The Journals of Major Samuel Shaw: The First American Consul at Canton

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W. Crosby and H. P. Nichols, 1847 - China - 360 pages
Shaw served in the revolution as an officer in Knox's artillery regiment, in the 3d U. S. artillery, and finally on the staff of Gen. Knox.

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Page 359 - that Congress feel a peculiar satisfaction in the successful issue of this first effort of the citizens of America to establish a direct trade with China, which does so much honor to its undertakers and conductors.
Page 85 - We love, we respect you," cried they, "but you are a dead man if you fire. Do not mistake us ; we are not going to the enemy ; were they now to come out, you would see us fight under your orders with as much resolution and alacrity as ever."* Their threat was not an idle one.
Page 60 - If I were to be called upon to draw a picture of the times and of men, from what I have seen, heard, and in part know, I should in one word say that idleness, dissipation, and extravagance seem to have laid fast hold of most of them; that speculation, peculation, and an insatiable thirst for riches seem to have got the better of every other consideration, and almost every order of men...
Page 357 - English ship, in saluting some company who had dined on board, killed a Chinese, and wounded two others, in the mandarin's boat alongside. It is a maxim of the Chinese law, that blood must answer for blood ; in pursuance of which, they demanded the unfortunate gunner. To give up this poor man was to consign him to certain death. Humanity pleaded powerfully against the measure. After repeated conferences between the English and the Chinese, the latter declared themselves satisfied, and the affair...
Page 60 - ... party disputes and personal quarrels are the great business of the day ; whilst the momentous concerns of an empire, a great and accumulating debt, ruined finances, depreciated money, and want of credit, which in its consequences is the want of every thing, are but secondary considerations, and postponed from day to day, from week to week, as if our affairs wore the most promising aspect.
Page 105 - Had this day been wanting, the world had never seen the last stage of perfection, to which human nature is capable of attaining.
Page 60 - I shall not be surprised if, in the course of a few months, a total stop is put to the currency of it; and yet an assembly, a concert, a dinner, or a supper that will cost three or four hundred pounds, will not only take men off from acting in this business, but even from thinking of it...
Page 201 - They styled us the new people ; and when by the map we conveyed to them an idea of the extent of our country, with its present and increasing population, they were highly pleased at the prospect of so considerable a market for the productions of theirs.
Page 356 - Seas, as would have been exceedingly beneficial had any unfortunate accident occasioned our separation. Happily, we pursued our route together. On our arrival at the Island of Macao, the French consul for China, Monsieur Vieillard, with some other gentlemen of his nation, came on board to congratulate and welcome us to that part of the world, and kindly undertook the introduction of the Americans to the Portuguese governor.
Page 356 - They styled us the New People, and when, by the map, we conveyed to them an idea of the extent of our country, with its present and increasing population, they were not a little pleased at the prospect of so considerable a market for the productions of their own empire.

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