The Press. — London, England, 1857-10-24 00:00:00

(such as may be found in every large town in every large country) ; and these are the elements arrayed against us. I do not say that it is not a formidable revolt; 70,000 or sopa) men trained ant disciplined by us are of course formidable, and it is humiliating to our pride that men, above all others pampered and indulged, should have imbrued their hands in the blood of those with whom they have long associated. The Bengal army being ripe for revolt, I consider that greased cartridges were the im mediate cause of the rising, made use of by designing men, because it united the Mahomedan and the Hindoo in a common cause. But let me not be misunderstood. Although I think it very probable that this was made the pretest for rebellion, I firmly believe that many who were otherwise loyal soldiers were seduced from their allegiance by this means, and were really made to believe that the use of these cartridges was to be forced upon them to destroy their religion. In fact, there seems to have been a delusion almost amounting to insanity, which no effort on the part of the authorities could possibly have prevented. Many are the causes to which the rebellion has been attributed—the conduct of European officers, the centralisation of authority, depriving commanding officers of the power of rewarding or punishing, the unwise aboli tion of corporeal punishment in the native army while it remained as a custom in the European army, on the plea that it would interfere to prevent high-caste men from entering into the army. Some, again, say that it was a movement against the missionaries ; but I am happy to say that, neither in private nor official sources, is there the slightest trace that suoh was the case. The missionaries were, generally speaking, not obnoxious to the natives ; they passed blameless and self-denying lives, and have sown much good seed in India, from which I have no doubt much good fruit will hereafter be produced. But, in justice to those holy men (with many of whom I am acquainted), I must say that the revolt was clearly not directed against them, because, if so, they would have become the especial objects of vengeance, while (as has been happily observed) the outbreak has been the strongest where no missionary ever resided; and although, unfortu nately, some few of them have fallen, it has been in general a massacre of Europeans; Another party, taking a political view of the case, my that these terrible events originated in the yearning of the Mussulmans to recover their lost dominion, but whether that yearning excited the revolt, or whether the revolt excited the yearning, does not appear. At all events, it is perfectly clear that such a feeling does exist; but still this could only be a partial eauee, or it would be impossible to account for the fact that the Mussulman princes and population exhibited very little sympathy with the mutineers. By others the revolt is attributed to what is called the annexation policy. Ido not think that is the case, because those effected most by that policy have not joined the move ment, and, with oae slight exception, it would not affect the revolted body. But whether right or wrong, the annexation policy has been upheld by all parties in this country, and the only party who on more than one occasion resisted and opposed it was the East India Com pany, as the parliamentary records of 1843 and 1844 will prove. These are some of the causes which may have contributed to this outbreak; but, at the same time, I think it behoves persons to approach the subject with reserve and caution, because peeper inquiry will be instituted by the authorities when the present emergency has pegged away. There is one other cause assigned to which I would allude, that the East India Company have neglected their duty of evangelising the natives. This is a large and wide question ; but I think that while it is our duty to abstain from direct interference with the conver sion of natives to Christianity—that while on the one _ hand we are bound by treaties and Acts of Parliament to tolerate their forms of worship so long as they are not opposed to public morals, on the other hand I think it is oar duty openly to avow our Christian faith, and by precept and example to show that we are a Christian nation, acting upon Christian principles. What Vie have now to look for is the punishment of those who have so grossly betrayed their trust; the liberal reward of those who have assisted us, particOarly those who have befriended oar ebutttrymen and countrywomen in their distresses. We shall have to reorganise our military force, which no doubt must in the main be dependent upon European arms, assisted by native troops, for it will be impossible to • perform all the duties by Europeans. By a judicious mixture of the two such a force may be maintained as will prevent for the future the danger frdm which f hope we have now almost escaped. In the nest session of Parliament the subject will doubtless be amply and fully discussed; and I hope the great Conservative party will approach the subject— than which none can be of more interest both to England and India—in a oalm and dispassionate spirit, determined to do only what is best for India and to avenge without destroying. That is the principle we have acted upon and will act upon. I am not prepared to defend the system by which India is at present governed. The East India Company may have committed sins of omission and commission, but, taken as a whole, their rule has been beneficent and has done great good to India. Whether any other system of government may be devised which would bo more beneficial I cannot say, but it certainly would not answer to Welee the whole of that vast empire under a Secretary. of Stala t aseisted by resident officers. THE INDIAN RELIEF FUND. MErrrtws continue to be held in every county, dis. trict, and borough throughout the kingdom, and the sum subscribed has already reached large propor tions. The Duo d'Aumale has handed ju a hand some subscription for his family. in ,connection with the subjeot we may mention that erkeerrospem• dent% between Sir John Palchltout !4 , 01 ap" fiord gi9VP. rofer,nee 444 Flctgity f 0 tb T ILE PRES S; Otli6Biß igt7. due administration of the Fund has resulted in an explanation by the Lord Mayor, that " the business is conducted by a General Committee, whose meetings are held weekly, a Finance Committee, whose meetings are held weekly, and a Relief Com mittee, who meet twice a week Recent letters from Calcutta state that the Governor-General in council, " on full consideration," does not consider it " expedient" that "the Government should contri bute to the fund raised." At the meeting at Here ford, on Tuesday, Mr. R. CLIVE, M.P., speaking of the condition of India, said the East India Company had for many years regarded that empire as a gem which should be kept entirely to themselves ; it had never been really open and free to the enterprise of the British subject. In many parts of the south it was as healthy and salubrious as our own country, and if those provinces had been colonised by Eng lish, Scotch, and Irish, we should not have been in such an emergency as this : The Bengal army had been taught to believe itself supe rior to anything that could be brought against it, and a mutinous spirit had been rapidly developed, which might at an earlier stage have been checked. It could not be said that the attention pf the East India Company had not been called to the difficulty, and why they suffered so many troops to be withdrawn during the Crimean and Persian wars was a question which must receive the closest investigation. If the Company had been to blame, some course must be adopted by which the governing body of India might bo differently constituted from w hat it was at present. it bmgmstogit 6i / ; At a very large and influential nieetiu • g of the Commissioners of Supply, histices of the Peace, &c., et Ayr, to express sympatbar.with. the ; sufferers in India, and to promote a subscription for their relief, on Tuesday, the Earl of 4GLINTON, in introducing the business, said We are not met now to discuss the merits or demerits of this Government or that Government—we are not met to decide upon what has paused this great calamity in our great Indian Pmpire, or ho* it is to be remedied—*e are not met to throw blame' or discredit on any man either in a public or a private capacity, but to show that we, en gaged in other avocations, and not bred up to the pro fession of arms, and not implicated in the affairs of India, feel deeply for our suffering countrymen in the position they are now unfoitunately placed for those gallant men who have perished—for the gallant Wheeler, who defended a place which appeared'eieti to our troops to be indefensible—for Lawrence, w i fibse chkrieter liniod bleier perhaps than !an y other 'public trian Id Iridilifor Banks— fdr Skene—for the gallant &ferniest of Ca*npord, and of those place& 'of which we haie heard' inch miserable, la mentable, though glorious accounts—for that gallant young hero who with his dying breath urged his fellow-sufferers to continue steadfast in the Christian faith, and died with the Redeemer on his lips—for all those we can only express admiration and regret. For our many fair and tender countrywomen, and innocent children, who have been out raged, burned, massacred with a ferocity : and barbarity which till now we hardly believed 'human nature to be capable of, we can now but give our tribuie of sorrow ; but for the survivors—for those poor widows who have been deprived of their husbands—for the husbands who have been deprived of their wives—for the children who have been left orphans—for some who perhaps have gone mad under the inflictions they have had to bees—for those who have been left penniless, and for the civilians who have been deprived of every means of earning their livelihood— for those it is our duty not only to setpreas our sympathy, but to give our assistance in a more tangible form. His Grace the Duke of RUTLAND attended the county meeting held at Leicester on Thursday in aid of the Indian Fund. In moving the Last resolution his grace said:— Gentlemen, this mutiny must be pat down. I tidital that it may be dohe very shortly, bat whether it is crushed in a month, or in a year, or in ten years, this country must reassert her dominions. It is not on!, necessary for our own dignity, but it is a great mora duty, a right that we must perform, and I am quite certain that every Englishman will do his utmost to effect this great national object. 1 am sure that every man now present will do 111 in his power to furnish recruits both for the militia and for the regular army, and I am happy to say that the, militia of this country, tinder my excellent' friend near me (Colonel King), has nearly received its dull complement of men. His Royal Highness the Conimander-in•Chief stated yesterday at Sheffield that already he considered the turning point in the mutiny to have been gained, and I trust that by the next mail we shall hear that the revolt is entirely crushed. That victory will be ours those who have seen the gallantry of the small handful of troops We have had in India up to this time cannot, I think, for a moment doubt, bat when victory is achieved let nte express a hope that we shall not in the flush of victory allow our passions to -carry us away and to seek for vengeance, even upon Indian sepoys. Justine, and setere justice must be done ; but let us discriminate between the guilty and the innocent. Let Lot the page of history that shall record the heroism of our countrymen and wrinien in the East4—that shall record the gallantry of a Haveloek and Of a Nicholson against innumerable hosts, have also io add that, when vietory was ours, we condescended to use she weapons that Wad been wielded by such dastardly IMO. Earl Howl seconded the ruction. Lord 13$Anitri, in prop: 1 .. 0,1g seponft,repoi4tifin, oddittOug hiCUllirtil l 9444l4o F 9 1 10910 !PPM of the question, said, he thought that a question, and a very serious question, might be asked—namely, had we, as a Christian nation, done that which a Christian nation ought to have done? Had the Government of India acted with proper vigour as well. as discretion : To use the words of one of the most eloquent prelates of the present day, had not our whole policy been one of timidity? Had we done our duty? Instead of acknow• lodging that authority by which lingo reign and princes govern, had we not almost appeared to have been ashamed of our Christian profession, and to have truckled and given way to the cursed practice of expediency rather than acting upon principle? Had we not yielded where we ought to have remained firm? Was it true that a sepoy had been turned out of his regiment, not in obedience to the desire of Lis co•religionists,and not by the wish of his fellow•countryn3en, but by the decision of a Christian Government, solely because, by the blessing of God, he had been converted tq Christianity? Was it also true that Sir Peregrine Maitland was dismissed from his command in the army in the East because he did not order Christian soldiers to fire a salute in honour of an idol's car? The time was come when that system of misrule and timidity of which so much had beet latter]) said by the public press must be put an end to He held that, as a Christian nation, a great responsibility attached to us as to the way iu which we discharged our duties. In future there should be no timidity, but we ought to be bold in declaring the faith that we held ; and, though he would not have any man suffer for his religion, he thought we ought to be always ready to proclaim the faith which we professed. Mr. Farnham, M.P., Mr. Packe, M.P., and Mr. Hodgson, a county magistrate, having briefly ad dressed the meeting, the proceedings terminated. BUSINESS OF PARLIAMENT DURING THE NEXT SESSION. AT the dinner which was given to the National Asso ciation for the Advancement of Science, by the Mayor of Birmingham, on the 15th inst., Lord J. Russell, in responding to the toast which coupled his name with the House of Commons, thus expressed himself with respect to Indian affairs, and glanced at the possible occupation of the horse during the next session. He said : T trust it will not be their occupation to find the meant, either in the shape of men or money, for putting an end to the mutiny in India. The House of Commons has shown its readiness to pass any vote, whether for men or for money, fur that purpose, but I trust that by the month of January or of February, when Parliament will meet again, we shall have the assurance that that sanguinary mutiny and rebellion has been entirely suppressed. •I think that those gallant men who have been mentioned to night by Earl Telbot—Havelock, Nicholson, Neill—will but need as reinforcements those troops which are already pouring in both from our colonies and from the United Kingdom- to enable them entirely to suppress the revolt of those who, even at present, with all the advantage of surprise, with all the advantages of tenfold numbers, have been totally unable to meet British soldiers in the field. Trusting, then, we shall hear that the mutiny has been suppressed, I trust we shall likewise hear that justice hha been done. If, therelbre, gentlemen, we shall have heatd that the mutiny has been suppressed and justice has been done, we shall still have a great task before us, a task which it will be for us by and by to consider, which it will be impossible to anticipate now, and which it would be unwise to dnticipate if it *ere possible to do so—viz., the consideration of what inquiry should be made as to the past, and in what way the government of India should be modified for the future. Irelank „ to .4 r ••• ' IU LORD CARtifiLl embarked for England at !Mgt. town on Thursday. THE VERY REv. Da. RUSSELL has been elected President of Maynooth College. SEYEILIL LEGAL CHANGES are rumoured. Aeoordieg to the most popular notion (writes a correspondeutof the Mail) the Chief Baron of the Court of Bacht quer in Ireland will resign his judicial seat, and be succeeded by Mr. J. D. Fitzgerald, the present Irish Attorney-General. Promotion is also spoken of hs likely to fall to the lot of Mr. Deasy, Q.C., M.P. for Cork, who will, it is said, be raised to the Solid*. Generalship. Na. M. MORRIS, of the Connaught bar, has been appointed to the Reoordership of Galway. ARCHBISHOP CULLEN has returned from Rome to his head-quarters in publin. Lour) BELLEW, a Roman peer, in reply to a circular itiVitatio`n to attend a Meeting in Dundalk for the purpose of raising funds for the sufferers by the mutiny in India, has expressed the followi,g opinion : If funds on a former occasion have been misapplied or perverted, let every caution be taken and exertion Made to prevent a similar occurrenoe ; 'but let as, in the first instance, go forward cheerffilly and heartily to the assistance of our suffering fellorcotuiloroen of wbstoter class or creed they may be. - - A RUN vpos TuE BANKS Ay TIPPERARY has Pow- Pleappdp 7 prew . itipo on till) pitßlf ii:Se4 Na *9;4494) kg* P 4 PPV9rel