180
When the Foreign Office suddenly revoked the appointment, the meeting was cancelled and the resolutions were never discussed.
CONSUL ISSUE BECOMES A BATTLE FOR FACE
Soon after the notice of the appointment of a Chinese consul to Hongkong was put before the Legislative Council in July 1891, an announcement was issued for a public meeting to discuss the matter and pass resolutions.
The organisers of the meeting wished to get the support of the Chinese merchants and compradores and pressure was exerted to ensure their attendance.
To counteract this, Ho A-mei published a letter in the Chinese press urging his countrymen not to become the pawns of the expatriate merchants.
A translation of his letter appeared in the China Mail. It was inserted by the editor to show the foreign community “how little can be said in favour (of the proposal) by its supporters.”
In his letter Ho A-mei made three main points: that China should have the same privilege as other nations, that the Chinese in Hongkong can be trusted, and that the Chinese should support the appointment of a consul out of national pride.
China deserved the same rights as those extended to other nations. If they had consuls in Hongkong, why not then the Chinese? Were they any different?
China and England were friendly nations. Therefore, there was no reason why China should not be treated as any other country which had commercial treaties with China. If they were entitled to have someone to look after their trade, so should China. There should be no question about it: "The Colonial Office ought naturally to sanction it in accordance with precedents in similar cases.
There was, therefore, no reason for Britain to seek the views of