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m&r ' THE LEAP EB; [GSTo. 431^, Jtjnb \2...
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itfORAL ISOLATION OF KKGLA.NB. pBSjHTK.t...
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StR JAMES BRiOOKE IN BQ(KNE30: The Eaxl ...
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Transcript
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Our Position In China. From The Private ...
position withi * the walls / -they , " mount- guard on the fortifications , they command the gates , and even patrol some of the principal streets , but yrhilai proclamation * are . posted up 3 offering rewards , for the bodies of foreigners , dead or alive and : coispensa ^ ioiLvto . patriot & wounded in the rW > rk .. o £ ; . cutting ; off ' ^ the . barbarians , " it maj" be q ^ flsfeiOBfid whether our operations in that quarter have < . been . , so- triumphant as they were originalJj ? deseribedv N " oithefccxar naval lior our military fftrcc upon that coast , is r ovterwhelmmjr . ; even in comparison ; with . Chinese meaas- oC opposition , and it is evident that unless , our plenipotentiary fee
backer by . & . K » r 0 powerful material demonstration , he wi } l . l ^ enabled to prfesS'Uo demands at all satisfactory to ^ British coinmereiai interests . Indeed , we findat , stated-ioJOtuv special letters from Hong-Kon ^ j . that the Imperial Government declares its resolution , t «> iAake no alterations in existing treaties . Ar method must be . found of changing its temper ^ andi ectcyj week of deky will render the task more , difficult , We have been annedi in those watens = fop ; upwards o € a-year"j we < ha * e achieved successes , of course , but nbb sach as to awe the EmperoH . or the' Mandarins , * who believe naturally enou * by . that we ; haw 6 : exhausted our powers of
attafikw . "We dp ; not Hocltade their harbours , or cut off ; thteir ctfasting ; tyade-i -we levy- iw > duties at Cannon-s , rwe assemble no additional ; ships or regiment & j we intimate by ? no- sigiv . that ^ we ^ have the inten fcion' or the strength to establish ourselves at Peking , where our influence must be- felt , if ifc is to beieltiat all . Tbiisj-thert , is-the state of affairsi which we must regaard as unsatisfactory . N ' or does-- there seem ground for-hoping < th * t ; wte ate Hearing : the conclusion of our-diinese quarrel . TheXoudChancellor , mhis Mansion House ' speech , on , Wednesdays spoke of the endeavours made by Lord _ I ) erbv s Government to restore " the amicable relations which : ought never
to- have been disturbed /* and , to prpcurei " the whole civilized-world ,-the greatest commercial advantages . " The two- parts of ! this statement do not fit together . If the peace ought neverto have been disturbed , we have mo rigU-to ; exact frefch concessions from- China .. But we look suspiciously upon th ^; Chinese , policy ' of . the new Cabinet . It is pledged against- the principles upon w ^ hich the late operations have been carried on , aJid which are represented by the British plenipo ^ tiary / It may ; be expected , then ,. that the objects proposed by the late . Ministry will be , abandoned , unless the Hou » e of Commons , vrhvcl > ought , at least , to
be consistent -with respect to Chinese affairs , should check the tendencies , of l ^ ord Malmesbury to compromise . The matter involved is not a . diplomatic punctilio , or , the indemnification of one or nnoro -British subjects ; it is * the basis of . an important trade- ; it relates to the- intercourse * between Great Britain and a vast nation , of" the Easfc . ; ittcmehes our position as an empire in relation to the other competing empires of the world ; and nothing is further from thte ^ sheSoHlie' ^ iisfrcotameroial commuteitytMau that- Mrs Disraeli should , rise in ; the House of Comntona and announce , amid Conservative olieere , pence * and . goodwill ini . China , uraleBS
semjo substantial reforms fare ofl ' ected . in the imperial * , methods- of ) transacting international business . lV « r < hbve > had < ttkore ; -than . enough ^ of premature conwentipnft' > signed , at-. Peking and . of miserable : indemnities . granted at the , cannonsr mouth . , TWw * r is- nowv ^ wanted is anv explicit u « der » tandingy With tfcb EmpdWM ? . and the- Mandarins , under indefeasible . guarantees ; securing ! ingressi mto-fthe- em « rer * -undet reasonable , restriction ^ , of-. cowse— -thty . natfi « a * tou of . tike ? areat < inland !
wa *« i » , vtiii 9 ntlvoro ^ hfie . < Jurityiof < EuToiean / lifeandi pi ^ pejj ^ it 4 »» ifr « e <; yangop , atrloasfe i . oi Canton , and > the , Q | E 8 wo « . o £ - ( 0 l ) U » afeia ! perpetA » i ^ Unless theaei beueUtoijor . benafitBireeeaiijlinte ; tlranttt acOrua from thfr-natftwi . wMi-wwgad dnfruigti th «< lb « i > Wrelvo mottths . agftinsf Chins * , the ; OBttnttatioua damonstrari tionof the four Powers will . have . beenwiimpoa , tuw »; . , our > cxponditute u . pon a , squadron- and . an ' army ; will have been ) thrown away ; Lord . Elgin ' s miBpi ( M » , ; wiU' have & diplomatic collapse ; and the British flag : will have been dragged in Chineso dust
M&R ' The Leap Eb; [Gsto. 431^, Jtjnb \2...
m & r ' THE LEAP EB ; [ GSTo . 431 ^ , Jtjnb \ 2 fy 1658 ,
Itforal Isolation Of Kkgla.Nb. Pbsjhtk.T...
itfORAL ISOLATION OF KKGLA . NB . pBSjHTK . t f he activity ,, of- diplomatists , tliis qountry ; is . ffiaduaUy . gptUng intD a stal-o of moral isolation whicu mu » L bo . regarded ae eminently wholesome Th ^ re ar e fd \ w nations , iC any » ready to beco «» e . our ant « gomats . j ,, bat . there . at © , still fewer ready to act cordially . wjUs usv Niow , aaid then ^ for various sp ^ ai « b ^« tsy wft . find -ourselves acting , with-jfranco
Austria , Turkey or Satdinia . We may undertake some common work with Russia by-and-by . But we have no real . friend—at leastouthe continent of Europe . ¦ ' . ¦ _ . . : Whatever silly French and German writers may say . this state of things has not been brought about by any grievous misconduct on our part . Doubtless , we have done eviL deeds , in the teeth of our Puritanism , and foolish deeds , regardless of our reputation as disciples of Machiavelli . But ^ to be candid , our general political behaviour will stand comparison with that of any other great State ; and , although foreigners and Irishmen , contriving to smuggle their virulence
into this country under an English garb , dilate every day with so inucli relish ana unction on . " British brutality , " they do not succeed in finding a very extensive hearing . The public is reminded of the story of the ] ceen-sighted thief who intruded himself into the society of a set of blind honest men , and , having led to their arrest , exclaimed to the judge : — " Beat us ; for we are alL rogues . " Nobody , either abroad or at home , pays attention to these sham self-accusations , precisely because they are seen at once to be sham . When Englishmen discover their countrymen , to be doing wrong , they ciy out against them as individuals ; but it never enters
into their minds to make this an opportunity of cursing aald ^ abusing their country . As to- the general mass of foreigners—we > speak of the tolerably enliahtened>—it us quite a mistake * to imagine that they lielieve one tenth part of the accusations which they suffer to circulate against us , No one who has seen anything of good society abroad can doubt that the ideas of ' honour and'uprightness are peculiarly-connected with an Englishman . Even ia the worst circles ; concessions are made to good taste and propriety when we appear . " We exercise
a sort of feminine influence . The moral atmosphere is purified-by our presence . Roues try to look upon na with contempt—and of course lionesty is contem ptible ; but somehow or other they can't do it . Politicians- try to explain how a nation of honoui ^ able men may disregard the laws of morality iii their pablic acts , but they shrink from the consequences of their own demonstration ; for what must or may be th < e pui > Kc acts of a nation of sceptics , debauchees , blacklegs , flunkeys , and slaves ?
Still , though we aie respected because we are respectable—by comparison in this-wicked worldwe fiud ouTselvesi to a very great degree , alone in Europe . Let us remain so . No statesman could do a / greater disservice to the reputation of this country than to endeavour to tighten bonds which circumstances have loosened , and to seek for partners in ; any new political adventure . Oar loneliness is a homage to the peculiar nature of our principles . Although some small states have endeavoured to imitate us , . witt more or less success ; it must be adttiitted that our example-lias not acted with any veryrgr . eafci effect upon Europe . Representative
institutions - are > every where- at a ' . discount .. A . free ; press—their necessary accompaniment—nowhere existsj , save in this island . Our maMne » 3 i our laws * ; ou *^ modoB of thouplrt < arethe very opposite , of the manners , laws , and modes of Wioughtwhich prevail everyvirjiere elae ; .- And there is ; at present , no tendency , to JoBsen-tliia dissimilarity . On the con * traryi , uutiL soinoi convulsion comes * abroad we can only . vbfecoine . more a . ftd . more . unlike our neighbours . Alfchougjtoj because . we have the sea for a- moat , this isolation has notyetiled to any very disagreeable consequences , it-cannob b & denied that it has its disadvantages ^ However .: high a-nation may stand '
momUyaadiiuellectually , it is notgoodTor ittobo aloiift .. Accbrdihgly , whilst eaoh sucoessivo Governm « n 6 ; with the truo routine spinity seeks to find ; or mata new friotida , if . ^ conciliation cannot bebrought , aboub . with old ones , by means of comu mercial-and political treaties , royal marriages , and so forthv ther-Engh ' ali . public , or , to use a » less vaguer expression , a very large body of liberal thinkers * have ado pi od . quite- an independent policy . It seeks itai friends ! not . amoug sovereigns , , but among the . nations ; , aud . as it has learned that most of these
nations unwillingly obey tho individuals who usually 8 p u j ln iheir 11 ftn ) ei ifc sympathizes with what . , is called , tl 10 revolutionary or rebellious spirit abroad . No . insurrection , against imy established authority fails to ( hid partisans hero . This is quite natural . We am in search of friends ; and as -we find nearly every orRaniwd . pplity hostile or indi ftcrent , We ,, of course , aro glad to seencw arrangements attempiud by . whioh our doairosmaybft accomplished . i foreign Governments are iij-one'to mistake cause ioi'te ! l ' *!« t , . nnd U iihaghio ,-because v / a i \ m \ it difficult , to > . con < je * l- oviv . sympathies iou vovolutionistBi that
vre create or set them on . This is a mistake ; of - viauity . They do not see that theie own imprudence makes them enemies , and iC those enemies blehiive in a gallant- and generous maaner i or suffer I gjreat and disproportionate punishment , aU inhabit- ' ahts of free countries . must * reel au interest in them . We advise ; therefore , the adoption . q £ less arbitrary measures ; ttut we win . nofc > be st > hjiipocritloal as to insinuate that we believe bur advice- will bo ; taken . All we can say is , , therefore , that it w proper for Englandrto rem & iaaionej . watchful and . armed , until " the vast frozen expanse- of despotisoi . which stretches almost withbut a ; break ' eastward from our shores begins to thaw 1 and to break up . W * e may then make discovery of lands with which we shall be glad to enter ^ into Commuuication .
Str James Briooke In Bq(Kne30: The Eaxl ...
StR JAMES BRiOOKE IN BQ ( KNE 30 : The Eaxl of Kingston has been making himself a nuisance in the House- of PeetSi by . a series of personal attacks directed against Sir James Brooke . He caunot endure the ligJit of that > man ' s reputation . Tliere are some lew persons who agyee with Tjord Kingston ; but . since , his : return to England , tlie Sarawaki Itajah must have been convinced that publio opinion regards him as one of the most distinguished civilizers that ever left behind him the pleasures of cultured society ; to labour with unselfish devotion for the welfare of his . fellow-beings . Nevertheless , ; a cuaiom misstat-ement has received a limited circuiation r to the effect that Sir James Brooke went out to the : East with avaricious views , and . that he has amaBsed a fortune by his adventures . Now , tliis is . absoiafrely the reverse of the faGt . Instead of-enriching lie has impoverished hiuaself . He has lavished a competency which would have enabled him to live at home in ease and distinction upon the natives , of his Bornean principality , and he has done tliis- in , a mauner which precludes th & possibility of any ^ proportionate pecuniary retum . Therefore , when proposing to hand Sarawak over to the Colonial Qffice , he frankly
explains that , being . about to divest . himself of Ids position as aa indepeudent ruler ,, should the Government be disposed partially to reimburse him , he would willingly accept its offer ; but it must be emphatically understood that Sir James Brooke is not iiv England to obtain a grant f ^ omthe Treasury . Such an interpretation , can only have one of two origins—jealousy ^ or ignorance . We are not bound to show what his communications witlv the Cabinet have been , 01 ? to euter into , details , concem .-ing bis private proceedings in Saruwak ; but we . regret thafc statements , deformed , as we have
said , either by iguorance' ot by malice , should be put forth , with a-repetition of the exploded libels with reference to Sir James Brooke ' s acquisition of his Raj . If particular individuals entertain prejudices which they cannot overcome , it is at least due to an . Englishman nob to impeach him as a pirateand . murderer simply becaase . he opens a generous negotiation for , the tawteCcr of . his ppincely . rig ^ it to the-Crown . It is . not always that these calumnies are so" completel y ) self-refuted , as- when they come fro n * the lips of Lord Kingston ; "When Sir James Brooke liad'boen for aometyears cotispicuously , before .
tho public eye ,, his old agent , Henry Wise , alter becoming his . enemy , complained , that , so far from having been remunerated : foe his- labours , lie had eveft paid his own cab -lure . We would suggest to a noble Lord-r-Go thouand do . likewise ! Tiiexe wou Id . then 1 ) 0 less necessity ; for Lord B ' roughaia ' s Bill for . securing : tire dignity and indcpcndcnco of members . of Parliament , The . latest private aocounts > from Sarawak amply boar out nil th ' ht ' haa . b « ea . said / in approval of llajjiili .. Brookcfs pplicy . Many of tlie phatical tri & es formerly a ^ w « u : » with him have settled down to peaceful , industry-under the . administrations of
his agents , The- people ore impatient for their English ruler to return . Commerce thrives . The community . has . recovered from the Chinese disaster of last year . Sir James'Brooke is the only person whose lossesi ha > vo been irreparable . His objeot hi residing for a , few months in-Kngland i s not , to redeem tl icso or any other losses . If ihc Britisli Government be disinclined to . do justice , he nsksthemtotake Sarawak nsa free gift under the protectorate of the Crown . Hisrcasons arc self-evident . " Wlien . ho . wlio crcivtocl the settlement ., pacified tlie coast , ' attracted . thd immense concourse of
iniluslriouai natives , and civilized the province , ceases to cxorciso that < KH ' uaivc benevolence , it might become ft question whether his successor , however -experienced , could hold Sarawak with jih linn ; u grasp * whether tho Dutch might ) not inttudc . whether , in fact , the
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), June 26, 1858, page 14, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_26061858/page/14/
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