imited forces of a
a mumerous olan of wealthy and [library position, the weaker party have either to submit.
to their oppressors
death.
The
men in
or to meet with almost certam
- question have been falsely accused attacked with armed force the house of
of having attacked with.
a certain Tai - ho- pan / great purse/ who was one of those potentates so common in China whose right is
are
the persecuted
Even
their
might but the fact is that they and not the persecutors. But supposing bring guilty they should not be delivered up. As
I have stated there row
Treaty provision ( Fients in Freaty 1860. Art: XXI / regulating this matter. but
and meagre stipulation has since been
that As
developed
vague
led into what we are led to understand are
very stuct instructions. having special reference to the inhimman practices of torture which are unfortunately stell carried on in Chinese Courts. The treaty merely provides that criminals who have taken refuge in long Kong shall on • proof of their guilt be delivered up" but it is perfectly, well known that the Custom lor many years past has been that native criminals
are
✔
e given up only upon receipt of a guarantee that they will not be subjected to any of the tortures
which
483
the
which form so prominent a part of the chmese Cuminal procedure. Mr Hewlett the British Consul of Canton who having resided in Clima for many years.
is in a position to know the Climese ways strongly opposed their being / the eleven men / delivered up to the Clunese Government. The Courul puts it that any guarantee given by Chinese Authorities is entirely worthless, because contrary to the casting law of the Empire that, event of a murderer withholding a confession of his Oume, he cannot be put to death until such
bry
torture. Confession beduly extorted from hum and that any guarantee, therefore, given by the Officials is either a promise made to be broken, or
if kept,
in the
is a direct evrown of the law. In face of
the strong re
evasion.
rumours that personers extradited have been tortured, in spite of a guarantee, and in
- of the clashe conscience commonly believed
new
to inhabit the average Climese officials, this consideraton suggested by the Consul throws a flood of light upon the history past and present of the Extradition question.
Now we
have been astonished to hear that.
Lord Derby the principal Secretary of State
For
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