New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-04-10

IA.
posed to a series Of insults outrages and aH,on
which could not be passed over In silence CSeeoI
We felt that the treaty rights Of this country oai oo
broken, and that those locally charged WIN vac 20
fer,e OF cur interests in that quarter Of the world were
bot only justified but obliged to resent t1oee oui'
fsr the power 10 their hancs would enaos InJ'
TO do 20. We felt that we should be bstraying IN
trust which the citizens Of he country hsd eposel
u. if we had OF approved of the proceedings wnoo
We thought to be right ard which We placed "a ~.
zane circumstances, should have deemed l. our au'J
to have pursued lCheerl ;"
Now however much the people Of England and the
world at large may be deceived BY such P'su'o'e
statements, his Lordship himself certainly does NOS
believe them 10 be true, or if be does he has De-
trayed wiful ignorance almost as uOjasliia-
Bile as criminal knowledge" Ever since the tut
report reached US Of English hostties IN China
the Government journals Of England and porhon
Of The American Press have been heaplng wholesale
denupc atoms upon the Chnese-sweeping charges
Of violation Of treaty oblgations-insults 20 the
English fag-degradation of foreigners residing on
their soil, and the like; yet not one single distinct
charge has been made or single fact inssanced 10
support Of these denuncstion save the case OF the
lorcha Arrow, and, with respect to this case, tho
circumstances have been so misrepreeented and
CLOSED over by Parliamentary rhetoric as utterly 70
Dislead those who really desire to understand the
merits of the question.
The lorcha Arrow was a small Chinese vessel,
manned by Chinese, but employed by some En-
gEsbmen. license TO carry the Eoglish flag had
been temporarily granted TO her, which license had
expired prior to the alleged Insult" She is said
to have been used to smugge salt, and had on
board of her some very bad characters-Chinese
pirates and smugglers-Thom, being old offenders
against the laws, the authorities had long been try
ing to arrest. While lying at anchor in front of
Cantol-wth sails furled, and no flag whatever dis
played-the police became aware of the presence
on board Ct these ofeudert aud arrested them--
precisely such an ac. as would have taken pace
here, had the police along our wharves known that
river thieves and smuegers were secreted in ma
tive or foreign vessel near by. But as this ar.
res. n.erfered with the business Of the owners,
the capita went to the Eogllsh Consul and COM
planned. The Consul, a young man recently ap.
pointed, and, as we are informed, person of
quick al irritable disposition PUSHES on board On
y,opia persona, gets into an excited parley with
duty, aid consequently fails in obtaining satisfaction
Thence be rushes back to the Consulate, writes an
imperative demand for restitution aud apology to
the Governor General of the Quangtung Province,
and note to Sir John Bowring and Admiral Sey
mour st Hong Kong, representing that he and his
cOuntIys flag have been hsulted beyond endurance,
and intimatiDg in pretty bro,d terms that now il
the time for demonstration against Canton,
such as had long been waited for.
Gov. Yek politely and calmly responds to tho
arrogant demands Of the excited young British Con-
sul. He states the reason of the arrest, and re.
grets that there should have been any misunder-
standing in the matter; at the same time he un.
quabfiedy denies the slightest intention Of in
sultiDg the Epglsh flag, and sends back the men
whom, although lawfully arrested, he desired cot
to dstain at the expense Of so serious misua Ter
standing. But this is not satisfactory to Mr Con-
sui ParBes-he must have an official apology. aud
more formal restitution, OF Gov. Iek must ABIDE
the consequences. Next arrives Admiral Seq mOur
with the British feet, and then commences another
CORE pondence, dogmatic and threatening On the
side of the Admiral cool, uhimpassicued Pc lie, on
tie side Of the Chinese official Admiral SeymO
demands persOnal interview within the walls of
Contcn. Gov Yek says this is contrary to all prece.
dent, and that Sir &c rye Bonham had agreed that
it should not be required He would readily consent
70 On interview, as usus, outside the walled town
if nece ssaIy, or meet the Addirols wishes in any
other way not contrary to Chinese usage and hered
itsIy etiquette Bat this did not sui. the belicose
represt ntatye Of British power in the East.
Upon the grounds thus briefly st.ted-and the
oficis accounts now before the people of England
fully bear out the ststement-this most unr ght>Ous
war has been waged The unofendIng citizens and
peaceful trsdesmen of Canton have been slAush-
tered their baoitatons battered to the ground, aud
the claims of humanity violated, on thu msy pre-
tense that "Epglish life aud property are endan
ger.d By the aggressive acts OF the Chinese!"
TIE British Government aud the British people
at least, those who have chosen 70 examine tho
ouesiion-know how false and hollow are
such charges. An attempt has been made
TO divert investigation from the .n issue, aud to
impress the public mind with the idea that long
series of INJURIES preceding the case Of the lorcba
Arrow. form of themselves suiic ens casss belH.-
But these sweeping assertions are ba'eless. The
Chinese have at least ninety nine injuries to con-
plain Of TO one on the part of the English
How silent 10 the press Of England upon the out
rseeou, violations Of the treaty daily pracsced BY
foreierers living in China under British protection
We hear nothing of the Illicit opium trade, which
YEARLY feed. the British treasury at the expense OF
human he AMI morality. We hear nothing Of the
constant bribery of sub.oficsls By means of which
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