570
Journal of Occurrences
Oct
unutterable! How is it possible for us to refrain from forbidding our people to use it? But inen are born, like good grain and noxious weeds, some good and some bad. Our bad subjects buy and use the opium, and your honorable country has bad people who traffic in and sell it. In the beginning, your honorable country did not force the sale nor the consumption, and the prohibition of trade with the opium in the beginning, was not the original intention of the cherishing kindness of the emperor toward foreigners. If it is not so,-at the time when your honora. ble nation's former public envoy went to Tientsin, to state his defense and repre. sent his complaints, how, when, immediately the imperial will was sent down, did he repair to Canton, and there await the examination and management (of the matter); and further, before Tinghái had been received back, orders were given to the army guarding the coast, not to open their fire on the English ships: thus, our einperor's virtue is produced by heavenly love: he knows no difference be. tween natives and foreigners. The people of your honorable nation have all seen and heard of this (truth).
When they arrived at Canton, to examine into the cause of the dispute, and end it, I had not arrived in the provinces of Fukien and Canton, and was unable, therefore, to become fully acquainted with the matter; and from then until now the affairs of Chekiáng have been the subjects of discussion. Since we lost Chinhái and Ningpo, in the 3d moon of this year, the emperor has conferred on Klipú the rank of chungtáng—a principal minister of state, and the button of the fourth rank, and also ordered him to receive the seals of acting adjutant-ge- neral of the district of Tsopú. Can you suppose, that if I'lípú had committed an offense in being too timid, he would now be quickly promoted to high official employment? When I was a petty, inferior officer, I was unable to look up and intimately understand (the emperor's intentions); but such intentions inust have dwelt in the beneficent heart of the emperor. From the 4th ̧moon until now, the soldiers of your honorable nation have entered the district of Tsopú, ruined our city of Whsung, and killed our commander-in-chief; and you have also attacked and taken by storin, the city of Chinkiáng; and when the people of the province of Kiángst heard of it, what else could they do than assemble their lusty youths to protect their families, while it was my duty to guard the frontiers, to face difficulties and firmly maintain Nanking, devoting myself to death as return for my country's favors.
When the (chehien) magistrate of Íching district had seen the proclamation, he copied and sent it to inc. The contents of the honorable embassador and great minister's published proclamation announce an application for justice, and from which, wlien read and fully understood, the natural purposes and sentiments of the two nations will be known. In the beginning, there was not any cause of interruption to our good understanding; but if we repel each other from mere appearances and circumstances the more will we recede from each other; a state of uncompromising hostility will ensue. If there be any real cause of complaint against China, referring to human feelings and reason, if there be the least incongruity, there is no hindrance that you should not substantiate the facts, and make a true statement, when the right or the wrong will be evident; or perhaps, it would be better that the noble embassador should draw up a state- ment, and send it, through me, to the cinperor; or clearly narrate and explain all the circumstances to me, in a public statement, and I will report them in a dis patch to the emperor; both ways are feasible—you may please yourself: and when we mutually understand cach other's minds, all trifEng difference and cause of dis. like will cease; and then affairs can be perfected and mutual friendship will long last; if not, then must the troops again join m strife, and the business of each day will be battles. Although our central nation has enjoyed peace for a long time, and we are not prepared for attacking and fighting, which has led to this accumula. tion of insult and disgrace, yet you also must have lost many of the officers and soldiers of your honorable country, and who is he that has neither father, mother, wife, nor son, distant from this country several tens of thousands of li? Carry ing on this strife will cause ennuities, hatred and calamities; and when will an end be to this state of things, which inust be highly offensive to supreme heavon's be yjevolenci.
which love, that men should live and not die fighting ' Heaven detests