CO129-062 - Sir Bowring - 1857 [1-3] — Page 40

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All AI Reviewed

38

Sir,

Humboldt(?)
10th December 1856:

We have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 8th Instant. You state that the Circular was not stopped by you in any capacity, you distinctly state that you did stop it in your capacity of Political Secretary. You state that the Circular was withdrawn from circulation by E. Anstey, that he forwarded it to you under a sealed Official cover with a complaint against the Acting Chief Magistrate, that the Circular thus became an "official document," which His Excellency directed you to bring to the Magistrate with a demand for explanation. You also express your belief that Mr. Anstey fully furnished you with his reason.

To The Hon. M. J. Mercer
Colonial Secretary

We most respectfully beg to decline recognising Mr. Anstey's intervention in the matter, as no one member of the Bench possesses any right to interfere with the privileges of the whole Bench. The explanation contained in your letter under reply compels us to infer either that the Government acted as a mere instrument of Mr. Anstey's will, or individual opinion, or that, of its own, it considered that further circulation of the document in question ought not to be permitted. The first alternative is too preposterous to be entertained for a moment, nor is it necessary that we should do so, in submitting the Circular in question to the Government. The Justice referred to showed his consciousness that the power to arrest its circulation did not lie in him, and in adopting the course of giving effect to his acts, the Government made these acts their own.

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38 Sir, Humboldt(?)10th December 1856: We have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 8th Instant. You state that the Circular was not stopped by you in any capacity, you distinctly state that you did stop it in your capacity of Political Secretary. You state that the Circular was withdrawn from circulation by E. Anstey, that he forwarded it to you under a sealed Official cover with a complaint against the Acting Chief Magistrate, that the Circular thus became an "official document," which His Excellency directed you to bring to the Magistrate with a demand for explanation. You also express your belief that Mr. Anstey fully furnished you with his reason. To The Hon. M. J. MercerColonial Secretary We most respectfully beg to decline recognising Mr. Anstey's intervention in the matter, as no one member of the Bench possesses any right to interfere with the privileges of the whole Bench. The explanation contained in your letter under reply compels us to infer either that the Government acted as a mere instrument of Mr. Anstey's will, or individual opinion, or that, of its own, it considered that further circulation of the document in question ought not to be permitted. The first alternative is too preposterous to be entertained for a moment, nor is it necessary that we should do so, in submitting the Circular in question to the Government. The Justice referred to showed his consciousness that the power to arrest its circulation did not lie in him, and in adopting the course of giving effect to his acts, the Government made these acts their own.
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38 Sir. Humofting 10 th December 1856: We have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of yours letter of the 8th Instant you Athele that the bunlar prove that En Leend emphatically repeal question was not stopped by you in any expacity, you distinctly you did stop it in your your capacity of toplomal Breachary You state that the Circular was withdrawn from criculation by elle Anstey, that he forwarded it to you under a sealed Official cover wish as complaint exgainst the Acting Chief- Mayestrate, that the cricular this become an "efficial document," which His Excellency to brienomat to the Magistraté with a demand for explanation. You also express your bele if that Mr Ansley fully furnich is wish his reason To The Kent M. J. Mercer leg Celenint Secretary directed you wits for the Course 0 ascribe them. we most respectfully beg to of action which you In Дойлеровод decline, recognising the U Ansley's intervention bev of thos on the دی matter, as no one) (miem Dench of Pertices posseses any, any right to terfere with the privileges of the whole Bench - The explanation contained in your letter under reply compels infer eisher that the government OD The mere 10 to acted mere instrument of Mr Ansley's wil, or individual opinion, or that, for of its own, it somnitered that this محمد fursher perculation of the document in question ought not to be permitted The first alternative is too preposterones to be entertainic for a moment, mor is it necessary that we shouts de so, in submit. ling the cuscular in question to the gemens ment the Justice referred to showed his consciousnes that the power to arrest-ito- govern circulation did not be in hem and che his preive and in adopting government in in a giving effect to his acts made these crews and
2026-05-18 08:58:57 · Baseline
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38

Sir.

Humofting

10 th December 1856:

We have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of yours letter of the 8th Instant

you

Athele that the bunlar

prove that

En Leend

emphatically repeal question was not stopped by you in any expacity, you distinctly

you did stop it in your

your capacity of toplomal Breachary You state that the Circular was withdrawn from criculation by elle Anstey, that he forwarded it to you under a sealed Official cover wish as complaint exgainst the Acting Chief- Mayestrate, that the cricular this become an "efficial document," which His Excellency

to brienomat to the Magistraté with a demand for explanation. You also express your bele if that Mr Ansley fully furnich is wish his reason To The Kent M. J. Mercer leg

Celenint Secretary

directed

you

wits

for the

Course

0

ascribe them.

we most respectfully beg to

of action which

you

In

Дойлеровод

decline, recognising

the

U

Ansley's

intervention

bev

of thos

on the

دی

matter, as no one) (miem

Dench of Pertices posseses any,

any right to

terfere with the privileges of the whole Bench - The explanation contained in

your

letter under reply compels infer eisher that the government

OD

The mere

10

to

acted

mere instrument of Mr Ansley's wil, or individual opinion, or that, for

of its

own,

it somnitered that this

محمد

fursher perculation of the document in question ought not to be permitted The first alternative is too preposterones to be entertainic for a moment, mor is it necessary that we shouts de so, in submit. ling the cuscular in question to the gemens ment the Justice referred to showed his consciousnes

that the power to arrest-ito-

govern

circulation did not be in hem and che

his preive and in

adopting

government

in

in a

giving effect to his acts made these crews

and

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