Page:Brinkley - China - Volume 3.djvu/22

He further decreed the banishment of sixteen merchants, English, American, and Parsee, who had been chiefly conspicuous as importers of the drug, and it is notable that Captain Elliot accompanied these proscribed persons when they left Canton, thus identifying himself with their cause in Chinese eyes.

Allusion has already been made to the generally high moral standard maintained by the foreign community of Canton at the time when these events occurred, and to the fact that, the actions of each unit of the community being exposed to an exceptionally strong light of public opinion, the canons of collective conduct exercised binding force upon individuals. Under such circumstances it seems incongruous that the fullest indulgence should have been shown towards an offence like opium-smuggling. In extenuation of that curious license, and even in justification of it, many theories have been advanced. Chiefly it is urged that the sincerity of the Chinese authorities was doubted. Imperial edicts had indeed been issued as early as 1800, prohibiting the import of the drug. But the viceroys and governors charged with the duty of giving effect to the prohibition, had plainly connived at its evasion, and officials of lower rank had shown zeal only in securing for themselves a share of the profits. Moreover these doubts of China's ingenuousness derived cogency from the fact that, while interdicting