's yamen at
Tientsin, ignored Hart, and proclaimed that he had come as the friend
of the only man who had given any sign of an inclination to regenerate
China. He resided as long as he was in Northern China with Li Hung
Chang, whom he found being goaded towards high treason by persons who
had no regard for China's interests, and who thought only of the
attainment of their own selfish designs. The German Minister, thinking
that he had obtained an ally who would render the success of his own
plan certain, proposed that Gordon should put himself at the head of
Li's army, march on Peking, and depose the Emperor. Gordon's droll
comment on this is: "I told him I was equal to a good deal of
filibustering, but that this was beyond me, and that I did not think
there was the slightest chance of such a project succeeding, as Li had
not a sufficient following to give it any chance of success." He
recorded his views of the situation in the following note: "The only
thing that keeps me in China is Li Hung Chang's safety--if he were
safe I would not care--but some people are egging him on to rebel,
some to this, and some to that, and all appears in a helpless drift.
There are parties at Peking who would drive the Chinese into war for
their own ends." Having measured the position and found it bristling
with unexpected difficulties and dangers, Gordon at once regretted the
promise he had given his own Government in the message from Ceylon. He
thought it was above all things necessary for him to have a free hand,
and he consequently sent the following telegram to the Horse Guards:
"I have seen Li Hung Chang, and he wishes me to stay with him. I
cannot desert China in her present crisis, and would be free to act
as I think fit. I therefore beg to resign my commission in Her
Majesty's Service." Having thus relieved, as he thought, his
Government of all responsibility for his acts--although they responded
to this message by accusing him of insubordination, and by instructing
Sir Thomas Wade to place him under moral arrest--Gordon threw himself
into the China difficulty with his usual ardour. Nothing more remained
to be done at Tientsin, where he had effectually checked the
pernicious counsel pressed on Li Hung Chang most strongly by the
German Minister, and in a minor degree by the representatives of
France and England. In order to influence the Central Government it
was necessary for him to proceed to Peking, and the following
unpublished