The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-01-21 00:00:00

BIRMINGHAM AND THE WAR WITH PERSIA,

A,town's meeting was held at Birmingham on Monday night,
to take into consideration the wars in which England is now
engaged with Persia and China. There was a very numerous
attendance. In the absence of the Mayor, Mr. Alderman
Baldwin presided. In opening the proceedings, the chairman
read letters of apology from several gentlemen, who were pre-
vented from being present, including the following from Lord
Lyttleton :—" Hayley, Stourbridge. Dear
,Sir,--I am
unwilling to take so decided a step as to attend a .public meet-
ing about the China war, especially when Parliament is so soon
to meet. The question will no doubt come before the House
of Lerch, and I am still willing to,hear what further statement
may be made by the Government. But I am bound to say
that the despatches are so ample that it is difficult to suppose
that anything material can be added to them, and on the case
at it stands, I cannot think that the conduct of the Admiral
and Sir John. Bowring was right. The case is twofold. The
particular grievance complained of about the Arrow seemed at
an early stage to have been put in the background by- the
English authorities, and the original stipulations that
Canton should be opened at least to official inter-
views, to have been received and insisted on.
Now, if we grant that whatever may have been the
strict merits of the case of the Arrow, it at least furnished an
illustration of the undoubted inconvenience of the present rela-
tions with Canton. Still I cannot conceive it possible that It
should warrant immediate hostilities. At most, it should have
been made the subject of a reference to the Home Government.
Nor can I think that in any case at present, and after so long a
toleration of the non-enfoscement of the treaty in that
respect, it should be a ground of actual war, though it m'ght be
a ground for suspension of friendly intercourse. Again, sup-
posing that the case of the Arrow should alone be insisted on,
with a view at least to an apology, the whole of the English
case manifestly rests on the single point, that the British flag
was flying on the ship, and that it was insulted. That this
ship was-not in any other sense English is admitted. That
the flag was flying is denied on the part of the Chinese. But
assuming that it was so, ,it is distinctly admitted by Sir John
Bowring, that it had no business to be there : but, he says
the Chinese did not:know that. Can a more disgraceful casus
UN be conceived ? -From the high character of Sir H. Sey-
mour, and as at least I should imagine to be the case, the
eminently pacific dispositions of Sir J. Bowring, I am slow to
suppose them capable of wanton aggression in such a matter,
but as at present advised, I am unable to justify their proceed
ings.—Yours, faithfully, LYTTLETQN:! The first resolution,
which was moved by Mr. William Morgan, was as follows :
" That this. meeting having considered, the, subject of
the recent bombardment of Canton, feels called upon to
express unqualified condemnation of an act which appears to be
not only unjustifiable under the circumstances which occasioned
it, but to be 'repugnant to Christianity, and calculated to
dishonour the British name and impede the extension of lawful
commerce." The speaker thought that the opium trade had
more to do with the boinbardment of Canton than anything
else. He spoke of the odium in which the British name was
held by the Chinese and other foreigners in consequence of that
traffic. After showing how the trade impeded general com-
merce, be entered,into the details of the dispute which ended
in the bombardment of Canton. He felt sure that the quarrel
would terminate with as little benefit to England or English
commerce as the war of 1842. The Rev. Charles *Vince
seconded the resolution. He was not a peace man, but that
did not keep him from denouncing the bombardment. Sir.
Al: Seymour- had engaged in hostilities when he should have
settled the difficulty quietly. He declared that the subject
should have been referred to England, that the English people
might decide whether it was a case for war or not. (Islear, hear.)
The struggle so far had been as unmanly as it was- aggressive
The resolution was carried almost unanimously. Mr. Joseph
Sturge then rose to move the next resolution, which was as
follows:—" That, so far as this meeting can judge from the
scanty information which the Government has. supplied to the
public, the expedition to Persia is. an unrighteous aggression
upon the territories of a weak power, under pretexts that are
alike trivial and doubtful, and is likely to lead to serious and
extensive complications, the results of which may involve the
country in both disaster and disgrace.” He (Mr. Sturge)
condemned the Persian war on the lower ground of policy. as
well as upon the higher principles of Christian morality. The
Rev. A. G. O'Neill, in an eloquent speech, seconded the
motion, which was carried amid much applause. The follow..
ing petition was afterwards unanimon-ly adopted, and it was
agreed to forward the adme to Mr. Muntz for presentation
" To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, in Parliament assembled—The
bumble petition of the inhabitants of Birmingham, assembled
at a public meeting in the Musichall, the 19th day of Jan, 1857,
showeth—That your petitioners hav9 learned, with the deepest
regret the present unhappy position of the relations of this
country with Persia and China. That so far as your petitioners
can judge from the scanty information which the Government
has supplied to the public, the expedition to Persia is an
unrighteous aggression upon the territories of a weak power,
under pretexts that are alike trivial and doubtful, and is likely
to lead to serious and extensive complications, the results of
which may involve the country in both disaster and disgrace.
That in the judgment of your petitioners the bombardment of
Canton by the Pritish fleet, under Admiral Seymour, was an
act which appears to be not only unwarranted by the circum-
stances which occasioned it, but to be repugnant to Christianity,
and calculated to dishonour the British name• and impede the
extension of lawful commerce. That your petitioners earnestly
protest against any subordinate official, whose want of judgment
or temper may involve him in misunderstandings with foreign
authorities, being entrusted with the solemn and terrible power
of making war against another nation, and, therefore, pray your
honourable house to adopt some means by which parliament
may, for the future, exercise a real and substantial control
over the policy of the government in its dealings with foreign
states. Lastly, your petitioners implore your honourable
house to take such measures as shall clear the people of this
country from all participation in acts of aggression and cruelty
which may bring upon them national dishonour,and tte stain of
blood-guiltiness. And your petitioners will ever pray, &r."

Rerninvz.—Peter Loughman- and Timothy Kelly. •con-
victed of the murder of a French seaman at Alderney, and
now lying in Guernsey gaol, have been reprieved during her
Majesty's pleasure.