The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-03-03 00:00:00

TtlE BRIG "LADY SALE."

We gare a short time ago, the account of an illegal
seizure and condemnation of the brig Lady Sale, of this
port, by the Portuguese authorities on the coast of Africa.
The brig, as we then stated, was on a regular trading
voyage for palm oil, ivory, &c., and was not only most
wantonly and improperly seized in the first instance, but
the whole proceeding, with respect to her subsequent con-
demnation, exhibited such an utter disregard of the tights
of British subjects, that the matter WA'

Particulars connected with one of the most absurd but
curious of the Buddist superstitions, called the annual
feasting of the spirits, and eroceeded—China is now full of
Buddist temples, and the priests of Buddha swarm the land.
They are scorned by the harried ; they ate despised by the
followers of Confucius and Laontsee ; but they are the 1 eie ...ere-- i------- ---- ---
priests of the people. Such are the superstitions which though difficulties might be in the way, the Gospel had
the gospel is destined to overthrow. Already, in many not lost its might. No one could limit its triumphs. Mr.
instances, have they sunk before its might. Only let us Ewhank resumed his seat amidst great applause.
be strong and of a good courage; let us place ourselves The Rev. 11. 11 AMPTON , whose rising was greeted with
under Christ's advancing banner, and China shall ackow- much enthusiasm, commenced by alluding, in terms of
ledge the sanctifying and civilizing power of the gospel. high commendation, to the mass of valuable inrormation
The efforts which have been made to introduce Christianity afforded by Mr. Eubank, and stated that in the ren.arks
into China may be traced up to very ancient timee. It is which he should make, he would glance first at the general
recorded, on very probable testimony, that the gospel was object of the Church Missionary Society, which was to
preached en-the shores of the empire, even within the first christianize, and thereby civilize, the whole world. This
century of the Christian faith. A very remarkable marble must not be regarded as the mere offspring of facaticism,
tablet was discovered in the year 1685, bearing an inset ip- or enthusiasm. The aspect of half the world is already
tion, which informs us that, about 600 years after Christ, changed by missionary effsrts—islands and territories in
a Christian teacher visited the emperor, and so wrought their altered appearance—in their rapidly advancing civili-
upon his mind, by argument, that he authorised the zetion—in the smiling aspect of fields and continents re-
preaching of Christ amongst his people. Tien followed a claimed from the waste—in the cultivation of the useful
period of persecution. The Buddhist priests, fearing an I arts—in the formation of peaceful villaces, each clustered
eclipse and downfall of their superstition, vehemently set ' around the house of prayer—in the casting away of idols
themselves against the cross. But Christianity, though and the ceasing from corrupt and desrading customs—all I
weakened, was not destroyed. In the reign of Kaon- the e prove to the calculating worldling that the efforts of
tsung, about the year 700, an imperial edict went forth, missionaries are and have been and will continue to be
at the prompting of the Nestorian Christians, that productive of vast temporal good, so that as philanthropi4s
every city should be supplied with Christian churches they might rejoice in the object thee had in view from its
throughout ten provinces of the empire. But, alas ! results ; but these changes in the temporal were infinitely
in those dark days, Christianity herself was superstitious, j surpassed by those which had taken place in the eternal
and, therefore, ill calculated to melee successful head condition of individuals and tribes; a mightier encourage-
against the corruptions of heathenism. Then came the ment to Christian men to persevere in those labours which
missionary exertions of the Roman Catholics. The l'or- God had promised to bless was afforded in the great moral
tuguese had passed round the Cape of Good Hope, and es- changes that had taken place-in the multitude of souls •'6 `...`" ''"' •-.
efateadiydesaolen,boelfonged to the respectable house of Charles
tablished themselves at Goa. Thence were despatched that had been rescued from death. Their aim was to
tioTri.'s Liver 001, and was fitted out for the Congo
missionary embassies to China. There it was, about the drive the heathen from his idols to serve the living and to get oil' of palm and ii!ory, but had not been able to °stain
year 1552, that the eminent and ardent Roman Catholic true God •, and Christianity alone, said the reverend gentle- either, and was on her way to Ambrez to ship a cargo of copal.
missionary, Francis Xavier, burning .with desire to'con- man emphatically, could effect this. The light of nature when she was boarded by a Portuguese man of-war, and seized
quer the heathenism of China, was just able to land upon and philosophy has beers tried, under every advantage in consequence of her having on ~nerd twenty six casks of wa-
its shores, and breathe cut his life, at the very threshold I which learning and the patronage of power could bestow ter, several bags of rice. a copper and some bars.
of his mission. We cannot, of course, enlarge upon the i upon it. In the golden and Augustan eras of Greece and
anTt"tehePor
mattertauthorities,iigucLesbeen,
takea uhpo however, r
somecon dseprneid, tltiee vLeis‘s,ecrl...
Liver-
history of Romish missionary enterprise. But we may Rome, under the fostering hand of the great, the wealthy. pool mer pants. The crew cf the Lady Sale were d3Ctained for
be allowed to say of Rome's missionaries, in the words of and the wise, it was tried, and found wanting. But whet some time by the Portuguese, and afterwards rent to St. Helena.
Dr. Milne, that " their ardent zeal deserves to be imi- is the light of nature? Is it the character of God dis- The officers of St. Helena sent them home in charge of an ofll-
tated by all future missionaries." We may, with him, played in his works? Is it the manifestation of power, cer in the English navy, who left the Duke of Cornwalolfthh!ee
believe that "many of them, in spite of the questionable wisdom, and goodness we meet around us ? Is it this The
ago, e
rat
of Ire li)
Duke
ed
or sinceCtlirnugwlarritlswa ;led teenur.
mheed
,:
B rod e7p.
Christiauity which they taught, are now wearing the which is sufficient to subdue the proud, rebellious heart 11
at ethoev4!hames Police-court on Wednesday. and requested his
crown of those who spared not their lives unto the death, of the child of nature? We admit that it is so for beings interference. The magistrate referred him to the superir,ten-
but overcame by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word who have never sinned ; but for us! for the poor, blinded dent of the Thames division cf police. who declined taking the
of his testimony." And it must not be forgotten, that it heathen ! alas, alas ! of what value is it? It teaches no men into custody. unless some specificcharge w4s made against
was by Roman Catholic missionaries that the larger por- pardon for guilt; and whatsoever else it may be calcu- them. The owner of, the Duke
tofeCorra
ldeclin:d rciatkiiineg
tiots of the New Testament was first translated into Chi- lated to teach, we have no disposition to learn. So the anyi
beencharge
scialaii,nosnit
et
asre epracsw,
eon of h
rc, ra in hia ..sg'ipe'inanchasraele of they
nese, and that it was in a Harmony of the Gospels, trans light of the natural sun is sufficient for the purpose it was ""
mate in the navy, who quitted her at Brat, The owner was
lated by a Itomish priest, that the Protestant Morrison first ordained to serve. It would do no good to make another
, only anxious to be released of the men, for whose passage his
studied the languagesand prepared for his important labors. sun. But what kind of sufficiency is this to a blind mangy? was to receive Xll.O from her Majesty's government. Mr.
It is diffienit to ascertain the precise number of Roman Ca- Does he see any better on that account ? So Newtons Evans, the superintendent cf the Thames divii ion, communi-
tholio natives at present in the various provinces of China ; Principia are sufficient to make a mathematician. But cited the arrival of the `.l men to the Board of Admiralty, anti
but it is stated by Marchini, that, in 1810, they amounted this is no comfort to a man who cannot read—who knows arrestarlrmteetitthheere-tarn„mitsO"nbout. t
tue received Lady
snuol e authority
It
de e d.
to 215,000, presided over by six bishops and twenty-three nothing of numbers—who has not intellect enough to un- t ers of
ther °l
crewee'
neither the i AdnY-iiralty nor the Commissioners knew anything
priests ; and Mr. Medhurat was assured, not long since, derstand the book. Test the theory by fact. What kind of the matter. Yesterday, on the arrival of the Duke of Corn-
by a Canton merchant, that the Roman Catholic superiors of sufficiency does the light of nature bring to the Hin- wall in the dock, some parties connected with the ship request-
of the missions neaociate bills on Europe to the annual doos, Hottentots, the New Zealander, the savage canni- ' ed Mr. Evans. jun., an inspector of Thames police, to take the
amount of £40,000. We have now reached the period, bals of the Pacific Isles ? I admit that these are extreme men into custody, which he refused to do unless some tang'ble
when, by the blessing of God, the Protestant Church he- cases ; they are drawn from nations in which the intellec- chhoaarredethwe•apsumkeado
et. Coluliv,e,,,elrlewanofdthaereLvadery Suaulexsituiullsrefmoraisrirmoue
gar to awake to a sense of her heavy responsibilit'es with 'teal powers seem nearly extinguished. But where else officers to take them into custody, and that the qu:stion as to
regard to China. Alas ! that for nearly 300 years after ought we to look ? what instances more in point to show the legality of their detention should be tried. It is expected
the Reformation, she should have slept in forgetfulness of the utter inefficiency of the lieht of nature ? For surely they will leave the ship this day, and put their case into the
her Saviour's charge, "Go ye into all the world, and if the light of nature be sufficient at all, it were strange hands of a proctor or attorney, unless the Board of Admiralty
preach the gospel to every creature." At last China was that it should be insufficient for the children of nature. order them to be taken be ore a magistrate. No witnesses have
remembered by her, and some Christian hearts sighed But take a different set of examples. Go back to ti;e been s
Several gentlemenlar t o
went e v
yesterday c e against
et a emleevs
Police-
over the recollection of her perishing millions. It was reign of Heathenism, in its days of bright intelligence and court and inquired after the crew of the Lady Sate, and were
the London Missionary Society which was honoured inspiring philosophy. Explore every nook and corner of much surprised to find that n, order had been given to remove
of God to lead the way. (Hear, bear.) It was the antiquity for evidence. Select, if you will, the most pro- them from the Duke of Cornwall. They expressed a strong
first Protestant institution that cornaassionated the wants found and venerable sages who ever flourished under the opinion cf the illegality of the seizure, and came prepared to
of China. In 1805. its directors resolved to attempt di nasty of unaided reason ; and what have we gained bail the men if they had been' in anoy legal custody. We believe
the translation of the Holy Scriptures into the Chinese then ?; We gain the testimony of Plato, that it is not pos- taiositiro
of firreetraeds e n,,,taaltei oiniaraelbaetetan gmtadteh eo
seizuret e Portuguese and c r?n (Al emmbrrs -..
language, and the God of missions raised them up an in- sible for mortal man, without a revelation, to discover sador by LordYAberdeen, and the case is likely to become a
strument for their work. This, as you well know, was anything concerning religious truth. We find Socrates matter of discussion in both houses of parliament.
Morrison, the friend of China. He devoted to her ser- teaching, that men cannot know even what to pray for in a On Friday, the captain of the Lady Sale, with his
vice. or rather to Jesus Christ, for her good, the labours right manner, unless God reveal it to them. We hear officers and crew, attended at the Thames police-office.
of his life. tie entered upon this great work with a pa- Alcibiades, Aristotle, and Plutarch, confessing the neces- Their object was to obtain some investigation "into the
thence, which refused to be conquered, with a diligence city of a special message from heaven, to clear away the circumstances under which the Lady Sale had been con-
which knew not weariness. He vanquished the enormous darkness of nature. But why multiply proof? What was denoted as a slave trader by the Portuguese authorities.
difficulty of a Chinese dictionary with its 60,000 words. 1 the object of the numerous forms of pretended revelation Mr. Ballantine stated that he had no jurisdiction in the
Unaided, he translatedthewhole of the New Testament, and scattered through all antiquity ? What meant the oracles matter ; and the captain departed, after declaring his
then, with the assistance of the able Dr. Milne. he accom- of Apollo, Dodona, and Jupiter Ammon ? What was in-
. ; readiness to appear at any time, and answer any charge.
plished the translation of the Old Testament likewise. , tended by the mysteries of Ceres, Bona Des, and Eleusis .
sesseeeeeme
That hemightbecomeintimately familiar with the language, ' If they meant anything, they indicated the necessity of a
he used it in his secret prayers at the throne of grace. His revelation, not only for religious purposes, but for the APPLICATION BY THE COLLECTOR OF Excess.—On
faith was strong. Thus he wrote to the society at the political government of the state, and the welfare of the Tuesday the collector of excise made application to Mr.
commencement of his mission : " Your missionary is people at large. This was the wisdom of heathen philo- Rushton for an order against Mr. John Atkinson, soap
sitting on the confines of this empire, learning the . sophy, viewed in its best attire, and under the mast fa- boiler, for duty owing to the revenue, A
ecording
o troer amounting to
language of the heathen ; and be will go onward, because vourable aspect. We have no disposition to under-rate £2,425. A person appeared for Mr. Atkinson, anci_ae
statedt
it is the cause of Hint who can and will overturn tnoun. . the intelligence of a Plato, a Socrates, or a Plutarch—we that that gentleman wished to know the latesltawd .n e Its
tainous difficulties, that may oppose the progress of the would not despise the eloquence of a Demosthenes or a could be paid. Mr. Rushton—" d to that
glorione gospel." And so he died. In his last letter Cicero—we can scarcely afford to banish from our schools entitled to eight days, and I shall
soaks an
from China, be says : " The Lord reigneth, and if tLe the captivating imagery of Homer, the pointed sarcasm of effect."
*46.

_ was immediately and
very properly taken up with great spirit by the body of
merchants engaged in the African trade. The interest
has not abated by the arrival, in this country, of the
captain and crew of the Lady Sate, all of whom, it will
be seen by the subjoined account, are willing and anxious
to be taken into custody in order that the legality of their
detention may be tested. No one. however, seems
willing to share in the risk and responsibility which the
Portuguese authorities have incurred, and we have per-
haps one of the most singular cases on record of twelve

men sent home to this country as prisoners, With no one
daring even to bring a charge against them before a
British tribunal.
We understand that ample representations have been
made to Lord Aberdeen on the subject, and little doubt
can be entertained that his lordship will demand the most
full end ample compensation not only for the owners of
the vessel but for the captain and crew, who have been
thus deprived, by a wanton act of Portuguese aggress!on,
of the earnings of a long and hazardous voyage.

We copy the following from the Morning Post of
Friday last :

TIM SEIZURE OF AN ENGLISH VESSEL BY THE
PORTUGUESE.

The ship Duke of Cornwall. which arrived yesterday in the
East India Dock from St. Helena. has brought home the crew

of the brig Lady Sale. of Liverpool, which was seized on the
c9ast of Africa by a Portuguese man-of-war on suspicion of

Uniteb i—otatrs,

F', To saliva the 10th instant.
A For BOSTON,
1." The fine 1.L.: first-class American Ship
GOVERNOR DAVIS,
irca,....„......:P D. P. U rrox —.Master ;
Durthen 800 tons ; coppered and co r-fastened ; a fast sailer,
sand in all respects an excellent veyance for goods and pas-
sengers.—For terms of fre. or passage apply to Captain
UPTON, on board, Waterlo )ock, or to
BARING BROTHERS and Co.
Freight payable at four dollars eighty cents to the pound
sterling. _

ats:
QUEEN ()FTHEIVEST,PWooDnous
ROCHESTER, J. BuirroN
BOTFINGUER, I. BURSLEY
-LIVERPOOL, J. ELDRIDGE

NEW LINE OF PACKETS
For NEW YORK.

To sail on the 6th of every Month,

1250 tons.. 6th March

1-50 tons..6th April
1035 tons..6th May.
1100 tons..6th June.

hyorthe 4th of each Month

Goods received until Midni„
_-
Freight at the usual scale eitofat(