the practice of torture of inflicting any barbarous punishment on
criminals was at variance with their laws and institutions noruch difficulty would be felt. But unfortunately as regards Chine, the law of China adunts wen if it her Require the application of rotten to crimes of a certain class, and the institutions of the country and the
feelings of the people, as far as they are known, are not opposed to tack practices.
It is much to be regretted that this difficulty was not preseen at the time that the Treaty of Sientoin, or to go back to a stile earlier period, the treaty
д
the
341
handing was concluded; habit is to be observed that as far as everespondence of this Mice throws a light on the question the only instance of the application of such barbarous punishments to Chinese criminals surrendered to the Cinturities of the Emperor, is tet which a few months ago recurred abfanton.
But he that as it may it is very desirable that British Authorities
should not he acceptory in any degres Whatever to the infliction of punishments revolting to humanity and long since looked upon witho reprobation by all Christian
Nations.
henfortunately
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