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The Reverend Charles J. Warren and Others to His
SIR,
Excellency, Sir Richard Graves MacDonnell, C.B., Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Hongkong.
LONDON MISSION HOUSE,
HONGKONG, 24th July, 1867.
After the recent interview of Messrs. WARREN, MORRIS, and TURNER, with Your Excellency, when you were so good as to listen to some arguments against the proposed system of licensing Gambling Houses in this Colony, and you intimated your intention of putting that system into operation; we desire respectfully to lay before Your Excellency the following objections, to which we venture to beg your earnest consideration.
We object to, and feel in conscience bound to protest against, this scheme, for the following reasons:---
1. Because it has been introduced in an underhand, and un-English way.
It is included in an Ordinance for "the Maintenance of Order and Cleanliness,"
a title under which no one would look for such a measure. The clause affecting Gambling is worded ambiguously; but any plain honest man would interpret it as meaning the very contrary to licensing the evil. It looks as if every care had been taken to blind-fold the public on this subject. There has been no opportunity of eliciting public opinion here; no opportunity of memorialising the Home Government in opposition to it.
2.
Because licensing Gambling Houses will certainly lead to a large increase of Gambling.
The fear of the law, which is now a partial check, will be removed. The publicity of the licensed Houses will ensnare many, who do not now go out of their way to search for them. Sailors, and other Europeans will be tempted into them. The proprietors will surround the "hells" with every attraction. But argument is needless here. The bare mention of the vast sum offered, and it is said, accepted for the license, indicates an immense increase of Gambling.
3. Because licensing Gambling Houses will never lead to the "ultimate suppression" of the vice.
To pretend the contrary would be the most barefaced hypocrisy. Every one who argues for the licensing, Your Excellency included, does so on the ground that suppression is hopeless. The licensing will bring a large Revenue which the Government will not easily resign. But if at any time the Government does withdraw the licenses, the illegal Gambling will then be harder to put down than
ever.
Yet by your own Ordinance, Your Excellency is pledged to aim at the "ultimate suppression" of Gambling!