With reference to another case called the Conspiracy Case, I forward herewith the Calendar for November 1871, which shows that there was one failure of Justice but the Community otherwise unanimously congratulated itself that so gigantic a fraud and conspiracy was after 6 days trial proved and punished.
Except in a charge of Murder long since disposed of by an acquittal, I remember no case in which I can declare that I should differ from the Jury. I attribute (next to the sufficiency of the law) this, to me, satisfactory state of the Administration of Criminal Justice in Hong Kong to the great intelligence and painstaking of the Hong Kong Jurors, and to their familiarity with the character and customs and habits of thought of the Chinese and other Witnesses, and also to the fact that in almost every case (until otherwise instructed, I thought it was in every case) the Attorney General officially conducted the prosecution.
This is no light matter in a Court where the presiding Judge has sentenced to capital punishment prisoners who have been hanged, in number greater than one fourth, probably one third, of the 15. The responsibility of the Judge in Hong Kong is so great that I should shrink from expressing myself if I were not certain in my conviction.
I will not question what Mr. Hayllar says as to the untrustworthiness of Indian Witnesses because I have not sufficient experience of them; but after an intimate acquaintance with the Chinese for just 12 Years, I hold that respectable Chinese, like respectable Englishmen, are usually witnesses of truth.
There are indeed low and untrustworthy Chinese, as in any country, in an incalculable degree of difference between an Englishman and a Chinaman, as Mr. Hayllar asserts. It may be that superficially "customs, habits, and modes of life" differ.
Page 493
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Lan
avid another called the Conspiracy Case
the Calendar for November 1871 su M♪ Book herewith that there was
Arv
one facline of Justice but the Community otherwise unammously congratulated shelf that so gegantic a fraud and conspray was after 6 days mal proved and punched
Except
Murder long
charge of
Mo
care
M
ZZZ
one
acquittal
Zz
Iremember
which I can declare that
I should differ from the Jury I attribute ( next to the sufficiency of the law) this, to me, satisfactory state of the Administration of Criminal Ber in Sting tong to the great intellige and pametaking the Hong long Juris
remabhatte and to their familianty with the character of the and customs and balit
of thought of the Chinese
and other Witresses and also to
: the fact that in almost
his duty
every case (until otherwise instructed I thought it was in every case / the
Attorney General officially conducto
A
10
the
the proscention
This is no
493
Court
light matter in a where the presiding judge capitally has sentenced prisoners who have been hanged greater in number than one fourth probably
one third
of the 15
the Judge in Hong.
Judges of England have sentenced
The responsibility of
Rong is
10 great.
reat that I should, shrink
Iwere
from so cxpressing) myself of
not certain in
my
conviction
I will not question what to Hayllar says as to the contructworthinee's Indian Witnesses because Shave not
sufficient experience of them; but
an intimate
acquan
after
nanntance with the Chinese for just 12 Years Shold the
respectable chinese like respectable Englishmen to be usually the Witnessed of truth fellows "Country most untrustworthy ; but I do not admit.
There are indeed low
China
as in
any
such incalculable
degree" of differeme between a
Englishman
and an
asserts
It
may
Chinamin
as Mr Hayllar be that superficially
" customs habits and modes of life and
thor: ght
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