The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1857-02-27
CHINA AND rHE OPIUM TRADE.

TO have called the attention OF the philanhropss ~
Great Britain to that great instrument Of civilization A
trade in opiumcaried such an extent
British vessels under false colors and armed as pirs,
that il amounts according British ministerial ory,
TO 100000 sterling annually. Public meetings have bs.
held eloquent speeches made according custom and
petition draughted to Parliament for the abolition Of thin
nearious traffic We marvel the meeting did not Include
the trade in Chinese coolies but presume they forgot
In the course Of the proceedings Of the meeting one
the speakers struck chord to which Mr.. Bull always ~
spends spontaneously He stated among series Of mOs
deplorabe consequences arising from the trade Struggled
opium, now monopolixed by the East India Company
(which has prohibited all private cultivation Of the pO
py) that "rhe traffic had greatly reduced the consumption
of British goods in China" This is home argument
and cannot fail awaken the sympathes Of the sentiment
alists Of Liverpool Manchester and "Brummagemp vh
are so sensitive on the subject of the slave trade
The reputed ministerial organ, the London Morning
Post is not however, altogether pleased with this demon
stration and comes forward rather apoogs for Tia
opium smugglers. The editor acknowledges opium mc
king is fatal practice and that it prevails extensively
China principally through the agency Of the East India
Company But what of that? at is" continues the Or.
ever there is demand for the debauchng drug th,hs
will the British merchants take supply This is VERY
complimentary to the merchant princes" inasmuch
distinctly intimates that law law, morality or no
morality poison poison, the British merchant will
smuggle bis wares wherever he can make money.
There is, we fear much truth in this frank declaration
and that the government an accomplice in this business
The existence of England depends her trade withsu
this she cannot pay the interest on her national debt nor
support her civil and military establishment In one
word, she would become bankrupt The entire policy Of
the government has therefore, been long exclusively d.
rected to an extension of trade. Every political measure
leading object in view and deeply does it pervads Tho
minds Of Englshmen that they seem to have lost sight
their moral perceptions in this respect and to have no
other standard Of justice equity but what they call The
interests of trade It is species of monomania divet
Of all enthusiasm; cool, calculating se6shness which
never sleeps and dies Such policy certainly In
dspensable to sustain her present position in the world
and may be justified under the great plea Of necessity
which has law. But at the time 1t cannot be DE-
MED that government acting under such pressure Is a
mschievous member of the great family of nations asa
gentleman who is constantly in want Of funds and he
himself whenever he get chance is among commu
nifty of honest people.
The necessity Of the case would hardly be justification
to an individual either in moral legal point view
and it may be questoned whether nations rghhly
plead exemption from the ordinary obligations of justice
and equity except in of absolute necessity The
drowning is perhaps justifable in catching at The
hair of another though he may drag him down with him
and the nation whose actual existence depends on violating
the rights making entertainments debating terms
cotemporares may possibly avail itself Of the plea
of necessity But there are many degrees Of necessity
1t is not necessary TO other nations that Great Britain
should engross large portion of the commerce Of The
world extend her empire great portion Of The
earth or concentrate within herself so great portion
the wealth of the world she boasts of possessing All
this may be very gratifying to the vanity Of EDgishms
but it certainly is not essential to the happiness man
kind and it is to say the least extremely questionable
whether it contributes to that OF the people Of England
New acquisitions may increase the of the govern
ment but at the time and often to still greater
tent they increase its expenditures by the necessity
tecon and exhaust the natural of the nation
home in acquiring additional resources abroad This seems
to be the with Great Britain, whose every acquisition
of wealth and power entails the necessity of retaining old
or laying burdens the people, who thus become
the scape goats and victims of the national glory
The example Of Great Britain which derives greats
portion Of her wealth and power from commerce.
have infected the civilized wordas is called par ze
lence-with commercial mania 1t has become not only
the pampered pet Of all governments the only putd
source Of national wealth. but the only efficient instrument
Of universal civilization The merchant whose sole pur
pose in visiting foreign countries is gain, has now be
come the great missionary of Christianity and civil
cation. Turkey is to be regenerated by banks and
railroads, and China by the opium trade. Moral and
political reforms to be brought about by what's called
material progress and Christianity propsgated by turn
ing the attention Of all mankind to the acquisition Of
which, according Scripture is the root Of all evil Com
merce too, is claimed to be the universal harbugG
peace the truth of which assertion may be tested by The
history Of almost all the wars Of Europe for the last two
centuries, and most especially by the example Of Gra
Britain which, in extending her commerce. has more thar
once destroyed the peace Of half the world.
Let in order the better to illustrate subject reve
to the of China Of the most extensive and Ger
tainly the most ancient empire of the world comprising
three hundred millions Of people, about onehird Of the
Of the globe. Certainly such government
emit nationality and to the privilege of regulating heirovn
internal and external policy do we see any spe0A
reason why they should be bulied, bueted, and have
their forts and cities battered about their ears because
they eat rats and mice prefer living at home to roaming
about the world and like Engshmen, indulge the harm
vanity of believing themselves the most pussan anu