The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1838-09-11

if he thought il was possible for the poverty o
this world to drive them to more desperate ex
tremity than that which they had suffered thus
togcther.-He assured her of his Willingness tC
endure for her the same trial agan-and OF the
Joy, more than he could express, which he fel
at finding her so willing TO fulfil her engagement
which il is said is soon to be 'onsnmmated. j
was not till then that he was made acquainted
with the fact, that his lady love is heiress to ar
estate worth 100000. Who would not DE ship
wrecked; and henceiorth, who will say, match
es are not made in Heaven"
OPIUM TRADE IN INDIA. The Liverpool Mai
fthe 2lst ull. extracts from Seranpore paper
Of the 10Th April, the following interesting article
on the opium trade.
by every fresh arrival, regarding the prospects OF
the opium ltrade) are of so gloomy u cast as to
take away almost every hope Of amendment
The opposition of the Chinese to the trade be-
gins now to assume so permanent character,
through the steady vigilance of the local author
tiles, us to convince the most incrednlous, that
the measures which they have adopted, DO not
spring from any avaricious desire TO throw oh.
slructions in the way Of this trade, in order to
draw larger profits from connvance at it, but
from settled determination in the court Of Pc
kin, altogether to prevent the introduction of the
drug. The eXertions of the Chinese police-one
of the most efficient in the world--have broken
up the establishment of native smuggling vessels
and dispersed the opium brokers. The ports on
the north east coast, into which the drug has
been candestinely introduced, are now watched
with the greatest jealousy, and all access to
them has been rendered precarious. by these
stern measures, the prospects OF this commerce
are reduced to so low an ebb, shat in the nppe-
tensions of many the price of the article will
probably fall to 500 rupees a chest, price which
must infalably dissipate their golden dreams of
nm rave
tiles of India have been accustomed TO dwell so
fondly
As last desperate resort, in this unpreceden
ted crisis, it appears TO have been determined to
introduce the drug into the empire Ivy force OF
arms The efforts which have already been
made by more than one armed vessel in the port
of Canton, have been rewarded with partial sue
sess; and we now learn flem the Hnrkur that
several other vessels areSTqing out at this mo-
meut at the port of CalcutFa which will he man
ned by Europeans, and so completely armed as
to be able to resist the vessels @nnpoyed on the
preventive service by tAAyGh}nese government
at Canton. The Engli WI arg, therefore, about
house, for the purpose of landing TD4er the
protection oftheir cannon, an article ot which
the introduction is strictly prohibited by the laws
of the empire.
Such procedure is unprecedented in the an
nails of commerce. Ia fact all the circumstances
connected with the opium trade, are so strange
and anomalous as to stagger belief. We see the
civilized the enlightened, the Christian govern
ment Of Britain III the East, straining every nerve
to increase the cultivation of opium in lndia for
the express purpose Of drugglng the Chinese EN-
pire.-On the olker hand we see the hall ciyL'z-
ed government of China directing all It's efforts
10 the exclusion of an article which cannot fail
to sap the foundation Of all social, political aud
manly virtue in its subject. We see these effoit Is
crowned with success TO certain degree, and
the price of The drug reduced thirty, forty and
fifty per cent. And we are now TO see vessels,
brisling with cannon, and loaded with The
Intoxicating drug, travers!ng the port OF Canton,
under British colors, resisting the local author-
ties, aud diSchargng their curgocs AT Whatever
sacrifice OLIVES. Whether we consider the poi
sonons nature of the article which it is intended,
to force Oh the Chinese, or the agents OF the trade
at The head of which stands the British govern,
nent Of India, the main spring OF this enterprise,
the means by which j, is now proposed TO carry
it on bv overawing the Chinese ofiicres, there Is
nothing comparable 10 these transactions in amy
other quarter of the globe. Bot the most incon-
prehensibe circumstance connected with them
is that those who are embarked III nm underak-
ing destructive in its effects beyond any other
trade, in which men have embarked since the
abolition Of the slave trade, and who are pre-
pared to pursue it by the most violent means,
should deny that the Chinese are warranted IN
treating them as the outside "barbarans."
The employment of these vessels cannot he
viewed with indifference 10y government so
jealous OF its independence as the Chinese IT
the laws of the empire may be thus lrampled I'M
der foot with impuniiy by foreigners the char
ucer OF the Tartar dynasty is irrerievably COM
promised in the eyes of its Chinese subjects.
This squadron of armed smugglers will, there
fore, in all probability, bring matters to point
In vain will the British superintendent disclaim
all connexon with these guilty enterprises, or
deny his power to interdict them The Chinese
government, wieldinga as 1t does SO desperate II
noIice. will never believe that the vessels of the
English barbarian could not put down the SNUG
glers which "saiI under his national flag" if he
lad an inclination to do so. And his DISPOSE
ton they will guess by the fact, that the British
government obtains the lions share of the profits
upon every chest WHICH can he Struggled into
China The Chinese government will admit oil
no delicate distinctions. bui take up the pues''oh
as one between China and Britain.
Unable 10 resist the armed smugglers, they
will adopt the only remedy in their power; they