After travelling so far together, the reader will permit me to direct
his attention to the geographical position and natural advantages of
the Philippines, which are unequalled by any other islands in the whole
eastern Archipelago. Their vicinity to the immensely populous empire
of China is in itself enough to render them a most flourishing colony.
The Spanish and local governments are alive to the importance of this,
and appear desirous to encourage trade to a limited extent, but are
apparently anxious to hold the reins of it, and to regulate it as they
deem best for themselves, or at any time to put a stop to it entirely.
The evils arising from the changeable elements given birth to by
their interference it is difficult to over-estimate, as from the
ignorance, which prevails through all classes, of the first elements
of a commonwealth, and from their capricious notions of government, and
want of knowledge of the advantages of liberality and of the facilities
given to the prosecution of commerce, few persons of prudence care
to expose their capital very extensively to the chances of trade.
At present the Philippines want some infusion of foreign capital
and energy into the veins and local arteries of the country, which,
backed by the enlightened application of science, would cause these
islands to emerge from the obscurity now surrounding them, and force
them to assume the important position for which nature has apparently
destined them.
This will not come to pass until the present opinions of the Government
and people are considerably changed with reference to their commercial
legislation, or until all government interference in affairs of that
nature is left off, so far as the interests of the revenue will permit,
when the people will be insensibly but wisely taught by experience
to rely upon themselves alone.
The principles of commerce, and the wealth of nations, as laid
down by Adam Smith in his great work, which is almost deserving of
immortality for the truths it tells mankind, are as true and as sure
in practice as they are in theory; and should the wisdom and truth
of his investigations ever be applied to the commercial regulations
of these islands, it is difficult to foretell the destiny that may
ultimately await them.
It appears to me to be as unwise to attempt to restrain the course of
nature and its fruits, aided by the energies of man to develop or to
use them, as it would be to bind down the mind of a man of genius,
or of a poet, in order to prevent their operation, or to hinder the
great conceptions of their muse, or the scientific research which a
bright genius renders serviceable to his fellow mortals, from ever
seeing the light. No one will defend the justice or wisdom of the
time which forbade Galileo to publish, or even himself to believe in,
his great discoveries; but is that more unjust than the policy of
rulers, who shut up from the beings whom God has created to use them,
the fruits of our common mother, the earth?
It is equally absurd to prevent and to prohibit in either case;
but notwithstanding this, the passions and prejudices of mankind are
violent enough to permit of the one, although they would by no means
suffer the other. Wisdom and passion can seldom or never accompany
each other.
Philanthropy will ultimately banish from our codes all such regulations
as tend to check the fruitfulness of the soil and its use by man,
who has been endowed with reason in order that he may assist the
operations of nature. The constant and unrestricted use of the bounties
of nature does not lead to their abuse; the contrary is the fact,
for it is only when our appetites are excited by the obstacles to
their attainment that they become excessively indulged and depraved.
The illiberality of the Government places the existing position of
foreigners in rather an equivocal position, for they are only there
upon sufferance; and in the event of any disturbance, such as happened
at Manilla in 1820, or of a war between the two nations, what would
become of the foreigners or of their property?
It has already been shown to the world that our fellow-subjects at
Manilla in 1820, might be murdered in the streets like dogs, and no
retribution be demanded by their Government; and to this day their
personal liberty and property can at any time be endangered by the
caprice of the Governor or of his subordinates.
In 1848, an alcalde laid hold of a number of British subjects,
and threw them suddenly into prison, because he happened one day to
discover that the time for their permission to remain in the country
had years ago expired, which all of them had been led to expect it was
quite unnecessary to have renewed so long as they remained quiet and
well-conducted members of the community. As the alcalde did not know
very well what to do with them when he had got them into the jail,
he kept them there for a few days till he had smoked a good deal,
and thought a little about them, and then he told the jailor to let
them out again.
Our trade with China would be materially improved by the attention
of Her Majesty's Foreign Secretary being directed to the position
of the Philippines in connection with our own interests with them,
and with the great empire adjoining them. Besides, it is a shame to
ourselves that such things should exist in the colony, not only of
a friendly European power, but of one so much indebted, as Spain is,
to the valour of our arms for her independence, and to our liberality
for possessing this colony at all.
THE END.
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London Gazette Office, St. Martin's Lane; and Orchard Street,
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