Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-05-03

1880 1890 12,900,03l
1882 $3.50 Is 33S I60
1886 Pill I79O4 2tS
1887 81 600 about 23,OOO,OOO
ne unexampled increase of this abOminable traffic
in violation of Chinese laws and maritime regula-
lions, and the seeming mpossibity of eifectng it's
destruction combined with the financial policy of
enlarging the national revenue by its continuance,
1886, induced Hew Naetse vice president of tho sa
CRITICAL court an officer of considerable dignity, to
present memorial to the emperor at Pekin, PRAYING
for the unlimited introduction of the drug into the
empire on payment of a duty.
The reasons by which he enforces this recon-
mendation, although termed sage expositions" by
writer in a late number of Blac kwood's Magazine,
have impressed us with very different estimate Of
their moral or political value, Take, for example
the following, in which the waste OF human life is
considered, by this high officer OF slight Importance
when compared with the loss OF revenue and Chinese
silver. which he contends the free importation Of
opium would obviate.
1t will be found examination, that the smokers
OF opium are idle, lazy Migrants, having no useful
purpose before them, and unworthy Of regard,
even of contempt. And though there smokers
to be found who have overstepped the threshold Of
age, yet they do net attain to the long life Of other
men; but new births daily increasing the popu-
laton OF the empire, and there cause to appre
bend q dminution therein"
Again; after advancing the strange proposition,
that the more severe tie penalties are that exist
against the traffic. the bribery and corruption
would be resorted to for the purpose of evading
them, and the frequent and papable violations
Of the law would be perpetrated and that for these
reasons, all prohibitory enactments should at
be removed, he proceeds to state, that, With re-
gard to officers, civil and military, and to the scho-
lars and common soldiers, none OF these must be per-
mtted to contract practice so bad or to walk in a
path which will lead only the utter waste OF their
time, and destruction Of their property; ard he
commends, 'sthat il be enacted, that any officer,
scholar or soldier found guilty OF secretly smoking
employ, without being made liable to any other pc
nalty.''
Avd farther -
Besides the removal Of the prohibitions refers
only to the vulgar and common people, those whs
cave no Off al duties to perform So long the on
GERS Of government, the scholars, and the military,
are not included see detriment To the dignity of
and by allowing the importation and
change of the drug for other commodities than
ten millions of money will annually be prevented
from flowing cut OF the central land"
These " sage expositions" furnish their own COM
ment which renders it for ms to say
wo rd as to their rreligious ahd demoralizing ten
dency The important document in which they
contained was ordered by the emperor to be sab
nitted t. the Hong merchants, and Tang, the go
vernon of Canton. The principles embodied in the
report made by them and TRANSMIT ted to the imperial
court at Pekin, did not materially vary frem those
contained in The memorial oi hew Nae'se, and IN
&C cordance with his views they advised the legali-
zation of the traffic upon payment Of fixed duties
In the autumn OF 1886, Choo Tsun, member Of the
council and the board Of rites, and Hew Ken, sub.
censor over The military department, feliow.minis-
in which the deletcrious effects OF opium Orcbly
pres ented, and the destructive consequences that
its habitual inficting upon the Chinese eo-
auentv described. They reasoned strongly against
re yoking the existing prohibitions, aud maintained
that il would be wholly insufficient TO prevent the
export Of silver while heenervatiop and corruption
Of the Chinese would be fearinlly increased If all
restraints imposed upon the use of the drug were
removed and concluded by advising the prompt
adoption Of vigorous and energetic measures for the
OF tn, entire opium trade
Refusing 10 increase his revenue at the expense of
the happiness and lives OF his subjects, the emperor
ed upon the determination Of the trs ic at
any sacrifice; and the Immediate result Of the Ee-
MORALS we have mentioned, was special edict, by
which he commanded certain foreign merchants en-
gagged in il to leave Canton This partially
evaded, and the traffic continued throughout the
year 1881 and till the summer Of 1883, the dealers
paving TO the subordinate local authorities seventy
Eve dollars per chest for csnniving and assisting
these whole sale smuggling operations
But the miserable and deluded Chinese did not 50
easily escape the penalty Of GU ragged laws. Many
q. them were taken, ceDde nned and executed; and
those engaged in smuggling the drug, were hunted
down aud killed by the mandarins and their soldiers.
Fierce encounters were continually occurring, and
the blood Of the poor natives was poured ont TO the
last drop in carrying on trahc that was cssferrng
upop guilty foreign merchants, who were the sole
inst gators, the wealth ol princes
The emperor AZ length saw that its adjustment
was impos ible while foreigners were suffered open
Nv to bring the drug into the port OF Canton and the
the ns boring waters, and he formed the deteru
nation OF ercing then, necessary, INTO obedience
Of his laws. For this purpose, Lin was appointed
high COMM siouer from the court 81 Pekin, to pro-
coed 10 Canton where he arrived ON the tenth of
Mari n. 1899.
He was invested with plenipotentiary powers,
and was authorized to create and execute such nes-
,ures as he shauld deem necessary and right Born
and educated in une OF the maritime provinces, and
having had an early acquaintance (as he saysl with
all the arts of foreigners, he was wei qualihedro
di.eb.r. . the arduous duties OF his trust. He IL
described as abou fifty five years OF age, OF mddling
height rather stout, and Of stern dcmeanor IL is
said that hs received from the emperor in person
the seal OF his high commission. and that the mo-
pareh recounted 10 him the evils that had le,g at
fictea his children, and, adyering TO the future,
paused and wepi, and turning TO the commits soner,
said show. alas, cen die until these dreful evils
are rernevedl"
Hsv ng made his entrance into Canten, eight Gays
were occupied bv Lin in making enquiries; and, on
the Rine eenih of March, two special edicts we're
issued one to the foreign r. Of all nations and the
other e. the Hong merchants, both OF which caused
great Consideration and excitement The fereien
merchants were required 20 deliver mp 10 the Chr
uese government all the opium hich they possessed
on boa "A their store ships nd strict Commands we're
issued tsat not the smallest atom must De con-
cefled or Withheld" They were also required 20
give bond W rt,en jointly in the foreign ard Chi
ness languages that their vessels which should re
sort u Canton would never again dare 70 bring
Opium ,nd that. if any brought should BE- loi-
feited ~ the government, ard all the parties should
suffer the extreme peni o' ne Jaw aho tat snch
hment should be willingly submitted %. Pro-
m ses VI rewards and the continuance OF prosperous
trade were made 20 such foreigners would NJ
onee comply with these reqnistions aad threats of
according 60 the severe terms " the
law were Numbered against those who refused 70
deliver the hated drug, and three days allowed
them to determine upon the course they shculd think
IN