Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-11-04


No person can describe the horrors of the opumrade
That the Government Of British India should be the
prime abetors of this abominable traffic is one Of the
great wonders Of the nineteenth century The proud
escutcheon of the nation that declams against the slave
trade is thus made to bear blot broader and darker
than any other in the christian world
The traffic in the pernicious drug which produces
such widespread evil is conducted principally by per-
sons from the United Kingdom and the United States.
The fleet of vessels which engaged in transporting
and storing this poison numbers nearly fifty They are
commanded by skilful and experienced captains ably
manned and heavily armed as to set ut dehance the
naval vessels and cruisers of the Chinese Gov
ernmen and they all carry the British flag The result
of the British with China has been to give perfect
immunity to this traffic, the Chinese do not dare TO
and conscae the vessels engaged in it for fear OF
involving themselves in another As consequence,
of opium brought in these armed vessels has
nearly doubled since 1889, when that war was COM
menced"
The fourth letter presents the classes of persons
interested in the continuance, and the ffh and
sirh those interested for the discontinuance OF
the trade The two classes are here briefly brought
together in a summary view
From the year 1886 to 1912 the enormties Of the
opium trade and the evils inflicted by it upon China
were the subject of frequent discussions among all
ranks and classes in the kingdom. 1t was denounced
in Parliament from the pulpit and by the press II was
at one time hoped by many that this iniquitous rac
had received blow from which 1T would never recover
These hopes have been deluslye.
The result of the war; which grew out Of claim for
indemnity from the Chinese Government for smuggied
opium which seized and destroyed by that dovern-
Cling OF this dfeanaSHre rRlfy 10 the SNUG
quences have been such might be expected. The
quantity of opium brought to China has been nearly
doubled since 1881 The number Of smokers OF opium
if they have increased in the ratio have increased
from 5000 900 to 100000, which makes number
equal than half the population of the United
annually brought to premature grave by this de-
structve vice has been increased from 100000 to
100000.
.'This traffic is staining the British in China
with the deepest disgrace as some OF the subjects OF
Great Britain continue to carry in armed cruisers
contraband trade in destructive poison.
I" The great bulwark and defence of this iniquitous
trade are first the East India Company, whose Govern
ment derives e3 100000 sterling revenue from its pro-
ducton and sale, and from transit duties levied that
which is produced in Malwa, and which has to pass
through their territories to find market and shipping
port in Bombay. The second class of persons who
deeply interested in the continuance of this destructive
traffic the mercantile houses in India and China who
employ their capital in bringing this poisonous drug to
market The amount received for the sale of the drug
annually and which is nearly all in silver is about
e7 1000, 600 sterling, of which about million is
profits And the third and last class of persons who
interested in the continuance Of this trade the Chinese
merchants, who Notwithstanding the poverty, disgrace,
and ruin it brings upon their countrymen yet for gain
will continue to introduce the forbidden dirt
The mighty and momentous interests that injured
by this accursed traffic. and which therefore especial
interested in the immediate abolition of this traffic.
may be classified under the five following heads: The
first class comprises the manufacturers Of Great Britain
and the United States of America and the of
Chinese productions in those countries for the
nous expenditure Of than G60000 900 sterling G
costs the consumers than that amount though the
foreign importers receive only about 000 000 annually
for pernicous drug destroys the value Of the Chinese
market for western manufactures and prevents their
taking increased quantities of western commodities, and
enhances the prices of Chinese productions the west
ern consumers. The second class comprise the mer-
chants in Great Britain, United States and China who
engaged in the China trade, but refuse matter
of conscience to have any thing to do with the traffic in
opium The capital invested in this legalized trade
probably ESQ 000, 900 sterling and hope to show
in subsequent number, the injurious influence the
opium trade has upon this legitimate trade The third
class of interests that demand most earnestly the Gbol
ton OF the traffic in opium comprise the pecunagy, So
cal, POLITICAL moral, and religious interests Of the
900 members of the human family resident in
India, Siam, Eastern Archipelago, and China. The
fourth class comprises the phanthrcpists in all parts of
the world for this trade not only works injury to the
human family by impoverishing and beggarng families
and destroying the bodily constitution of its victims but
1t is one OF the greatest barriers to friendly intercourse
with China The fifth class comprises those who in all
parts Of the world labor and pray for the coming of the
Kingdom of Christ for this trade and the smoking Of
the fascinating and destructive drug which is attendant
upon this traffic. are tho greatest barriers to the extern
sion Oh that kingdom In Chna which contains oneha OF
the population Of the heather world and third Of
estimated population Of the whole world.
"Al the influence of moral suasion, by showing the |
injury it inicts upon the Chinese and the inquity of
the traffic. has been exhausted in endeayoring to induce
those engaged in the trade to desst therefrom 1t has
been demonstrated again and again, that this trade is
injurious to every other commercial interest in China
and to the large manufacturing interests of the United
Kingdom and the United States The heather Govern
ment with paterna socitude for the welfare of its sub
ects that puts to shame many Governments Chrsten
dom has done every thing in its power put stop the
importation and consumption of destructive poison 1t
utterly forbids all traffic in it, punished the smuggers,
and The retailers and the smokers Of the poison II full
minated its edcts requiring all foreign merchants who
had imported opium contrary to the laws of the country
to leave its territory When these acquisitions dis
regarded it seized and destroyed 22S3 chests of this
smugged poison and required bond of all foreign
chants that they would not traffic in this contraband
tcle 1t has dsregarded all appeals to its cupidty and
its necessities, and nobly refused legaze the traffic in
that which causes poverty and Distress vice and misery
to its people Notwithstanding all these efforts stop
it. this desoating poison still continues pour in upon
China, increasing and extending it's ravages year by
year."
The last letter is addressed specially to English
men, urging the propriety of interference by Par
lament.
1t is the third letter, however, which we have
supposed would be most attractive to the general
reader; presenting, it does, concise history of
the efforts of the Chinese Government to put stop
to opium-eating and the opium-trade during period
of half century" We give the letter nearly entire
Till the year 1900 opium was admitted into China,