CO129-065 - Sir Bowring & Public Offices - 1857 [11-12] — Page 266

264

I am

to hansmit to you, porte. Lecutary Lubouchere's deformation, a Copy of a Report which has been received from the Law Officers in answer to the reference made of them upon this subject.

I av,

Your host chedient

20

Love.

humble Servant,

Mer Ellest.

When the Law Officers of the Rain pronounce on a prict of we are bound to defer

Law,

to

but when

their judgment, they go beyond that to

treat

of a matter of

it

expedewey, may be permissible for others who

Are Aware

of more

particular than can be within the

to exercise

Coprisance of the Law Officers,

w judgment.

their owne

The present case stands thus. The Legislature of the Colony of Victoria, actuated by unconveniences felt for the influx of Chinese and obeying

as the subject,

very strany popular feeling

passed an Act calculated to

prevent

Chinese Emmigration. After dire

Consultation the Ast was

confirmed. Ijssianly. The Row Lawyers had previously repated

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that they cared not see that it was

w illegal, but they desired that the

Ainion here referess

L

particular Treaty with which su J.

Rohit pu 155 Bouring

had

aepresented it to conflict might be pointed out. In J. Bowring has now Antracied by positing out the Treaty of Nankin. The Grown Lawyers thereupon report in their present.

letter that the Victoria Act does

not constitute a direct infraction of that Treaty. But they go

on to

say

that

the

}