CIRCULAR.

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 191, 29 March 1848, Page 3

CIRCULAR.

I The undesigned Consul has been charge .l by hi 1 i Excellency Her lUajery's lMeninotenliuiy, &c, &c., to inform Her Majesty's tiubjccts le^dcnt at this city j ot his arrival at the British Consulate, and that His j Excellency will be happy to leccive ficm them any i communication they may haye to make to him m any wav they please. FRANCIS C. MACGREGOR, i H. B. M,'s Consul. Canton, December 12, 1847. In comequence of the circular, a deputatio" waited upon his Excellency to express their willing" ness to give their opinion upon any points he might lay before them, and to oiler their sup|ioit in the emergency. They were informed tint certnin <le« mand:, had been made, which, if complied with, would be satisfactory at present, though hei Mojs&ty's government would probably make further demands for future security. The natu.o of those demands id unknown, but we may conjcctuic that the lives of the bldeis, ami the leading men of the militia, with the total destiuction of the village, would form a prominent purt. If such are the terms offered, — Keying cannot comply, mud it is not unlikely that the Consular flag will be struck and the river rigidly blockaded. On the evening of the 12th, a public meeting was held, and it was lesolved to thank Sir John Davis for having intimated his arrival* and to offer every co.opuration and aisistance, if he would point out in what way they could be ot seivice. As hia Excellency has already made his demands, advice «'auonly refer to ulterior measures) in the event of their not being complied with. On the 13th, a party wa3 sent up to reconnoitre the ground , they landed at one village, which was completely descried, and the propeity removed. It is thought tiie nnhtia have gatheied head in the neighbourhood, and fiom some (hopsiu cuculation, they appear to set their own government, as well as the English, at ddiance. The L'luto would reach Canton yesterday (Tuesday), and by the end of the wcik we almost expect to hear that blie haf earned up a stiong party of seamen and marines, anil burned the villages neiir the river. Keying displays Ins usual adioui.ess in difficulties^ — he had a party ol six criminals rcf.dy for execution on Sir John Oavis's arrival; ciimiii.'ila no doubt taken from the n.'aieafc j.ul. lie will (hid, hmvevei, that this is much too ocrious a case to ha coropromi ed by Ihe saeuhee of some misciublc wralchcs convict d for offences against their o.vn laws. Such a settlement would encom age the people to murder ewiy ioicigu»r thrtt ventuied beyond the factories, an I even ilieie them would be little security. 'Ihe cmue has no equal in international inteicouise ; ami the punibhment must bo in some measuie coannensmriile. We tiust S r John Davis will take a strong position and not diverge from it in the slightest degree. Give Keying his ultimatum,, and cut shoit all negotiation; dictate certain terms, and if they nre not complied with, throw the lespnnsibihty upon the Chinese Commissioner. He has now abundant proof that while Keying was writing pacific and friendly despatches, he knew the villagers were bunding together to sacrifice the unoffending foicigners. 'I his combination has been going on for months ; and the depaiture of the troops for India has been chosen as the fitting time to " exterminate the detested brood." We publish two proclamations issued by these men in June, as it is desirable that in estimating their guilt — the deception of Keying 1 , in not communicating their intention', or his weakness in not frustrating them — and the conduct of our own Government in sending away the best part of ihe garrison, and in leaving the factories unprotected — we say, that in deciding upon the%e paints, we icquire to weigh the evidence rfl'ordeil by the two chops, lirst published, be if marked, by the officiul paper. Months ago it wad well known in Canton and bore, t'l it a laree body of aimcl men uerc encau'ped and diiile.l on the right bank of Fahti Creek; and we also lmc«v that they (ircd n gun at a Emopean boa*, andia/crl to the gicund tbu hoo^c ofr iimd whose solo offence was permitting Europeans to ' u,d at his garden. We would therefore wi-h Ibe public cuhnly tn deliberate upon all tint has taken plact hii.ee the Apul expodiaon, andhiiy whothor the tiagcd/ of the s'h December may or may not be traced to that ill adviued movement.