conduct of others had prevented him from averting. In a letter to one of his friends, from the fortress of Tanjore, he says: "We have suffered exceedingly in this fortress from hunger and misery. When passing through the streets early in the morning, the dead were lying in heaps on the dung hills. Unfortunately, there was no magazine in the fort for the native soldiers or sepoys. The king and the company requested me twice to procure provisions for the garrison, since they were unable to obtain oxen for the carriages, for want of a good understanding with the natives. In this dilemma, I wrote to the inhabitants, desiring them to bring their cattle, and promising them payment on my own responsibility. This had the desired effect; the oxen were brought, and the garrison supplied at the very moment when a fresh attack from the enemy was expected.' Let it be observed, the word of a poor missionary availed, when that of the king of Tanjore and of the East India Company were of no effect; affording a lesson to diplomatists, and to governments, which if they would learn, they would find little occasion for the arts of diplomacy, or the fictions of honour. Hyler Ali, so ferocious to others, stood disarmed of his venom before the character of Swartz, like the evil spirit of Saul before the harp of David:-- "The christian character of Swartz attracted during this perilous crisis universal confidence and esteem; and so powerfully had his conduct impressed Hyder Ali himself in his favour, that amidst his cruel and desolating career, he gave orders to his officers, to permit the venerable padre Swartz to pass unmolested, and to show him respect and kindness; for he is a holy man, and means no harm to my government." He was generally allowed to pass through the midst of the enemy's encampments without the slightest hindrance; and such was their delicacy of feeling towards him, that when it was thought necessary to detain his palanquin, the sentinel was directed to assign as a reason, that he was waiting for orders to let him proceed. Thus, when the whole country was overrun by Hyder's troops, the general reverence for the character of the good father, (as he was emphatically called,) enabled him to pursue his peaceful labours, even in the midst of war."t After the death of Hyder Ali, the war was prosecuted by his son Tippoo. With him negociations were entered into for a treaty of peace. Swartz was requested by Lord Macartney + Memoirs p. 227. * Memoirs pp. 224-5. to accompany the commissioners from the English government, who were proceeding to Tippoo's camp. On his way he visited the English army, under the command of Colonel Fullarton. The following testimony to the influence of his character was given in a letter from the Colonel to the govern ment of Madras. "On our second march we were visited by the Rev. Mr. Swartz. The knowledge and the integrity of this irreproachable missionary have retrieved the character of Europeans from imputations of general depravity. A respectable escort attended him to the nearest encampment of the enemy, but he was stopped at Sattimungalum, and returned to Tanjore. I rejoice however, that he undertook the business; for his journal, which has been before your board, evinces that the southern army acted towards our enemies with a mildness seldom experienced by friends in moments of pacification. From him also you learned, that this conduct operated on the minds of the inhabitants, who declare that we afforded them more secure protection than the commanders of their own troops." The war with Hyder Ali, and his son, had reduced the rajah of Tanjore to such pecuniary distresses that he resorted to the most atrocious injustice, cruelty, and oppression, towards his subjects, for the purpose of replenishing his treasury. The inhabitants, unable to endure his tyranny, began to leave his country. Whole towns and villages were deserted, and lay waste for want of labourers. The number of inhabitants who emigrated was estimated at sixty-five thousand. In this state of things the English government appointed a committee to superintend the administration of Tanjore, until it should be better conducted. Swartz was appointed a member of the committee. Coercive measures towards the rajah, were recommended by one of the committee. Swartz opposed them, and making renewed applications of a friendly nature, and at the same time operating on his fears, he at length prevailed on the rajah "to announce his determination to do full justice to the people." Here, again, Swartz was obliged to try the power of his character. The people would not believe the rajah, and refused to return to their country; and he was forced to request Swartz to assure them in his name, that * Memoirs, p. 235. they should receive protection. Swartz did so; "seven thousand of the emigrants returned at once; others soon followed; and upon his reminding them that the best season for cultivating the land had nearly elapsed, they replied;" As you have shown kindness to us, we intend to work night and day to manifest our regard for you. The poor people anticipated better days, and exerted themselves with such vigour, that the harvest was more abundant, than that of the preceding year."* This same rajah of Tanjore, in his last illness, adopted a son, intending him as his successor in the kingdom, and appointed Swartz his guardian, until he should become of age. This office Swartz felt himself obliged to decline accepting, but gave encouragement that he would visit him occasionally, and give him advice. The succession of this son was set aside by the English, and Ameer Sing, brother of the late rajah, established on the throne. But afterwards their decision was reversed, and the claim of Serfojee, the adopted son, admitted to be valid. This Serfojee, a prince-an Asiatic-an idolater-(such was the impression the power of honesty had made upon his mind,) delayed the burial of a simple missionary-an European and a Christian-that he might look at him once more, shed a flood of tears over his body, covered it with a cloth of gold-erected a monument to his memory, and wrote an inscription for it with his own hand. When will the rulers of the earth learn the true secret of power? Europeans in the east, and Europeans in the west, have alike tried the force of policy, and of arms, upon the native inhabitants of the country. The desolating wars of India, and the scenes of savage cruelty which have been enacted in the wilds of America, and which are even now enacting, attest their inevitable results. Avarice and ambition beget fraud and artifice-fraud and artifice produce distrust-distrust ripens into settled hate, and hate long burning with its own internal fires, * Memoirs pp. 269-70. at last breaks into the devouring flames of vengeance. A Hyder Ali, a Philip, a Tecumseh, an Osseola, "in the gloomy recesses of mind capacious of such things," resolve to exert that power which they feel themselves about to lose by remaining at peace, in making their fancied enemies feel the fury of their direst passions. Then are plied the spear, the javelin, the tomahawk, the cannon, the musket, the pistol, the bayonet; fire, sword, and famine, reign lords of the ascendant; and at length when the force of arms is spent; and the arts of diplomacy are exhausted so that not even a Talleyrand could do more, recourse is had, perhaps, to the simple power of honesty. This can mitigate the horrours, this can assuage the miseries which, if it had been early tried, would never have existed. Amid the scenes of contention and violence with which earth is filled, there now and then appear, a William Penn, a Frederick Swartz, and with a spell like the fabled spell of music upon the beasts of the desert, soothing the fierce passions of the fiercest men :- 1 66 Tum, pietate gravem ac meritis, si forte virum quem ARTICLE III. BRITISH RELATIONS WITH CHINA. BY WILLIAM N. MATSON, ESQ., HARTFORD, CONN. THE peculiar policy of China in excluding other nations from her ports has long been submitted to by nations far more powerful than herself. It seems to have been universally admitted by the governments of Europe, that the Chinese government, as an independent sovereignty, has a right to prescribe нуж the terms of its intercourse with others, or even to prohibit such intercourse altogether. This doctrine seems hitherto to have been undisputed. But recently we have seen certain new views set forth, dangerous in their tendency, we believe, to the peace of the world, and incompatible alike with the precepts of natural justice and acknowledged law. To advocate the cause of peace, is, in our view, to advocate the principles of a sound national morality,—— to aid in forming the national conscience, to seize upon occasions as they arise, of pointing out the duties which nations owe to each other, and to urge their performance. We therefere deem an examination of the views expressed in the following article from the columns of one of our principal religious journals, highly appropriate to the design of this work :- BRITISH RELATIONS WITH CHINA.-The question, what are to be the future relations of China with the civilized nations of the west, is of deep interest on other grounds besides those of commercial advantages to be gained or lost. A free trade with the Chinese seaports must afford channels of access to the nation, of which Christain enterprise will not fail immediately to avail itself. If, while all the ports but one are shut, and all the terrours of law are interposed to prevent intercourse with foreigners, a Gutzlaff has been able to communicate with hundreds of the inhabitants, and to circulate among them millions of tracts and of portions of the Scripture, what may we not expect, when a public treaty shall throw open the whole coast to foreign trade? But there are great obstacles to such a treaty. Not on the part of the body of the nation; for they are desirous of it, and so much disposed to trade with foreigners, that they do it, even now, at the risk of liberty and even of their lives. But the policy of the government has ever been opposed to it, and its despotic character renders the wishes of the nation as nothing in the question. The Emperor, as the Son of Heaven, rules jure divino-China is the Celestial Empire; foreigners are all barbarians, entitled to nothing but contempt and banishment, and if allowed any degree of intercourse, it is by sufferance, out of compassion to their poverty and misery, and as an act of grace and clemency from the Son of Heaven. All applications on the part of European nations, for free trade and intercourse have been rejected, and for the most part with every mark of indignity. But of late, vessels, both British and American, have entered some of the ports on the eastern coast, in face of the law, have been welcomed by the inhabitants, and have traded in the article of opium, to a great extent and with immense profits. The fact is well known to the government, and has produced much alarm; for, with all its pride, the Chinese government knows its |