Don
Cau
THE FRIEND OF CHINA AND HONGKONG GAZETTE.
ral, till they wrought in the mind of the or conviction that this law which eld for years was not on by
Minister a
those who remember the socÃO with which this inforced its claim, and Waged offer on the legislative, means of effecting the change are thin the change itself. W
misslate the matter who as a change merely in our commer-
Teuta alange, or rather the indica. in the whole theoretical functions outrument, in all the assumed relations between the governors and the governed, between the law. makers and the people, and in the very being of tes, did not holety
Its practical importances is enhanced to our minds raha Excellency's by knowing that it completely pars down that theory which has of late been adopted and enforced by one celebrated man, and eagerly embraced by the bulk
rable he may be in who have betrayed the co-
wed that the plan of ope İCİRİ REBIıation was con- ext than either Governor
may hereafter conjure and secure victory over af combined monopolies and sinister class interes Economist, July 11,
THE COBDEN TESTIMONIAL
We have heard with much satisfaction fint. preliminary meeting has been held at Air Trave to form a committee for promoting in London the success of the national testimony in Me Coblend Mr Moffa, M.P., Mr Wa Hawes, Als Ingram Travers, and Mr P. A. Taylor, took the lead on the occaside. Yesterday a second mesting was held, at which Messrs Jones Lloyd, Rothschild Sir G. Largent, Sir Wm Molesworth, &c., word present: when it was resolved that active measu should be immediately taken to get up a subeer.p. tion that shall be an honour to Landon as a remain long behind Manchester and Liscip Mr. Cobden. The metropolis. Therefore will testifying their gratitude to the leader of repeal agitation.
of those who have been defeated in this "conflict-
It is proposed, we understand, most appropriate. that “Isissez facire" will no longer do that this intelligent, overruling, people" are eagerly dent the subscription list in the metapas s manding to be governed. and that the legislature, and bankers. No paranne have suffered in parse be headed by some of the most wealthy merchouts Aulercator, we would remind which has now solemnly admitted its incompetence and in anxioly more than they have by: Jegis tive I
interference with their business, particularly by
Hongkong is not a market, it goods are transhipped to a sorte varr large extent, and as a port for tranship bility to mend it is, and always will bad place of value the circuit a commercial point of view. It may be lication Viz. said that transhipments might be made at Ma- CommINOES
Very true; but foreign merchants have esistance to the
had some experience of Macas, and we ques- Don whether under any circumstances they to doubt 1 Bo would be willing to store goods there. To
The which
houses largely engaged in the coast and India ance from the trade, Hongkong a place of importance even ellence Sir if they do not sell a bale of goods in a year. hed appears to be icon- A reference to the shipping list will show that in August and September. 36 vessels sailed from Hongkong to Shanghai and other ports on the coast, the arrivals being 203 or in all, 50 vessels visited the port for commercial purposes which could not be conducted in Canton. Of these vessels eighteen were under foreign co- lours, entering the port, receiving and deliver- ing freight, without paying Gyle cent of part charges. During the two months roferred to, several vessels put back to repair damages, for which every facility is afforded them.
The Vature's coperture rning (but we believe with
garrison) and her presence of lead to the equa security all the foreign Residents.
fibe China Mail suggests tenced for sail in Can- deliverable by bill of impon, a opium vessels pro- um-sing-ingon and forward- To Canton by post boat. By this We think that on consideration Merculor rangement there will be saving of 80 per will be satisfied that he has only viewed ont charges. We do not subscribe to fer-side of the picttire. We are aware that many That three years experience has highly respectable firms have left, or are about to leave the colony, after investing large sums in buildings for which they cannot find tenants. d'hey complain, and with justice, that while they pay government individually from £50 to £300 per annum for the ground upon which their houses are built, their property has been rendered comparatively valueless by a med- dting system of interference with trade. as a market Hongkong is valueless at present, and thousands are sunk in buildings which give na return. As a port of transhipment, it is of portance, though most Merchants will intrust this branch to a Clerk or employ an Agent. The place may fill off notil it is left a mere garrison town with a few houses of agency property may become perfectly unsaleable trade there may be one (that is a far as trade consists of buying and selling) but still the place will be of commercial importance in one view, though those who derive such advantages as it offers without having sunk money in building, may have good cause to congratulate then selves.
kong to be worse than useless in pout of view
It is true thalan a market, Hongkong has proved a decided failure; but it is equally true 1but the
community do derive.com- sidere
advantage from the colonisation of the island. Previous to pointing out these ad- vantages we would wish to direct the attention of the Editor of the Mail to the following pa- ragraph in his comments upon Mercator's letter.
It is the fashion to atribute all the blame of this unfor tenste state of affairs to the oval Government; but its trange that the same oplaton lias prevailed from the funds fun of the Colony, and that in the face of it, the great body of the merchants congregated Hongkong and erected ex- ponaise dwelling houses and godowns, as if nothing more
were wanting to turn trade out file did channels, and draw
15hbdeland, cameramstion which ought not to have pas expected, and which no inaasures of Government munid Co much to bring about."
If the Gentleman who makes this statement. wi enquire of any of his mercantile friends who were in the colony tree, years ago, they will inform him, that at that period, Hongkong had a very considerable trade; he may also ascertain that nearly all the large mercantile houses were built or in the course of building before the arrival of Sic John Davis; and heat adhatever complaints were made against Sir dency Pottinger for his treatment of the mer- cartile compunty with reference to land, it
asserted that his policy was anti- That Sir Henry Pottinger would kong a place of great com- one of the greatest mar our firm opinion. He saw opium trade he would the south of Chine His Excellency lett China, lng trade, not only in onom
19. The sy toen o mon- by Sir John Davis, which has into the hands of a few worthless evile at the registration system, lect the colony from the wn le tehas been made.
arporeat pude
us to the po The market
triles:
Othe
THE CHANGE WROUGHT BY THE LEAGUE,
One of the greatest changes ever made in con- merci legislation as affected when the bill for putting an end to the Corn Laws received the royal assent It is the solemn embodiment to act of parliament of the great principle mated by Lord Russell at his reelection on Wednesday, "that the legislature is incapable of directing the industry of the people"
I not be said, as some choose to represent it, & new fangled wystem, and arrange and fanciful theory; it is nothing more than saying, humbly and modestly, there are questions of legislation which we sampatent to decide; but as to directing the industry of the country, of diverting the rugzketa of the county, and of lalling the people how they shall em ploy their labour, when they abail bar, and at what time they shall soil, that in a subject upon which leagis-ture can do nothing (cheers); end upon which the wisest House of Lord, or the most virtuous House of Commons that ever existed, cannot legislate su well as the bacher, the face aud the ardean, in their own markets, and in their own. shops Loud cheers
=
of all the function of legislatore and of govern ment, but we do assert that passing the law to set entirely free the trade in food, in conjunction with the use of such language, as we have referred to, by two prime ministers, i8. to a great extent, such a abdicationpand, therefore, it is the greatest, or at least an indication of the greatest, change ever koowa in the political relations of mankind.
to deal with the industry of the people embracing possibly minetenths of their social existence, " must this great change is the present and actual abdice-profit by that steady and minterrupted interchange guide and regulate all things." We do not say that derangsinents in the currency, caused by sending out gold to pay for core and no persons & di moto
of the corn law will now make the steady and of manufactured goods for food, which the
repeal
may have confidence in their calculations, which guiding role of their business.
Henceforth they will no longer be derangel and interrupted by scale that slides or not at the bidding of market gamblers. Merchants and bankers will have only The variations of the seasons at home and abrued and the legitimate demands of their customers to study, which, even in their irregolarities, contatt the elements of certainty, Gratitude for public services rendered to the public, is now a preval and a praiseworthy feeling, and the opulent classes of London will, we are well assured, not lag be bind the others in bestowing a well merited reward much boneft on them The whole, commercial on the man whose exertions have confered sa
We can scarcely quote a more striking illustra tion of this change than the manner in which the le gislature has discussed the question. Only seven years ago the then prime minister denounced that as madness which his successor and his own friend have since said to be only justice. At that time, and for years before, all parties in the Blouse of Lords were equally opposed to corn law repeal, and would not listen to the racy Lord King, or the mild Earl Fitzwitham, when he besought them to examine the subject. About that period, even when the Whigs were in office, the House of Commons turned with disdain from discussion of the question, and tried
any to laugh down or cough down as an enthusiast or a bore every man who suppored it possible to procure an alteration of the corn laws. We remember that when Mr Villiers first undertook the task of opening rest, he was most impatiently listened to. None of
of the country gentlemen to their true inte eyea
the usual parliamentary interruptions were forgotten, and many untisual noises were employed to drown his voice. Before the discussions were finally at an end, his subject commanded the most serious at tention of the house, and he was listened to with as much deference and amidst silence as profound as the minister himself. Distegarding the sneers of his associates the prejudiers of his class, the cold reception he received from his pitty-forthe Whigs, of whom he was one, were as firmly attached to the duty, which Sir R Perl always consistently and corn laws as their opponents, and advocated a fixed steadily opposed-rilliers annually renewed his motion annually acquired an accession.of strength,
the
successively comman led more and more atten to, till the Parliament that had refused to listen
funk in his wards and passed, in substance the very measure he demanded. The change in the language ad conduct of the legislature has been as great as the change in the principles of legislation.
Of all these changes, the Longue, of which Mr. Villiers was the Parliamentary representative, has been the immediate instrument. It has been, as the Bishop of Oxford remarked in his speech in favor of corn law repeal. #powerful because the thinking mind of England and the feeling heart of England ayrapathised with the opinions of the League."
It appealed only to the reason of the trated the light from many minds on ons error, it people. collected and observed facts, it concen- organised exertion and thought to remove it, and after a struggle, continued through eight years, it ing closely and attentively followed the League in has seen its exertions crowned with success H all its proceedings, we are far from saying that Bone of its members ever advocated false ples, that the whole of them are thoroughly embued their vast extent. We are far from saying that the with the principles of free trade, or oven aware of body did not at times retard its own progress by insisting too much on the supposed advantages the extact la conferred on the landlords strengthen- making them cling to it more tense ing their convictions of its benefit to them, and
many, did not infect the noble principle it a that the very existence Sol & Jeans, dish
princi
with the animosity men bear to what they siders unlawful association. We are It fure, from disserting that the lenges hat incessantly and inrarably promoted tha
took ja, band
Language like that from the mouth of the Prime, Minister of England, indicating that the whole in dustry the community is hepreaforth to be above the legislature, that the legislature acknowledges its incompetence to deal with so vas a subject, marke a great change, not merely the framework of our lawa, bat in the modes of thi king and acting in Mirencipie und and being or low makers such as confuel.
been anlemnly acknowledg
means
pol mord wonderful that the
the cause
minuity at this moment regards Sir Robert Pest for his core repeal bill They are getting up with feelings of intense gratitule and admiration
numerous adresses rnt penny subscriptions; they cess; but he has informed us that the honour of are filled with rapture at his perseverence and sue-
not belong in Lord John Russell, apil does belong assing that measure does not belong to him, does
mating for many years is we said Si Richard Cobden, who has persevered) in pra-
Roburi should be inserited on the anerabl measure ! is really, therefore, to Cobilgin that the gratingde of the mercandle community and its rewards are due..
Besides the services rendered by Mr Cobden, he Besides the
the has made any sucrifices. There are not a frig men who serve the pullin with rect pasonal pro fl who paite good salaries with public Jalours, and enrich themselves while by forward the p polar case or take care of the public raterest Mr Coldra's case, die graal exorting that have been 65 spricoable to the whole cominy, have horn without any pay, and bare bein Berimisly detrimental to fus privi
parate fortune, Having hud, for the last seven year, his time fully occupid with the League business corresponde re pouring requiring to le attended end speeches maile, it was la on him from all parts of the conatry, livetings
impossible that Mira odßen shoqi ¦ nutneglect his private business is devotion to the rallic ser- sice, instead of being rewarded by a large sulary, hes est him a fortune
culiar on
The business of which he is at the head is a pe one. It depends on a callured taste, and ap peals for its support to the delicate Lendiousness of ladies of fashion. It requires for great success the rate combination of a poet's ere und a painter's hand
continually to catch and fix the ever new and vary. ledge of chemistry, some of the most important dis- ing graces of nature. It requires tou, a great know-
dyeing. A man endowed by genius such as Mr Cobden's night naturally expect to realise a large ged to neglect it, and when skill similar to his own property in such a pursus bit when he was obli
could not thrive under competition with theirs, was assiduonly applied by others, his business
and the public services which are a fortune to other men, have been a serious loss to Mr (bden. At any rate, to addition to having rendered great ser- vices to hid admiring countryinen, he, much more than any other individual connected with the Leu- gue, has made, great sacrifices, and justice as well 68 gratauder requires that he of all men should re- ceive a greal public reworded t
Covorios in that science being closely connected with
At the Liverpool meeting, held on Thursday, Mr Brown asid bat Mr Cobden bad made pecuniary sacrifices to the amount of 50,000. That, in our dgment, only a faint representation of Mr en's probable losses, Mr Cobden has lost a vered opportunity. Seven years of
fía – precisely that period when
erally most successful-when man igour of ronth, and bus attained rapy of mature intellect-have been sedu devoted to the py! How much he might gue in those seven years, and what 6rm en he might have laid to that time for an reating nod colossal fortune no man can
Bre inclined to believe that the suin M Browd old not cover half Mr erfices Moreover, it should be cos bat as must have lost his business habits, even his taste for business. There which will of pall on the sunse af public meetings and pop
Mr Cobden's circumstances rating loto private life; and though For the pulle welfare, POLLICE. MgHntor for we link this sec m.hu two business Dermops, from
grales 4jaim, kier
Countropen propose