The Press. — London, England, 1858-06-12 00:00:00

rott6ings in V arlinment HOUSE OF LORDS—Mosney. COLONEL JOHNSTONE. Lord FAMILIAL asked what had been the result of the investigation made in India into the alleged mis conduct of Colonel Johnstone, of the 87th Regiment, during and after the mutiny of the sepoys at the station where he was in command. He understood the inquiry bad fully cleared Colonel Johnstone of all the charges made against him. Lord HARDINGE confirmed the statement that the inquiry bad completely acquitted that officer of all blame. MR. lODERMOrr. Lord DONOVOHMORE laid on the table certain charges against the Assistant• Barrister of the county of Kerry, Mr. W. M'Dermott, and moved that they be printed and referred to a committee of the whole house on the 2lst inst. the motion was agreed to. BELFAST RIOTS. Lord DITSGANNfrif asked if the Government had received any information relining to the recent riots in Belfast, and hoped it would take measures to sup press such disturbances in future. The Earl of DERBY stated that the Government had received information of these riots; the Lord Lieutenant bad already taken all the steps necessary to preserve the peace, and by the last accounts quiet had been restored. But, as to the future, the Government bad determined to place the city police on a more efficient footing. The Earl of CARLISLE thought the blame of an collision was shared equally by both parties. The incident proved the good policy of the late Govern ment in refusing to appoint any person a magistrate who was a member of the Orange Society ; and he hoped the present Government would do all in its power to soften the religious animosities in which the riots originated. LORD KINGSTON AND RAJAH BROOKE. Lord KINGSTON wished again to postpone the numerous questions he has for some time kept on the minutes. Several of the questions involve charges against the conduct of Rajah Brooke. Earl STANHOPE protes - ted against the repeated postponement of these questions, which contained serious accusations against individuals. An animated conversation ensued, from which it appeared that Lord Kingston had been present several times when be was called on to put the questions according to the notice; once when so called he shook his head ; on another occasion, he did not even take that trouble. As it was stated on a former evening that the case was one for which there was no remedy, their lordships were in a slight difficulty. It was the general wish of the house that the questions should be withdrawn, but, though Lord Kingston made a short explanation, he did not with draw them, and there seemed to be some doubt whether the house could strike them off the paper, though it migbt refuse to order them to be printed. The discussion was suddenly closed by Lord Lynd hurst, who moved that, in the opinion of the house, the questions had been sufficiently answered and ought not to be renewed. This was affirmed without a division ; the questions will therefore be struck off the paper. The second reading of two bills to amend the Oaths Bill, and empower each House of Parliament to modify the form of oath by resolution, was fixed for Friday next (18th inst.) Their lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS-MONDAY. The house, after nearly two hours had been occu pied in private business and in replies to questions, resolved itself into a committee to consider the remaining resolutions regarding the Government of India, commencing with the third resolution :- - That, in order to assist such Minister of the Crown in the discharge of his duties, it is expedient that a Council be appointed of not less than twelve, nor more than eighteen members. Mr. GLADSTONE moved, as an amendment to this resolution, to substitute the following : That, regard being had to the position of affairs in India, it , is expedient t o cons tit u t e the C o urt of Directors of the Last India Company, by an sot of the present session, to be a Council for administering the Government of India in the name of her Majesty, under the superintendence of such responsible Minister until the end of the next session of Parliament. The house, be observed, had determined not to post. pone legislation upon this subject, and had affirmed two resolutions—the first, that the time had come when the government of India ought to be trans• !erred from the East India Company to the Crown ; the second, an inevitable corollary from the first, that the power so acquired by the Crown must be exercised through a responsible Minister, and he proposed to give effect to this judgment of the louse by submitting s mode whereby the transfer iniy be ~.. THE PRESS, JUNE 12, 1858. made so as to satisfy the conclusion of the bowie, and at the same time meet, in a great degree, the practical objections which had been urged against the present system of Indian government on account of its cumbrousness and its delays. He proposed to remedy these inconveniences by placing the Minister of the Crown who was to be responsible for Indian affairs in direct contact and juxta position with the Court of Directors, as a pro visional measure. It was not praeticable, in his opinion, during the present system, to perfect a scheme of government for India that would be worthy of Parliament and of the public. The problem of Indian government was one of the most formidable ever presented to any nation or any Legislature in the history of the world, and the evils of delay were insignificant in comparison with those of crude and hasty legislation. He reviewed the important matters involved in this question, including the two Indian services, the civil and military, and the con stitutional difficulties incident to the l atter, the local Governments of India, and the subject of finance and of liability for the Indian debt. Nothing, he thought, could be more inconvenient than that Parliament should proceed, or profess to proceed, to definite and complete legislation for the government of India at a time when the war in India continued on its present extended scale. His proposal made a considerable change, but a change that was safe, and that did not rebel against, but was in harmony with, the previous votes of the committee ; and if it was thought fit, after a year's experience, to engraft upon it other changes, his proposal offered no im pediment. Lord STANLEY observed that, although the object of Mr. Gladstone's amendment differed from that of the proposition submitted to the house six weeks ago (on Lord H. Vane's motion) to postpone legisla tion upon this subject until next year--which was negatived by an overwhelming majority,—yet some of his arguments had been heard before. Among the objections be had urged against legislation at present was the state of the war in India. He (Lord Stanley) feared that the military operations would be long and harassing, and that they would involve a considerable sacrifice of valuable lives ; but be did not see how this should impede our efforts to im prove the Indian Government. Mr. Gladstone had dwelt upon the complexity and difficulty of the pro blem ; and he (Lord Stanley) would not deny that it was a most difficult one; but it appeared to bim that Mr. Gladstone had confounded two things essentially distinct,—the administration of Indian affairs in India, and the general superintendence and control exercised in England. He objected to the proposal to constitute the Court of Directors a Council pro. visionally, for various reasons. It would place the Directors in an inconvenient position ; they would be told that they were doomed—that nothing would avail to prolong their power; and this must diminish their zeal and energy, while it would impair the con fidence of the public. Delays would still continue, and the public service would derive no advantage from the proposal, which, however, was a matter of detail ; he opposed the amendment because it sub. stituted a provisional and temporary for a permanent After a long discussion, which embraced the policy of the whole measure, and in which the amendment was supported by Mr. Milnes, Mr. Liddell, Mr. C. Bruce, Colonel Sykes, Mr. Bovill, and opposed by Sir G. Lewis, Mr. Lowe, Mr. A. Mills, and Mr. D. Seymour, upon a division the amendment was lost by 265 votes to 116. Mr. ROEBUCK opposed the original resolution. The question was he observed, whether a Secretary of State, responsible for his own acts, or associated with a Council, was best, and be was of opinion that a Secretary of State, alone responsible for all his acts, relying upon his own mind as his guide and counsellor, having a more direct interest in doing right, was morally and mentally the best Governor for India. So sure as the house adopted the propo sition of a Council it would adopt an irresponsible Government for India. He moved to omit the word " Council " from the resolution. Lord STANLEY observed that this question was a narrow one. Only two grounds of objection could be taken to the appointment of a Council ; one was the expense, which was hardly worth consideration ; the other was, as Mr. Roebuck argued, that it would diminish the responsibility of the Minister. This would depend upon the relations between the Minis ter and the Council. The latter would be bound to give advice to the Minister, and he would be bound to bear the advice, but would not be bound to take it, and, whether he took it or rejected it, he would equally act upon his own responsibility. Whether termed Councillors or Clerks, there would always be persons to advise the Minister. After some remarks by Mr. C. BRUCE the amend ment was negatived. _ _ _ Mr. LiNosAy then moved to amend the resolution by inserting the words, " and that the first Council of India consist of the present Court of Directors." He laid ildt propose that they should retain their present issmess Lori the jai cond ui during station the ino the ch Lon inquir] blame. Lord charge of Kerr printed house 'the Lord receive( in Belt press si The had re( Lieuten to prese had be Govern] on a m( The collision incident matt is who wa hoped power tc riots on Lord numerm the min against Earl postpont serious at mopm i nimpipai gulp 5 67 powers, but that they should have the powers of the Council to be appointed. By this expedient many difficulties would be avoided, and there would be & body competent to advise, the Minister. Lord STANLEY thought it would be premature to accept this amendment, as the committee had not settled for how long a period the appointments of members of Council were to be held, and the mem bers of the Court of Directors could not be asked to accept these appointments, without telling them whether they were to be held for life, or a term of years, or at pleasure. The amendment was negatived. A discussion of considerable length arose upon the latter part of the resolution, that the Council consist of not less than twelve nor more than eighteen members, which ended in the word " less" being omitted, and in that state the resolution was left, the chairman being then ordered to report progress. The Clerks of Petty Sessions (Ireland\ Bill was withdrawn. Certain bills were forwarded a stage. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL obtained leave to bring in a Bill to Amend the Copyhold Acts. The house, after some further business, adjourned at a quarter past one o'clock. HOUSE OF LORDS—TUESDAY. The Stamp Duty on Passports Bill was read a third time. Lord LTMELTON asked if the Government intended to carry any further the system of competitive examinations for appointments in the Civil Service. He detailed the steps taken by the House of Com mons on the subject, by resolution and an Address to the Crown ; in practice, he thought, the Govern ment had rather restricted the operation of the system, of which, on the whole, the results had been good. The Earl of DERBY stated that in the Treasury, the Board of Trade, and the Customs no appoint ment had been made to the junior class of clerks, except on examination. The principle was quite novel, and he would express no opinion adverse to it. But it was a system the Government must watch with great attention, as in many cases persons who had gained in the examination afterwards proved utterly incapable. He cited three cases in . which cadets who passed the military examination turned out unfit for the service ; one gentleman, it was discovered, could not be taught to ride, the second objected to the drill, and the third refuse& to live at Woolwich. Some superior men did not come out of an examination so well as others with inferior qualifications, and he thought the system should be extended with exceeding circumspection. For some years it must be an experiment only, and, though it was easy to extend it, it would be very difficult to restrict it again should it be found un successful. Earl GRANVILLE believed the system was workivg very well. Cases of failure like those mentioned would be just as likely to occur under the old mode of making the appointments. The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH objected to the ex amination for the Indian service that it had given appointments to persons of inferior position, who, on arriving in India, appeared to think they bad done all that could be required of them in passing the examination. He had, however, requested Lord Canning to send home a full report of the com parative merits of the persons appointed under the new and old systems, that the result might be ascer tained. If persons of inferior character were sent out to conduct the government of India, no improvement in the form of that government would compensate for the mischief. Earl GREY was glad to hear the Government in. tended to proceed with caution in this matter, for be thought it impossible, under the system of ex amination, to prevent appointments becoming the reward of successful " cramming." This objection was not felt in the first period of the working of the system. "Cramming" was a practice that would grow up by degrees. To future efficiency nothing could be more fatal, as it forced the memory at the expense of the judgment and other higher faculties. He believed such examinations had been deteriora ting to the public service of France and other conti nental nations. If the House of Commons decided important questions, not by bill, but hastily-voted resolutions, it must be prepared to find its votes re main a dead letter. Lord WODEHOUSE spoke in favour of the system of liamination. Lord REDESDAIX. thought for military appointments physical qualifications might well form part examination ; if the cadets took a competitive across country, and obtained marks for the skill which they did it, there would be no after lack scscomplisninent. This point required pore Pop OM it bad yet received. system of mintments part of the titive ride skill with lack of the coosidero, • . •‘