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ing to exhibit the innocence and whiteness of the bleached lamb." We ask in astonishment. What do His Excellency and the honourable the Executive Council want? If they doubt that the evidence in the care tried did not warrant the return of the verdict of guilty, the evidence in the case untried admits of no doubt of the prisoners's guilt.

If there be a deficient or weak link in the chain of legal evi- dence, surely the Executive Council can put on their reasoning and unprofessional spectacles, and look at the moral evidence, --such for instance, as the intercepted letter written by the ac- countant of Ma-chow Wong, sealed and ready to be forwarded

to the writer's father on the mainland and which reads to this effect-"A woeful thing has happened; our shop has been seized upon a charge of buying sugar from pirates; but the saddest part is, that the ownership of Ma-chow Wong in the boat has been discovered," &c., &c. And another fragment of of legally rejected evidence is, that after the capture of the sugar-laden boat by the pirates, and when the bodies of the murdered men and women had been cast overboard, the pirates said to the survivors of the crew,-" for the dead, that is past; but regarding the cargo, go to Machow Wong." We would request His Excellency to ask the Honourable the Acting Attorney General (who so painstakingly performed his duty)

whether such evidence was not tendered to him.

As regards the examination of the books and accounts of such a "villanous old bird" as Ma-chow Wong, do His Excel- lency and the Executive Council expect to find written in bold unblushing type, "I am a confederate of pirates "--I am a re- ceiver of stolen goods," "I am the protector of fellons, gam bers, et hoc genus omne ?" Or, still less likely, do they sup pose there will be boastingly written proof of how cleverly he uses as a tool (to effect his vile objects) a recognized and trust- ed agent of Her Majesty's Government?

Out upon such wilful blindness, say we, and most certainly we shall not fall to do our utmost to draw aside the flimsy veil of assumed doubt of his guilt, and to stigmatise and draw down public indigation on all concerned in effecting so glaring a vi olation of public justice.

We have received a communication from the Acting Clerk of Councils, requesting our presence at a Meeting of the Executive Council at noon on Monday next, "with such proofs and evidence as you (we) may possess in support of the charges preferred by you against the above mentioned convict," (Wong Akee,) "in the China Mail of the 17th ultimo." We need scarcely say, that we shall have no difficulty in substantiating all we have written, and a great deal more and if, after the proofs adduced, Sir John Bowring will persist in the course he seems determined to pursue, and liberate this unmitigated scoun- drel from prison, he will well merit the opprobium which he may rest assured the community will not fail to heap upon him.--China Mail, 8th October, 1857."

Now considering the position of this paper at that time, considering that Caldwell was the party directly pointed

Attorney General.—And of this,—-(reads the seconda evidence of the contents of Mr May's Memoranda, see page 37 supra.)

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I have no objection

to your mentioning to Dr Bridges (or to the Council) that I have

paper. memoranda which bear out the statement appearing in your

Of course I cannot give you these memo., but I will bring them if am required to attend the Council

you

Touching the production of Chinese at the Council to support your assertions, I am compelled to say, that I agree with that it would be dangerous either in reference to their persons or the truth-Yours very truly,

C. MAY.

13th October, 1857.

MY DEAR MR ALMADA,-I left in the hands of His Excel. lency, yesterday, Mr May's note to me. As I furnished you

bearer, and oblige,-Yours very truly, with a copy of it, will you please send me the original by the

AND S. DIXSON.

13th October, 1857.

and on investigation, the bulk of that article proved tor are charged on Ma-chow Wong--Connection with this, Council unles desired by the Governor. the greatest trash ever written.

screant is charged on Caldwell-" AND THE BOOKS

icle in the China Mail of the 15th Oct., 1857. (Reads,) ROVED THESE THINGS," I call your attention to this

Last week we mentioned having been requested to attend a eting of the Executive Council on Monday, to satisfy the Dr Bridges. I remember that of these, four items wembers as to our report of Ma-chow Wong's career being selected, three of which were substantiated, and one, rect, and below we publish the correspondence that has not two, of the memoranda did not confirm Mr Dixsout en place. It will be observed, that we reserve our right to statement. The Council went into the remainder of Mmulge what we please regarding the proceedings before the Dixson's statement, but it appeared that independently uncil; but for the present at least refrain from trenching on Mr May's memoranda, the statements had nothing to go supposed privileges, further than in stating, that, by the sistance of Mr May, we were enabled to adduce the most sa- upon, they referred to old charges, not burglary.

factory proofs of the dangerous character of the felon now Attorney General.-Burglary was referred to, and the jail, and such as must place all hope of pardon, or even the record of it is in this Court. A portion of them referred thtest mitigation of punishment, utterly beyond question. Ma chow Wong's antecedents, and portions of Mr Dixsone were fortunately in a position, without native aid, to show, statements were old charges not taken from Mr Mayat Ma-chow Wong ad purchased immense quantities of am- memo, ?

unition, including stinkpots, &c,-to adduce strong inferen- Dr Bridges.-Yes.

testimony of his knowlege of the Silk robbery--proof that had sold men and women into slavery--that he had assisted Dixson's depositions at the Police Court (reads.)

Attorney General.--I will read you a little more of the escape of pirates, and advanced large sums to lawyers their defence. All this, and much more we say, Mr May's moranda of the contents of the books of the firm of which "Mr Lane was examined after me. lasted five minutes.

This examination on chow Wong was the head, proved beyond a doubt; and the Mr May was then called in, producees are now in the hands of the Executive Council, where his memoranda, and read them, item by item- The Counce should be the books themselves, but whether they are so or appeared to be perfectly astonished. Dr Bridges said he did not we are by no means assured." know whether he was standing on his head or his heels, and In one point it seems we were mistaken-in saying that asked, "Why have I not seen thos documents before? Mong Akee had been Tepo of Shek-pai-wan; we ought to have May gave some explanation which I forget. The Governd, "Head of the Municipal Police" there;- then referred Mr May to Mr Mongan's translation, (see pag 114 supra.")

I

Do you confirm that?

COUNCIL OFFICE, VICTORIA, HONGKONG,

6th October, 1857. SIR,-Certain statements having appeared in the China Mail the 7th ultimo, having reference to the convict Wong Akee as Ma-chow-Wong, I am desired by His Excellency The Gov- or to request your attendance at a meeting of the Excutive council to be held on Monday the 12th instant, at Ioon, with ch proofs and evidence as you may possess in support of the arges preferred by you against the above mentioned convict. I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant,

J. M. D'ALMADA E CASTRO,

for the Clerk of Councils.

Dr Bridges.-Yes. I remember Mr Lane was examined before Mr Dixson. My astonishment was that I had no seen those documents before. I was sitting, and it hardly likely I should have said I did not know whether was on my head or my heels. I did express conside able surprize that I had not. My statement was, that was surprised at not having seen those documents befor and that such important papers should be with the Super intendent of Police, and I not know anything about it My astonishment was greater at the fact of their having

he EDITOR OF THE China Mail" got into the hands of the printer before being handeli

HONGKONG, 10th October, 1857. to the Government, than at the contents of the books MY DEAR MAY, I cannot think of exposing Chinese to the respecting Ma-chow Wong, whom I knew to be up onder mercies of Mr Ma-chow Wong and his myrmidons, and most things, a pirate, and a great vagabond.

just therefore depend for the establishment of my case at the overnment Offices (to which you would see from Thursday's I had been summoned) entirely upon European testimony know you to be cognizant of the facts stated by me, and I

Attorney General.-What was Mr May's explanation? Dr Bridges. I think he stated he had shewn them w

..

MY DEAR SIR,-Herewith I return the note from Mr May. You are of course aware that the proceedings of the Council are confidential. Yours truly,

A. S. Dixson, Esq.

J. M. D'ALMADA.

"CHINA MAIL" OFFICE 13th October, 1857. MY DEAR SIR,-I do not know anything about the proceed. ings of the Council being confidential, but the information

I gave was voluntary and my own, and therefore I intend to

the China Mail I was summoned before the Council, and I shall make use of it as best pleases me. I have told the readers of

certainly tell them what I said there.-Yours very truly,

J. M. D'ALMADA, Esq.

AND, S. DIXSON.

We reserve further notes on the subject of the examination for future use, in case they should be required; but with the desire to follow the dictates of truth and justice by which it is to be hoped the President and honourable Members of the Council are alone actuated, there is little likelihood of their ever being called for."-China Mail, 15 October, 1857.

"We regret exceedingly to have to report a re-agitation on the part of Sir John Bowring-instigated, we believe, by Mr Caldwell-for the liberation of that scoundrel and convicted felon Ma-chow Wong. Our readers, we believe, are as heartily tired of the subject as we are ourselves, and we wish we were permitted to drop it; but the re-opening of the question, after it had, we imagined, been set at rest for ever, leads us to fear that some other and more powerful influence is at work than that of the Protector of Chinese, though the guiding hand is not apparent. There is an old adage which forcibly brings itself to our recollection at the present time, that "none are so blind as those who will not see

" for

upon no other foundation can we place so determined and persistant an attempt to violate reason and

at-I put to you this question,-did not these two articles the Chief Magistrate and to the Acting Attorney Generalst therefore request your attendance. Or if you prefer it justice, by setting aside the verdict returned by the jury at the

sink into your mind at the time with sufficient force to lead you to do your utmost to find out what part Mr Caldwell took in those transactions?

Dr Bridges.--They made no more impression on my mind than statements in the newspapers generally do,

(Kingsmill.)

bey

ng a government employée, I will ask Almada to send for

Yours very truly,

AND. S. DIXSON.

Monday.

Attorney General.-Why did he not show them to you?

Dr Bridges-I am not sure that he did not say thought he had mentioned them to me, I cannot be pos MY DEAR DIXSON,In reply to your note of this morning, I tive as to what Mr May said.

gret that it will be out of my power to attend the Excecutive

late sessions.

If the Government and Executive Council imagine that they will have washed the blackamoor white, simply by administer- ing the Queen's prerogative of pardon to the convicted felon, they are egregiously mistaken; for to the public of Hongkong he will still be a blackamoor, and possibly a tinge of his dark- ness may beshadowed on those who have been vainly attempt.