The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-03-19 00:00:00

TO THE ELECTORS OF THE NORTHERN
DIVISION OF LANCASHIRE.

GENTLEMEN,—It has been announced by her
livid sty's Ministers that they have recommended
to her Majesty an early Dissolution of the present Parliament.
This step has been taken by them in consequence of a resolution
Nissen by the House of Commons, having reference to the causes of
the war in which we are now engaged with the Chinese.
Owing to a domestic affi ction I was not present in the House of
Commons when the above resolution was passed. It becomes me,
therefore, in again offering myself as a candidate for the honour of
representing you 13 Parliament, to state my opinion on a matter cow
become of much importance.
I have given a patient and attentive consideration of tha papers
laid before Parliament relating to this subject, and believe that tie
main features of the origin of the war are set forth in the following
statement off ets.

A Chinese officer :hoarded a vessel called The Arrow, and carried
away in cusiody twelve Chinese sailors, ore or more of whom he
suspected of being connected with piracy; he is also accused, but
denies the accusation, of having pulled down the British fl.g.
Sir John Bowring, the Governor of Bong Kong, demanded from
the Chinese Commissioner at Canton the immediate restitution of
the e ptured sailors with an apology, and these terms not being
complied with, he took poss:•ssion cf a Chinese vessel, and some
forts, by way of reprisals. The sailors were then restored, but an
apology was declined, on the ground that the Arrow was a Chinese
'and not a British vessel; it appears from the following extracts,
that The Arrow was, in pc int of fact, a Chinese vessel, and had been
sailing ender a British register, but the terms of the register had
expired a short time previously.
Sir John Bowring, in a letter dated October 11, 1856, a few days
after the occurrence, says—" It appears, on examination, that The
Arrow had no right to hoist the British file, the license to do so
having expired." He adds, on the 13th, " Tl:ele can be no doubt
that after the expiry of the license, protection could not legally he
granted to The Arrow." He hit it h ,wever his duty to perAst in
enforcing an apology by further hostilities, on the ground that an
insult had been intenc ed. Oilier subjects of difference were subse-
quently introduced, and step by step the British and Chinese became
involved in a war.

This is a abort, but I hope and believe, a fair outline of the origin
of the war; at any rate the statement is uninfluenced by any party
or political feeling whatever.
New, I give Sir John Bowring and those connected with him,
credit for an anxious drslre to maintain the honour of the British
Flag. ant+ to promote British interests; I make, moreover, allcwanee
for the difficulties arising from the character of the nation with
which he had to deal. Warlike proceedings. however, such as he
had recourse to, can only be justified when they are founded on the
strictest rues of right, and I think that Sir John Bowring should
have hesitated, holding the opinions which he did with regard to the
Arrow's nationality, to make this seject the origin of a war, tne
nature, event, and expense of which it is Impossible to foresee. lie
might at least have attended the advice given to him in the outset of
the proceeding by the British ('ontul at Canton, " that the inviola-
Witty of the Biittsh Flao would in this case be satisfactorily vindi-
cated by o, e or two reprise's."
But Sir John Bowrlng's proceedings, in this particular case, are
the more to be lamented, because the cleim hich he subsequ:ntly
made on the Chinese Government for the admission of British sub-
jects into Canton, was founded on a solemn treaty, and might have
teen justly urged and enforced without being engrafted on the affair
of the Arrow,

I give her Illsjest)'s'Government credit for the step, which has
been announced recently, of sending out another officer to conduct
all future proceedings at Canton, backed by such a force as will en.
sure protection to British interests. It affords grounds for believing
that those proceedings will be carried on with vigour and strict
regard to justice, which 1 wiiiingly admit characterised the conduet
of the present Government in the recent war.
I will only further add, that I continue to entertain the same
opinions on all great constitutional questions, which I have held
since I first became your representative. I have the same determi-
nation to support our national institutions—the same anxious desire
to promote social improvements—the same devotion to yourlocal
interests.

I am aware of many imperfections in the discharge of my public
duties, tut I hope I may have been able, in the course of our long
political connection, to establish in your minds, a convict on that I
at least exercise an independent judgment in all public matters.
I have the honour to be,
Your obedient servant.
J. WILSON PATTEN.
London, March 13, 1637.