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PRECONVENTIONAL PERIOD
by such vetoes. An expedition was led by Mr. Medhurst in 1835 and another by Mr. Gutzlaff in 1837, and from the accounts published by these two propagandists, accurate information may be obtained concerning the disposition of the Chinese people towards foreigners in districts remote from Canton. It is unnecessary to follow the travellers through all their wanderings. A few very brief references will suffice. Mr. Medhurst sums up the results of his expedition in these words: "Thus we have gone through various parts of four provinces and many villages, giving away about eighteen thousand volumes, of which six thousand were portions of the Scriptures, among a cheerful and willing people without meeting with the least aggression or injury; having been always received by the people with a cheerful smile, and most generally by the officers with politeness and respect." They were not greeted with cries of "barbarian" or "foreign devil," nor did they observe anywhere the least inclination to molest them. Very seldom did the local officials seek to restrict their movements. One example of such interference may be cited. Having been invited to a meeting with a civil and a military officer, Mr. Medhurst and his companion were informed by the latter that "the orders from the Court were to treat foreigners with kindness and liberality, wherever and whenever they came, but by no means to allow them to stay and propagate their opinions.
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