be handsomely rewarded.  In case of those who wilfully join insurgents, or afford them refuge, or conceal weapons, they shall be severely punished.  More than that, the villages to which such offenders belong shall be held collectively responsible and punished with rigour.  I call upon each and every one of the people of Korea to understand clearly what I have herewith said to you and avoid all reprehensible action.”

The Koreans in America circulated a manifesto directed against those of their countrymen who were working with Japan, under the expressive title of “explosive thunder,” which breathed fury and vengeance.  Groups of Koreans in the provinces issued other statements which, if not quite so picturesque, were quite forcible enough.  Here is one:—­

“Our numbers are twenty million, and we have over ten million strong men, excluding old, sick, and children.  Now, the Japanese soldiers in Korea are not more than eight thousand, and Japanese merchants at various places are not more than some thousands.  Though their weapons are sharp, how can one man kill a thousand?  We beg you our brothers not to act in a foolish way and not to kill any innocent persons.  We will fix the day and the hour for you to strike.  Some of us, disguised as beggars and merchants, will go into Seoul.  We will destroy the railway, we will kindle flames in every port, we will destroy Chinkokai, kill Ito and all the Japanese, Yi Wan-yong and his underlings, and will not leave a single rebel against our Emperor alive.  Then Japan will bring out all her troops to fight us.  We have no weapons at our hands, but we will keep our own patriotism.  We may not be able to fight against the sharp weapons of the Japanese, but we will ask the Foreign Consuls to help us with their troops, and maybe they will assist the right persons and destroy the wicked; otherwise let us die.  Let us strike against Japan, and then, if must be, all die together with our country and with our Emperor, for there is no other course open to us.  It is better to lose our lives now than to live miserably a little time longer, for the Emperor and our brothers will all surely be killed by the abominable plans of Ito, Yi Wan-yong, and their associates.  It is better to die as a patriot than to live having abandoned one’s country.  Mr. Yi Chun went to foreign lands to plead for our country, and his plans did not carry well, so he cut his stomach asunder with a sword and poured out his blood among the foreign nations to proclaim his patriotism to the world.  These of our twenty million people who do not unite offend against the memory of Mr. Yi Chun.  We have to choose between destruction or the maintenance of our country.  Whether we live or die is a small thing, the great thing is that we make up our minds at once whether we work for or against our country.”

A group of Koreans in the southern provinces petitioned Prince Ito, in the frankest fashion:—­