清光緒二十年(1894),中日甲午戰(zhàn)爭的失敗及《馬關(guān)條約》的簽訂，給中國人民以極大的震動，朝野上下一致發(fā)出要求維新變法的呼聲。一批最先接受西方資產(chǎn)階級思想的知識分子，面對清廷的腐敗昏庸，深感亡國滅種的嚴(yán)重威脅，于是提出用和平的手段，自上而下進(jìn)行改革，通過君主立憲的道路，把中國變成資本主義強(qiáng)國。
光緒二十一年(1985),以維新派的代表人物康有為為首的1300余名在京應(yīng)試的舉人，聯(lián)名 “公車上書” (因舉人進(jìn)京會試乘公車，史稱 “公車上書” ),宣告了中國維新變法運(yùn)動的開始。
天津作為北京的門戶，南北水陸交通樞紐，自然受到很大影響，成為北方維新運(yùn)動的重要陣地。其代表人物，就是當(dāng)時(shí)擔(dān)任天津水師學(xué)堂總教習(xí)的嚴(yán)復(fù)。
嚴(yán)復(fù)與北京 “公車上書” 相呼應(yīng)，從光緒二十一年(1895)正月初十起到四月，在天津《直報(bào)》發(fā)表了《論世變之亟》、《原強(qiáng)》、《辟韓》、《救亡決論》等文章，全面提出了救亡圖存，變法維新的主張。特別是在《辟韓》中，用資產(chǎn)階級的民主觀，否定了封建主義的“君臣之論” ,成為維新派批判封建主義的最有力的武器。
光緒二十三年十月一日 (1897年10月26日),嚴(yán)復(fù)與友人王修植、夏曾佑等人，又在天津創(chuàng)辦了 《國聞報(bào)》 (日報(bào)),為天津維新變法思想的傳播，為陸續(xù)頒行的變法新政，進(jìn)行了充分報(bào)道，為資產(chǎn)階級的政治改良運(yùn)動大造輿論。它不僅是天津由中國人創(chuàng)辦的最早報(bào)紙，而且是維新派在華北地區(qū)出版的唯一報(bào)紙，同時(shí)也是維新派創(chuàng)辦的第一家日報(bào)。
《國聞報(bào)》創(chuàng)辦后一個月，又編輯出版了《國聞匯編》,作為旬刊，嚴(yán)復(fù)譯述的 《天演論》和《群學(xué)肄言》的部分譯文，即在旬刊上首次發(fā)表。由于這些報(bào)刊及時(shí)報(bào)道了各地維新變法活動和先進(jìn)的思想觀點(diǎn)，閱后使人耳目一新，影響很大，與當(dāng)時(shí)梁啟超在上海主辦的《時(shí)務(wù)報(bào)》交相輝映，被視為宣傳維新變法思想的南北兩大陣地。
光緒二十四年 (1898),從正月初六到十四日，嚴(yán)復(fù)在《國聞報(bào)》上發(fā)表《擬上皇帝書》,此后并受到光緒皇帝召見，遵命將此書修繕抄呈，由軍機(jī)處轉(zhuǎn)上，后因政變，未能上達(dá)。

·嚴(yán)復(fù)1905年于倫敦留影

特別是，光緒二十四年(1898)閏三月二日，嚴(yán)復(fù)譯述的英國赫胥黎的《天演論》,在天津出版。他并翻譯了亞當(dāng)斯密的《原富》、斯賓塞爾的《群學(xué)肄言》等西方資產(chǎn)階級名著，第一次系統(tǒng)地介紹了西方資產(chǎn)階級古典經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)、政治與法學(xué)理論及社會學(xué)、邏輯學(xué)，傳播了西方資產(chǎn)階級的文化。嚴(yán)復(fù)在論文中還時(shí)常加入自己的按語，聯(lián)系中國的實(shí)際，表達(dá)中國應(yīng)該變法維新，以救亡圖存的思想。
在變法維新思潮的影響下，天津掀起了辦報(bào)紙、設(shè)學(xué)會、建學(xué)堂的熱潮，到光緒二十四年(1898),天津發(fā)行的進(jìn)步報(bào)刊就有20余種。
最引人注目的是建學(xué)堂。主要學(xué)堂有： 天津育才館、俄文館、礦務(wù)學(xué)堂、蘆漢鐵路學(xué)堂、嚴(yán)氏家塾等。而且在學(xué)校體制、教學(xué)內(nèi)容和考試制度等方面，也都進(jìn)行了改革。天津各書院一律改試策論。天津原有6所大小書院，有的歸并到北洋高等學(xué)堂，有的改為天津府中學(xué)堂、天津縣小學(xué)堂，問津書院和輔仁書院也改成了學(xué)堂，同時(shí)還設(shè)立了編譯書局； 還派學(xué)生赴日留學(xué)，學(xué)習(xí)新技術(shù)。
在軍事方面也進(jìn)行了一些改革。袁世凱接管的 “定武軍”在天津小站使用新式武器，按西方國家軍隊(duì)的模式進(jìn)行操練。
戊戌變法失敗后的第7天，《國聞報(bào)》沖破禁網(wǎng)，在《視死如歸》的標(biāo)題下，報(bào)道了譚嗣同等六君子被害的消息。對維新志士的死難及他們勇于犧牲的精神，表示了哀悼和敬意。戊戌變法失敗后，天津也重新恢復(fù)了舊制，《國聞報(bào)》等被查禁停辦，嚴(yán)復(fù)被監(jiān)視，各學(xué)會被迫停止活動。資產(chǎn)階級企圖通過變法維新，振興中華的夢想徹底破滅。
此后不久，《國聞報(bào)》報(bào)館賣給了日本人。清光緒二十七年(1901),改版為《天津日日新聞》,雖然漢奸方若為主編，但卻完全控制在日本人手里。成為日本文化侵略的工具。
In 1894(the 12th year of Emperor Guangxu),China`ssetbacks in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 and thesigning of Treaty of Shimonoseki shocked the nationand aroused the appeal for reform.Intellectuals who hadaccepted the Western Bourgeois thoughts criticized thecorruption of the Qing Government and worried aboutthe future of the nation. They wished to turn China intoa capitalist power through the reform from top to bottomin peaceful ways.
In 1895,Kang Youwei,a representative of thereformists,led 1,300 or so Juren,successful candidatesin the imperial examinations at the provincial level inQing Dynasty,submitted a petition to the royal court,embarking of the Constitutional Reform Movement inChina.
Tianjin,as the gate to Beijing and the traffic hingeof sea and land,was the hub of the ConstitutionalReform Movement in northern China. The leader of themovement in Tianjin was Yan Fu,the dean of TianjinNavy School.
To echo the reform movement in Beijing,Yan Fupublished a series articles,such as Lun Shibian Zhiji(On Society),Yuanqiang (The Original Power),Pihan,Jiuwang Juelun (Final Theory on Saving the Nation fromDistinction) from January to April in 1895. Yan`s articleselaborated his thoughts on how to save China throughthe Constitutional Reform Movement. Especially inPihan,Yan denied the feudal relationship betweenemperor and his ministers from the perspective ofBourgeis democracy,which became the most powerfulweapon of the reformists in criticizing the feudalism.
On October 26,1897,Yan Fu,Wang Xiuzhi andXia Zengyou created Guowenbao (National News Daily)to promote the ideas of Constitutional Reform. Thenewspaper was the first newspaper created by th Chinesepeople in Tianjin as well as the only one compiled byrefomists in northern China. Onemonth after the establishmentof the newspaper,Yan alsocompiled Guowen Huibian (theCollection of National News),which was issued once every10 days. The latter publicationcarried parts of the Chinese translation of Evolution and Ethics written by ThomasHenry Huxley as well as parts of Social Statistic byHerbert Spencer. All the newspapers reported in timethe ideas,thoughts and activities of ConstitutionalReform Movement,producing profound influencesamong readers. The National News Daily,together withLiang Qichao`s Shiwubao (Current Affairs Newspaper)in Shanghai,were regarded as the two pillar media topromote the Constitutional Reform Movement.
From January 6 to 14,1898,Yan published the NiShang Huangdi Shu (A Letter to the Emperor) and wasreceived by Emperor Guangxu. The letter was asked tobe copied and forwarded by the Ministry of Defense,butit did not reach the emperor due to an aborted coup.
In 1898,Yan`s translation of Huxley`s Evolutionand Ethics was published in Tianjin. He also translatedseveral other western classics such as Wealth of Nationsby Adam Smith and Social Statistic by Herbert Spencer.For the first time,Yan introduced systematically theWestern Bourgeois classic economics,political theories,legal theories,sociology and logic to China. In histranslations,Yan added his own comments concerningChina`s practice to promote his thoughts that only theConstitutional Reform could save China.
Influenced by the constitutional movement,there was an upsurge of editing newspapers,foundingassociations and building schools in Tianjin. By 1898,there were more than 20 newspapers advocatingadvanced ideas in Tianjin.
A most remarkable influenceof the Reform Movement wasto build schools,which mainlyincluded Tianjin Talent TrainingSchool,Russian School,MiningSchool,Luhan Railway School,Yan`s Family School and so on. Theeducation system,curriculum andexaminations in the schools were also reformed. Allthese schools adopted examinations of politics writing.As to Tianjin`s original six schools,some were affiliatedto Beiyang Higher School,and some others were mergedinto Tianjin Middle School or Tianjin County PrimarySchool. The Wenjin Shuyuan and Furen Shuyuan werealso changed into schools. A publishing house wasfounded to compile and translate books. Some studentswere sent to Japan to study new technologies.
In military aspect,Yuan Shikai took over 4,000Dingwu soldiers stationed in Xiaozhan and trained themin western methods with the equipment of advancedweapons.
On the 7th day after the failure of the ConstitutionalReform Movement,the Guowenbao carried an articleentitled Shisi Rugui (To Face Death Unflinchingly),which reported for the first time the death of TanSitong and other five reformists. It praised highly of thespirits of the reformists and expressed condolence tothe dead. After that,Tianjin`s old system was retrievedand the newspaper Guowenbao was shut down. TheBourgeois tried in vain to strengthen China through theConstitutional Reform Movement.
Soon after that,the newspaper was sold to theJapanese. In 1901,the newspaper was renamed asTianjin Riri Xinbao (Tianjin Daily News),to which FangRuo served as the editor-in-chief. It turned out that Fangwas a traitor and the newspaper was fully controlled bythe Japanese for their invasion towards China.