The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1857-02-21
From the psuoi, Free Press.

The British press aud the British public have manifested
good deal of during the past few years about the
institution Of slavery in the United States. Exeter Hail.
in London has been the scene Of many anii-Amercau
slavery meeting where Garrisons and Phlipses and
Stoves have assembled distinguished and numerous au-
dences and Mortified them with shocking Details in their
peculiar style, of the barbarian OF slavery in the
United States Much Of the money with which the anti
slavery agitation this side of the has been carried
has flowed from British pockets With regard to no
other thing in the wide world has British philanthropy
been much awakened the existing serytude in our
southern States. II would as if all evils in the
British social system had been cured that every class
Of the British population reveling in plenty; that
there nowhere the British dominions either
oppression, want, distress, or famine or star
walton that charity had been expended at home,
and therefore sought for objects of ameioraon abroad
We all remember how Mrs Stowe eted and ieasted
and lionzed all Eogand and how she departed
from the great British metropolis without having discover
ed any Of those running upon the face of British
cety which offend the eyes and the nosrs of the ord-
nary traveller at every step and how she failed TO observe
any of that white slavery in the manufacturing and
mining districts which is said to exceed In barbarsm any
negro slavery known in the civilized world. We all
member these things and many other things regarding
British negro philanthropy aud since do thus remen-
ber there is of particularly recalling ateu-
ton them But there is something else bearing upon
this whole subject not familiar to the American people,
for few facts touching which indebted to cotem-
porary.
A public meeting was held in London on the 18th ult
with reference to the monstrous and constantly increasing
svs inflicted upon the Chinese population by the English
traffic in opium, which meeting several members of Par
lament and other prominent gentlemen participated The
tied are of painful interest and the amount of
ss,;moav addueoa rena.- their denial impossible. 1t
was Justly remarked by one OF the SPEAKERS "a auding
to the terrible effects of the drug upon the NATIVES
Of China, that question: not the slave trade was
so ifiomehtous the Question of opium smuggling
Though afordng palliaou Of the barbarities of the
slave traffic it was CLEARLY shown that those client Eng
fish people who arb sd Mortified with the peculiar institu
ons Of their American brethren have but look within the
limits of their proper jurisdiction to discover atrocities
sanctioned by government with which the United States
affords no parallel "The baneful influence of the opium
tfaden eys paper pacarded in the streets of Canton
seems threaten little by little to degrade the whole Of
The population of the Celestial Empire level With rep
tiles Wild beasts dogs, and swine" In portraypg its ORR
gin and fearful progress, Hon. 7. Chambers NJ p, made
the following statement; a..
"Opum as most people were aware, grew in India
whittier it sent China and the mighty evils of the
drug would be apparent be procectea In l767 the
whole quantity of opium sent from India to China amout
ed 200 chests and at that time it grown Sold and
imported solely medical drug and duty equal about
los. in English money imposed upon each chest. The
trade in opium continued in this free and legitimate
importation
to 1000 chests and the rapid spread Of Generalization
considerable alarm to the Chinese governments who
in order 10 arrest the ce passed very stringent laws
Still the importation increased and in 1900 the East India
Company the trade which had previously been free
and unrestricted monopoly and from that time to the
present it had remained monopoly, and monopoly
which had peculiar and terrible evils annexed it, such
as had before accompanied any monopoly. Hear,
hear The first effect of the monopoly smugg ling
and Notwithstanding the extraordinary adopted BY
the Chinese government prevent the deeterous drug
from entering China the East India Company were equally
active and succeeded in importing 10 great quantities.
spreading misery and decentralization wherever 1t went.
They also framed several eacmets for protecting the
nopoy and furnishing with much severity any who
fringed it, One of these enactments contained no less
than 90 sections SO of which imposed fines and other pun
ishmets Upon oil persons who had anything whatever
do with opium, either in its efowh, sale any other
spect, determined were tie company to maintain the
| monopoly" s
pamphlet recently published by Major General Alexan-
der says $50 completely is the production of opium in
the hands of the East India Company, that not poppy
be grown in the extent of their territories without
either the permission of the government nacon of its
laws" The miserable creatures employed In its cultivation
scarcely able to obtain subsistence, they
PEELED sell their opium $50 rupees per chest while the
government receives from 200 to 1900 rupees for the
same quantity, thus obtaining large revenue The gov
makes the necessary advances to enable the
tves to carry their operations prepares the opium
with such ingredients will suit the of the Chinese
and finally packs it for the convenience of smuggers
whose vessels built expressly for the busness-some
them it is asserted at Cowes and Aberdeen openly and
without secret.
The rapid increase of the opium trade shown by the
fact that in 1920 there imported into China 547O
chests in 1884, the number imported amounted to the
enormous quantity of l785 chests and in 1887 to 3d.
oO0 During the year just EXPIRED according to Alexan-
ders pamphlet there Struggled into the Chinese
pre less than $4,000 chests of opium for which there
was received six million sterling about thirty million
dollars 1t is conectured that this statement may
fall short of the truth The demoralizing effects of the
consumption of such quantity of this deeterious drug
are beyond calculation The single fact that the character
of the army in Madras has been brought very low
standard mainly in consequence of the of opium
the soldiers affords idea of the extent of the practice
and the injury inflicted Commenting statements of
this character the London Morning Star remarks fol-
lows:
infringe the laws of country with which at peace
expressly for the purpose of dusDg poison among the
people which it is estimated destroys at least two millions
Of them every year. and what is than this
wholesale destruction Of life sinks muudes of them into
an abyss of sepsuaty and debasement where they
house. said eyewitness cited by Sir Robert lngs
in the House of Commons is the antechamber of hell
He says his visit to of them Malsys Chinese
and women, old and young, in mass in COM
mon herd, wslowng in their flth--beasly, sensual,
devilish.
aOf the men who are content to draw the wealth by
which they arc enriched from this foul sink of debauchery
what can be said Or Of what avail will ii be TO cay any
thng2 If their consciences were not dead already,
would imagine that in the midst of the splendid
mansions built and garnshed out of the profits Of this
most accursed trade they would be nightly haunted by
visions of the phasty wretches who by