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like, are not only opposite to that maxim which BOOK declareth it better that ten guilty men should escape, than one innocent suffer, but likewise 1794. leave a gate wide open to the whole tribe of informers, the most accursed, prostitute, and abandoned race that GOD ever permitted to plague mankind."

When we consider the state of parties in the kingdom at this time, the acquittal of these persons excited a much more general sensation of satisfaction than might previously have been expected. The truth is, that the selfish as well as the generous feelings were interested on this occasion; and, in the course of his pleadings, Mr. Erskine very happily quoted a remark of the celebrated Dr. Johnson on the acquittal of lord George Gordon :-" I am glad he was not convicted of this constructive treason; for, though I hate him, I love my country, and I love myself." Of all the wicked inventions of lawyers, the doctrine of constructive treason, by which unwary people may be convicted of a capital offence while unconscious of the violation of any law, is perhaps the worst. But Mr. Erskine, on this momentous occasion, spoke like a man inspired, and at once redeemed the honor of his profession, and established the safety of his country. Had the men arraigned upon such an accusation, supported by

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1794.

BOOK such evidence, been capitally convicted, and the sentence been carried into execution, it would most unquestionably have been an horrible murder, perpetrated in the forms and under the pretext of law. But the very supposition is a libel upon the glorious institution of JURIES.

Lord Macartney's embassy to China.

That there existed at this period no legal evidence of the intention of the accused when assembled in convention, such as had already been actually and harmlessly held both in England and Ireland, to usurp the powers of government, is clear and manifest: that any such secret design not proveable by the established rules of evidence was really harboured by any individuals, there is no rational ground to believe: on the contrary, all circumstances concur to the forming of an opposite conclusion.

In the autumn of this year arrived in England, from his celebrated embassy to the court of Pekin, lord Macartney. The principal object of his mission was to conclude a commercial treaty with the government of China, and to obtain, if possible, an extension of privileges for the English merchants; more particularly to procure permission to land their commodities at some port nearer to the capital than Canton. The ambassador took his departure from England, at the latter end of September 1792, in the Lion man of war of 64 guns, and

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in the month of July following he reached BOOK Jangangfoe-Bay in the Yellow Sea, which washes the north-eastern coast of China, 179. whence the ambassador and his train were conveyed up the great river Tyensing to the city of the same name, in junks or barges, under the escort of a mandarin guard, who were watchful to prevent the least communication with the inhabitants, pitching their tents at night exactly opposite the spot where the junks lay at anchor. On the 11th of August they arrived at Tyensing, where they received refreshments and presents, of no great value, on the part of the emperor, the famous Kien Long, who had already governed that vast empire with uninterrupted success and reputation more than half a century. From Tyensing they still proceeded in their voyage up the river to the city of Tong-tchew, within twelve miles of Pekin. After a short interval of rest at Tong-tchew, the ambassador and his secretary, sir George Stanton, set out in palanquins provided for the purpose, which conveyed them to the metropolis-the train following in covered carriages. The emperor being at this season of the year usually resident at Jehol, his sum, mer-palace in Tartary, beyond the great wall, orders were sent that the ambassador should proceed thither. On the 7th of September he

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BOOK arrived at Jehol; and on the 14th his excellency was honored with his first audience of 1794. the emperor, at five o'clock in the morning. The ambassador had brought with him from England the most splendid and costly presents which were ever offered by one monarch to the acceptance of another; but it was observable that they were received with marked indifference, or rather haughtiness; and care had been taken to paint in large Chinese characters, upon the flags pendent from the yachts and landcarriages, AMBASSADOR bearing TRIBUTE from the Country of ENGLAND.' And although the emperor himself behaved with decorum and politeness to the ambassador, he would enter into no treaty, he would grant no new privileges; and well aware, as was plainly intimated, of the nature and extent of the usurpations of England in Hindostan, he would not suffer the king of Great Britain to set his cloven foot beyond the narrow spell-bound circle of Canton.

Early in the month of October the emperor and his court, attended by the ambassador and his train, returned to Pekin, within a very short țime subsequent to which his excellency had his last audience of his imperial majesty, who delivered to him a letter, in answer to that from the king of England, and also a POEM of his own composing inclosed in a roll covered with yel

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low silk. This was accompanied with several BOOK chests of presents; and the ambassador, who had made great preparations for passing the 1794. winter in Pekin, was officially apprized that this was the signal of departure. On the 9th of October his excellency and his suite left Pekin with some precipitation, and proceeded to Tongtchew, whence they were conveyed in junks, as before, through the interior of that immense empire, by a variety of rivers and canals from the northern to the southern extremity of China, reaching Canton in perfect safety, after a variety of amusing adventures, Dec. 18, 1793, and in January following they embarked at Macao for England.

The information which the secretary to the embassy, in a narrative of this romantic expedition published by authority, has given us of the state of the Chinese empire is extremely curious and interesting. A few particulars will not probably be deemed too wide a digression from the more proper subjects of the present history. It is remarked by the intelligent author, sir George Stanton, that regions out of Asia are scarcely referred to in the books of the Chinese, or noticed in their maps. The celebrated Venetian traveller, Marco Polo, visited the court of Pekin in the thirteenth century. He makes no mention of the Chinese wall, but it appears