CO129-128 - Public Offices & Others - 1867 — Page 588

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such a monstrous perversion of the functions of an honourable and Christiau government, the added dis-

vile source is by comparison small. grace of making a profit to the revenue out of such

The missionaries have opposod this measure from of the people. Is our Hongkong government to per

factions motive. They are animated simply by anpetrate this crime? Such a thing is utterly abhor- earnest desire to prevent a great moral wrong and rent to all sound principles of legislation, and to all injury being done to our fellow subjects, and to avert practice of civilized countries. What! Because the the obloquy which will be poured by the illious government cannot extirpate the Chinese propensity of the Chinese people, upon the "barbarians" who to gamble; is it itself to stoop to their level? to pan- would introduce a measure so plainly contrary to dar to their vice? to take the iniquity under govern- the first principles of morality. Already there is sufment patronage and control? In the presence of ficient prejudice against the intrusive foreigner in the Chinese mind, without our giving them a sound reason for despising us, as they certainly will do if this measure is put into execution. Among the Chinese there is no quibbling about gambling being innocent without certain limits. The conscience of the whole nation, the law of the Chinese Empire, and the recent repressive Edict of our neighbour, the Governor of Canton, all condemn it without reservation. Admit ting our superiority in war, and in mechanics, the Chinese has a profound conviction that in philosophy and morality, his nation is immeasurably superior. Shall we confirm him in this notion, careless of the finger of scorn which he will point at us immediately he sees government-licensed gambling housesopened it Hongkong, the only place where he has ocular evidence of what western legislation is ?

CrizENS OF HONGKONG! It is to your credit that a body you are clear from the charge of recom. mending or supporting this measure. Unknown by you until it had become law, it has since been received by you without any sign of approval. Except one newspaper (of such a character that its support is almost enough alone to show that the measure is bad) and one anonymous correspondent in its columns, no one in Hongkong has stopped forward publicly to defend the government in deriving a revenue from such a sonrce.

But it is to be feared some of you are guilty of a "lazy acquiescence" in this proceeding, We appeal to you now to come forward and protest

Once more let it be pointed out that the Missiona-against the scheme. We cannot believe that British,

ries have not the remotest wish that our government should attempt to make its subjects moral by coercive legislation. The question is not whether gambling for petty stakes is or is not immoral. The question is this: Shall the British government set up gam- bling houses to be frequented by its subjects ? By English and by Chinese law, the keeper of a gambling house is justly regarded as a criminal who lives by promoting and fattening upon the vice and the ruin

American and German merchants are moved to sup- port this measure by a selfish desire to spare their pockets the expense of paying taxes. It is said that this licence money is to be a substitute for the Stamp tax. Do you for your own honour demand that the Stamp Ordinance shall be put into force, before an- other step is taken in the gambling house business? This hope of escaping the imposition of the Stamp Tax has been held out to the Chinese, and some of