庚戌新军起义善后与广州舆论的“悼惜”风潮

The Aftermath of the 1910 New Army Uprising and the“Mourning”Trend in the Public Opinions of Guangzhou

庚戌(1910年)广州新军起义,作为清末孙中山领导的第九次起义,载入辛亥革命的史册。吊诡的是,起义被镇压后,官方与绅、商、学界围绕事件性质与善后问题产生了激烈的意见冲突。广东当局公布革命党人的口供和物证,力证其为叛乱行动,并解散涉事的七营全体士兵。以粤商自治会为首的多数舆论则认为这是粤省当局处置不善导致的兵变。特别是巡防营在镇压过程中军纪败坏,而由“良家子弟”组成的新军虽然失败但仍不愿扰民,引发“悼惜新军”的舆论风潮。可见粤省绅、商、学界对于革命态度暧昧,更重视保护本省与自身的权益。清廷在舆论压力下选择惩处镇压有功的粤省官吏,后者唯有掩盖新军既存问题直至皇朝倾覆,反映了筹备立宪语境下民意勃发,政局不稳,清廷却盲目推动新军建设的时代矛盾。

The 1910 New Army Uprising in Guangzhou, as the ninth uprising led by Sun Yat-sen at the end of the Qing dynasty, was recorded in the history of the Revolution of 1911.Paradoxically, after the uprising was suppressed, the official, gentry, business and academic circles had a fierce conflict of opinions around the nature of the incident and its aftermath.The Guangdong authorities released the confessions and material evidence of the revolutionary party members, firmly proving that this was a rebellion and disbanding all the soldiers of the seven battalions involved.The majority opinion, represented by the Autonomous Association of Guangdong Merchants, believed that this was a mutiny caused by the poor management of the Guangdong provincial authorities.Especially in the suppression process, the military discipline of the Patrol Camp was corrupted, while the New Army composed of “youth from good families”,although failed in the uprising, still refrained from disturbing the people, thus engendering the trend of “mourning the New Army”.It could be seen that the gentry, business, and academic circles in Guangdong had ambiguous attitudes towards revolution and attached greater importance to protecting the rights and interests of the province and themselves.Under the pressure of public opinions, the Qing court chose to punish the officials of Guangdong province who had made contributions to the suppression of the New Army Uprising.This action only covered up the existing problems of the New Army until the collapse of the Qing dynasty.This incident reflects the paradox of the era that in the context of preparing for constitutionalism, public opinions were very active and political situation was very unstable, while the Qing court still blindly promoted the construction of the New Army.