Expulsion of the Chinese and Readmission to the Philippines

1764-1779

Bibliographic Data

ID11814818
AuthorsSalvador P Escoto (corresponding author)
Year2012
Volume47
Issue1
Publication date2012-05-11
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenuePhilippine Studies Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2244-1093 • E-ISSN: 2244-1638
PublisherAteneo de Manila University Press (PUBLISHER • PH)
DOI10.13185/2244-1638.4300
OpenAlexW2225965498
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited2

Murderers! Traitors! Apostates! Ingrates! These are some of the nasty epithets directed against the Chinese in the aftermath of the British Occupation of Manila, 1762-64. To the Spaniards, it was an intensely emotional issue filled with hatred, revenge and disbelief. How could the sangleyes (as they were then called in the Philippines), the Christian-Chinese in particular, do such a terrible thing! After enriching themselves in the Philippines, they became enthusiastic allies of the English invaders, joined in their military campaigns, set fire to many towns, desecrated the churches, killed several Spaniards, and even tortured a few priests. The Chinese, on the other hand, believed they had legitimate reasons for their disloyalty. They regarded the Spanish government as unbearably oppressive. After suffering discrimination, overtaxation, periodic massacres and expulsions for almost two centuries, they probably considered the arrival of the British as the best thing that ever happened in the Islands. The British treated them better, were tolerant of other religions and more enlightened in trade policy. Unfortunately for the sangleyes, the Peace Treaty of Paris, which ended the Seven Years War of 175663, returned Manila to Spain. Consequently, they were terror-stricken at the thought of being left behind at the mercy of the Spaniards. At the beginning of the transfer-of-power conference with the English officials, Simon de Anda, the de facto governor and leader of the resistance movement, instructed his delegates to deny general pardon to the Chinese. This attitude was maintained by the interim governor, Francisco de la Torre, who arrived on 18 March 1764. Colonel Thomas Backhouse, the chief British negotiator, cajoled, remonstrated and finally threatened to delay the departure of some of his troops and charge the Spanish government 20 pesos for every Chinese transported out of Manila. De la Torre eventually yielded and

Ancient history · China · Epithet · Government (linguistics · Governor · Hatred · Political science · Politics · Power (physics · Resistance (ecology · Sociology · Spanish Civil War · Treaty · Classics · History · Law · Philippine History and Culture · Philosophy

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