XIX.] 
POLITICAL LIFE AT HONG KONG. 
408 
criminal in such a case may reckon upon from sympathising 
fellow-creatures, and that mild punishments are the first con¬ 
dition of a good protective police, the Governor had diminished 
the floggings, forbidden the public infliction of the punishment, 
given a reprimand in cases where “ by mistake ” or by an 
evasion of the letter of the law extra strokes had been given 
to criminals, exchanged '' the regulation cat ” for the rattan, 
abolished the preliminary starvation-diet and the branding, 
improved the prisons, &c. All this was now loudly complained 
of by the European merchants, but was approved by the Chinese 
subjects in the colony, who were however dissuaded from making 
any contrary demonstrations. 
When we came afterwards to other English possessions, we 
found that the inhabitants were often more or less in conflict 
with the authorities, but, nowhere was there anything to pre¬ 
vent the opposition from endeavouring to promote their views 
by public meetings, by addresses in newspapers and pamphlets. 
In this way a pretty active political life arises early, and this 
is probably one of the main conditions of the capacity of the 
English colonies for self-government, and of their vigour and 
influence on the surrounding country. 
It will in truth be highly interesting to see what influence 
will he exerted on the great neighbouring empire if Mr. 
Hennessy’s politics with reference to the Chinese settled in 
Hong Kong he carried out, and they be converted into fellow- 
citizens conscious that they are protected by law in person and 
property, that they do not require to crawl in the dust before 
any authority, and that so long as they keep, within the limits 
of the law they are quite safe from the oppressions of all officials, 
and in the enjoyment of all the rights and privileges which the 
English law confers upon the citizen. 
Many of the Europeans settled at Hong Kong were convinced 
that for another thousand years one would be justified in using 
the expression regarding China: Thou art what thou wast, and 
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