Page:Crime and government at Hong Kong.pdf/31

 above all other persons, foresee and avoid all positions of possible conflict between his Public and Private Duties, which in the case of the opium monopoly were sufficiently obvious.

"That Dr. Bridges should hold the offices mentioned, and, at the same time, retain the privilege of practising as a barrister, however undesirable a state of things, is one for which he cannot be blamed. But the limits, within which he would avail himself of his privilege, were under his control. He fixed the limit, that he would not act against the Government: and the place, in which he informed his client of this fact, was most unhappily chosen.

"Further, he should have seen that any one, more particularly a Chinaman, must think that he would greatly gain, by employing, as his counsel, a high officer of Government; through whose means, changes, so beneficial to himself, had been made, at the last moment, in a public ordinance; and that the monopolist, and the Chinese community gene rally, would conclude, however erroneously, that the official so retained, and the Government of which he was a member, were open to private influence.

"That such must be the effect of Dr. Bridges' conduct on the minds of the Chinese, there cannot be any doubt."

On the 6th July following, this Report being again