The Statesman. — London, England, 1821-06-08 00:00:00

~ ~-.✓ -r -- 'sent motion . ha be not been easiellei that 1690 arbiltstyiteis bad hem counsitted, acts avert wor thy of the Eloirersioneat of illoreere,than a Govern ment evitablisholVder the proteetise of the British Empire. Mani@hgo wished not to 'roar being bronOt trial, kgst he protested s affslast the right of the %rem t iwc I.baste ass he had beds • brongifti to try kits, as they were 'sly authorised to tyrefeastieuaries. Ibis purses, hewer" , tbat tribunal, at the savoured age et AG, "1 41 heels senteered to be detained—seesawed sows way err other, in oat of his Majesty's possessioes is the Mr diterraitian, and to pay all sosts. He bad heard within them few days that she sentence bad been sam dified by Uovernmeet into three years' volts stary banish meat, as banishmeat was called, inflicted on an knits tiinal who had called for no modification of his set tenon—who oily demanded justice, and who, he was confident, would sever mama to leave his native siinstry till be bad cleared ep his character. He hoped if a Commission was to be appoieted, the Oit- Imminent would take ears that it should be composed of perinea irlio by their tended would be likely to re store the character which Ragland had lost in the islands. There were two individuals who orbited to present a Petition to the King; having draws up the Wilde., one of them was arrested, and the ether, ranted Road, was obliged to fly, and was fortes.* eporiels to effect his escape. After this it was thoogit necessary by *oats fedivideals, amounting to fifty is tomb.% to make a stand for their rights. These fifty, however, upon drawing tip a Petition to the King, and presenting it to Colonel Ross, were all arrested. This was the plot of which the House had heard a few nights ago *overture the Government. The Honour sill Member thee complained of the monopoly of the sale of bread, of the restraints upon the press, and of elections made epos the importation of salt. The Creeks in the different villages were continually goaded, and reminded of the dominion of England, so :is to prevent their being reconciled to their condition. There was a system of espionage kept ep worthy of the tyranny of Bonaparte, in the police department of the islands. Instead of the taxes which had been laid spun the lonians, the salaries of the respective Offi cers should be reduced. Colonel Robinson, indepen dent of his pay, received ow half per cent. upon the whole revenue of the island. The revenue was -132,428/. and that the phr tentage at the rate he had mentioned would amount to 21,000 dollars. The Hon. Member then said that what he had stated was only in the discharge of his public duty, and he only spoke of Sir I'. Maitland as a public character. He should be sorry if any thing bad fallen from him that would hurt the private feelings of that individual, because no thing was more remote from his intention. He hoped, indeed, that if an inquiry were instituted he would be found to come out of it clear, with his character re lieved from those imputations which bad been cast upon it. After what had fallen from the Hon. Secre tary of State last night, relative to the apointment of Committees for the purpose of investigating' the con dition of our distant possessions, it was useless to hope that a Committee would be granted. lie should there fore move—" That an humble Address be presented to his Majesty, praying that be will appoint Commission ers to proceed to the lonian Island', to inquire into the atate of the Governmeat there, and into the con duct of the Governor, Sir T. Maitland ; also to in- quire into the causes of the disaffection which exists, am! of the numerous arrests that have taken place." Mr. GO C I.IIU RN kit that he rose upon the pre- 1 sect occasion under every circumstance which called tor the peculiar indnigence of the House. He particu larly felt entitled to their indulgence, in consideration of the length of time which the lion. Member's state ment embraced, and the nature of the notice upon which he was called on to meet them. Ile laboured also under the difficulty of coping with the lion. Mem ber's m ethod of bringing forward such charges as the present ; because this %vas the third time that he had come down to the Ilonse with a similar motion to the present. And now he had felt it necessary to snake a repetition of those statements which had before been refuted as often as they were advanced ;—to reiterate these at tacks and imputations upon public characters which the House had lung since been satis fi ed were unfounded and unjust ;—and to add to the whole a charge against him (W.-. Uoulburts) of quibbling, for the purpose of d:senieing Rom the House that which he knew to be the truth.—(Cheers.) --As to the information which the lion. Member had procured upon this subject, he kit w not whether, during his stay in the lotsi.su Is -I.suils he exerted that talent fur investigation whit!, be trot since exercised in this country ; but this he knew that many of the statements which be bad made, were snore foamiest in fact than some of those which b. s sl lately been exposed to the House, relative to our in ternal public departments.—(Hear, hear.) —The basis of all the statements which he had made, consisted of the documents of which the House were in possession, namely, the Treaty which guaranteed to the people of the lonian Islands a Constitutional form of Merril meta. The Hun. Member had reasoned that in conse quence of this Treaty, the people were entitled to tlse same rights as the sulsjee,.. of these realms. Now lie would deny that such was the object of the Treaty. It was not consis:ent with common sense to suppose that it was contemplated by that Treaty, to establish 1 that full and unrestrained liberty which was enjoyed in this country. They never ought to put out of view the state in whirls the people were, and the state in which the laws were by which the herd High Com missioner was to govern them. What was the stile of the people of the lonian Islands before this nation created for them their present government? They had been at first under the dominion of Venice, and' exposed to all that violation of property and law with wlsiels the distant colonies of that republic were al ways treated. They then passed under the power of the French, and were subjected to the horrible rapa city of military plundering and executions. They next carne under the barbarous cruelty and oppression of the Turkish yoke. Subsequently to that they were subject to Russia, and lastly to France again ; from the latter Power they were freed by this country, and it was in this condition, and after such a state of ex , istence, that we had to assist them in forming a Go v.ininent and a Constitution. But this was not a state in which they could be left to the formation of a free C•astitution composed alone of the Members of their own community. This, however, was the real shoo k don of the people for whom, and with whom Sir T. Maitland was called upon to concert a Government and a Constitution. And in this nmetded state of the - Ai cation mut Teripce - _ the Constitatioa to dm Lord High Commissioner , tleditgli bid to the Crown otitis &entry:. It witeEt. this and not In any wish. the part of Sir T. ilialthord (as bad been insinuated by the' lion. Sember) tb rogate to ltlineelf that power mid aibilrary away AIR could may be smirched at the biretta , of character and bammsky la each a eiteasioo. The Hon. Umber bed esampleimed of tire Biestions at the outset. of the Govoraviarat. If they were compared to elections In this country, they would certainly be found defective. But bow could they be o:berwise, under the peculiar circumstances to which he had alluded. And be would call upon the Hon. 3lensber with all his information as to the loealities of the island, to put his Gager upon one iudividnal, more distinguished for rank, fur pro perty, or fur consideration in the country, than those who were selected upon that occasion by the Lurd High Coitutniasioner. The Hon. Member had gone into many case of individuals, the details of whose private life seemed to be familiar to hint. But he (31r. (ioulburn) mast necessarily be• ignorant of their characters, excepting as far as he had been engaged in transacting public business with theist. Ile should, 'therefore, abstain fro* remarking upon these, and proceed to the notice of some of the more important of the statements which the House had heard. There was one of these persons, however, against sebum, the Honourable Member stated, that even Bonaparte and his French tiovernment bore a decided hostility. Bat what did this prove, excepting that be was most likely possessed of true English feelings i—(llvar, hear.) —Tate case of Martinengu was allegro% as being one of the greatest cruelty and oppression. Now the fact was, that he was condemned to death by the tribunal before which he was tried, and his sentence was afterwards changed to one year's solitary imprisonment, and three year's con finement in chains. His crime was that of plotting to overthrow the Hovertiment ; and what wonlol be said of this charge of cruelty, when it was recollect ed that a much longer period of solitary confinement was to have been inflicted upon persons guilty of for gery in this country, if the 11111 lately proposed by an lion. and Learned Uentleman opposite hail passed the Ilonse. Ile then came to the case of Santa Maura, and in the unfortunate affair which took place there in consequence of the insurrection, it so happened that Sir T. Mai:land was no actor whatever. But then the lion. Member would say, Sir F. Adam was responsible for what took place. Ile (Mr. llonlburn,) was, however, prepared to show. that Sir F. Adam bad only done that in the discharge of his duty, which a British Officoor of honour and humanity might to have done wide, such circumstances as those under which he was placed. Ile believed the high character which that oolfirer hail acquired in the ser vice, as well as his per,oonal finalities, were known to many in that House. Ile would refer the House to the paper of that officer. which WAS lai d before the House yesterday, and having read that, he wonld willingly leave every lion. lientleman to forum his own answer' to time statements of the Illooonraille Member from it. That paper was written at a time when he could have no end in view, as the Honour able Member seemed to insinuate, which would in duce him to garble time facts of time case. lie was reporting to his commanding, otfieee, and who could say that lie was capable of iviling his commanding officer a falsehood ---(hear, hear.) The state of the ease was this : When time insarrection brook? oust at Santa Maura, a petson was first sent to the insur gents to inquire what were the grievances, if they had any to complain oft This person was assassi nated, and then time troops were marched against the disturbers, and this was what the lion. Member called meeting the petition of lime people with a battalion of troops. But all the statements which had been made seemed intended to represent Sir I'. Maitland and the other authorities of time Islands as thirsting tor time blood of those wl they ought to protect. How differently dill facts speak for the disposition of those persouages. After the insurrectimom was put down, and the honourable Member himself allowed it to be very general and formid.ohle, only four persons were executed, and those were time ritegleaders, whose property was accordingly contise:mtm.d. They were not attacked ley the military sete.til forbearance had become a breach of deity. lie could, however, in. form the lionourabl• Member, from time best informa tion he had been a'.lc to presence, that there were nu more than from sixteen to twenty persons killed and wounded upon time occasions in question.—(hear, hear.) With respect to the Church property, the Honourable !delimiter was there evidently under a mistake. There was a part of time church lands over which the old Venetian law gave the Hoovernment some controul ; and it was some of this species of land which bad coolie under dispute, and the ques tion coming before the Court, two Judges decided one way alai two time other. When this difference ap peared between the Judges, it fell to the office of Sir T. Maitland to decide time question ; anti al though the habits of an officer might nut make him peculiarly fitted to decide legally upon such a ques tion, yet it was held in ibis country that if a person gave a decision to the best of his judgment, he stood acquitted before God and before man.— The lion. Member bad objected to the Tribunal he fore which Martinego was tried. The competency of the tribunal was ascertained by referring to the highest legal authroities is the States. But then the Hun. Member stated that an Act of the Legislature, passed in the previous Session, took away from time Lord High Commissioner the i.ower of appointing this tri bunal. The fact was, that Martineau did not object to the tribunal before which lie was tried. Ile oulv urged that he hail presented a Petition to the King of England, and claimed that time trial should be delayed until an answer should be obtained. lion. (ientleinen opposite might say that 016 was a very natural re quest. But let then) look at the principle which it involved. Would such a request have been granted to a criminal is this country ? Was it not the practice never to delay criminal proceedings unless there was some peculiar doubt as to the guilt of time parties ac cused ? It would be unnecessary for him to enter into many details as to the mode in which the proceedings against the prisoners were conducted. They were carried on according to the forms of the lonian Law, which prevailed at the bone in question. It had been said, however, that this gentleman bad been treated with pennons' harshness. He was permitted &Or to take exercise, accompanied by a military slicer. This disposition to in was necessary. thaetalifetnilanan ibited because there was reason to be- _ to f sopport the , oharge ageism. him: Another com plaint was that he was allowed but owe advocate. There 'la. but one for the proseentien, wed s according to the ffiaglish Lair, tto prisoner es a criminal charge was _allowed more Counsel than were permtted for the poo., secation. There was another individual tried what 31artittego, who was tried by the same rates. It was a feet that in the ease of th e other individeal the Cowrt allowed time for the prisoner's witnesses who had been detained by contrary winds. The last ground acorn.' plaint to which be came was the asserted uebealthi ness of the climate. Now the return of the officer coutasanding the garrison stated, that the proportion of sick to the healthy, upon an average, was only one out of twenty-one in the course of a year. The nest individual whose case was made the subject of cow plaint hail circulated an Address to the King, whieb had been considered a libel on the Censtiteted Autho rities. It imputed venality and corruption to the Le gislative Assembly. For this the writer was dispos sessed of his office by the Government, and expelled the Assembly which be had libelled, and of which be was a member. Sorely lion. Gentlemen on the other side would net deny that this right of dispoesessioa and expulsion was lawfully incident to every Guyer,- %neut. and every Legislative Assembly. This was the limit of his punishment for the libel; but he was after wards prosecuted on a charge of perjury. Allusion had been made to the internal regulation of the tioverud d !tient. but a few simple facts would satisfy the House that the present system was at once beneficial and eco nomical. The revenue was originally farmed, bat the Government took it under it, Own ntanagement, and the consequence was an increase in the receipt of du ties on one article alone from 9,000 to 16.000 del ; and on the whole revenue there was a profit of 117 per cent. A few words upon the charge as to monopole of grain. On general grounds he (Mr. (i.) admitted it was objectionable, but in the present case it hail been discontinued, and was resumed front a conviction of its necessity. Greece was now disturbed; the population of the lonian Islands was increasing hr tens of thunsands, and it was this very monopoly which at the present moment saved those islands from ; the horrors of a famine. Having now, as he trusted. I to the satisfaction of the House, met the substance of the charges brought by the Hon. Member, he (Mr. ti.) should forbear answering the personal reflections which hail been made upon Sir Thomas Mait land. The Hon. Member for Aberdeen hail professed to disclaim personality, and yet he had said that that officer was a in in who was fond of empty parade, and whose tiovernment was corrupt. The character of Sir 'lliontas Maitland could receive ao weight from him (Mr. 0.) and he would not resort to that which by the Members opposite would be called a practice which had grown stale. lie cared not what might be the course which the Hon. Gentleman should think proper to take on the present occasion, but he knew that Sir Thomas Maitland must expect the hatred of those who envied his taleats and his character, and who were therefore anxious to avail themselves of every opportu nity of 'verging him.—(Cheers.) Mr. BENNET said, that in order to form a pro per opinion on the present question, it would be neces sary to consider the state in which those islands were at the time of their coming under the protection of the English Government. By the Treaty which had been made on that occasion, they were promised an Inde pendent Constitution, not in form, but in spirit, ac cording to that of England. The Constitatiou actually given had been fairly described as a juggle. It con sisted of chew, form, awl ceremony, bat the real power was in the Lord vigil Commissioner. Nothing was better than this Constitution in theory ; nothing worse in practice. The Lord High Commissioner woe s in fact, the Master Punchinello, to direct the panto.' mimic farce. The Grand Master of Malta, in the ple ninnies of his power, was nothing to this Lord High' Commissioner in the Mediterranean, whose power was as extensive as It was undefined. The complaints of the people had been answered by the appearance of two vessels in the otling full of troops to dragoon them into obedience. As for the case of Martinego he (Mr. B.) believed there was nut a Court in England, from the Kiwr's Bench down to the pied powder, which would have put him on his trial nutter such circum stances. The alumna of the charge against him was that be was suspected of being suspicious. He was tried seiltout being beard in his defence. The trial was similar indeed to that of Lord Edward Fitzgerald I in Ireland, who had been tried after his death, and he (Mr. IL) helievesl that the same spirit had governed and influenced both the trials. The sentence upon Martinengo. it was said was not severe. It was It years imprisonment to a man aged 6t4'. The whole of the islands had been made a source of political jobbingl of Sicilian patronage. It was a complaint of the Natives that the Sicilians were placed over them as Govemers. It would be thought hard by every man in the House if Hanoverian* were placed over Englis hmen, in situations of great and almost unlimited power. He had no wish to detract from the panegyric which had been pronounced upon Sir T. Maitland ; bat be s h o uld su pport the motion because he thought the power given to that officer ought not to be entrusted to any one man, whose will was to be the law. Mr. EVANS said belied to acknowledge the attention which hall been paid by the Colonial Office to the case of Mr. Martinengo, but be should support the motion, for he really could notsee what gr as the crime of which that in lividual had been originally charged. He thought it would be but justice to the Gallant Officer to go into the inquiry, as his character would otherwise not altogether escape some degree of ceesure. Mr. ,J. P. GRANT said, he wee confident the con duct of Sir T. Maitland required explanation only ; but as the motion went to impute suiseenduct to hien, be (Mr. Grant) could not support it. The Constitution upon which he acted had been haa apou the table of the Horse. and bad not galled for any comment.— (H ear , hear.) —Whether it was wise to leave the Verse• tian laws for the Government of these Islands was one thing. but it was another to blame Sir T. Maitlansl for having acted under them. In the case of M a rti. nengo, Sir Thomas bad delegated his authority to those persons who would have tried the individual if be were a public functionary. He afterwards mill gated the sentence, by referring it to the consideration of his Majesty. In that Island they were exercising the laws of the Republic aid Doge of Venice, mad • • . :dviiflota Was te provide a goad cede of *Nokia! lace, piroperty oevillscated was applied *bonding churches. femme WINOS propepy was °mascot d imed a right to complain l hat the Ministers of religion aad the people had ao right to complain. H e was • awe th e more Sir T. Maitiand's condact was imputed into, the better it weethl appear, Mr. BROUGHAM did not make any charge agape Bea. Maitland, but he had seed in the law proceed fogs of the lonian Islands a dispensation. whish, Omsk Clod! did not prevail in any part of the British gm Ore. Ile wished to tarn the attention of the Hamlets the forms of late in the lonian Islands. He alluded Ito the indictment or charge in the case of Signer Ail toelo Martisengo,aod read the communication of Bei Judge Advocate stating that the individual was ince': paled and accused of crimes against the State, and ae actor and accessary in the events which took place hi Zante in July last, and with having omitted, vieglecta; or refused to give notice to the tiovemisattet, and eft ' having scattered among the ifihaltHents sospicieus; jealousy. and sedition. All this displayed Nowa* of words, but there was a want of definite. specific charge, It might be the Venetian law, and the Gallant Officer who commanded in the Islands might unite the pewee of the Doge of Venice with those of the Ingehitioe, but it ought to be known to our Dover:neat. in order that it might redress injuries when complahleti of„ lie wished to show what the abuses of law were In Islands which might now be could've,' British Cele. airs. He offered no charge against (lea. Maltima, He believed be acted according to law. It milked good Venetian law, but he would rather have the Ilse vernor of the lonian Islanas sit and try cannel es his own discretion, instead of receiving manse-toms from the Government. The !Jaw as laid dews was unjust. It mielit he Law in Venice or Coate bat it might to be watched, and perhaps abrogated by the British Parlia ment. lie snppnrted the motion. Sir It. WI LSOX was of opinion there was not gronntle t g o ni c r e y n . sur n e S e i b r piei T. topwl ss e l heo i ft ta h l teh nt re e, but tir nn.iira t n le wasgrood foe in to c te oi r sedlaults wweassre n ridcishernotrt govern; wrong, they were entitled to justice, which the British lUoventment, aeting as protectors, ought to administer. Mr. MONEY agreed that mach good would arise from the revision of the laws; but as Sir T. Maiden& was only the agent of the laws as they existed, he cos ' tended that no blame could attach to hint. The Marquess of LONLONDERRY expressed his satisfaction that no part of the charge went to crime' nate the distinguished officer whose name was con necteti with the proceedings antler consideration. He denied the proposition of the Hon. and Learned Gee- Getman, that the lonian Islands were to be considered as a eoloay of this country. Ile would admit that this country hail undertaken a superintending care aver those islands, which ought not to be withdrawn, but Parliament ought to exercise that power with great caution and circumspection as to any interference with the internal Government. Before Partionteut re solved to visit these islands wills Commissioners of In quiry, they ought to be satisfied that all the powers in the island had been exerted without effect. It was a mistake to suppose that any thing like oar owe car stitatiom was conferred upon the lonia, Islands, or would be a benefit to them. Bat the system was 'sly its operation for two or three years, and it was a little too early to think of subverting it. As to Mr. Martinengo's case, he apprehended that the Hower able and Learned Gentleman bad looked at the original Greek; for, without having ism so, it was too 1111101 to indulge in special plesiiag upon a case which was first translated into the Imitate and from thence into English. lie had risen chiefly for the purpose of assuring the !loose, that at thh moment, Sir T. Maitland had arrived at home,in cos pany with other competent persons. with a view to the improvement of the criminal process of the Island.— Ile could also state, that the great evil, the purchase of justice in the Island was removed, and he thought the House should reflect long and seriously before they computed to pull to pieces the existing system. Mr. 111101'611.151 explained. Mr. LENN.IIiD contended, that the Treaty of 1915 was broken ; and, on expesiencing some interruption, lobeerved, that it proceeded front Gentlemen who had lately entered the Ilause, and who, therefore, must hate resolved to vote according to a preconceived opinion, as they were resolved to hear nothing upon the subject. He would not be guilty of the hod taste of persevering under such circumstances. Sir 1. COFFIN said he bad known Sir T. Maidsai for 35 years, and could say that there was no man mow disposed to do justice than he was--consequently he felt himself bound to vote against the motion. Mr. IWSIE replied, lie rested on the fact of the disturbances in Santa Mann , and co ntended, that till those disturbances could be denied, there was around for inquiry. Ile should not conceal his opinion, that* thought Sir T. Maitland culpable in the highest dryer. Let the Gentlemen read the humble memorial from Sw is Manna. Let them look at the case of Signor flak glia, whose family had been in possession of port , ander lease from the Church. The Senate, which no celli gran P t ie t t o b elYaet the resumed.oSfigSnicorT.Bsalt.tasigialinad'hef°rae"""irthi; the matter might be inquired in to b y the legal Triboolim Tasted o; the Tribunals, it was referred to the Coattail 'lle two native Members. (of whom he shield se.; ees thing but that they were subservient to Sir T. TaititNe voted that the grant should be resumed, sad 'hat a ° legal Inquiry shouht fake place. The two geglsh M el r ' the contrary, thought in an act of famine injustice, that a man should be deprived of ere Perl, I sanctioned by so long possession. When the sett° were thus divided. Sir T. Maitland confirmed the hir• Mint*, on the ground that, by an Act of the lige of Venice, of 1412, all property granted by the Chard might be resumed. After replying on some ether piste. Mr. H. concluded by saying, that the question wee. whether they would let the abuses in the I ago& go on with rebellion on rebellion till they were "PP re.l44 by bloodshed. or whether they would mole to Weill iu time ? The House divided-el:or the motion 17—Agaiest it 97—Majority 71t. Me. VS,D neared for leave to bring le • !pit to facilitate summary Proceedings before Justice ci Pbe Peace a n d others.—Leave given. Mr. Ci I ETW V N Bill to facilitate the transtuissal ut depoei tool ro rognizatiees from Magistrates to Justices of livery. 'rho substance of the Bill was, that thel thew also :guyed for leave pasbring ie be lent pottage (est.-James given. •• ~~.~~... . ~ ~ .. '_" r .. M f _ ~.. IP • , ~~.. . ~! ~. .......