re. This information, with the names of the vessels and
the parties concerned, the number of chests of opium on board,
the enormous profits they were realizing, et cet., was some time
ago communicated to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs,
on authority which he did not and could not dispute.'

[Footnote B: "This individual is in the new House of Commons,
professedly as a reformer, and represents a borough which
formerly sent to that House one of its most upright members, who
has now retired from public life.]

"On the 7th of April, Sir James Graham brought forward a motion
in the House of Commons, in reference to this subject, but in a
manner which gave it so much of a party character, that our
cruel injustice to the Chinese, and the disgraceful conduct of
our Government in attacking them, was lost sight of by many,
whose professed principles ought to have made them foremost in
condemning these proceedings. The Whig Ministry having intimated
they would resign if Sir J. Graham carried his motion, every
other consideration was forgotten in anxiety lest a political
party should be injured or lose office.

"This feeling not only pervaded the supporters of the Government
in the House of Commons, but also extended to many leading
religious professors of various denominations; and thus no
public feeling sufficiently strong could be raised to counteract
in Downing-street, the combined and powerful influence of the
East India Company and the wealthy opium smugglers; though
public meetings were held in London and many places in the
country, and petitions forwarded justly deprecating this war, as
one of almost unparalleled iniquity. At the meeting in the
metropolis, which was held at Freemason's Hall, and at which the
Earl of Stanhope presided, the following resolutions were
passed:--

"'1. That this meeting, whilst it most distinctly
disavows any party or political objects, and deprecates
most strongly any such construction being put upon its
efforts, deeply laments that the moral and religious
feeling of the country should be outraged--the character
of Christianity disgraced in the eyes of the world--and
this kingdom involved in war with upwards of three
hundred and fifty millions of people, in consequence of
British subject