2
at length with
my
for extending the
Royal Clemency to the Convicts; but as the
subject of Piracy in
this
quarter has of late engaged much public attention in England, it appeared to me to be proper that I should fully explain the motive by which I have been actuated, especially as the Chief Justice was of opinion that the sentence of death should be carried into execution.
3.
the transaction can be understood only by reference to the circumstances under which it is placed. I enclose the Notes of the Chief Justice taken at the trial, from which, however, but few particulars attending the case can be gathered, and nothing from which it is possible to measure the degrees of culpability of the several Convicts. The facts of the case, however, I find on reference to the depositions taken before the committing Magistrate, are simply these: The plundered Junke belonged to a port in China, and was the property of a Chinese Subject; she had been on a trading voyage to the Straits of Malacca, and on her return was attacked on the high seas by another Chinese Junk in which were these Prisoners, off the Coast of Hainan, some 300 miles distant from this Island: none of the parties, either accused or otherwise connected with the transaction, were in any way connected with the British Government, and none of the property plundered on the occasion belonged to British Subjects, or to others residing under its protection.
4.
To inflict punishment for taking away the lives of others under such circumstances is not the most justifiable. Causing the lives of these men to be taken would have been done under the persuasion that doing so would deter others from committing similar crimes, and, had the offenders been British Subjects, or had the outrage occurred in the vicinity of this Island, or British property been in any way molested, I should, I confess, have been disposed to permit the sentence of the Law to take its course on some of the Prisoners
2
at length with
my
for extending the
Royal Clemency to the Couricts; but as the
subject of Piracy in
thi
quarter has of I
late engaged appears
much public attention in England, it
to me to be proper that I should fully explain the motive by which I have been actuated, sore- expesially as the Chief Iuction
Inction was of opinion that the sentence of death should be "eanried_ into excention.
3.
the transaction can
which it is
I enclose the Notes of the Chief Instice taken at the trial, from which, however, but few particular attending be gathered, and nothing from which possible to measure the degrees of culpability of the several Convicts. The facts of the however, I find on reference to the deprcitions taken before the committing. Magistrate, simply these :_ The plusedered Junte belonged to a port in China, and
China, and was the property of
Chinese Subject ; she had been on ai
Case,
are
trading
voyage
return
to the Straits of Malasex, and on
3
170
her
was attacked on the bit Inne by another
Chinese Junk in which
were these Prismes, off
the Coast of Sainan, some 300 miles distant from this Seland: none
accused,
RECKIOVIM AC
of the porties, either
were in
any way
coinceted
with the British Government, and noe
of the
property plundered on the recasion belonged to "British Subjects, or to other residing under its protection.
4.
To Any
for taking away
the
mind the
moet justifiable.
Caute
the lives of these men would
have been the persuasion that doing so would
deters others
FIMIL
-L-
been committed in
the Commission of similar crimes, and, had the offenders been British- Subjects, or had the outrage the vicinity of this Seland, or British property been in any way molected, I should, I omifere, have been disposed to permit the sentence of the
of the Prismors
Law to take its couse on some
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