331 certainly be refused, there could be no harm in their putting their names to it. A few never read the petition at all which will be apparent when on examining the names it is discovered that more than American citizens and at least one Chinese British subject claim "the common right of Englishmen to manage their own affairs"!
As regards the attitude of the local press it is beyond question that the sympathies of the morning journal, and the more important evening paper were early engaged, the Editors signed the petition, but even that fact does not seem to have caused them to give more than lukewarm support, as a perusal of their columns.