s introducing Opium into China, in direct
and known violation of the laws of that Empire.

"'2. That, although the Chinese have not been heard in
their defence, the statements adduced by the advocates
of the war, clearly establish the fact, that the East
India Company, the growers of and traffickers in opium,
and British subjects who received the protection of the
laws of China, have been, throughout, the wrong doers;
therefore this meeting (without reference to the
conviction of many, that all war is opposed to the
spirit and precepts of the gospel,) holds it to be the
bounden duty of the government immediately to effect an
equitable and pacific settlement of the existing
differences with China.

"'3. That all traffic in opium with the Chinese being
contraband, the opium which was surrendered to their
government was justly confiscated; and that to demand
payment from the Chinese, to make reprisals upon them,
or, for this country to give compensation to the British
merchants thus engaged in smuggling, would be to
sanction and even grant a premium on crime.

"'4. That the petition now read be adopted by this
meeting, and presented to both Houses of Parliament; and
that the Right Honorable Earl Stanhope be requested to
present the same to the House of Lords, and Lord Sandon
to the House of Commons.

"'5. That the resolutions of this meeting be published
at the discretion of the Committee; and that a copy of
them in the Chinese language be transmitted, through the
High Commissioner Lin, to the Emperor of China.'

"Since this period, I have been in company with several
Englishmen who were at Canton at the time of the seizure of the
opium; and though some of them were concerned in the trade
themselves, and were naturally biassed in favor of their own
country, they all agreed in condemning the proceedings of the
English. I have recently spent some time in the United States,
whose intercourse with China is extensive and frequent, and
where the merits of this case are clearly understood by many of
the most intelligent and candid-minded citizens; and these,
without any exception, considered the acts of the British
government in this matter as some