The Daily Press.
HONGKONG, OCTOBER 8, 1866.
THE GOVERNOR's answer to the Chinese memorial, both of which documents we publish to-day, is in one way very amusing. He has been more or less infected by the style of the document addressed to him, which has been translated into that nursery patois which appears to be recognised as the appropriate English dress of any composition originally written in the Chinese language, and replies rather as if he were preparing "Simple stories for Little People," or "Moral Tales," than an official document. Why do you wish me, says the GOVERNOR referring to the Chinese complaint about the intricacies of the Stamp Act, "to suppose you so stupid as to be perplexed by a matter so plain? I cannot believe what is absurd." As the reply will in any case have to be translated into Chinese before it effects its purpose, the charming simplicity by which it is characterised will be to some extent thrown away. This, however, does not affect the value of the lesson, and it is to be hoped that the Chinese will profit by it.
The GOVERNOR hardly does justice to some of the objections which the native memorialists bring forward, but there is no doubt at all, that the indiscriminate complaints they make of all the new ordinances is based upon a great deal of misapprehension, and arises in part, from a want of power to conceive the pure justice at the bottom of all English legislation, against abuses of the nature of those prevalent in Hongkong, or the simple and public spirited aims of Anglo-Saxon government. They cannot always conquer the thoroughly Chinese habit of regarding a law which provides fines for certain offences, as framed for the object of obtaining the fines, instead of for that of putting down the offences.
The more intelligent of the Chinese in Hongkong are fully ready to recognize the fact that the English government is more trustworthy than their own, is more careful of individual right, but the perception of this might probably have been spread more effectually than by lectures de haut en bas on the Chinese duty of obedience. The GOVERNOR, however, tells his memorialists a great many plain truths, the truth of which it is well that they should be made to recognise. "You yourselves," he says, "must have seen that great pains are taken to administer the Law with strict justice, and that if it were not for Chinese thieves, pirates and other bad characters, this government would not have the expense of such a numerous police." Perhaps this argument is not very appropriate to the matter in hand.
The Chinese in wanting to pay the money by an increased house-tax instead of by means of the Stamp Act were certainly not seeking to evade their fair contribution to the expenses of government. It is probable that while the house tax could be collected from them with scarcely any loss, only a small percentage of the Stamp duties will ever find out the Chinese documents on which they ought under the ordinance to be levied. This is the strong part of the Chinese case. They make no disloyal complaint about the amount demanded, so far as their petition relates to financial matters, but simply feel convinced that it would be very inconvenient to pay it in the way proposed, and much more tolerable to pay extra house tax.
Why should the suffering involved in paying the dollars to which they submit cheerfully, be aggravated by an obligation to pay them in a manner which seems to them terrible? Their memorial, however, which blunders round about the subjects it treats in the most absurd manner imaginable, and is altogether as bad and clumsy a composition as could be constructed, says nothing of this point.
At any rate, however, the time is not badly chosen to impress upon the Chinese the fact that their countrymen, though certainly the memorialists have little enough to do with this, are the cause of all the trouble in this island, which makes the task of government so troublesome and expensive. This should induce them to accept with a better grace ordinances designed to repress the disorder on shore, and the piracy on sea, for which the place is so renowned.
They, in looking at the matter indeed, see it in a light which is not perceived by the GOVERNOR. Chinese merchants in a great many cases go to a large expense in maintaining watchmen,—some native houses we know keep eight—to perform that which should be performed by the government. They have learned that to rely for protection on the police, is a disastrous mistake; it is cheaper to pay for special protection than to have their houses broken into every now and then.
To them it appears that the disorderly character of the town which thus costs them so much, is the result of the weakness of the government. They know that native life and property is secure in Chinese towns, at any rate from street thieves, and they see in the English Government not a beneficent, disinterested, highly civilised organisation, existing solely for the public good, but simply an incompetent government.
Then they see a number of ordinances resting on a foundation of fines, which their experience of their own officials leads them to distrust. They do not understand why there should be troublesome harbor regulations for their innocent junks because piracies are rife. Greater energy would put down the piracy, very likely they think, not appreciating a reluctance to cut off heads by the hundred or the thousand if need be, so long as the heads belonged at any rate to the lower and more dangerous classes, and might be those of pirates.
It is a pity to miss so good an opportunity as this of trying to make them understand something of those principles of Western Government which make such energy as this impossible to us, something of the way in which European nations consent that all shall go through certain forms and ceremonies that the criminals may be strained from the mass, instead of punishing a quantity of persons who may be criminals, at random, in the hope of including the actual offenders amongst them.
As it is this, Chinese deputation from which some good might have ensued, has led to pretty much nothing. The Chinese confusedly grumble, failing to express the fair and intelligible idea in their minds. The GOVERNOR indignant at what seems their childishness and ignorance, gives them a good scolding, and tells them to go about their business and do what they are told. "One thing is certain," says the GOVERNOR in conclusion, "that as soon as they (the ordinances) are proclaimed to be law, those who disobey them will be punished." "Little boys," in short, "should be seen, and not heard. They do not understand these things, and must do what Papa tells them."
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