46
Address to Foreign Residents in China.
JAN.
first English vessel or Company's ship that sailed should take the females away."
The Chinese were long, and until very recently, supported by foreigners themselves in this exclusive policy. British subjects, resort- ing to China for commercial purposes, in more than one instance, deemed it necessary to provide themselves with consulate certificates from foreign courts, in order to prevent their deportation in ships of their own country. And the man who has done more than any other, to improve the relations of his country with China, deemed it inex- pedient to be publicly known as an Englishman for months after his arrival here in 1807.
The foregoing instances, few as they are, present a faithful view of the policy hitherto maintained towards foreigners—a policy restric- tive and unfriendly in a degree exceedingly unjust and reprehensible. To the men from afar it allowed no rights; whatever was received by them was of grace, granted out of tender compassion. The sovereigns of Europe were enrolled as the 'liege subjects of the son of heaven, and both from them and their people implicit and unconditional obedience was claimed as rightfully due.
Thus affairs remained till the summer of 1840, when first an al- tered tone was assumed, and efforts for amelioration were commen- ced. As part of the means for gaining the proposed end, the submis- sion of Chusan was peremptorily demanded. This demand not being complied with, the island fell to the arms of H. B. M. Of the acts which have since occurred there, at the Pei ho, and in this vi- cinity, our readers need not be reminded.
'The interruption of negotiations on the 7th instant, was followed by such a stroke as the Chinese had never before felt. The horrors of war, however, lasted but for an hour; then peace became the order of the day. But will it be lasting and salutary? Will the terms of the treaty, now under consideration, be such as will lead to the pre- servation and extension of friendly relations?
These questions are not easily answered, in direct terms; nor is it possible in few words faithfully, nor even in many fully, to describe the opening prospects. It is safe to say, that things are not as they used to be. In some essential points they are improved. The false notion of foreigners being tributary has been exploded; and along with it have gone those assumptions of high preeminence which for so long a time prevented any acknowledgment of equality. The Chinese having once felt the power of the "rebellious foreigners," will in future be slow to repeat overt acts, affecting the lives and pro-