government, it is enforced by the states." Holden wiped his sweat, "As long as prices remain stable, Governor Weller can temporarily suspend the implementation of Chinese exclusion in California."

Stanford opened the four suitcases he brought to San Francisco and said to Hong Renzheng with a smile: "Bishop, here are $30 worth of California government bonds. As long as you can hand over 30 tons of flour and live pigs, I can give you another $."

Hong Renzheng laughed as if he heard a joke. "Mr. Stanford, you really know how to joke. The California government bonds are about to be burned by hungry Irish workers. What's the difference between its bonds and waste paper? Go back and tell Governor Weller that if he wants us to open the warehouses and release grain to stabilize the prices in California, he only needs to meet one condition from us - Congress repeals the Chinese Exclusion Act!"

Holden stood up suddenly: "This is a threat! The Federation will never cancel the Chinese Exclusion Act under your threat!"

When Stanford heard what the California Secretary of State said, he almost hit him on the butt with his cane - why are you talking so hard? Do you really want to fight to the death? Didn't you see how prepared the Chinese in San Francisco are for war? If we really fight to the death with them, whether we can win or not is another matter, but we will definitely not make any money from this dollar.
"Bishop Hong," Stanford quickly said to defend Holden, "The Chinese Exclusion Act is a formal law passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives, and signed by the President of the United States. To repeal it, Congress must hold a meeting and vote on it, and then the entire process will take at least several months for Congress to go through it. How many months can California's food prices be maintained like this? Won't it be a mess?"

Hong Renzheng laughed and said, "California doesn't belong to us Chinese. We Chinese will be excluded. So what? If Congress and the President are really anxious, they can hold a meeting and pass it quickly. It can be done in one morning!"

"But it takes at least a week to get from California to Washington!" Stanford said, "It takes two weeks to go there and back."

"Okay, two weeks. I'll wait!" After that, he waved to Huang Shiren who was standing by, "Bishop Huang, read our petition to Mr. Stanford and Mr. Holden."

"Yes, Bishop!" Huang Shiren, who was sitting on a bench nearby, immediately stood up, took out a roll of yellow silk, unfolded it, and read aloud in English:
"The last petition from the Chinese in California!

To the Congress and all the free citizens of the United States of America:

When a government betrays the foundation of its country, when the flame of freedom only shines on some people, and when the law becomes a tool of oppression, the victims have the right and must speak out.

We Chinese have crossed the ocean to the New World, reclaimed the wasteland with our blood and sweat, and loyally abided by the laws of this country. But today, the Chinese Exclusion Act is imposed on us, turning us into aliens, depriving us of our right to work, our right to live in peace, and even our right to dignity. This is not justice, this is tyranny!

We are not begging for mercy, but claiming our rights! We claim:

1. The Chinese Exclusion Act should be repealed! This act violates the spirit of the Declaration of Independence - 'all men are created equal'. If Chinese workers can be expelled because of their skin colour, then tomorrow the Irish, Germans, and even any other race can lose their place of residence because of momentary prejudice.

2. The right to fair labor! We are not thieves, but builders. The farmlands of California are soaked with the sweat of the Chinese; the docks of San Francisco are filled with warehouses built by Chinese workers. If the United States needs our strength but refuses to allow us to exist, this is not a contract, this is slavery!
3. Equal protection of the law! We pay taxes, obey the law, and worship God, but we are not allowed to buy property, testify, or naturalize. If the law only protects white people, then this country is not a republic, but a caste country!

Today in California, fires are burning warehouses and gunshots are ringing in the streets. The riots by non-Chinese are the result of injustice! If Congress continues to sit back and watch, the riots will not only stop in San Francisco, but hatred will spread across the United States. We are willing to petition peacefully, but if justice is still denied, history will record: non-Chinese destroyed this state, it was prejudice that destroyed it!

What we seek is just one word - justice!

Respectfully submitted by California Chinese
San Francisco, July 1859, 7.

Huang Shiren had just left with Stanford and Holden when Hong Renzheng turned and walked towards the altar. On the altar, a gilded statue of Hong Xiuquan held the Heavenly King Sword, which symbolized killing.

"Brother Wenguang, are you ready?" Hong Renzheng spoke Mandarin with a Cantonese accent. He stroked the inscription "Fengtian Taohu" on the scabbard with his fingers, and then took the sword off.

"Ready!" Lai Wenguang knelt on one knee and took the Heavenly King Sword with both hands.

The Heavenly King's sword in the hands of the statue of Hong Xiuquan in the churches of the True Covenant Church's overseas archbishops and archbishops can be taken down. If the Heavenly King's sword is taken down by the archbishop or archbishop, it means that the True Covenant Church in that diocese will take up arms and fight!
Hong Renzheng looked at the statue of the second son of God and said sarcastically, "The American Declaration of Independence says that 'all men are created equal.'" He suddenly sneered, "But in their eyes, 'people' never include yellow faces. So, our petition is a declaration of war in their eyes!"

Lai Wenguang, who had just arrived in America, smiled and said, "Let's fight! Archbishop, leave it to me!"

At this time, the sound of wheels rolling and horses neighing came from outside the yard. Through the window, you can see that outside a lonely yard across the street, militiamen wearing bowler hats are moving large boxes out of the yard and loading them onto several horse-drawn carriages. The pennants on the shafts read "True Covenant Volunteers".

Hong Renzheng withdrew his gaze from the carriages and said to Lai Wenguang, "When the Heavenly King raised his army in Jintian Village, there were only more than 1000 soldiers who could fight. Now there are True Pact fighters in San Francisco alone. And there are picric acid shells. You have to hit them hard!"

Sacramento.

Under the dome of the state government building, the Chinese version of the "Chinese Petition" curled up into ash in the fireplace. Governor Weller, who had just thrown the "petition" into the fireplace, had veins bulging in his hands and his face was still angry.

"How dare they tamper with the Declaration of Independence!" Former Governor Bigler waved the English version of "The Last Chinese Petition". "The 'people' in 'all men are created equal' clearly refers to white Christians! But it's good this way, we now have evidence that the Chinese launched a rebellion!"

The window glass suddenly trembled. When the secretary pushed the door open, a strong wind blew in, causing the yellow silk in Bigler's hand to shake: "Governor, they are setting fire!"

Weller rushed to the window. The sky south of Sacramento had turned orange, and twelve columns of smoke were rising high. The nearest farm was only five miles away from the state government building, and in the firelight, people wearing bamboo hats were seen throwing bundles of straw into the fire.

"That's Crocker Bank's collateral!" Leland Stanford shouted. "It was valued at $100,000 last month."

"According to Section 7 of the California Militia Act!" Bigler said excitedly, "The property of the rebels can be confiscated immediately!" He swept his fanatical eyes over the crowd, "Sending cavalry now can also grab some food!"

"Yes, yes," Leland Stanford nodded, wondering to what extent this fire would push food prices in California.
These Chinese would rather burn their stored grain than sell it. This is really a great determination!
"I declare," Weller finally made up his mind, "that this rebellion in California is an attack on the United States of America launched by the Chinese and the True Covenantists! The California government will confiscate all property of the True Covenantists and the Chinese in California in accordance with Section 7 of the California Militia Act! In addition, we request support from the federal army and the Pacific Fleet in California as California is under attack from foreign enemies!"

(End of this chapter)