To the Baitor of the s(Nonts-Cuixa Dany News."
'S1n,—The execution of three foreigners in Hongkong is not " subject on which one would wish to dilate, and yet I think there are three facts connected therewith to which the attention of the should be strongly called 1—It is often sxid—with what-m sure of truth I know not, but I lave never heard the statement contradicted—that although many Chinese have within the past fifty years been put to death for the murder of foreigners, and while perhaps some foreigners have been put to death for the murder of other foreigners, no European or American has ever been executed in the Far East by order of a foreign Court of Justice fcr the murder of a Chinaman. That statomeat, if ever it was true, is not true now, and the charge s0 often brought against us that we attach no value to Chinese life is shown to be not in accordance with facts.
—The persons, the sanctity of whose life has now been vindicated in Hong-Kong, were not Chivamen of influence, literati, or mon of wealth, but a poor Chinese woman and her child. An innate sense of justice without distinction of persons, and not any pressure brought to bear on the Judge owing to the status and dignity of the victims, is the consideration that carries weight before a British tribunal.
3.—It has been stated that an effort was made in Hongkong to got one of the three prisoners reprieved, © the argument used being that as only two persons were killed two hangings should suffice." That is an argument that has again and again been used by Chinese officials in times of riot when one or two foreigners have been murdered by a band of ruffians who had organised themselves for the purpose. The principle has been stoutly resisted by British Consuls, who have insisted that it had no relevancy. As foreign officials have acted in this matter in the past—and as they will no doubt act again should th sad necessity arise in vindicating the sacredness of the lives of foreigners,—so also have the authorities in Hongkong now acted when dealing with foreigners convicted of killing Chinese subjects. Foreign Judges are not immaculate, nor always froe from all bias' and partiality, but the prevailing d teristic of British administration of justice everywhere is even-handed justice and handed regard for the sanctity of life without regard of nationality, and these points have had a typical illus tion in the sad circumstances which have lately occurred in Hongkong.
Tam, ete., A Evnorzaw Resipeyr. 16th January.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.