The Press. — London, England, 1858-06-26 00:00:00

means is entitled to that merit, then, I think, you can hardly refuse to pay blin such a tribute. (Hear. hear.) You must not suppose that, in addition to all those sub jects which lone pressed on the attention of the Govern meet, they have not had other difficulties to encounter. We have tumid in the House of Commons that members of great distinction Lave joined to support nieusures which we have metaled them in opposing when th e y were in office. So different is the aspect of thing* when viewed from the Treasury and from the Opposition benches, and te, completely do they change their colour when looked at from the sunshine or the shade We have not been allowed to continue patiently in possession of our offices, because, as you may all recollect, great preparation was made for the attack upon us, and a combined movement was effected in the tau houses. The parts were arrant/ea ; the drama was opened ; speeches of the greatest ability we re delivered, when suddenly, like a dissolving view, the whole scene vanished from before us, the formidable array which was to have annihilated the Ministry melted away and left us undisturl ed. ( Hear, hear.) Whether that result was due to a spirit of forbearance returning to those who reflec►ed, or whether it might be owing to the un equivocal symptoms of popular feeling upon the subject, it is not fur me to say; but, without asserting that the popular aympathies were arrayed on our side, I cannot help thinking that the general sentiment which pervaded the country was that we were entitled to the English man's privilege—a fair trial. To that fair trial we com mit ourselves in the face of the country. 1 believe there is nut one of my colleagues who is not sensible of the awful responsibility attached to any one charged with a department of the State, and who is not determined conscientiously to perform the trust reposed in him. Animated by these feelings, and aided by the blessing of Providence, without which all human wisdom is foolish. ness, ail human strength weakness, we hope we shall be able to fulfil the duties committed to us, and when the hour shall arrive—whether it be soon or late—when, for the good of our country, we shall be called upon to resign our offices, we trust we may carry with us in our retirement a few regrets and a few kind recollections of our fellow-countrymen. and may leave behind us traces that we have not laboured in vain fur the welfare awl hap piness of our native land. (Loud cheers.) The LORD MAYOR Raid he rejoiced to see around him so many eminent members of the corps diplo matique. Among them was his Excellency M. Musiirus, whom they might almost reckon as half an Englishman, and also his Excellency Marshal Pelissier, the Duke of Malakoff, whose presence in that hall the citizens of London hailed with the warmest enthusiasm. Having briefly alluded to the distinguished services of Marshal Pelissier in the Crimean war as having served to cement the alliance between France and England, the Lord Mayor ex pressed his fervent hope that the day was far distant when any feeling of animosity should separate two great and powerful nations, who while united might defy the world. He then gave " The Foreign Ministers," coupling with the toast the names of the Turkish and French Ambassadors. Drank with much cordiality. His Excellency the Tuitictsit AMBASSADOR returned thanks in French. The Duke of MALAKOFF followed in the same language. He beggeil to offer his acknowledgments along with those of the Minister of Turkey, for the manner in which his health had been proposed and rei,eived. After one or two further observations in a similar strain, the gallant marshal concluded by expressing his earnest wish that the present friendly relation, between France and England might be of long continuance. The Earl of HARDWICKE returned thanks for the "House of Lords," and the Marquis of SALISBURY gave "The Lady Mayoress," after which the company adjourned to the drawing•room. THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA BILL. THE Bill for the better Government of India, which has just been printed, contains GG clauses. The following is an abstract of them : The preamble states that whereas it is expedient that the territories in the possession of the E.st India Company should be governed by and in the name of her Majesty. By clause I. the government of the territories now in the possessiou or under the government of the East India Company, and all powers in relation to government vested in or exercised by the raid Company in trust fur her Majesty, shall cease to .be vested in or exercised by the said Company. and all territories in the possessior. or under the viver.inient of the said Canpany, and all rights vested is, or which if this act Lad not been passed might have been exercised by, the said Company in relation tc ally territones, shall Leconte vested in and be exercised on behalf of her Majesty ; and for the purposes of this act India shall mean the territories vested in her Majesty as aforesaid, and all territories which may become vested In her Majesty by virtue of any such rights as aforesaid. Ili Italia shall be governed by and in the name of her Majesty, and all rights in relation to any territories which might have been exercised by the said Company if this act had hat been passed shall and nay be exercised on behalf of her Majesty as rights incidental to the Government ut ; ndia. 1i I. Save as herein otherwise provided, one of her Majesty's Principal Secretaries cf State shall bare and perform all such or the like powers and duties in anywise relating to the government or revenues of India, and all snob or the like powers over all officers appointed or con- Tll E P .14 E 241, Omit 20, t tlOB. tinued under this act, as might or should have been exercised or performed by the East India Company, or by the Court of Dircctois or Court of Proprietors of the said Corn IV. After the commencement of this act any four of her Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State fur the time being, and any four of the Under•Secretariea for the time being to her llajesty's Principal Secretaries of State, may sit and vote as members of the House of Commons, but nut nu than four inch Principal Secretaries and not more than four such tinder-secretaries shall sit as members of the House of Commons at the same time. Clause 5 provides that if the person who imme• diately before the commencement of the act is the President of the Commissioners for the Affairs of India be appointed a Principal Secretary of State, he need not vacate his seat in the House of Commons. By clause ti the salaries of one Secretary of State and his Under Secretaries are to be paid out of the revenue of India. Clause 7 states that a Council of India is to be established, to consist of 15 members. Clauses 8,9, 10, 11, 12, 13. 14, 15, and 1(1 refer to the mode by which the members of the Council are to be elected, the way in which vacancies are to be filled up, the time of the tenure of office, the salaries, and other particulars. XVII. It shall be lawful for her Majesty, by warrant under ber Rosa! sign manual, countersigned by the Chau• cellar of the Exchequer, to grant to any secretary, officer, or servant on the home establishment of the said Company, or on the establishment of the said commissioners, who in consequence cf such reduction as aforesaid by the Secretary of State, or under such Order in Council, is nut retained on the establishment of the Council of India, any compensation either by way of a gross or annual payment, as, having regard to the circumstances, may seem just. Clause 18 relates to retiring allowances to officers. XIX. The Council shall, under the direction of the Secretary of State, and subject to the provisions of this act, conduct the business transacted in the United King dom in relation to the government of India and the ctr respondence with India; but every order or communica tion sent t) India shall be signed by one of the Principal Secretaries of S,ate, and—save as expresNly provided by this act—every order in the United Kingdom in relation to the government of India under this act shall be signed by such Secretary of State ; and all despatches from Go vernments and Presidencies in India, and otherderpatches from India, which if this act had not been past should have been addressed to the Court of Directors or to their Secret Committee, shall be addressed to suck Secretary of State. XX. It shall be lawful for the Secretary of State to divide the Council into committees fur the more con venient transaction of business, and from time to time to re-arrange such committees, and to direct what depart ments of the business in relation to the government of India under this act shall be under such committees re spectively, and generally to direct the manner in which all such business shall be transacted._ _ _ _ XXI. The Secretary of State shall be the President of the Council, and it shall be lawful for such Secretary of State to appoint from time to time any member of such Council to be \'ice•President thereof, and any such Vice-President may at any time be removed by the Secretary of State. Clauses 22 and 23 define the mode of proceeding to be adopted at meetings of the Council. XXIV. Every order or communication proposed to be sent to India, and every order proposed to he made in the United Kingdom by the Secretary of State, under this act, shall, unless the same has been subm;tted to a meeting of the Council, be placed in the Council-room for the pe riwal of all members of the Council during seven days before th• sending or making thereof, except in the casts hereinafter provided. XXV. If a majority of the Council reeord as aforesaid their opinions against any act proposed to De done, the Secretary of State shall, if he do not defer t the opinions of the majority, record his reasons for acting in opposition thereto. XXV!. Provided that where it appears to the Secre tary of State that the despatch of any order or communi cation or the making of any order is urgently required. the communication may be sent or order given notivrithatand ing the same mar not have been submitted to a meeting of the Council or deposited for seven daps as aforesaid, the urgent reasons for sending or making the same being re corded by the Secretary of State, and notice thereof being given to every member of the Council, except in tie case, hereinafter mentioned. . . XXVII. Provided, also. that all such onlers and com munications as might, if this act had not been passed, have been sent by the Commissioners for the Affairs of India through the Secret Coramittee of the Court of Di rectors to Governments or Presidencies in India, or to the officers or servants of the said company, may, after the commencement of this act, be sent to such Governments or Presidencies, or to any officer or servant in !mils, by the Secretary of State, without having bees submitted to a meeting or deposited for the perusal of the members of the Council, and without the reasons being retarded or notice thereof given as aftwesaid. XXVIII. Any despatches to Greet Britain which might, if this act had not been passed, have been addressed to the Secret Committee of the Court of Directors. may be marked " Secret " by the authorities sending the same, and such despatches shall not be communicated to the members of the Council, unless the Seers terry of State shall so think fit and direct. Clauses 29, 30, 31, 32, and 33 regulate the manner is which appoinunottui to offices in India are to be 619 made. Appointments now made in India to continue to be made there. By clause 34 there is to he a comp titive examine• Lion for cadetships in the Engineers and Artillery. Clauses 35, 30, and 37 relate to the removal of officers by her Majesty, anti the disposal of the real and personal estate of the Company. XXXVIII. The dividend on the capital tick of the Raid Ciimpany secured by the Act of the Srd and 4th years of King William IV., chap. Sri, until the redemption thereof, and all the bond, debenture, ina other debt of the said Company in Great lirita;ti, and all the territiriiil debt and all other debts of the said Company, and all sums of money, costs, charges, and expenses, which if this act had not been passed would after the time appointed for the commencement thereof have been payable by the said Company out of the revenues of India, in respect or by reason of any treaties, covenants, contracts, grants, or liabilities then existing, and all expenses, deb:‘, liabilities which, of er the commencement of this set, shall he lawfully contracted and incurred on account of the Government of India, and ell payments under this aet, shall be charged and chargeable upon the revenues of India alone, an the same would have been if this set had not been palmed and such expenses, debts, liabilities, and payments as last aforesaid had been expenses, debts, and liabilities lee fully contracted and incurred by the said Company.ind such revenues shall nut be applied to any other purpose whatsoever ; and all other moneys vested in or arising or accruing from property or rights vested in her Majesty under this set, or to be received or disposed of by the Council ender this set, shall be applied in aid of such revenues. LXXIX. Such part of the revenues of India as shall be from time to time remitted to Great Britain, and all moneys of the said Company in their treasury or under .be care of their cashier, and all other moneys in Great Britain of the said Company, or which would have been received by them in Great Britain if this act had not been passed, and all moneys arising or accruing in Great Britain from any property or rights vested m her Majesty by this act, or front the sale or disposition thereof, chaff be paid to the Council, to be by them applied for the parposes of this act ; and all moneys to be paid to the Conned, except as hereinafter otherwise provided, shall be paid into the Bank of England, to the credit of an account to be opened by the Governor and Company of the Batik of England, to be entitled " The Account of the Council of India." Clauses 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, and 45 relate to the transfer of stock, the disposal of Exchequer Bills, and the power of borrowing money. XLVI. All previsions now in force in anywise Mating to the offence of forging or altering. or offering, uttering, disposing of, or putting off, knowing the same to be forged or altered, any East India Bond, sirb intent to defraud, shall extend and be applicable to and in respect of any bond, debenture, or security issued by the Council of India ander the authority of this act. By clause 47 the present system of issuing warrants for payments is to be continued. XLVIIL It shall be lawful for her Mejesty, by warrant under her Royal sign manual, countersignea by the Chas cellor of the Exchequer, to appoint from time to time a it person to be auditor of the *oculists of thg-:'Couracil, anal to authorize such auditor to appoint and from time mapositi to time such assistants as may be alp suck warrant. '' 1 it By clause 49 the Council accounts arialpfiap a nnally laid before Parliament. • ! 119 By clause 50 commissioners may proceed to India to inquire into the finances and accounts. LI. The military and naval fortes of the East India Company shall be deemed to be the India* military and naval forces of her Majesty, and shall be wader the same obligation to serve her Majesty as they Would have bees under to serve the said Company, and shall be liable to serve within the same territorial limits only, for the mama terms °fay, and be entitled to the like pay, pensions, allow ances, and privileges, and the like advantages as regards promotion and otherwise, as if they had continued in tbq ~ervice of the said Company : such forces, and all prisons hereafter enlisting in or entetiag the same, shall continue and be subject to all Acts of Parliament, laws of the tiovernor-General of India in Council, and Articles of War, and all other laws, regulations, and provisions relating to the East India Company's military and naval forces re spectively, as if her Majesty's Indian military and naval forces respectively had throughout such acts, laws, al tides, regulations, end provisions beeu mentioned or referred to, instead of such forces of the said Company • and the pay and expenses of and incident to her Majesty's Indian military and naval forces shall be defrayed out of the re venues of India. . _ Clause 52 makes provision for persons hereon" entering her Majesty's Indian forces. ;1 , Clause 53 provides that servants of the Company are to he deemed servants of her Majesty. Nsa By clause 54 all orders of the Court of Dimiallers or Board of Control are to remain in force. . LT: All functions and powers of Courts of Proprietors and Courts of Directors of the said Company in relation to the overuneent of India, and all sppointmenta of ench of the birectors of the esid Company as have been appointed by her Majesty, shall cease, and the yearly sums payable to the chairman, deputy-ehairmsn, and other Directors of the said Company, shall cease to be payable, and all poweris vested in her Majesty of appointing Directors of the said Company shall cease and determine.'' l ' • 1, TM. the appointments and powers - Mrippnintraent of Commissioners for the Affairs of India shall cease and determine. ".' [~sE ac iss:. woa esa !sets :an: