The Press. — London, England, 1857-12-19 00:00:00

THE PRESS, DECEMBER 19,1857., Who could say what the result might have been had there been 10,000, or even 5,000, native Christians in Delhi or Cawnpore ? The benefit which the State would derive from the successful spread of Christianity in India was so clear and patent that it was not necessary for him to dwell upon it any longer; but would he be forgiven for saying that in his view—he only spoke for himself— looking back at the past conduct of England as a State in India, remembering how we had ignored the existence of Christianity, and recollecting also how in our dealings with the native States and native peoples we had broken some of the plainest and clearest obligations of our religion, we could not but anticipate the greatest pos sible indirect benefits from the spread of Christianity in India ? In conclusion, Lord John Manners moved : That the Church of England is called, by the late calamitous events in India, to adopt more energetic measures for the diffusion of the Gospel in that benighted land ; and that this meeting will give its hearty support to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in ha efforts to strengthen and extend its missions among the Hindoos and Mahomedans. Mr. Justice COLERIDGE seconded the resolution, and quoting a passage from Xavier's Memoirs to show that the responsibilities of the government of India must be accepted by her governors, said, the time might come—for nations had their consciences, and there was such a thing as national responsibility— when it might be said to us, " I gave you India from her mountains of snow in the north Ito her most southward cape ; I gave you her boundless plains, her vast rivers, her gold, her jewels, her rich com merce ; I gave you all these things—for what ? Was it to find places for your younger sons, or husbands for your flowerless daughters; to build palaces at home, plant your parks, or adorn your mansions ? No, for with these things I gave you millions upon millions of immortal souls; I gave you souls benighted in ignorance, imbruted in vice, brought up the doctrines of evil ; I gave you India to bring these into the fold of Christ. Could we suppose that India had been given to us for such trifles as he had been alluding to, or that it came to us by chance ? Could we suppose that accession after accession, annexa tion after annexation, was to be attributed to the ambition of one man, the enterprise of another, or the misconduct of a third? No; these were but occasions, and India was given to us for a great and good purpose. Had we answered that purpose? Only one reply could be re turned to that question—viz., that we had failed entirely in performing and carrying out the only purpose for which the great empire of India was given to us. The learned judge then impressed upon his audience the imperative necessity of greater exertion, and of regarding India for the future as one of the first objects towards which we had a duty to discharge. The resolution was carried unanimously, and a second, proposed by Professor SLATER, and embracing the establishment of missions in the Presidencies and chief cities of India, being also carried, the pro ceedings terminated. The great body of us now can certainly influence the councils of the nation by our opinion, but the time is not far from hence when you will be able to determine by your vote who shall govern England. When that time arrives I hope to see a good Government in India—good govern ment wherever the power of England extends, and I ask to what part of the earth it does not extend? Mr. Roebuck concluded by formally moving his resolution. Mr. OTwAY seconded the resolution, and Mr. MEAD, the late editor of the Friend of India, sup ported it. Mr. COLLET proposed an amendment in the same terms as that which he moved at the London Tavern : The East India Company were not responsible for the annexation policy or the Affghan and Persian wars. If Lord Dalhousie and Lord Canning were bid governors, who was responsible fur that but the Government which appointed them? The East India Directors recalled Lord Ellenoorough fur the annexation of Soinde, and this was the return that body met with from their fellow countrymen. - - The amendment was put and lost. Mr. C. MURRAY moved an addendum to the motion to the effect that they ought to respect the political rights and religious feelings of the people of India, and to insure this that a radical change in the representation of the people of this country was required. Mr. ROEBUCK said he was a friend of parlia mentary reform, but he thonght it could be best promoted by keeping it distinct from the question of India reform. Mr. LOCKHART seconded the addendum, and said that it was folly to throw all the blame of the mis government of India on the East India Directors. Since 1833 the Government had all power and autho rity in India, but till Parliament was reformed they never would have good government either in this country or in India. The resolution was put and carried, there being two dissentients. A petition to the House of Commons, founded on the resolution, was, on the motion of Mr. ERNEST JONES, unanimously adopted. The meeting then separated. During the proceedings a great deal of interrup tion and disturbance was occasioned by Captain Atcherley, who made constant allusions to " l'e terloo" and " Red Indians," ttc. By a unanimous vote of the meeting, he was expelled the room. 1125 THE DUBLIN METROPOLITAN POLICE. Mr. GROGAN gave notice that he would on an early day in February move for an inquiry into the manage ment of the Dublin Metropolitan Police. JOINT-STOCK BANKS. Mr. HEADLAM gave notice that, upon Thursday, the 11th of February, he should move for leave to intro duce the bill of which he had given notice for the amendment of the law as regarded joint-stock banks. THE CORPORATION OP LONDON. Sir G. GREY gave notice that, upon Thursday, the 4th of February, he should ask leave to bring in a bill for the reform of the corporation of London. THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA. Mr. WYLD asked the First Lord of the Treasury if, upon the reassembling of Parliament, it was the in tention of her Majesty's Ministers to propose any alteration in the present Government of our Indian empire ? Sir G. GREY replied that the noble lord at the head of the Government had already informed the house that he would state the intentions of the Go vernment with respect to India at an early period of its next meeting. The house then adjourned till the 4th of February next. jortign anb Colonial jnalligenzt. FRANCE. An imperial decree in th e Moniteur of Thursday announces that foreign brandies have to pay on importation into France a duty of 25fr. per hectolitre of pure alcohol. The bullion of the Bank of France continues to increase, and confidence is well sustained in the stability of commercial affairs. There are rumours of a grand financial scheme being in contemplation. It is said that M. Pereire is negotiating a fusion of the Credit Mobilier, the Credit Foncier, the Comptoir d'Escompte, and an important though less known establishment than the three foregoing —the Caisse St. Paul. MM. Rothschild, Bartbolony, and others have on foot a rival scheme, according to which the Comptoir d'Escompte would be reorganised and started afresh, with the enormous capital cf two hundred millions of francs. It seems to be quite certain that the vacant seats for Paris will not be filled up until after the Corps Legialatif reassemble in January. A conference to be held in London upon the subject of the African slave trade, it is reported, will in all probability take place very shortly. The trial of the Countess de Jeufosse at Evreux excites the attention of France at this moment to exclusion of all cther subjects of interest. INDLt REFORM. THE SECOND INDIAN REFORII MEETING was held at St. Martin's Hall on Thursday evening. Lord Bury, M.P., presided, and there were present Mr. Roebuck, Mr. Dtway, Mr. Mead, and several of the leading Indian reformers. Mr. ROEBUCK, M.P., moved the first resolution, advocating the abolition of the double government and the establi.4hment of " a responsible form of government in the name of the Crown, under which all abuses may be checked by the control of the people of England, exercised through their representatives in the Hou,e of Com mons." Mr. Roebuck, in proposing his resolution, argued that the present system of double govern ment, by so dividing the responsibility, and, at the same time, concentrating the power, placed the Pre sident of the Board of Control in the position of the irresponsible governor of India : That it is upon which we wish by our resolution to pass the censure of this meeting. We say if India is to be governed well the Government must be responsible, and for that reason I mean to propose—first, that the Board of Directors be entirely done away with. If we accomplish that good object we will then go one step further, and destroy the Board of Control. In the place of these I would erect a single man, and I would call him " the Secre tary of State for India," and upon him I would concentrate all the responsibility. Mr. Roebuck then pointed out the responsibility resting upon the people of England for the care and good government of their Indian empire, and antici pated such changes as would increase that respon sibility : In the next session the subject cannot be shelved. The people have had their feelings too much excited to allow the government of that country to remain in the hands of those who have hitherto governed it since the scenes that have occurred. Depend upon it, Parliament will have to bring to bear upon the government of India all the intellect and all the independence that it possesses, but that intellect and that independence will fail if not backed up by popular opinion ; and I entreat every man within his circle to weigh well within himself the mole and manner in which he thinks England ought to govern the people of India. I believe the time is at hand when all of ',ou will have a direct induenee in the government of this country. When that period arrives your raponoibility will be still gream Vrottebings in Varliantent. HOUSE OF LORDS-S . - - The first instalment of the parliamentary session came to a close on Saturday. The royal assent was given by commission to the Bank Issues Indemnity Bill. Lord PANMUIIE read extracts from a letter from Sir Colin Campbell, expressing his obligations to Lord Canning for the valuable assistance he had rendered him since his arrival in India, and for the personal attentions he bad paid him. HOUSE OF COMMONS-SATURDAY. - - - - A number of questions were asked and notices of motions Riven. Lord PALMERSTON, in reply to Mr. T. Duncombe as to what were the intentions of Government towards church rates, and the Corrupt Practices Prevention Act, said . In reply to my hon. friend I have to say that her Majesty's Government hope to be able to submit to Parlia ment a bill on the subject of church rates; bat I cannot make any positive engagement, as oar course must depend on the state of other business. With regard to the other measure alluded to by my hon. friend, I announced last session that we intended to go on till the end of the present session with the Corrupt Practices Prevention Act as it now stands ; and because we thought that the inquiries of election committees last session might tend to throw light on the matter, we postponed the appointment of a committee to inquire as to what alterations may be required in the act. Of course we shall carry out the in teutions which we then expressed, and move fir the ap pointment of a committee this session. Sir J. TRELAWNY thought that after the answer given by the noble lord on the question of church rates, it was hopeless to expect any measures on that subject from the present Government : The noble lord should at once say what horse he in tended to name as winner. If he were the head of a Con servative party, let him say so ; if of a Liberal party, let him declare it. He bad a large majority, and he ought to come forward like a wan, and nut suppose that the country WAS going to he galled iu the way that the noble lord's treatment of church rates would seem to indicate. The house was laughed at, and the people of the country treated like children. Mr. NEWDEGATE called attention to the commercial distress existing throughout the country•, and said that the people would look to the country for the adoption of cartaiu measured of relief. PIEDMONT. The King of Sardinia opened the Chambers in person at Turin on the 11th. His Majesty ex pressed a hope that the Chambers would co-operate with the Government " for the application and development of liberal principles," on which reposed "in an immutable manner" the national policy of Sardinia. He regretted to say that the interruption of diplomatic relations with Austria had not been mended, hut it was a rupture which, fortunately, did not affect the ordinary civil and commercial inter course between the two countries. With respect to finance, the King believed that an equilibrium would be possible with great economy. However, • loan would be needed, if for no ether purpose than pro moting such important public works as the projected improvements at the port of Spezzia and the piercing of Mount Cenis Senators and deputies (said the King in conclusion), ten years have elapsed since my august father, anxious for the liberty of his people, accorded them our present con stitution. Endeavouring to make every act of my life in conformity with that bighminded act, I consecrate all my strength to carry out and enlarge the idea which had sug gested it. !Jay his memory, which, this day symbolised in marble, I confide to your veneration, inspire all your deliberations for the welfare and glory of Piedmont, and of our common land of Italy. The King was welcomed on his way to and from the Palace of the Senate with such a burst of ernbthiastic cheering from the people as is rarely heard in Italy. THE BELGIAN ELECTIONS. The result of all the elections is known. The number of Liberal deputies, which was 44 in the last Chamber, is now increased to 09. The Liberal majority is 30. In all the important towns—Brus sels, Antwerp, Ghent, Li;:ge. Bruges, Mons, Tournai, Charleroi, Vemers, and Nivelles the Catholic party has been unable to elect a single candidate. MM. Dumon anc 3lercier, both ex-Ministers, were defeated, the one at Tournai and the other at Nivelles. M. Delaimye, the late President of the Chamber, was defeated at Ghent. Two influential members of the Catholic party, MM. Osy and Des champs, have been thrown out at Antwerp and Charleroi. M. Rogier, the Prime Minister, has been elected 1,411 at Brussels and Antwerp, _. _- -