112
of the servants of Government from all official confidence or secresy, was not attainable.
And not only were all servants of Government so absolved from that obligation, but they were even commanded to hold it as nought, after the following fashion, by His Excellency himself.
"[1]And I do hereby empower you (the Commission) to demand and obtain access at all times to all and all manner of papers, records, and documents, relating to the subject matter of the said Commission, and in the custody or under the control of the several public departments within this colony, and, from time to time, to call before you and examine all persons superintending or employed in or under any of the said departments, and I do hereby charge all persons in the public service to be aiding and assisting unto you herein."
Nor was this clause in their warrant suffered by the Commissioners to become a dead letter.
One of them compelled Dr. Bridges to give evidence as to the connection of his protégé, Caldwell, with the Chinese spy system.[2]
In like manner, the Marine Magistrate, Mr. Inglis,[3] was most reluctantly induced to furnish them, with reminiscences of the early habits and connections of the Chinese wife of the same "Protector of Chinese."
On each occasion, the unwilling witness was reminded of the above-cited passage of the warrant, and of his peculiar liability to censure, as a Government servant, in the event of disobedience to the tenor thereof.
