The Uncollected Writings of Thomas de Quincey, Vol. 2 | Page 6

scene of Colonel
Chesney's ill usage. Now, upon this vigorous step, what followed? Hear
Sir John:--'Towards midnight a satisfactory reply was received, and at
five o'clock next morning three offenders were brought to the
guard-house--a mandarin of high rank being present on the part of the
Chinese, and deputed officers on the part of the British. The men were
bambooed in succession by the Chinese officers of justice;' and at the
close of the scene, the mandarin (upon a requisition from our side)
explained to the mob who crowded about the barriers why the men
were punished, and warned them that similar chastisement for similar
offences awaited themselves. In one point only the example made was
unsatisfactory: the men punished were not identified as the same who
had assaulted Colonel Chesney. They might be criminals awaiting
punishment for some other offence. With so shuffling a government as
the Chinese, always moving through darkness, and on the principles of
a crooked policy, no perfect satisfaction must ever be looked for. But
still, what a bright contrast between this energy of men acquainted with
the Chinese character, and the foolish imbecility of our own
government in Downing Street, who are always attempting the plan of
soothing and propitiating by concession those ignoble Orientals, in
whose eyes all concession, great or small, through the whole scale of
graduation, is interpreted as a distinct confession of weakness. Thus did
all our governments: thus, above all others, did the East India Company
for generations deal with the Chinese; and the first act of ours that ever
won respect from China was Anson's broadsides, and the second was
our refusal of the ko-tou. Thus did our Indian Government, in the early
stages of their intercourse, deal with the Burmese. Thus did our
government deal with the Japanese--an exaggerated copy of the
Chinese. What they wanted with Japan was simply to do her a very
kind and courteous service--namely, to return safe and sound to their
native land seven Japanese who had been driven by hurricanes in
continued succession into the Pacific, and had ultimately been saved
from death by British sailors. Our wise government at home were well

aware of the atrocious inhospitality practised systematically by these
cruel islanders; and what course did they take to propitiate them? Good
sense would have prescribed the course of arming the British vessel in
so conspicuous a fashion as to inspire the wholesome respect of fear.
Instead of which, our government actually drew the teeth of the
particular vessel selected, by carefully withdrawing each individual gun.
The Japanese cautiously sailed round her, ascertained her powerless
condition, and instantly proceeded to force her away by every mode of
insult; nor were the unfortunate Japanese ever restored to their country.
Now, contrast with this endless tissue of imbecilities, practised through
many generations by our blind and obstinate government (for such it
really is in its modes of dealing with Asiatics), the instantaneous
success of 'sharp practice' and resolute appeals to fear on the part of Sir
John Davis. By midnight of the same day on which the British
remonstrance had been lodged an answer is received; and this answer,
in a perfect rapture of panic, concedes everything demanded; and by
sunrise the next morning the whole affair has been finished. Two
centuries, on our old East Indian system of negotiating with China,
would not have arrived at the same point. Later in the very same year
occurred another and more atrocious explosion of Canton ruffianism;
and the instantaneous retribution which followed to the leading
criminals, showed at once how great an advance had been made in
winning respect for ourselves, and in extorting our rights, by this
energetic mode of action. On Sunday, the 5th of December, six British
subjects had gone out into the country on a pleasure excursion, some of
whom unhappily carried pocket-pistols. They were attacked by a mob
of the usual Canton character; one Chinese was killed and one wounded
by pistol-shots; but of the six British, encompassed by a countless
crowd, not one escaped: all six were murdered, and then thrown into
the river. Immediately, and before the British had time to take any steps,
the Chinese authorities were all in motion. The resolute conduct of Sir
John Davis had put an end to the Chinese policy of shuffling, by
making it no longer hopeful. It lost much more than it gained. And
accordingly it was agreed, after a few days' debate, that the emperor's
pleasure should not be taken, except upon the more doubtful cases.
Four, about whose guilt no doubts existed, were immediately beheaded;
and the others, after communicating with Peking, were punished in

varying degrees--one or two capitally.
[4] 'By the gallows:'--Or much rather by decapitation. Accordingly, we
read of a Ming (i. e., native