CO129-087 - Sir Robinson - 1862 [7] & Acting Governor Mercer - 1862 [7-9] — Page 310

was I, for the first time, found that some eighteen witnesses had sworn positively to the guilt of the men accused by me--there was no rebutting evidence! Yet, notwithstanding this criminating testimony, Mr. Campbell reported that the charges were without foundation. and upon that report the Colonial Secretary based a prosecution against me for conspiracy to injure his fame and reputation!

Now when I tell you, my Lord Duke, that it was D. R. Caldwell who interpreted the evidence of the Chinese witnesses on that occasion, and that he, alone, besides the said Molloy Campbell, and the paid guardian of the minutes, was the holder of the secret which so materially affected, for over a dozen years, the honor and position of his superior. Caine, When I tell Your Grace that Caldwell was wont to boast of the secret hold which he had over the leading member of the government of the Island, I apprehend that I need say more to show what were the inducements to Caldwell's subsequent career of crime. He saw that all that was wanted to burke enquiry into official corruption was a bold front and stoppage at nothing not even perjury. Readily enough he realised the fullness of that system, then initiated in the Colony, aptly described by Your Grace's Predecessor Sir E. B. Lytton, as "looking upon society as a war of cunning-success the rule of right and wrong-honesty an affair of taste or decency-and the world as the patrimony of clever scoundrels.'

+

י.

But it may be, my Lord Duke, that even to this hour you have never seen the minutes taken in 1847 to which I refer; for, although I was officially informed by Mr. Mercer, present Acting Governor of Hongkong, that they had been sent home as part of the report of my trial in 1869, it is a singular thing that when what purported to be a report of that trial was published in the Blue book laid before Parliament, as moved for on Mr. Chisholm Anstey's application, not a line of those minutes appeared, nor was there any allusion to what would certainly have shown how wrong fully I was convict- ed of having had no grounds for charging the late Acting Governor Caine with malfea- sance of office, in suppressing, by such criminal conduct, all enquiry into the extortions practised in his name.

I have the honor to be,

My Lord Duke,

Your Grace's most obedient humble servant.

W.Tamant

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Copy)

!

d. marth

307

Hongkong 20th. Suplunder 1st-2

September

Sir,

I have the honor to transurit

letter

to the

address of His

a

Grace the Duke of Newcastle, dated

from Canton the 3rd Instant.

This, with its accompanying

etter, with try, and a pamphlet

pamphlet. I have to beg may

sent ou

Current.

by the trail of

Unfortunately

I have

the

be

27

th

second copy of the Pamphlet

but ou

here; but

ry

arrival at

Canton next week I will tube.

The Houble

W. H. Aexunder, Esyre

Acting Colonial -Secretary