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brations.
It was the editor's opinion that, "the matter is far too important to be left to any self-constituted or semi-private committee.”
He had his own suggestion as to who should assume leadership:
"While not wishing to question the good intentions and public spirit of the gentlemen, we would venture to suggest that there are certain members of the community whose position naturally indicates them as the proper parties to take a lead on an occasion of this kind.
He proposed that the Acting Government, the Chief Justice, or the senior unofficial member of the Legislative Council, or perhaps all three of them, call a public meeting.
If these gentlemen took the lead, it need not mean that those who had already been discussing the matter would be crowded out, for they "could doubtless find a place on the committee.” As such they would be in a much better position, “having been regularly appointed and instructed, they would be able to act much more effectively."
But even a committee properly appointed and instructed was no guarantee that things would run smoothly.
Such an important project should engage the whole community, "for unless the demonstration be of a thoroughly popular character, heartily joined in by Her Majesty's subjects of every rank and station, it would be better to have no demonstrations at all."
Herein was the danger posed by the self-constituted committee: "We need hardly say that nothing could be more calculated to render the affair unpopular than for a small clique to assume the direction of affairs without any authority from the community at large."
Hongkong in the nineteenth century was very sensitive about cliques. Their all-pervasive presence disrupted community har-