12th May.
Tue official correspondence forwarded by the Council which we publish in another column deserves the attention of every Ratepayer interested in the question which is to form the subject of discussion at the impending Ratepayers' meeting. The enclosures in the Council's letter of the 8th inst. to the Senior Consul contain in themselves proof on three points which up to. the present had not been made sufiiciently clear, viz, (1) that good precedent and justification exist for the Council's action in " discussing or disputing" - the expediency of executing warrants for the arrest of Chinese residents, (2) that the Consular Body is definitely committed to the principle (one of self-evident necessity) that no Chinese may be taken beyond Settlement limits, under warrant or summons, without their case being heard at the Mixed Court of this Settlement, and (3) that the Senior Consul's countersignature of a warrant for the arrest of Chinese has not in the past been regarded by the Consular Body as the sign-manual of an indisputa'ole and legally-constituted authority. With this evidence before them the Ratepayers are in a position to decide intelligently upon the issues, nor can we doubt the result upon the judgment of fair-minded men, Whatever precedents the Senior Consul.may cite to show that native defendants in other cass have been handed over to the French Authorities by the Municipal Po.ice—precedents whereof the Council has denied all -official cognisance—thie fact remains that such action is i n direct contravention of the Consula r Body's decision' and its agreement w with the Municipality furthermore, it is admittedly arbitrary, unnecessa ry and unjustifiable. Remembering t hat. many members of the Consular. Body are new-comers to Shanghai; th at few, if any, have leisure or opport unity to study these questions in the: Senior Consulate archives, we me\y be justified.in assuming that the opinions expressed in Mr, Goodnow's letter of the Qnd ins t (which is: the direct cause and {she subject of the Ratepayers' meet) 1g) would not have received unanimot ts endorsement had the Consuls been. fully acquainted with the facts.. Looked at. in' the light of the docu: ents now published, that letter is, to so, y the least of it, a
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.