Lin Zexu's Letter to Queen Victoria
The commissioner of China, Lin Zexu wrote a letter to Queen Victoria of England regarding the opium crisis in 1839. This opium was delivered through trade. Men of England would sail to China with the purpose of giving and receiveing needed goods for themselves. It came to a point in time where this trade became illegal and dangerous, this is the point in time that the drug of opium came in to the mix. As the fatalities and sufferings of China natives grew exponentially, the commissioner took notice. Once he took notice, he knew this illegal trade of opium needed to be put to an end. The only way he knew how to do that would be to contact the highest power of England, Queen Victoria.
To begin the letter Zexu starts with stating how he treasures his people, the natives of China, and foreigners, the people of England and anywhere else, the same. He wants everyone to prosper by sharing profits with everyone, no matter where it found. He also wants the …show more content…
The same should apply for those who are in China, weather doing trade or merchants physically staying in China for periods of time. The commissioner then states that he expects the fields of opium that reside in England to be plucked and replaced with food crops. Lastly Zexu gives a law proposal to the Queen, which states "Anyone who within the next year and a half may by mistake bring opium to this country, if he will but voluntarily come forward, and deliver up the entire quantity, he shall be absolved from all punishment for his crime. If, however, the appointed term shall have expired, and there are still persons who continue to bring it, then such shall be accounted as knowingly violating the laws, and shall most assuredly be put to death." This seems very generous thing for China to say, regarding the disastrous drug England has imported into
The commissioner of China, Lin Zexu wrote a letter to Queen Victoria of England regarding the opium crisis in 1839. This opium was delivered through trade. Men of England would sail to China with the purpose of giving and receiveing needed goods for themselves. It came to a point in time where this trade became illegal and dangerous, this is the point in time that the drug of opium came in to the mix. As the fatalities and sufferings of China natives grew exponentially, the commissioner took notice. Once he took notice, he knew this illegal trade of opium needed to be put to an end. The only way he knew how to do that would be to contact the highest power of England, Queen Victoria.
To begin the letter Zexu starts with stating how he treasures his people, the natives of China, and foreigners, the people of England and anywhere else, the same. He wants everyone to prosper by sharing profits with everyone, no matter where it found. He also wants the …show more content…
The same should apply for those who are in China, weather doing trade or merchants physically staying in China for periods of time. The commissioner then states that he expects the fields of opium that reside in England to be plucked and replaced with food crops. Lastly Zexu gives a law proposal to the Queen, which states "Anyone who within the next year and a half may by mistake bring opium to this country, if he will but voluntarily come forward, and deliver up the entire quantity, he shall be absolved from all punishment for his crime. If, however, the appointed term shall have expired, and there are still persons who continue to bring it, then such shall be accounted as knowingly violating the laws, and shall most assuredly be put to death." This seems very generous thing for China to say, regarding the disastrous drug England has imported into