I have now, Sir, gone through the four heads of the charge
brought against the Government; and I say with confidence that
the interruption of our friendly relations with China cannot
justly be imputed to any one of the omissions mentioned by the
right honourable Baronet. In truth, if I could feel assured that
no gentleman would vote for the motion without attentively
reading it, and considering whether the proposition which it
affirms has been made out, I should have no uneasiness as to the
result of this debate. But I know that no member weighs the
words of a resolution for which he is asked to vote, as he would
weigh the words of an affidavit which he was asked to swear. And
I am aware that some persons, for whose humanity and honesty I
entertain the greatest respect, are inclined to divide with the
right honourable Baronet, not because they think that he has
proved his case, but because they have taken up a notion that we
are making war for the purpose of forcing the Government of China
to admit opium into that country, and that, therefore, we richly
deserve to be censured. Certainly, Sir, if we had been guilty of
such absurdity and such atrocity as those gentlemen impute to us,
we should deserve not only censure but condign punishment. But
the imputation is altogether unfounded. Our course was clear.
We may doubt indeed whether the Emperor of China judged well in
listening to Tchu Sing and disgracing Tang Tzee. We may doubt
whether it be a wise policy to exclude altogether from any
country a drug which is often fatally abused, but which to those
who use it rightly is one of the most precious boons vouchsafed
by Providence to man, powerful to assuage pain, to soothe
irritation, and to restore health. We may doubt whether it be a
wise policy to make laws for the purpose of preventing the