1850.
Journal of Occurrences.
51
ty of the head and hand being restored to them without any condition or clause whatsoever, which this Council can not, because they ought not to, adinit. They have already, in short, caused you Excellency to see, that such an inhuman and unheard-of act, committed towards the person of the Representative of Her Most Faithful Majesty, amounts to an atrocious of- fense against the sovereignty of Her Majesty, and an outrage to the nation, to whom is due entire and condign reparation. In the face, therefore, of the extraordinary proceedings of your Excellency, and of your tenacious persis- tence in remaining deaf to the voice of reason and justice; and as this Coun- cil have already informed Her Majesty's Government of all that has taken place, nothing more is left them to do on the subject, but to protest again against your Excellency, holding you responsible for the assassination of the Most Excellent Governor Amaral; for the retention of his head and hand; for the violation of the rights of Her Majesty and the Portuguese nation; and lastly, for all consequences whatsoever that may result, as well from that act, as from the unqualified proceedings of the Chinese authorities of Canton with regard to it. And, as it is requisite that full knowledge be had of all the circumstances of this unheard-of case, this Council are going to make them known to the Representatives of all the foreign nations resident here, as well as to the governments of all other friendly powers, allies of Her Majesty, by means of a Manifesto, of which a copy will also be forwarded to your Excellency."
To this the governor-general sent the following reply.
Dispatch from Su to the Council of Government of Macao.
Su, Governor-general of Kwangtung and Kwangsi, &c. I have received the dis- patch of the noble Council of the 25th day of the 9th moon (9th November), and having inade myself acquainted with its contents about the murder of governor Amaral, proceed to reply, that as the aggressor Shin Chi-liang was apprehended at Shun-teh, a place not far from the capital, he was taken there within a day, and immediately tried and sentenced in order to avoid delays in the examinations. By thus proceeding with the execution without loss of time, can there still be any doubt on the point? Besides, the case of beheading a criminal is not one to be trifled with. Shin Chi-liang made a deposi tion, and afterwards confirmed the same, and it was in consequence of his confession that the place where the head and hand had been buried was discovered. Can it still be said that this individual was a supposititious criminal, and not the real aggressor? If in all these circumstances doubts are entertained, the life of man is of great consequence; the execution could not be thus carried into effect, without the family of Shin Chi-liang uttering a word about it. As to the depositions of Shin Chi-liang and Ko Ahong, as each of them expressed himself according to his own way, there has been a difference in some circumstances; but there was no discordance as to the fact, and all of them in their depositions have acknowledged Ko Ahong and the others to be the accomplices, but did not mention the individual Kam Tong. Are not the depositions of the criminals sufficient to serve as documents, when rumors are still believed? With regard to Ko Ahong and others who ran away through the Barrier gate; as on that occasion, night was already approaching, the soldiers at that post could not, in the midst of such a hurry, recognize them in order to stop them. This is a very simple reason; how then can guilt be brought home to these soldiers?
A deputed officer was sent to take the head and hand of governor Amaral, to be de- livered up: but the noble Council having kept back the three soldiers belonging to the gate, without setting them free, the said officer could not take upon himself the respon- sibility. Here is the cause of the delay and of this confusion. All things should be managed with reflection; and in a proper way; obstinacy can not bring affairs to a conclusion. This then depends on the serious consideration of the noble Council. This is all I have to answer to the Council of the Portuguese government.
10th moon, 9th day (23d November, 1849).
The Council of Government published a lengthy Manifesto, dated Nov. 26th, 1849, which is entituled "A Demonstrative Exposition of the proceedings of the Chinese Authorities of the province of Canton, in relation to the disas- trous event which occurred at Macao on the 22d day of August, 1849." In this paper, the Council begin upon the presumption that the assassination of Gov. Amaral was encouraged, if not authorized by the Chinese authorities, and add, "that the subsequent conduct of these authorities has raised those
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