I have already expressed my opinion that the interference of the noble Lord should have been for the suppression of the trade in opium, and that the war was not justified by any excesses committed on the part of the Chinese . I have already stated, that although the Chinese were undoubtedly guilty of much absurd phraseology, of no little ostentatious pride, and of some excess, justice, in my opinion, is with them, and, that whilst they, the Pagans , and semi-civilized barbarians, have it, we, the enlightened and civilized Christians , are pursuing objects at variance both with justice, and with religion.

Author: William Ewart Gladstone
Year: 1840
Year evidence: Speech in the House of Commons (8 April 1840) against the First Opium War
Source: Quotes / 1840s — Speech in the House of Commons (8 April 1840) against the First Opium War
Source links: https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1840/apr/08/war-with-china-adjourned-debate#column_819 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Opium_War
Wikiquote: https://en.wikiquote.org/w/index.php?title=William+Ewart+Gladstone&oldid=3915297
Attribution: Wikiquote contributors, William Ewart Gladstone; history: https://en.wikiquote.org/w/index.php?title=William%20Ewart%20Gladstone&action=history
License: Wikiquote contributor text: CC BY-SA 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/; underlying quotations may have separate copyright and be included under fair use. https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Wikiquote:Copyrights
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