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CARL SMITH
He then upheld the honour of the foreign merchant: “I think we may with truth say that our merchants in China are not hard and unreasonable men. I believe in no part of this world can a body of gentlemen be found showing so large an amount of consideration and kindness towards each other, and towards the weak, the poor, the sick, and the bereaved, as has been manifested for half a century past by the wealthy, and often times by the unfortunate, merchants in China.”
Then he exposed the sensitive point in the foreign residents' attitude towards the Chinese. "We are surrounded by a native population of 100 to one, and it is only by a preservation of that superstitious veneration for the prestige of the British character by which we are enabled to keep the masses of China in check. The progress of education among them is greatly calculated to break down that prejudice and reverential fear with which they regard all things foreign. They are becoming more and more familiar with us, and as a consequence in some degree there is a growth of that contempt which is proverbial. But our danger is not from the natives by whom we are surrounded, but from the masses of the Kwangtung province, which has been truly described by Keswick to be the most violent and the most demoralised of the whole Chinese empire."
Sharp finally concluded with the assurance that, “This is not a mutinous meeting, it is an orderly, quiet, constitutional meeting.”
T. I. Bowler, one of Hongkong's characters, saw a plot behind the conduct of the Chinese at the meeting, saying: “As it is evident that attempts have been made to cause dissension, I move, that this meeting views with annoyance and displeasure the efforts which have been made to bring about dissension between the Chinese and Europeans." The chairman declared the motion out of order.
The Chinese reaction to the entire proceedings, as voiced by Ng Choy, was one of regret. He wrote to the newspaper: "Many public meetings have been held since the Colony was established, but I think this was the first public meeting that my fellow countrymen ever attempted to take part in. I am sorry that a little more consideration...
244
CARL SMITH
He then upheld the honour of the foreign merchant: “I think we may with truth say that our merchants in China are not hard and unreasonable men. I believe in no part of this world can a body of gentlemen be found showing so large an amount of consideration and kindness towards each other, and towards the weak, the poor, the sick, and the bereaved, as has been manifested for half a centu- ry past by the wealthy, and often times by the unfortunate, mer- chants in China.”
Then he exposed the sensitive point in the foreign residents' attitude towards the Chinese. "We are surrounded by a native population of 100 to one, and it is only by a preservation of that superstitious veneration for the prestige of the British character by which we are enabled to keep the masses of China in check. The progress of education among them is greatly calculated to break down that prejudice and reverential fear with which they regard all things foreign. They are becoming more and more familiar with us, and as a consequence in some degree there is a growth of that contempt which is proverbial. But our danger is not from the natives by whom we are surrounded, but from the masses of the Kwangtung province, which has been truly described by Keswick to be the most violent and the most demoralised of the whole Chinese empire."
Sharp finally concluded with the assurance that, “This is not a mutinous meeting, it is an orderly, quiet, constitutional meeting.”
T. I. Bowler, one of Hongkong's characters, saw a plot behind the conduct of the Chinese at the meeting, saying: “As it is evident that attempts have been made to cause dissension, I move, that this meeting views with annoyance and displeasure the efforts which have been made to bring about dissension between the Chinese and Europeans." The chairman declared the motion out of order.
The Chinese reaction to the entire proceedings, as voiced by Ng Choy, was one of regret. He wrote to the newspaper: "Many public meetings have been held since the Colony was established, but I think this was the first public meeting that my fellow countrymen ever attempted to take part in. I am sorry that a little more consid-
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