Directory_and_Chronicle_1842 — Page 95

1842.

Last Ten Years, from 1832 to 1841.

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racter, or admit them to official communication, they cannot but regret the incon- veniences which may result to both English and Chinese from so strange and anomalous a state of affairs. It is manifest, that under these circumstances, no chan- nel exists for the conveyance, in an authentic shape, of any expression of the views or wishes of the Chinese government to his majesty's knowledge. The local authorities, after having from the very first arrival of the commission on their shores, persisted in rejecting the only legitimate means of communication. have no reasonable ground of complaint, should their requisitions remain un- answered.

"The superintendents are led to make the preceding reflections in conse- quence of its having come to their knowledge that several papers have been ad- dressed to the private merchants at Canton, purporting to emanate from the local government, and containing matter which it is desired inay be submitted to his majesty's knowledge. After making every allowance for the strangeness of the Chinese to external relations, it is difficult to believe that the Canton authorities, who constantly profess to act in conformity to reasonable principles, should have voluntarily placed themselves in so false a position. To judge by mere intrinsic evidence, it might be fairly inferred that the particular papers alluded to were not authentic. Any other conclusion would involve the extravagant belief that the brigh officers of the Chinese government, enlightened men, and practiced in the proprieties of public business, would place themselves in the helpless position of attempting to convey the wishes of their own sovereign to his majesty the king of England through the incongruous medium of commercial correspondence. Such a course would be at variance with all sound principles of dignity, and a departure from every dictate of reason. It would be to derogate from the ma- jesty of their own sovereign, and to expose theinselves to the certainty of pre- venting their communications from receiving the slightest degree of attention.

"Under present circumstances, the superintendents must at once declare that they cannot see the least occasion to open communication with the local autho- rities. However much they might have deemed it their duty, if suitably ap- proached, to forward a decorous communication to his majesty's government, they must repeat that in the actual state of things they consider themselves hound to await in perfect silence the final determination of the king.

"Pending this interval, the superintendents have to submit some few sugges- tions to his majesty's subjects resident in China, and they do so in a spirit of serious earnestness, and with the conviction that the vast importance of the sub- ject will insure to their remarks the most attentive consideration. They formally counsel and enjoin the king's subjects, each in his own place, and by all the influence of his example, to avoid or prevent the chance of affording a plausible ground of complaint to the Chinese, and to refrain, as much as possible, from allusions to the past, or anticipations with regard to the future. In fine, to im- press the local government and the people, by the deliberate reserve of their conduct, with a proper sense of the confidence reposed in our sovereign's wis- dom to conceive and power to execute any measures which may be deemed re- quisite for the establishment of all things on a sure and permanent foundation.

“If any well founded complaint against the conduct of the Chinese authorities towards British subjects should arise, the superintendents trust that it will be pre- ferred to them, and that the decision, as to the best course to be pursued, will be remitted to their judgment. They deem it superfluous to insist upon their desire