Directory_and_Chronicle_1850 — Page 73

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Journal of Occurrences.

JAN.

ART. III. Journal of Occurrences: affairs at Macao; rules from the British consular agent at Whampoa; U. S. sloop of war St. Mary's; executions among the Chinese; town of Victoria erected into a city, and the colony of Hongkong made a bishop's see. AFFAIRS at Macao have taken a singular turn during the last two months. We have not been able to find room for all the communications which have passed between the Council and H. E. Sii, but have endeavored to insert all of any importance, and for the rest refer our readers to the China Mail, to which paper we express our acknowledgements for those we here introduce. In page 651 of the last volume, the apprehension and confession of another of the murderers is given, as communicated to the Council. They replied, taking exception at the confession and summary execution, at which Sii ex- pressed his astonishment in the following manner, and at their still detaining the prisoners.

Sü's Reply to the Council's Letter of the 14th October.

Sü, gov.-gen. of Kwangtung and Kwangsi, &c. In reply to the dispatch of the 29th day of the 8th moon (14th October), which I received as an an- swer, stating that at a proper time attention would be given to its contents, which are empty words without meaning; and requesting at the same time a reply to the dispatch of the 17th of the 8th moon (2d October), I have now to make the following observations. The dispatch says, that the three in- dividuals are not imprisoned, but detained for the necessary inquiries. Now, is not the long period of two months sufficient for the conclusion of these inquiries? In these 7th and 8th moons, two depositions have already been taken of the criminals who had been on two separate occasions apprehended, and copies of these depositions have been sent accompanied by dispatches; and there is no one who does not know that this case is already settled. Are not these depositions of the real aggressor and of an accomplice, then, sufficient documents? and is it still necessary to have recourse to witnesses and inquiries from individuals unconnected with the question? Besides, after the three individuals have been given up, they will have to continue in the exercise of their duties at the Barrier Gate, and consequently will not be concealed. This is all I have to communicate in reply to the dispatch of the Council of the Portuguese Government. 1st November, 1849.

The Council rejoined, Nov. 7th, in one of the best papers yet issued under its seal, exposing the discrepancies of the two confessions, and the flagitious nature of the exchange Gov. Sü had proposed between the three prisoners and the relics. After comparing the two confessions, and showing their discrepancies, they conclude with the following remarks:-

"As to the justice of the demand which this Council made to your Ex- cellency in their dispatch of the 3d ultimo, it way a very simple one. They merely required that your Excellency should tell them, without circumlocu- tions, whether you would deliver them the head and hand of the deceased governor, or whether you wished to traffic with these precious remains; nevertheless, your Excellency has not, up to this date, satisfied so simple a requisition, continuing to keep possession of those mutilated members, as a property of your own, no doubt because you are conscious of having acquired them by means which, in your Excellency's judgment, give you a right of dis- posing of them as may seem good to you, regardless of constituting yourself by this act a participator in the crime which gave you the possession of them. This Council have already endeavored to show your Excellency the iniquity of the infamous traffic which you proposed to them, and the necessi-