As to its aspect of a voluntary beneficial association in so far least ax American citizens are concerned, it may be of interest to quote from the despatch of Mr, Bayard, "American Secretary State, to Mr. Denby, Minister to China, on Maveh 7, 1887, in whic he says:
But the ordinances of the municipality of Shanghai, althouy: h dependent for their operation as to citizens of the United States upon the approval of the min this Government in China, are conceived to present in one aspect a different question from that of the power of the minister of the United States as to evi mi legislation. The municipality. o Shanghai is understood to have been organized by the voluntary; ruction of the foreign residents (of certain nationalities), or such of (those residents) ax were owners or renters of land, for the ote of exercising: such local puwcers for the preservation of the, enter and morals of the munity as are usually enjoyeil by municipal bodies, In the United States, where "government. is reduced to a legal system, these Powers of local police vast on charters granted by the supreme legislative authority of tse State: but it is not dim cult to conceive a case in which a community cut" side of any general system law might organize x government adopt rules and regulations Which would be recognized vulid on the ground of the right of self-preservation, which is ins herent in people everywhere, In this light may be regarded the municipal oninanees of Shanghai. The foreign wattlement not being subject to the laws of China, and the tegal systems of the respective forvien powers re= presented there being. not. only. dissimilar inter se, but insumeient, to meet the local neds, it became necessary for the local residents interested in the preservation of Peace and order to supply the de=
American citizens residing: in Shanghai enjoy, in common with other persons composing the fur= ign settlement, all the tights, and protection which the municipal government affords and as they go there voluntarily, and presumptively for the ade
ferests, they may reasonably he ameement of their personal held to observe such police re= gulations as are not inconsistent with their rights under the laws of the United States,"
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.