THE CHINESE VERSUS Ol'IUM. 539 



enleilain erroneous notions concerning the phraseology adopted by 

 the Chinese towards us, as a nation, in their official documents, and 

 that instead of offering us insult they treat us with the respect be - 

 comincr a powerful nation. Towards the conclusion of our remarks 

 we mentioned that our legitimate trade with China did not involve 

 any difficulty in its transactions. Goods are bought and sold, or 

 taken in exchange, subject to certain duties, whether as imports or 

 exports; and, if no casualties occur (disputes between foreigners 

 and the natives), the ships are permitted to depart, as at any other 

 port. It is right, however, to add that we did not then, and do not 

 now, maintain that such imposts are just; but on that part of the 

 question we do not at present enter. 



We considered it our duty also, in the article referred to, to point 

 out to our fTovernment that the principal cause of the misunderstand- 

 ing between the two nations, and what proves the bane of much evil, 

 exists in the illicit trade of opium which is carried on in our ships, as 

 well as in those of ether nations, — that it tends not only to debase her 

 subjects, but that from fees clandestinely received by petty officers, 

 which are shared with their superiors to permit the passing and repass- 

 ino-of this obnoxious drug, the very officers of government become cor- 

 rupted ; litigation, and the very worst feelings naturally result, which 

 not unfrequently terminate in bloodshed. 



As our government may be deliberating on sending out a succes- 

 sor to Lord Napier, we should think ourselves culpable, possessing the 

 information we do, did we not fairly bring this illicit trade under 

 their notice and that of the public in general. And we are ot opi- 

 nion that we cannot do this better than by giving the following trans- 

 lation of a Proclamation issued by the Viceroj' of Canton on the 

 5th of April, 1820, translated into English by the late Dr. Morrison: — 



"Yuen, the Viceroy, and Ah, the Hoppo (comptroller of customs) of Can- 

 ton, hereby issue a proclamation to the Hong merchants, with the contents 

 of which let them make themselves fully acquainted. 



" Opium is an article which has long been most strictly prohibited by his 

 Imperial Majesty's command, and frequent proclamations have been issued 

 against it, which' are on record. But the passages on the coast of Canton 

 being very numerous, Macao being the resort of foreigners, and Whampoa 

 lieing the' anchorage for foreign ships, should be more strictly watched and 

 searched. 



" It is found on record, that during the twentieth year of Kea-king, the 

 then Viceroy, Tseang, reported to the court, and punished the abandoned 

 Macao merchants, Choo-mei-kwa and others, for buying and selling opium. 

 The Emperor's will was then most reverently received to this etfect : — 



" ' When the Portuguese ships arrive at Macao, it is incumbent to search 

 and examine each ship; and let the Viceroy widely publish a proclamation, 

 stating that opium being an article produced abroad, and from thence flow- 

 ing into China, and as every region has its usages and climate proper for 

 itself, and differing from others, the celestial empire does not forbid your 

 people to make and eat opium, and diffuse the custom in your native place. 

 But that opium should flow into the interior of this country, where vagabonds 

 clandestinely purchase and eat it, and continually become sunk into the most 

 stupid and besotted state, so as to cut down the powers of nature and destroy 

 life, is an injury to the manners and minds of men of the greatest magnitude ; 

 and tliiitTorc opium is most rigorously prohibited by law. 



