£6742/19
The Petition
To the
Queen's Most Excellent Majesty
in Council.
227
of the Inhabitants of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and its Neighbourhood in Public Meeting assembled Humbly Sheweth
That in the month of November, 1858, an Information William Tarrant publisher of the Hong Kong newspaper called the "Friend of China", was filed in the Supreme Court of Hong Kong by the Government of that Colony.
That the Information charged the said William Tarrant with unjustly and maliciously printing and publishing a certain scandalous and malicious libel of and concerning the said Government of Hong Kong to the effect that the said Government had destroyed certain public papers and records for the purpose of securing one of the officers of the Government, Daniel Richard Caldwell, Registrar-General of the Colony, from conviction on a grave and scandalous charge; and had pronounced sentence against him... to the effect that he need not be put on trial with Machow "long" Wong: and had perhaps connived at his acts of piracy.
That the said William Tarrant pleaded not guilty, and a Justification, to the effect that William Thomas Bridges the then Colonial Secretary by connivance with Sir John Bowring usurped the said Government, and during such usurpation did cause certain public papers and records to be destroyed to prevent the truth or falsity of the criminal charges against the said Daniel Richard Caldwell being established; and that the publication was for the public benefit, in order to the lawful punishment of the said William Thomas Bridges and others.
That the Jury impanelled to try the said Information, after hearing the evidence for the prosecution only, returned a verdict for the defendant on both pleas; thus establishing the truth of the charges brought against the said Government of Hong Kong, and that it was for the public benefit that those charges had been printed and published.
That the presiding Judge awarded costs against the said Government.
That the said Machow Wong was convicted in September, 1857, of piracy, and transported for life to the penal settlement of Labuan.
That under a commission appointed by the said Sir John Bowring on the 4th day of May, 1858, previously to the said trial, to inquire into and report upon certain charges brought against the said Daniel Richard Caldwell, it was proved that a long and intimate connection had existed between the convict Machow Wong and the said Daniel Richard Caldwell.
That it was also found, by the said Commission, that the said Daniel Richard Caldwell had, until very recently, been a partner with the said convict in a Corfu, and the minutes of the said Commission further showed that the said Daniel Richard Caldwell admitted that a like partnership had existed between him and the said convict in at least seven other instances, and that a number of persons in their employ had been, at various times, guilty of piracy.
That the evidence given under the said Commission was privately printed and circulated by the Hong Kong Government, but without the documentary evidence taken under the said Commission, and contrary to the protest of the members thereof, as was stated on oath by the chairman of the said Commission on the said trial of the said William Tarrant.
That attempts were made by the said Daniel Richard Caldwell, after the conviction of the said Machow Wong, to obtain his pardon.
That amongst other duties entrusted to the said Daniel Richard Caldwell, he is especially charged with that of setting Her Majesty's cruisers in motion against persons whom he alleges to be pirates, and against all vessels which he alleges to be pirate, and against all places where he alleges pirates to be.
That it is the habit of Her Majesty's commanders to act upon the sole, uncorroborated, information of the said Daniel Richard Caldwell, in all such cases of alleged piracy.
That since the signing of the late Treaty of Peace with China, invasions of the Chinese coast, in violation of the Treaty, have been directed by the said Daniel Richard Caldwell.
That the three following cases occurred in the months of March and April last, in each of which it appears by the despatches of Her Majesty's naval Officers employed, they acted on the sole and unsupported allegations of the said Daniel Richard Caldwell:-
1. An expedition in the month of March last against a town and squadron at Kulon, near Macao, where great slaughter and cruelties were committed, and from which one thousand dollars were extorted.
2. An expedition in the same month of March against the city of Namtao, in Junon, which, after a cannonade of the city, resulted in the payment of one thousand dollars in money, and security for the payment of three thousand dollars more within ten days into the hands of the said Daniel Richard Caldwell, as compensation for losses alleged to have been practically occasioned to his Chinese Shroff or money agent, the truth of which allegations was not investigated before the Canton Consul, as it should have been; and who expressed his readiness to adjudicate on the case, until it now appears from the official authentication of the Chinese customs authorities at Canton, that the alleged piracy was the result of a judicial condemnation and confiscation of the said Shroff's or money agent's property, and an illegal attempt to smuggle salt into the said district.
3. An expedition against the town of Hu-Tung, one hundred and twenty miles distant from Hong Kong, and burning the said town within five hours, extorted from the people compensation to a Chinaman of Kupchi (entirely unconnected with the British dominions) for property alleged to have been taken from him by a pirate (Machow Wong), but without any proof, or attempt of proof, to connect the said town with the said alleged piracy.
That notwithstanding the said verdict in the said trial of "The Queen v. Tarrant", and the publication of the said Commissioner's Report, the said Daniel Richard Caldwell still continues to hold his offices of Registrar-General and Protector of Chinese, and Justice of Peace.
That Your Petitioners are informed that the public press at Hong Kong teems with the gravest charges against Her Majesty's local Government, arising out of the acts of the said Daniel Richard Caldwell, without any steps being taken to arrest it, and which cannot fail to reflect upon Her Majesty's Government at home.
That Your Petitioners are further informed that a public officer of known character and ability has resigned his office in consequence of the acts of which Your Petitioners complain having been suffered to remain unredressed, and that other resignations are likely to follow.
Your Petitioners therefore humbly pray Your Majesty that the said Daniel Richard Caldwell may be immediately suspended from exercising his said offices of Registrar-General and Protector of Chinese, and Justice of Peace, and that Your Majesty will further institute such an inquiry as will vindicate the Honour of Your Majesty's Crown, and do Justice.
And Your Majesty's Petitioners will ever pray-
On behalf of the Public Meeting held on the 20th day of June, 1859.
Jos Layrock Magor
Det
£6742/19
The Fetition
To the
Queens Most Exzellent Majesty
in Council.
227
of the Inhabitants of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and its Neighbourhood in Public Meeting assembled Humbly Sheweth
That in the month of Novembre, 1858, am Information Welliaan Turrant publisher of the Hong Hong newspaper called the "Friendl of China", filed in the Supreme Court of Hong Kong by the Government of that Colony.
That the Informations charged the said tilliam Freund with jutsily and maliciously printing and publishing a certain searudtutores and maliciones libels of and concoursing the said Government of Hong Kong to the effect that the said Government had destroyed ariain puôles propers are recuseds for the purpose of secarcing vree of the officers of the Gouani mont-Panici Richard Curawell, Registrar- forural of the Ectony, from conviction on a i grave and scordatore chevrye" avřichi han breos profounces agoienst him... to the iffect that he need sein & perter with and Machow "long" touhu: and had perhaputea in his acts of jizoey.
ረ. "
That the said William Furiant pleaded not guilty, and a Justification, to the effect that William Thomas Bridges the achory Conternal Secretary by connivanst with Sir John Bowring usurped the said Government, and awring sucts usurpation did cause certain public papers and ceconds to be suant to prevent the truth in juliehood of the criminal charges against the said Daniel Richard baldwell being established; and that the publication was for the public benefit, in order to the lawful punschonent of the vaid Willian Thomas Bridges and others.
That the Swey impannetied to try the said Information, after hiwaing the widence for the prosecution only, reherned a verdict for the defendant on both pleas; thes establishing the cruth of the charges brought against the said Government of Hong Kong. and that it was for the "public benefit that those charges had been printed and published.
"That the prending Judge awarded cost against the said Government
That the said Machow Gong wowe convicted in September: 1857, of piracy, and iransported joc iefe to the perval settlement of Labreant
That unde a commission appointed by the raidt Sir John Bowring on the 4th day of May, 1958, previously to the said trial, to inquire into and report uponicextan change brought against the said Daniel Richard Caldwell, it was proved that a lony and intimat connection" huu zaista between the convict Machow Hong.
Richard Caldwell.
and the said Danic
Thit it was also found, by the said Commission; that the said Domel Richard Caldenelt, had öcons, until very excently, a partner with the soud convect in a Corsha, and the minutes of the woed Commission further where that the saidt Faniel Richara Caldwell axmilied that a like partnerships had existed between him and the vaist convict in at leasi seven other arresite, and that as number of persons in their employ had been; at various times, quilty of piracy
Thill the crai testionony given under the said Commission even · privately printed and circulated by the Hong Kong Government, but without the documentary dence taken under the said bordimassion, and contrary to the protest of the members thereof. as was stated on oath by tie chauman' of the woud Commission on the sand. Frial of the bueení ». Fariant.
That attempts were made by the said Gameel Richard Guidwell, after the convictions of the suit Machow Wong, is obtain his pardont
That cinrang othm, duties entrusted to the said Daniel Richord Caldwell, hy is especially charged with that of setting her Majesty's cruisiers in motion against persons whom he alleges to be pirates, and against all vessels which he alleges to be przate, ands against all places where he alleges pirates to bet
That it in the habit of her Majesty's commanders to act upon the sole went norcorroborated, information of the said Daniel Richard Balilwell, in all such have become habitual guided and
caven of alleged piracy.
That
· since the signing of the late becaty of prease with China, invasions of the Chinese coast, in violation of the ward Brexity. directed by the word Daniel Richard bald with:
That the three following
casco
occurren in the months of Murch and trait last, in cuch of which i as appears by the despatches of her Majesty's naval Offices employed, they I acted on the sole and unsupported allegations of the said Daniel Richard Caldwell:-
F. An expedition in the month of March last against a town and squadron a Kulon, near Macao, where great slaughter.
the said
and carctics were committed.
anda which one thousand dollars were
wonder
· diuining the presemb 2. An expeántion in the same month of march against the city of Namtao, in Jumon, which, after a cannonde of the city, resulted in.
payment of one thousand dollare in money, and security for the payment of three thousand dollars more within the westh into the hands of the raid Daniel Richard batdwill, as compensation for losses alleged to have benu pratically occasioned to his Chines-Shroff..
107 money agent, the truth of which alligation: was not investigated before the Canton Consul, an it should have bien; and who expreseed his readiness to adjudicate: on the case, und il now appears jrom the official auturation of the Chinese bustoms authorities at sturion, that the allegue pracy was the result of a inciful condemnation and confiscation of
lender's out/ money
illegal attempt to smuggle sull into the said destrich. 3. An expedition against the town of Hu-Tung, me hundred and twenty miles distant from Hong Kong.
mendur burning the said town within tive hours, extorted from the people. compensation te a Chinamar of Kupchi (entirely anconnected with the British dominions) for property alleged to have been tation from him by a pirose Homema ja former enemy. as appeare by the said ininutes already cited - of on to whablish the truth of such allegation: Machere Gong), but without any proof, or attempt of proof, to connect the word town with the suid ulleged piracy. That notwithstanding the saidt verdict in the said trial of "The Cruces v. Farrant, and the publication of the said Commissioner's Report, the said Daniel Richards Caldwell still continues to hold his offices of Registrar General and Protector of bleinese, and Justice of Peace
ار اشتری
That Your Pititioners are informed that the public press at Hong Kong teems with the gravest charges against her Majesty's heart lovernment, arising out of the wits of the said Damel Richard Cardwell, without any stops being taken to cerest it, and which cannot fail to reflect upon her Majesty's Govranarent
C.
at home.
That Your Petitioners are further informed that a public officer of known charecter and ability has resigned his office in consequence of thi acts of which Your Petitioners comptain having been suffered to remain envredressed, and that other resignatione
Signed
012
art
likely to follow.
Your Petitioners therefore humbly pray Your Majesty that the said Daniel Richaved
Caldwell
may
1 be immediately suspended from exercising his said offices of Registrar General and Protector of Cheims, and Justice of Phaces and that Hour Majesty will further institute such an inquiry as will vendicate the Honour of Your Majesty's Crown, and do Justice.
And Your Majesty's Petitioners will ever pray-
schalf of the Fuble Meeting held on the 20th day of June, 1859.
Jos Layrock Magor
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