It is remarkable, that during a week devoted by Parliament
to the virtual proclamation of war with China, accounts should have been re- ceived of fresh pacific overtures from the consistent Captain Elliot to the authorities at Canton. From Bombay papers, brought by an overland mail, we learn that, on the 16th of December, Captain Elliot addressed a petition to Commissioner Lin and the Viceroy of Canton, praying per- mission for the families of Eaglishmen to return to Macao, and for the rei;stablishment of friendly intercourse. The Captain sued—" desired and begged"—in most humble strain. The Chinese functionaries re- fused his application, in a characteristic reply, mingling argument with banter : in the argument they have clearly the upper hand of the Sus perintendent.
" And this coming before us the High Commissioner and Viceroy, we flail that the said (English) nation has come to Canton, and enjoyed commercial intercourse with us for somewhere about two hundred years. Our Heavenly Dynasty looking upon all men with equal kindness, was not at first willing to offer opposition to and cut off such commercial intercourse in the hurry of a. moment. But, lo ! those sad foreigners have given themselves up to the smug- gling of opium. While gaining profit to themselves, they sought to involve others in destruction, and so deluged our country with their poison, that at length they drew down upon themselves the anger of the Holy One (i.e. the Em- peror.) We, time said Commissioner and Viceroy, publislied and made known the new regulations, commanding that a certain duly-prepared bond should begiven.; and our sole object in doing so was to cut off for ever the poisonous stream, and not absurdly to make difficulties. II:el the s:iid foreigners, after having completed the entire delivery of their opluin (in May last) submitted to our edicts, and given the duly-prepared bond la vired that they would alone carry on a lawful traffic, then not only might Vie ships arriving have sold off their import cargoes long ago, but ships departing might have gone away full laden, and been back again by this time; and as for vhat you call peace and quiet- ness,' and managing matters with propriety, all this would have been neither more nor less than just doing as we now tell you But when the ships at first wanted to enter the port, they were prevented by yon, and, being outside, they could not open their hohls to discharge; thus a great deal of merchandise got spoiled, which was entirely caused by your mistake ; and will you still conic and talk to us about your sincere heart,' and that you desire and beg for the maintenance of peace, di?' Moreover, ify,ot had not thus detained your mer- chants' ships outside, then such a thing as the homicide of Lim Wei-be would not have taken place; and what then would have lea to all business getting into a state of complete confilsion and disorder, eh? But since a ease of life and death [is actually brought against youl. you nitit certainly deliver up the murderer : this is a current law of ancient as well as of modern times, of the central land as well as of foreign countries. How can we for your accouut consent to make a dead letter of our statute ?” " In regard to itermitting English ivnii1ies to reside temporarily at Macao, we may observe, that the object of foreign inviellants residing there was origi- nally to look after their mercantile transaetions : now, as you do not permit your merchant-ships to enter the port, you ought not Os of old to have dwelt at Macao ; but you, after leaving Macao, went to Howling, Chinmee, and other places, at all of which von were the first to commence thin!: and as for de- siring and begging for die maintenance of peace, is this die way to set about it, eh ?
" Now we have, in respectful accordance with the commands of the Great Emperor, made our clear and distinct report that we have closed the port against you, and will henceforth hold no furilwr an n.il intercourse with your nation. This is all; you who I,a'e 1,1.01:gilt it 111011 \ 011r:elf, and not that we of the Celestial Dynasty, wii l.a it a C,111Se. Olt Otr any man front the benefit Of OCT intercourse. You woulti not repent :mil awake while there was yet time ; and now to begin to say that pm. • cannot avoid feeling anxiety and sorrow '—pray is not this a little late, eh ? " As regards your begging that • y,air families may be permitted to return to Macao, and dwell there in the mean time until that pat receive order:, from the Sovereign of your country, we should like to ask you, was your preventing the merchant-ships front entering the port, as wll iv the sheltering oft, foreign murderer, and your repeatedly tiring off great guns, thus st irring the embers of war—were all those acts in very deed done in compliance with the command of the Sovereign of your said country ? Or perhaps it is only in such cases as these that you don't require to wait for orders from the Sovereign of your country, elt ? " Still further, there was a man of your country who submitted to subscribe the duly- prepared bond. II is rii ii vi Tonglooug, (Captain Towns) and his family was lying at Macao. This [ohedient] funny you escorted or sent on board ship; ii Itile you turn round ai.a permit those ;lien who oppose and mate sport of the laws to carry their families back to Macao. We should like to ask, if such a topsyturvy, such a jumble of ri,dit and wrong reason, was ever heard of before " in your petition you say, that 'every thing be done in respectful submission to the statutes of the Great Pare Dynasty, while at the same time the laws of your native country be not opposed,' &c. These words are still more incon- sistent than ever. We must be aware that the laws of your native country, cannot go beyond the statutes of the Great Pure Dynasty; for the laws of your country are based upon foreign commerce, and if you offer opposition to the statutes of the Great Pure Dynasty, then will you never to all eternity be permitted to hold commercial intercourse with us : therefore it follows, that these very laws of your said country are now broken aml violated in your own person ; and bethink you, will you be able to bear up under the weight of such a heavy crime, pray ? "Having already closed the port against you, properly speaking we ought to hold no further communication with you ; but, seeing that you have addressed a duly .prepared petition, begging and praying for certain favours, we, out of pure Indulgence, now take up the reason of our conduct, and with the utmost clearness make the same known unto v causing at the same tune that all be people of your country, as well as yourself, nny equally and alike know the cause why that this port is now shut against them.
" Taoukwang, 19th year, 11th moon, lath (?) day.
"Canton, 18th (?) December 1839?"
A circumstance had occurred which would tend to increase Captain Elliot's difficulties. Another British vessel, the Royal Saxon, had entered the port of Canton, and the master had signed the opium-bond. One of the owners, having put a tea-tester on board, was chased by a Mandarin boat, captured, and taken prisoner to Canton. The smuggling-trade in opium was still carried on to a great extent, and with large profits, on the Eastern coast of China. The price of the drug had advanced ISO rupees per chest in the Calcutta market. The officers and crew of the Sunda, wrecked on the coast of the Hainan, had been conveyed to Canton ; where they were at once ad- mitted into the city, and introduced to the Commissioner and all the other public authorities. They were treated with great kindness ; the sailors were regaled with a pork feast, and the whole party was sent on to the English tleet without detriment. Lin talked muck with the Captain ; and was greatly delighted with Mr. Thelwall's book against 'Opium, a copy of which appears to have been on board, and which was read to him, it is stated by a cabin-boy. lie is also reported to have said, that notwithstanding all that had passel, the English might return, if they would engage in the lawful trade.
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