[Footnote A:  See Appendix G.]

The author of the most popular modern work on China, who long superintended the interests of the British merchants at Canton, and whose work, to a considerable extent, reflects their views, after stating the increasing discouragements imposed by the authorities on foreign commerce, the effect for the most part of opium smuggling, and other lawless proceedings, observes:—­“These (discouragements) are their (the British merchants) real subjects of complaint in China; and whenever the accumulation of wrong shall have proved, by exact calculation, that it is more profitable, according to merely commercial principles, to remonstrate than submit, these will form a righteous and equitable ground of quarrel!!"[A]

[Footnote A:  Davis’s China and the Chinese, (Murray’s Family Library,) vol. i. p. 195.]

The remonstrance here alluded to is WAR, as is apparent from the context of the passage, as well as from the fact, that by the author’s own showing no other kind of remonstrance remained to be tried.  The true “casus belli” is set forth by anticipation in this passage without disguise, and by one who knew well, and has clearly described the causes that were operating to produce a rupture.  The opium merchants have discovered that now, in the fulness of time, it is profitable to go to war with China, and forthwith the vast power of Great Britain, obedient to their influence, is put in motion to sustain their unrighteous quarrel, to the unspeakable degradation of the character of this professedly Christian nation.  The morality of the war on our side, is the morality of the highwayman; that morality by which the strong in all ages have preyed upon the weak.  And though a handful of unprincipled men find their account in it, before the people of Great Britain have paid the expenses of the war, and the losses from derangement and interruption of commerce, it will cost millions more than all the profit that has ever accrued to them from the opium trade.  From what motive then, do we uphold a traffic, which is the curse of China, the curse of India, and a calamity to Great Britain?  Such a war may be fruitful in trophies of military glory, if such can be gained by the slaughter of the most pacific people in the world; but to expect that it will promote the reputation, the prosperity, or the happiness of this country, would be to look for national wickedness to draw down the Divine blessing.  The descriptive catalogue of the “Ten thousand Chinese things,” concludes with sentiments on this subject which do equal honor to the head and heart of the writer.