The Sun.
London, England, 1858-09-28 00:00:00

RAJAH BROOKE IN LIVERPOOL.

LIVERPOOL, SEPT. 27.
Sir J. BROOKE, K.C.8., Rajah of Sarawak,
Borneo, has arrived in Liverpool for the purpose
of taking part in the proceedings of the Society for
the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts at
the annual meeting to be held at the Collegiate Ins
stitution this evening.
The Mayor of Liverpool, taking advantage of the
Rajah's presence in the town, invited the heads of
the commercial bodies and the leading shipowners
and merchants here to a dejeuner at the Town-hall
this afternoon, to meet Sir James Brooke.
Among the invited guests were Sir J. Brooke,
K.C.8., Bishop of Chester, Rev. Dr. Keene, Rev.
M. Leicester, Rev. ' Rector Campbell, Rev. M.
Dowding, Rev. Dr. Hessey, Dr. Smith, Dr.
Bay lee, Dr. Casswell, Messrs. Anderson, R. Brockle-
bank, T. Brocklelgank, C. Bushell, 3. Bramley-
Moore, M.P., Carstairs, Crosbie, A. Campbell, G.
Campbell, Duckworth, Duff, Fairbairn, Finlay,
S. R. Graves (chairman of the Liverpool Ship-
owners' Association), Gladstone, T. B. Horsfall,
M.P., Harrison, Inman, Livingstone, Littledale,
Matheson, M'Micking, Preston, Potter, Royds,
Rathbone, Stotterfoht, Sanders, Shand, Stewart,
Schwabie, J. Campbell, C. Turner (chairman of the
Liverpool Docks and Harbour Board), T. Turner,
Wetbers, Taylor, Sorr, Waterhouse.
After the dejeuner, -
The MAYOR gave, in succession, "The Queen,'
" The Prince Consort, Albert Prince of Wales, and'
the rest of the Boyal Family," and "The Bishop of
the Diocese (Chester) and the Clergy.
The Bishop of Ch ESTER responded for himself,
and the Rev. Rector CAMPBELL on behalf of the
clergy.
The MAYOR next proposed the " Health of Sir
James Brooke, K.C.8.," observing, that when he
-looked at the Chinese treaty just concluded he felt
persuaded that our Government would not let pass
an opportunity of again possessing such an impor-
tant position in the Eastern Archipelago as the
province of Sarawak on the island of Borneo.
Sir S. BROOKE in.rising to respond was enthusias-
tically applauded. He said—Mr. Mayor, my Lord
Bishop, and Gentlemen, it affords me the highest
gratification to acknowledge the 'honour that you
have just conferred upon me ; and you must pardon
me if some feelings of a personal nature—feelings of
pride and of pleasure—should on this occasion mix
themselves, not unnaturally, with the public duty I
wish to perform. No man can be deaf to the voice
of approbation ; no man can separate himself from
his life's task, or from those objects which have
become entwined around his very existence. And
so, gentlemen, it is with me. I have lived and
struggled, sacrificed much that men dearly prize,
and suffersd much which men willingly avoid, to
advance the welfare of the country which has be-
come to me a home—to promote the happiness of a
people whose happiness is my happiness, and to
provide in time for the security of Sarawak when
my life and my labours shall have ended together.
These, gentlemen, are the objects which, from the
reasons I have told you, have become a part of my
very existence; these are the objects from which I
can never separate myself, except indeed to foiget
my baser self ; and these are the objects which I
would now recommend to you with all the earnest-
ness suitable to the cause with which I am identi-

fled. I feel conscious of being identified with a
noble cause—the cause of justice and humanity;
and I appeal to you, gentlemen—l appeal to my
countrymen at large, wherever just and generous
hearts beat—l appeal on behalf of a people who for
15 years past have implicitly relied upon the good
faith of England, and who in that reliance have
acted side by side in the common cause, as they
were told, of civilisation and of commerce. (Hear,
hear.) I must claim your patience, Mr. Mayor
and gentlemen, while I endeavour, briefly as I am
able, to narrate some events of my past career,
to state the obligations entailed upon this
country by its former acts, and the advantages
it might obtain by according to Sarawak a
measure of protection for its future security
and happiness. My project of a voyage to the
Eastern Archipelago had been long cherished,
and it was from this town of Liverpool that I
first set sail to accomplish what I had long thought
of. On a second voyage, the first being unsuccess-
ful, I did what I had contemplated. I reached
Borneo, and, as you are aware, I became the ruler
of Sarawak. It was, Heaven knows, upon no sordid
calculation of personal advantage that I undertook
the office. It was from the impulse of feeling,
rather than from the dictates of prudence, that I
cast my life and fortune upon the issue. Its rash-
ness, its folly, my unavoidable ruin and proba-
ble death, were pointed out to me by my friends,
but were pointed out in vain. I felt that there was,
a sphere of action worthy of a brave man, and a
duty that I seemed called upon to discharge.
(Cheers.) I did proceed, and I soon discovered
that never man undertook a task more desperate,
or, apparently, more hopeless. Around me were
murder and rapine ; everywhere the good were op-
pressed, and terror, distress, and insecurity pre-
vailed ; the administration of justice brought peril,
and the apprehension of the malefactor usually re-
sulted in conflict. In short, within and without
crime was rampant, and every bond of justice had
been loosened. Out of this chaos order was evolved,
security restored, government established, and pro-
sperity sprung up as confidence was surely. and
steadily won. (Cheers.) What I relate in a minute
took years to accomplish. My efforts were crowned
with success, but I was rewarded ; for, come what
may, all the good done can never entirely be de-
stroyed, nor can the consciousness of having done
it pass away without life itself. (Cheers.) However,
gentlemen, my efforts would, in all probability,
have proved useless. It was the sympathy and en-
couragement of my countrymen which cheered me
forward ; it was the unequivocal assurance the ac-
tive support, and the conclusive sanction of the Go-
vernment of my own country which insured suc-
cess, and which carried conviction to every mind
that Sarawak was de facto a protected State, and
that England had resolved to regain her proper
position in the Archipelago by a just, generous,
and enlightened course of
.policy. (Loud cheers.)
Judge, then, Mr.- Mayor judge, gentlemen, while
I very briefly state the facts, whether the proposed
arrangements are consistent with good faith to
Sarawak, and to the advantage of the world andof
England. No sooner had the cession been made
than it was intimated to the Prime Minister of this
country that I had acquired the territory and the
Government of Sarawak, and that I was ready,
with the permission and aid of Government, to hold
it for them. The first communication was imme-
diately responded to by the appointment of a Go-
vernment officer instructed to make inquiries on the
spot ; and it was at his request that I then indi-
cated the course of policy which I considered for the
interests of England, and for the advancement of
Sarawak. The policy thus recommended was pur-
sued. I proceeded gradually to develope the re-
sources of the country I had acquired—to establish
legitimate authority, to suppress piracy, and to pro-
mote commerce. And in doing so, as I had sug-
gested, I was encouraged by the countenance of
my own Government, and aided by the presence
and active support of British vessels of war. So
vigorously, so successfully, indeed, was this policy
pursued, that the Hague Government of the day,
through its Minister, addressed a strong remon-
strance against my position, urging that it was
sanctioned by our own Government, and that Eng-
land was precluded under the treaty of 1844 from
forming a settlement on the mainland of Borneo.
In replying, Lord Aberdeen imperatively main-
tainedbfeen ednead whenevere tzhuyei
irrti right
suitedshi
ntt ooafnEi
itnns
mostg purpose.si aoanpr nltvoaa nfoar
declared
(Cheers.)e cs
luacrhe ds tt tlements
manner,
Ho ehadve
legitimate
and avowed it to be the paxamotuit duty of Govern-