The Statesman. — London, England, 1812-04-03 00:00:00

• PPM FlATBiTiiti,eN._ s ' . Were paid. for general prosperity of the whole Empire; yet it was t a t iey should also be just to themselves. to their. own - t I spleridid emolument. Great advan- the Government at home,—they their result Remaly Ogee, undoubtedly, resulted to the Company's pos: I out of the Company's purse,—and sessions from the bullion which was thus sent out, Iliad raised the character and the resources of this A c ertain . tyrant of antiquity had wished a whole wis that all the Citizens of this and the activity which was given to commerce ; j countr y in the estimation of Europe. If t h is coontryd n N a u tro w n he to uis ha u v u e but one head, that he might cut it o ff . l 4 bat surely the' merchants of this country, who ! wits egiltled to reek among the firs t of nations, c -an • might be regarded as those who found capital and t owititleileceirenie as t,w very fint,—thit Empire.had butane ear, and that this seer had been b credit for originally.. establishing the American" 1 suc ee e sses in India ha:d.very much tended .lent to tbeipeech of his li on . F r i en d (Mrs Jackson). merchants, were perfectly competent to conduct t • !mit go t t distinction. However much public , lie wished that they h a d a ll rea d th e correspondence s. • mixed on the Continent, yet - he be- S which *a* before that C our t, a s l i e then thought th a t this surplus trade.--( ll esse, hear, hear !)—:—Theiti intinioweeedli s treaty with America had expired, but the Act I lievetlAst such were Ihe, ideas which most of the t tlie sun-shine of truth would lulu dispelled all the etas still in fierce which allowed foreigners to Continent ... el WI; sophers entertained in their closets. I mists of prejudice, a n d th a t they would see that th e engage •thatectiMeseree•—e--At one time the sir- if then, the trade was to be relaxed, fare WWI Company ha d . acted most f a irly and honourably.-- cunistance of 'other natiOns`'haiing settlements ,be taken that it be placed under su ch regulations as Ho then adverted to Lord Castlereagh's refusal of India, might' justify this; e but now, by the Ads- :soot to endanger the safety of our Indian empire.— the proposition, to exempt the Company from the situdes Of - war,' all these settlements ltd become - i He trusted the Directors would impress on the Go- Income Tax, "as not consistent with the enlarged our own, with the exception of Goa, which was of iertiment the danger of allowing indiscriminate corn- and enlightened policy on which the Company had -trilling importance; and the reason for the admiszion,, mercial intercourse with the ports of legit. Presents j hitherto acted." It appeared to him, that the Com et foreigners to a participation in this colonial cons-- ; end pagodas would again become the order of theipany,lethe expenses which they had gone to iu sup.. merce no loner evisted. It would be right, there-- day : by add by,those w h o w ent out es Captains of port of the general objects of the policy of the Em fore, for the.Direetore to subunit to Government the . ships would open communications with the native 'pure, had manifested enlarged views of policy, equal propriety of repealing the stets to which he had ad- Princes,--Colonization would ensue,--European am- to any which had been displayed by his Lordship or vested, so as to restore the operation of the Naviea- , bitionwould barons usual course r -44nd he that was in i any other Statesman. India had recently been a field, tion .Act to India. In this way, the defalcations want of an apology for insurrection would turn pa- ! where as much honour had been gained for the Bri which the Company, would sustain might be reim- triot, and say that be resorted Co lt . for the benefit of ; tish nation, as in any o the r ; and where that great bullied, and our fellow-citizens might be enabled to 'h uman nature itself. But if the- trade was to be laid ; hero (Lord Wellington) was formed, who was now, • export and import goods to a certain amount, to in- i , open, what gratification, he would ask, was the in a great measure, the bulwark of Europe. If the ci ease the employment of their capital, and to add Company to receive in return for such a mighty boon? Company hati not, reaped an abundant harvest of t o the quantity of British shipping, and the numbers Was it usual to adMit men to. the benefits of Partner- ! profit for themselves, they had reapeda great ha rves t of British seamen: but he very much feared, that ship in a long-establishedtmde, without somevaluable of glory for the country. proportion as an indiscriminate trade wits allowed i.consideration ? Was it not reasonable that the Coat- Mr. Lownees said s that he should begin his speech with India, the hopes of those engaged in it, ad well pany, which had established so ,many marts and fees- i to-day, where he tenor on the last occasion.—[A as those cif dwerompany, would be rapidly ,disap. F tories should receive some compensation in return, Der I leuvek. ] -s-He. weee ld. say, th a t after the prosecution ) pointed. Looking at the splendid acquisitions ' their use ?In 1793 , when the exclusive prinlitgb or-rather persecution, of Mr. Hastings and the Mar. which the Company had made in India, sure he !,was opened in a certain degree to private trade, the quis Wellesley, he wondered much that they found : was, that there was no probability of long retain- eCompany was allowed to raise its dividends 2 par another Governor-General to act as well as the pre: ing them for this country, without the enforcement i cent.: butnoW, when the trade was to be laid open .sent one did. Those two men had been the Saviours of such regulations as might prevent colonization.—lwithout bounds or limits, swag it fair that the Com- of India ; and when they returned to this country, From the clay when you are obliged tq open the; patty should have no gratification, while private I crowned with laurels, what sort of a reception did ports of India to the indiscriminate admission of I traders were to derive every advantage from the use they meet with? They had not been invited to dine shies from every port in Britan, yon may date !of the Company's ports and establishments? lie at the Londonlavern as they ought to have beene-- the loss of your possessions in the East. On simi- I thought, at least, a proposition should he made that,i [A loud laugh.]—We even voted the thanks of the Jar grounds he had been one of those who always 'as the private traders pay at present 3 per cent on Company, but were persecuted in every possible opposed' the erection of Colleges in the East, for ' the capital they employ, this rate should be raised to I way. He should now proceed to the business of the instruction of the British youths sent out as 5 per cent. in consideration of the superior advan- the - day. .He had been so highly delighted both cadets and writers. However friendly to Oriental i tages granted ; and that its produce should go to the with the speech of the Honourable Gentleman (Mr: literature, they were aware, that had they continued Proprietors. The Learned Gentleman then proceed- Jackson), and with the able letter marked No. to educate them there, their affection for the mother ed to state, that it was at one time his intention to in the correspondence, that if be were .asked which' country must have ceased—new feelings and attach- !move for the appointment of a Select Committee of he liked best, he would not know what to say. He , ments must have sprung up—and as men are natml Proprietors, to act in concert with the Court of Di- should feel like D;. Willis [A laugh], 'who, when rally strongly attached to the place of their educe - 'l rectors ; but when he saw from the papers now pub- asked by George the Second which he would choose, lion, their never would have wished era return to this dished , the great ability and zeal with which the rte- the Bishoprick of Bath or Bristol, said" baith is country again. That Government which had not gociation had been conducted on the part of the Di- best." Thatwashisfeeling on the suhject, and he wish. made up its mind on the subject of Indian colonize, • rection, he thought such a Committee unnecessary. ed to have batik. He was much surprised, that when lion, had not done its duty; and to prevent such an He concluded with moving a Resolution, which ex- the Company were giving the Treasury four millions effect alone, it was incumbent on the Directors to , pressed, in substance, " how much the Proprietors a-year in customs and excise, there should be people resist every application for unlimited freedom of trade were indebted to the zeal and fidelity of the Court who thought that they ought to give half a million and to urge the continuance of such restraints as the of Directors ; that they approved of thb steps which more for the liberty of making this present. He experience of more than a century had proved to be had been taken in the negociation with Government; remembered the origin of thb American war. After safe and wholesome. It seemed to be one of the points but at the same time submitted that some gratifica. this country had gone to the expense of nursing and conceded by Government to the Company, that an ' tion should be afforded the Company in considers- rearing the American people, it was naturally sup- Indian imports should be made into the port of Lon. I tion of the trade being opened to the country at posed that we were entitled'to something, as an in don, and the sales conducted through the medium of large." demnity for the expenses of their education. [A the India House. Great advantage would attend this,l Mr. Roca made a fe w observation s , th e pu r p or t o f laugh.] The Government then laid on a little bit of from the safe, innocent, and honourable manner ire!evhich we understood to be, that he should contend a tax upon tea, which the Americans rebelled against. which all our sales were conducted, by public auc- for a guarantee of the Company's possessions in The Government, however, could not say the same. tiou, and by inch of candle._ Should any other me.llndia. thing to the India Company. They had educated. dium be resorted to, all would be speculation, novelty Mr. G. Joneseose spoke at considerable leegtk. themselves, and grown powerful entirely at their owe' of adventure, and, probably, mischief. But thoughine thought that there was not the least ground for exposit*, and therefore were entitled to very differ it was proposed to bring all the imports to London,' the Proprietors to hope for any pecuniary gratifice- ent treatment. He should uow tell them a story : yet it seemed to be the scheme of Ministers, that tion. It struck him as quite impossible that such a he hadbeard once, that there had been a bargain be. all our ports should he open for exports : and he did• claim could be admitted either by Ministers or by [twee') the Devil and a Farmer, about the crop of the not see why this, in consistency, should be confined Parliament. When the Charter was last renewed, farm. The Devil gavethe Farmer his choice, whether to the ports of this country—and why Halifax and , the public had been taught to expect a large sum an- he would have that which was above ground or that teuebec, for instance, should not have the advantage nuttily, in consideration for that renewal ; but the which was below. The Farmer chose that which was of it while we allowed Philadelphia and New York course of events had prevented this expectation from below ground, and the Devil was choused. They to engage in the trade to its utmost latitude. The • being realised. The public naturally complained of made the same bargain the next year, and the Farmer questinu was, whether this open trade would be pro- this, and to press for any gratification would only de- still outwitted him; upon which the Devil slid, thathe d uc tive of much benefit to the country at large: He tract from that favourable consideration which they could notdeal with farmers.--[This story, which was knew, that whim a new charter was granted to the! were inclined to afford the Company at present. It told by the Worthy Proprietor at great length, and in Company, in 1730, applications similar to thosenow should also be recollected, that the Company'edebt the most eccentric manners produced universal laugh made, were presented to Parliament from Liverpool, had been increased '26 millions since the last renewal ter,altho'wr were not elect° perceive in itsapplication, Glasgow, and other ports, praying that the 'trade of the Charter, and it would be necessary to applyl which parte , was meant for the devil, and which for the might be thrown open. Answers were ' returned by to the public for their assistance in raising six mil. ;farmer- ] —This was just the case between the Com the Company very mnch the same as those now lions by way of loan ; and on all these grounds, - he pany aod the country. As for himself, he was proud. urged ; are it was elnwed to be a consideratiop of i thought the Proprietors would do more harm.than•l to be a member of that Court ; and yet he had never great weight. that through the Company, 300,0001. f good by urging such a claim. He expressed him. I gained above five per cent. for his money, nor did he was then paid into the Exchequer while 07 • l em- self strongly on the necessity of adopting men- wish to gain more. •He had great pleasurede being ployed a tonnage of 5 or 6000 tons in 17 ships.—• sures for preventing the colanizatiow of our Indian I a member of that body, which gave him the truest These considerations had weight with the Legisla- territory, when the trade was thrown open • and ; idea of a commonwealth. The Company were now. tun; and a renewal of the charter was granted ' • trusted that the means of prevention would be ma- triumphant. iumphant. They r ose like a cock on its own dung which with an additional period of fourteen years tureleediscussed by the Directors on the one hand, ; bill, clapping its wings. They rendered the most • brought it down t 0.1780. Viltat benefits, then, had ' and Ministers on the other. He thought it would- I important' eervices to the gauntry. They poured the nation at large derived from the Company since be right, in this view, to confine the trade to the four millions of fresh blood into the kind corpse of new far had the wisdom of the Legislature been jue.i port of London ; but when he considered the great' their mother country. There were three classes of ' titled in supporting us ? The best- answer to this e weight of -the me r c an til e interests in - the different ;men against whom he wished the Company to be was the progressive increase of the Company's trade .; ports of theliugdora, and also tlmt the whole body lon their guard. They were all Metlindists. [Long In 1783 our exports chartered shipping to the of representatives from Ireland would probably be continued laughte . r , ..] There Were firft the religious amount of 10,000 tons, which was an increase of . thrown into the same scale, he very much doubted j methodists, who, in the cloak of hypocrisy, denied '6OOO since the previous' renei tt e In wee aux .whether Government, would be able to carry 'this ithat any body.could get to ,Heaven, except in their tonnage had get eip to 33 . ,000; and during "the last 'point, even if they were fuelled to grant At elm way. There was next a class of political methddistee, few years, elite eniennit of our . tonnage had berm - i-sanse• time, he shwa submit ' propesiti ga l • I who also, its a. desk of hypocrisy, denied spat any. nearly the same. The Company's ships, from their if ad o pt e d by the .Proprietary, would strengtbeatkp .Gorernment was right wick they did not prescribe' size and outfit, Item in fact ships of war, and the hands of the Directors on this subject.- lie .could' the form ft; and, la s fly, there were commercial me.' trade bred up a prodigious number of brave 'and ' not avoid thinking that many of the most Medal thodists, - e equally intolerant ' as to their . particular ' able seamen for the service of the country. Then, ' !sends which had beer' urged by the . Director's l .11m41 system. concluded by many observations on the! bolt was it esti,' the duties paid into the Treasury ? • been either evaded or refused b y y the Minister. •elfelnecessity of guaranteeing proper provisions to the In 1734, this' Completes paid duties to the amoent•l was rather at a loss to know,* from the speech of his ! widows and orphans of those who died itt the service rof '300,0001. •in 1703 ? about 1,0600001. ;in 1803, Honourable Friend (Mr. Jackson), whe the r be con- lof the Compauy, and by suggesting that there ought they had increased to 2,500,0001.; and for the lase! seated that the trade should be opened, or, Whether to be a special fund created, which ought to be called five years they had averaged the amazing sum of four :he did not mean to conte n d f or it s b e i ng left in its 46 The Fend of Gratitude." • millions. All this revenue was collected without dif- ' present state. lie perfectly concurred with him in • Mr. GRANT began by stating, tludstanding as he ficulty with perfect security • and surely this alone thinking that the trade ought to h e con fi n ed t o B r i- did, in the situation of a person soliciting a seat in was no small benefit conferred on the finance of the fi sh capital ; British ship s , an d B r iti s h seamen; b e t 1 theelirectien, he should not have spoken on the pre country, and not t o be s li g htly hazarded by an in- ihe thought that the time had come, when there must sent question , if he had not considered it one of the discriminate admission to the trade of India.— jbe some modified extension of the trade. Lie could' u tmost importance to the Company. The great ob.' [Haul]—Such had been. the' regular and spiendide not see, however, why ships, built in India, and j ection which he felt to the proposed arrangement, progress of the Company's commerce, and such the ' bringing here the produce of th a t co u nt should , was on Micagrounds. The change of system benefits it had conferred on the finance aud trade of • not have the advantage of British el' registers. These which was proposed the country. He now came to consider the effects were points which he hoped the Directo rs would d P° was radical one, and must be _ press. o , llowe by the of opening the trade on the p o litic a l situation of In- upon the Government during the progress of 'the ar- i Company wouldle placed in a very new situation dia. At presenclhe whole Coromandel coast was in ' rangemen.t.. Ile thought that there ought to be some he thoug ht that, it would be natural and proper for our power, and we possessed su ffi cient internal au. clauses introduced to give to the Civil Government them to express strongly in• their resolution the feel thorny to keep down all the turbulent Crovernments-lin India an increased power over the military: They ings which they must have upon the subje c t . it ap of that immense territory. Ere's., Frenchman was should he allowed the usual means of operating upon peered to him, that they had given up all, and had se rooted out front • ledia,—every fo re i gn settl em e n t I th e h o p es an d .the fears of the military officers. . die cured nothing in retarn. When the G over nment used done away,--the whole country was enjoying inter-1 did not approve of t strict rule of promotion by. the words " under proper revelations," he' wished nal peace, and likely to remain so. Were not all 'se • •nionthat 'seniority , as left the officers nothing to hope and much that s had distinctly, stated, what those regu these things done, in a great measure, by the armies ! nothing to fear from the Government, After a few lations would be that might siiffieiently guard against of the East IndiaCompany,—armies paid by_ the( observations on the danger of allowing the Wiwi-, the dangers whefnsbed been " po i n t e d out as likely to Coband supporte , l at the ice d the -- • - , mpo.ny, . event_ pahy ? Whatever spme thought of those approved of their polioy ; and history justice to the great man who was the chtelly employed. Tint, whether right they• were in fact pamed antler they had C a d o m attained e a r e commercial a s it p d l e n h d a o d u r also to w a c hc t ; it h: ei for the coun t r y, an i mmense , popu l ous, and ilolur-i'ntl e a in; empire . From the time o f th e dis covery of tlle. ,Passage to India, the European nations' from th eir maritime superior facilities of landi ng , had ga ined PM tfteponderance in India ; and if it had not he el for the great exertions of the Company, there could . cfT h ewo trade ohhunevinucedthrra(yy arr a n g e m ent oi.l foundation tuti any i endohydrihseatuthphbeinaotnb,towgewbeeurnit sufficientthat wei weigh h would d o down n havethis gained a preponderan sh e y e e.s a tke n nm d e,l a v )b p yt o o w t e ht power eo i in wholethati ac otho q eup u lwed a nto r r r t at e ildhed r eee. w t o h p ey osed we , r w e o v a n m ab s l t ed rike to at g t a h l ae ' from their being hitherto allowed the exclusive trade. He could not conceive, that under the new arrange.' rant, Halifax, Quebec, or any place that was not strictly' included under the Colonial System, could ,be prevented from trading to India. Although this I o f u f ipla genera t l o ly Bcraitlilsedh, merchants,ttirowing op:en nothing more in it than the transferring th e l i trade' from one class of British subje c t s t o I another. He then quoted a long extract of at letter from the late Lord Melville, stating the dangers ' which he apprehended from throwing open the trade generally. The Company were not now contend. ing with the Government about their own individual interests merely; but about matters which they con. ceived essential to the preservation of the mighty Em .pire which they had acquired for the country. After dtieleing for some time on the detriment which be conceived that the ' interests of the Company would suffer from this arrangement, he Medicated them from the charge which had been made against them -by many persons, of holding out great expectations to the country, which had always been disap. I pointed. These hopes had never been held out by I the Court of Directors themselves, bet by a States. Iman (Lord Melville) of - an ardent mind, who had a very .high idea of the Maumee of India. He thought that Noble Lord hid been correct in hil opinien; and that if India lad remained in peace, the prosperity of the Company's affairs would have "equalled his sanguine ,calculations. Since Olt time the increased price of freight alooe, in 'con. ! sequence of , the war„ had brought an additional expence on the Company of not less than bine millions. He -really thought that the proprietors of Stock were worse than any other descriptima i of persons connected with India; and that it was, I therefori, an ill-considered and ungradous thing for Government to refuse to' exempt them from the be come Tax. As to allowingah increase of dividend, i he had no hopes that Government would be induce d to grant it and therefore he thqught it better not to I contend fot that which was absolutely hopeless. Me I thought that the Company ought rather to make their stand on the strong political considerations arising , out of the question, than on their mere commercial, profits, or the increase of their dividends. He I thought that this sentiment ought to be strongly e 2. I pressed in the resolution of the Court of Proprietors, 4, end in stronger language than had yet been proposed, he thought that they ought to express the great reluct %ace and apprehensions which they felt .in yielding I to so important a change , in the system. lie can. elided by reading a long rerolution, which he had „Arleen up in that spirit, before he heard of the Re. ,aolution which had been that day. submitted to the . Court by an Hon. Gent. (Mr. Jackson). The CHAIRMAN (Mr. Bosanquet) said, that he bad expected that it would not have been necessary for him to trespass on the 'time of the Court, but he [ could not pass over in silence some observiont which had been made by his Hon. Friend who last addressed ' them.. He would claim on his own part, and on the part of his brother Directors, an equality with his Hon. Friend as to public principles and teal for the good of the Company. The speech which be had just heard appeared to him to be throughout an equivocal cEsapprobation of the conduct of the Court of Direc• tors. [No, no ! from many Gentlemen. He agreed with him, that this was a subject of the utmost im portance, and that it was likely to introduce a radi. I cal change in the whole system upon which the pros perity of the Company had hitherto rested: but while he agreed with him in his epinioa, he must also say, that it was .an opinion which the Court of Directors had eipressed as strongly as it was ne comfy er proper in the negotiation with the Minis. .ter. The Honourable Gentleman had said, " that 1 we hid conceded every thing, and obtained no thin g In return." Was ft nothing that within two years of the expiration of when the public would I have a right to claim the whole, .the blipister should have been induced-to support the Company in so great apart of its former rights? Was it nothing that the. moat profitable branch Or the tradee-that to Mea—ihouldlingiven 'eleldeltely te the Company ? Was it nothing that the Indian army was tt be con. Itinned under their direction, instead of bang given up to Government ? Was ,It nothing that the whole i trade 'from India was to be brought into the p ort of London ? Was it to he expected, or could any body 1 ask the Minister, to sign and seal his promise to ge -1 von certain regulations for their oast* in restri ct ' ing the influx of Europeans into India; or were not the letters of the Minister pledges as sufficient as could be expected in that stage of the negotiation ? If the Charter is to be renewed, it must be dons 1 within the next two years, or the pub lic would be- I come entitled to the whole instead of u part of the trade. It most be recollected, also that it would be absolutely necessary for the Compen, soon to go to the House of Commons, to request as sistance to relieve them from their pecuniary ern. barrassments. They could not shut their eyes to the fact, that there was now a great public clamour against the commercial monopoly of the East India Cony pony, sad that this public clamour h ad derived addle tional strength from being in some degree cpnate. .Alanced by the,opiniou of the Minister. Under such circumstances, what other course could the Directors have taken?' As to the mere calculation of profit and loss, *he did not know, that, as a commercial Company, they would sustain any loss from the coma petition which was now spoken of; and if they felt peat reluctance at opening the trade, the opposition critical grouncl4. As to the ons which might afford the the dangers which were ac the Directors wears to be were-specifically sabmitted • e' . ce of the Coin. -minate introduction of ate manner.:of , adventurers hs result from the unrestrained' admission of European great reluctance at opening lose wars, he India, he concluded by rea di ng ' s Resolution, Vitali adventurers in India. He conceived that no body of, rested principally on politio sry word do belted drawn up, not differing very materially Jai men had ever _uttered,: mare unjustly from public .details of those re g ulations the itistientent sahstance from..that. groposedhy )4r. ,fackfen. : 4 „9pinion *4l ilkit But 114 CeMpanT had done.— . - proper security against the ght Of mewl& ' i Mr. Hrorrvr said,' that although he truant tilliCall Wst had wri,0101,40•60,. of the (4 " 3114 •Y' l ID ended, the •ideas of th the orders 'Of felt most strongly for British interests, and for tbe about two centuries - , front :very small begins' . . . .. .. ........ . . . .^ • "' , a F ■ IP S ■ I , i' t ; • k ibis.