The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-04-28

them. | have not connected myself with any
sectional party or sectional question:; and so
help me God, never WILL
Is there any other portion of my record
wanted, gentlemen? If so, let it be called for,
and it shall be promptly supplied.
Respectfully, JOHN M. Boris.
CANTON CORRESPONDENCE.
HaUoc in Canton Waste of Lite-Trade an
Opium.
CANTON, CHINA, Feb, 1859.
To the Editor o. the National Era:
On resuming my correspondence with your
paper, allow me to congratulate you and all
your readers on the encouraging news which
the last numbers (those for November) brought
me. l refer to the elections for Congressman
which have resulted in the success of so many
who favor the cause of Freedom and of our
country. Although separated by half the cir
conference of the globe from my native land,
and never expecting to visit its shores again,
yet | am not an uninterested spectator of the
struggle which is now going on, and which can
only be terminated by the success of Slavery or
of Freedom. That the principles of Freedom
and Justice will finally have universal sway in
the councils of our nation, have not the least
doubt, and it is with deep and hopeful inter
est watch the contest from this distant stand
point
The city of Canton, as you know has been
the theatre of war for two years. The sad eff
fects of this dreadful curse are visible in many
parts of it. There are acres of ruins, desolate
and deserted, with brick walls and pillars still
standing in places, to show that mans habita
tion had been there. At the gates ofthe city, and
traversing the Streets may be seen the British red
coats and marines, armed with sword and bay
onet, which shows that the city is still in
the hands of its conquerors. In some of the
Streets crowds of busy men are passing to and
fro and the shops display their wares to attract
purchasers. But there are still many shops
closed, and some of the streets are not fire.
quented by the accustomed throngs Conf
dence is not yet fully restored, although peace
has been proclaimed for several months.
The dreadful suferings that have befalen the
inhabitants of this city are beyond conception.
For two years, multtudes of the people have
been driven from their homes, deprived of their
usual means of support, and thousands of them
reduced to beggary and want. Starvation has
claimed many victims. If all the facts could
be known, how would humanity weep! Who
can conceive of the terrible anxiety of those
thirty hours of bombardment on the 29th and
Both of December, 1851 One hundred and
fifty cannon threw shot and shell indiscriminate-
ly over the city-literally, showers of iron hail.
The house | live in and all around it bear
marks of the destructive effects of cannon balls
and exploding shells. How many were slain
cannot be ascertained, but some facts are
known which almost chill the blood in one s
heart. | was informed, by the chaplain of the
English army, that shortly after the lombard
ment, he visited asylum for infants in the
eastern suburbs. To his great CONSERVATION,
la tho hnlI 90 h,rH rod
infants. The nurses had been frightened by
the awful and unceasing of the cannon
aiding, and had fled in dimay, leaving the chill
dren TO perish from hunger and cold.
After getting possession of the city, the
Chinese were in the habit of cutting off strag-
Cling soldiers, when there opportunity.
To punish this, the English destroyed the
houses on the spot where the deed was commit
ted. But the French resorted to a more eff
fectual method. One Of their soldiers was be-
headed in the southern suburbs. When it was
found out, detachment of men proceeded to
the street where the deed was committed, and
put to the sword every man found in it. About
forty men were slain, and it is almost certain
that no one concerned in killing the French
man was among those put to death.
Although the war is over, and new treaties
have been made, doubt much whether enough
has been gained to Justify the infction of so
much suffering on so many of our fellow beings.
The treaties look very well on paper, but those
who mark the fact that they have been forced
from an unwilling people at the cannons mouth,
| and those who know the character of heather
people, will have but little hope of the stipu-
lations being faithfully executed, except in the
presence Of the power that compelled them to
be yielded.
One of the results Of the war; and one which
seems to have been very near the heart of Lord
Elgin, the English Ambassador, was the legali-
zation of the opium trade Several millions OF
dollars worth of opium are annually imported
into China, and Lord Elgin was moved with
compassion to see his countrymen engaged in
so extensive and profitable business when it
was stigmatized as illegal. He therefore took
upon himself the duty Of removing the stigma
from his countrymen, and does it by the easy
and quick process of legalizing the trade in
opium, and fixing duty on the imported drug.
The smuggling of opium has not been con-
fined to subjects of the English Crown. ! am
sorry to say that have seen the American flag
hying at the masthead of ships used for storing
opium, and steamers bearing that flag constant
ly carry it up and down the river. 1t is well
known what desperate efforts have been made
by the Chinese to prevent the sale and use of
the poison. The severest punishments were
inflicted on those who prepared and sold ii, and
those found smoking it had their lips cut off,
so as to render it impossible to continue the
practice. After the first war between England
and China, commonly called the "opium war,
the efforts of the native officials were unsuccess
full, and many of themselves became addicted
to the use of the drug, and they have been
easily bribed to connive at its introduction, and
there has been constant increase until the
amount annually struggled into the country
and consumed by the miserable victims is more
than enough to pay for all the tea sent to Eng
] land.
A greet deal is said about the recent war
having opened China TO the commerce and
civilization of the Western world, and made a
clear path for the missionaries of the Christian
religion to go everywhere, preaching the glad
tidings of the kingdom. Much good doubtless
may result, and mutual advantage flow from
the new regulations, but it should not be for
gotten that the nefarious traffic in opium has
received the sanction of law, and honorable
men may engage in selling the poison to the
Chinese, without mourning the stain on their
characters which seemed 10 weigh so heavily on
the mind and heart Of II, NJ. Minister Plenipo-
Tertiary. The voice Of Christendom has been
uttered as to the crying evil of the compulsory
cultivation of the poppy In British India; and,