complain of the results.
fas was said these 73 men had united the characters of pirates and rebels against
the Chinese Imperial Government there was no reason to suppose
they would be dealt with with any particular lenity and subsequent information has verified such supposition.
I am fully sensible that the majesty of the law must
be vindicated in all cases and offenders however/numerous must be punished, but
humbly submit it would be
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9.
impossible for me in the 176 present state of the Colony to
order the extreme penalty of
the law to be carried out in
a British Colony on 7/3 men
oveven
any large proportion
of that number whatever may have been the nature of the crimes of which they had been guilty ands had not in the month of February last regard being had to the other circumstances in which we were placed, the means at my disposal of properly ins carrying out the minor