diffculty has arisen from an overflowing of good qualitica from “an exaggerated sensitiveness to the right of asylum för political refugees" on the one band, and a love of being trusted, and an intolerance of suspicion on the other. "Extradition," according to Sir Thomas Henry, "principally concerns embezzling clerks, and fraudulent Bankrupis." The commercial community in England and the United States justly regards both classes as enemies who ought to be hunted down wherever they may be found. From time to time a murderer finds his way across the Atlantic without throwing off his liability to punishment. The German Müller was surrendered under the warrant of a New York Commissioner, although his counsel argued amidst the langhter and applause of a popular audience that England was at that time virtually at war with the United States. There was, unfortnoutely, a hidden tenth in the same remarks addressed by the solicitor employed for the defence of the prisoners in the Whitnore case, to the Chief Magistrate and the American Consul, sitting side by side, "Gentlemen, you are at arm's length. The treaty between your respective countries has been broken." The Saturday Review of the 12th August just remarks, The American Minister in London has the reputation of being a sound lawyer; and in the course of the late dispute he showed a sincere desire to comply with the obligations of good faith. There ought to be little difficulty in arriving at an early settlement." This is a very calm and dispassionate way of writing, and we may be well assured that the author had little notion of the horrors which had then for months past been daily enacted on board the C. O. Whitmore, Mr. Chairman-this sentence was penned more than three months ago, and for aught that we know to the contrary this nice and delicate question is as far from settlement as ever, and people are beginning very seriously to question the wisdom of both Governments, although their right intention is beyond all doubt.
Questions of international law are doubtless of very difficult solution. So difficult indeed that, in a letter which I received on Saturday from the one most deeply read and best informed in this Colony upon the subject, he confesses to an inability to discuss the questions, in a proper way. It is ever so. Those who know most are the least confident of their own proficiency. We have to deplore the absence to-day of several well qualified to add to the interest and influence of this meeting, but they have deemed themselves withheld by various considerations from being present. Others have stayed away because, as they said "what can you do?" One gentleman remarked, "If you want a dozen men to go out into the harbour and put Captain Peabody on board the Kearsarge I'll be one, but I shan't attend the meeting; I never do." We have, however, the sympathies of nearly every one in this movement, and however damaging these proceedings may prove to the late Captain and Officers, we cannot but believe that if the owners of the ship were in Hongkong they would gladly take part in these proceedings.
It is singular that three-fourths of the ship should be owned by Messrs. John H. Kimble and Samuel S. Kimble, highly respected members of the Society of Friends, of Concord, New Hampshire. Chas. O. Whitmore owns one-eighth and the remaining one-eighth part is held by John Humphreys, Denny M. Humphreys, and Chas. C. Humphreys of Bath, Co. Maine, from which place Snow and the deceased man Ellwood also come. No doubt every effort will be made by the owners to clear the ship of the stain which rests upon her by bringing the Captain and officers to justice. If there is one class more than any other that is directly interested in this case it is shipowners and shipmasters, and it is to be hoped that none of these will make light of it. Unless the international difference be settled before the account of these proceedings reaches home, the C. O. Whitmore will have a most important bearing on the subject. Such abuses as we are now considering inevitably influence public opinion, and infallibly lead to restrictive legislation. Plimsoll's load line was no doubt urgently required, but it is nevertheless a pity that men cannot be trusted to manage their own ships.
Captains are rightly intrusted with great powers on account of the isolation of ships in the wide waste of waters, but woe be to him who prostitutes those powers to purposes of cruelty and oppression. It is such cases as this which bias the public mind and lead to most injurious depreciation of all severe discipline under any circumstances. The initiation of such sentiment is manifested in the committal of Captain Barnes, of the Locksley Hall by Mr. Partridge, the Thames Police...
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difficulty has arisen from an overflowing of good qualitica from “an exaggerated sensitiveness
C+
ds to the right of asylum för political refugees" on the one band, and a love of being trusted, and an intolerance of suspicion on the other. "Extradition," according to Sir Thomas Henry, "principally concerns embezzling clerks, and fraudulent Bankrupis." The commercial com- munity in England and the United States justly regards both classes as enemies who ught to be hunted down wherever they may be found. From time to time a murderer finds his way across the Atlantic without throwing off his liability to punishment. The German Müller was surrendered under the warrant of a New York Commissioner, although his counsel argued amidst the langhter and applause of a popular au ience that England was at that time virtually at war with the United States. There wag, aufortnoutely, a hidden tenth in the same remarks addressed by the solicitor employed for the defence of the prisoners in the Whitnore cuae, to the Chief Magistrate and the American Consul, sitting side by side, "Gentlemen, you are at arm's length. The treaty between your respective countries has been broken." The Saturday Review of the 12th August Just remarks, The American Minister in Lon. don has the reputation of being a sound lawyer; and in the course of the late dispute he showed a sincere desire to comply with the obligations of good faith. There ought to be little difficulty in arriving at an early settle- neut." This is a very calm and dispassioned way of writing, and we may be well assured that the author had little notion of the horrora which had then for months past been daily enacted on board the C. 0. Whilmore, Mr. Chairman-this sentence was penned more than three months ago, and for aught that we know to the contrary this nice and delicate question is as for front settlement as ever, and people are beginning very seriously to question the wisdom of both Governments, although their right intention is beyond all doubt. Questions of international law are doubtless of very difficult solation. So difficult indeed that, in a letter which I re- ceived on Saturday from the one most deeply read and best informed in this Colony upon the subject, be confesses to an inability to discuss the questions, in a proper way. It is ever su Those who know must are the least confident of their own proficiency. We bare to deplore the absence to-day of several well qualified to add to the interest and influence of this meeting, but they have deemed themselves withheld by various considerations from being present. Others have stayed away because, as they said "what can you do " Oue gentleman remarked, "If you want a dozen men to go out into the barbour and pat Captain Peabody on board the Kearsarge Fil be one, but I shan't attend tho meeting; I never do." We have, however, the sympathies of nearly every one in this movement, and however damaging these proceedings may prove to the late Captain and Officers, we cannot but believe that if the owners of the ship were in Hongkong they would gladly take part in these proceedings. It is alugnlar that three. fourths of the ship should be owned by Messrs. John H. Kimble and Samuel 5. Kimble, highly respected members of the Society of Friends, of Concord, New Hampshire. Chas. O, Whit wore Owns one-eighth and the remaining one-eighth part is held by John Humphreys, Denny M. Humphreys, and Obas. C. Ani- phreys of Bath, Co. Maine, from which place Snow and the deceased wan Ellwood also come. No doubt every effort will be made by The owners to clear the ship of the stain which rests upon her by bringing the Captain and officers to justice. If there is one class more than any other that is directly interested in this ase it is shipowners and abipmasters, and it is to be hoped that none of these will make light of it. Unless the international difference be settled before the account of these proceedings reaches home, the C. O. Whitmore will have a most important bearing on the subject. Such abuses as we are now considering inevitably influence public opinion, and infallibly lead to restrictive legislation. Plimsoll's load line was no doubt urgently required, but it is nevertheless a pity that men cannot be trusted to manage their own ships. Captains are rightly intrusted with great powers on account of the isolation of ships in the wide waste of waters, but woo Le to him who prostitutes those powers to pur pops of cruelty and oppression. It is such cases us this which bias the public mind and lead to * most injurious deprecation of all severe discipline under any circumstances. The initiation of such sentiment is manifested in the committal of Captain Barnes, of the Locksley Hall by Mr. Partridge, the Thames Police
190
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