The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1805-04-06 00:00:00

t f .u s, by invigorating him, resist the force, and drive the French from that territory. From the all of rippoo, the policy of the British Govern ment became quite different from what it had been before. The Council, from that time, was to turn its mind towards the extirpation of the French from that quarter. We were then to consider what was the objea, what was the conduct of the French at that m:riod, and what was to direct Mar. quis Wellesley in his 'deliberations. We all knew, that in the year 1798 the French made a footing in E L . e pt ' • we were well aware their main object was to A lin a deadly blow at our Eastern possessions : their close alliance with Tippoo, and all the other conco mitant circumstances, sufficiently explained their intentions, and we were all satisfied India was not o ut of their mind when they undertook that expe dition. Marquis Wellesley's mind was strongly impressed with this idea, and with the conse quences which should follow. With respect to F r ance, he did not consider the connexion of France ri,L i b ss tr s s at all done away ; on the con tray, it was growing daily ; and, from the compli cated system of the Mahratta policy, it was impossi ble for any man to say how soon that sv ,:em might be put in practice. If the cOuncilr of the Mahrattas liadremained asformerly, and not put on thecouncils and assistance of French officers, it might have been otherwise. The French General Perron had orga taised such a power, that Scindia himself did net ventere to oppose him, but gave up the contest. Thirty or 40,000 under the Nizam, were in a state of petted disciptine. Was it to be questioned, whe ther, after the peace, the French had sent emissaries into that country, and if they were allowed to es tablish a connection with the Mahratta people, it did not reqiiire much political foresight to discover what might follow : Having stated thus much, his Lordshas observed, that the whole change of the complexion of the Mahratta Empire had made this a new subject. The moment Marquis Wellesley had found out the triple conne.ftion formed by Marquis Cornwallis, he enlarged the principles of his actions, and endeavoured to promote the interest 01 the British government with the Rajah ; he conceived the necessity of that alliance, and the impression upon his mind was, that if he should persuade the Native Princes, that it was safer to rely on the conneftion with the British Empire, than join any other power, or war among themselves ; by this means he might lead to the exclusion of the French interest, and the policy or connection of their situation might induce them to embrace such a proposal. His Lordship agreed with the Ho nourable Gentleman, that a great question of ex pediency arose out of those circumstances; bur. lions the avails then upon the table. it clearly ie.:, lint a prop...i••on whit's p could then de-i upon. The conduct of Maioti:s Wellesley maso this matter would hand down his name t o por,-rity as one of the most wise and vigorous ot. fisers that ever conducted Cue cnurcils of a great naiion. The Governor General had not shewn a bigoted adherence to the system of establishing a (once:lien with the Mahrattas to extirpate the French, hut lie modified it; and his Lordship coif tended, that the general charge made against that system in the Mahratta empire by the Honourable Gentleman did not cast any refleCtion upon the Noble !siarquies condo& In the Mahratta Em pire there was a population of thirty-six mil lions under one head ; it was not necessary therefore for the Governor-General to wait to con elude a treaty of the same nature of that of Hydra bad, with the Peshwa, until a communication was bad with the Government at home. In the instruc tions to Marquis Wellesley, his Lordship was di. reeled net to pursue that policy to a war; and as the Peshwa was driven from his country, that was the most likely moment to conclude a general peace in India. The Hon. Gentleman had mentioned the treaty of %mein, as an a.ct of aggression ; but be did not :thew on what grounds it was so. The Native Princes, so far from remonstrating against it, fully acquiesced in the terms, and as far as ge neral intentions would go, Marquis Wellesley took up the principle not to force that treaty upon the power of that Prince; had Marquis Wellesley ailed in any other manner, he would have abandoned the interest of bit employers : and, throughout the whole, there was a Sincere disposition upon his past to accomplish his purpose without war, and he ma naged it in such a way as to give the benefit of the Mahratta conneftion to this country: this view he had taken of it in all his pacific negociations.— The more extended question of arrangement there fore was, whether v:e were involved in war upon just and fair grounds ? That the war was soccessful, more than even the councils of this country would allow, was certain. His Lordship trusted, that the Hon. Gentleman would not espeft him ro go more into the question: under the present existing circum • stances, his Lordship thought he should not he jus tifiable in doing so ; it, however, appeared clearly. that the subject matter in question could be traced to the general policy of France, to shake our power M India. His Lordship observed, that he had omitted to make one observation respeaing the war with Holkar in its proper place : the Hon. Gentles. man, he said, had not justified his impeachment of that war, it was not the materials furnished, but the hostile intentions of Holkar which produced it ; and there was nothing whatever censurable in the Go. v ernorGcnerarscondua ; and there was reason to an ticipate the :imposition that the war was commenced on just _grounds. His Lordship admitted the Go vernorseral should have transmitted documents upon this subject, in order to see the grounds and cot On of the commencement of hostilities, but this was easily accounted f or f rom t h e short per i od wh i ch has since danced. In conclusion, his Lordship said, that the Him. Gentleman had not made any case which could induce Parliament to come to any decision upon the subjea If he had stated the par ticular point on which he meant to rely ; if he had brought forward his propositions before the House one by one, and not is an accumulated mass of ge neral matter and general censure, the House would then have been able to come to some certain decision upon the question : but, he conceived the Honour able Gentleman had discharged himself but ill in this businesss ; he considera it a mere personal mo lion, for the satistaaion of the lion. Gentleman's I mind, and could only be brought forward for . purpose of general censure. Earl TEmPLE said, he did not think, as the Noble Lord who spoke last bad insinuated, that this motion had been brought forward for the purpose . of calling in question the Government of a Noble friend of his, who was lately at the head of affairs in India. if any such idea was entertained, he, for his part, would be the first to hold up his hand against it. He could not agree with his Hon. friend, that because we had extended our domi nions in India, it followed as a necessary conse quence, that we thirsted for empire, and were re solved to obtain it by every possible means. Nor could he agree that the establishment of a French colony there would he a greater advantage to the French, than the distribution of their troops through out the country, which, had it been permitted, would, in his opinion, he likely to bverthrow our pos sessions in India SVith respra to the necessity of the Mysore War, he per-teeny agreed with the Noble Lnrd opposite to him, and went even farther, for he thought the second was by no means undertaken without cause. He also agreed with him on the propriety of the conduit of the Marquis Wel lesley with respect to the settlement of the Mahratta States. On the whole, he thought, if blame could be attached to any, it was the Court of Directors who chiefly deserved it. Then having entered his protest against the idea of this measure being any attack on the conduit of the Marquis Wellesley, who, he said, being now on his way home, if any at tack were intended to be made on him. he would readily stand forward to meet, and as readily repel it. He concluded by declaring his intention of voting for the previous question Dr. LAWRENCE thought the statements of his Hon. Friend were worthy of the strietest attention, and most serious consideration, that the House could possibly give it, being a question which involved no less a number than thirty-two millions of p-rsons : a number which WAS more than three times the amount of the population of England. it surprised him very much to heir the Noble Lord opposite him (Lord Castlereagh) argue in the manner he had done ; it surprised him much to hear him state that his Hon. Friend had no right to look back to points which were more remote, and took place at a more distant period of time, merely because, as the Noble Lord stated, he had not come forward at every in termediate step, and moved for those papers, and that information, which might then have exisred. He denied that this was any argument against his coming forward now, with this very necessary motion ; bur, even supposing it was, his Hon. Friend had complied with it in every respeCt, f I, to his knowledge, no one instance passed without his calling for papers, and doing every thing that could in any way be thon:it necessary. When the power of Tippoo Sultaun was entirely subdued, we were told we were then in perfect tranquillity and security ; hut, hiving ro lived at the borders of the Mahratta States. and seeing them at variance one with aaother, it was thought prudent to use every elf .rt that could be suggested to keep them disunited, and tiaally to subdue them. The reasons stated for this- by the Noble Marquis, who then held the Government there. and in which be was supported by the Government hest, rias, that the inhabitants of the Mahratta States acre at that time. with the avistance of French officers, training up their troops after the manner of the Europeans. This was a complete eontradiaion in the arguments of the Noble Lord. as he had before actually agreed with his Noble Friend, that the Mahratta discipline was much better for them, and much more formidable to us, in that sandy country, than any which could be taught them by European officers. He denied that the Peshwa had voluntarily entered into the treaty, but had obstinately refused, until he was told, if he did not, he must pay for the troops of ours, which he had, and for which he was in arrear s to that the treaty of Bassein could not for a moment be con-ittered as willingly entered into by the Pedr wa. He would also remind the Noble Lord, that the peace with Scindia never had been carried into effect, but that he had drawn his troops ' from the English army, and had actually join ed Holkar. He concluded by saying. that, as ' there was now a new Governor-General going over to India, this measure should be adopted, in order to chew the Native Powers, that it was not the intention of this country ~.to continue the praCtice they had for some time .carried on, but to assume their former resolutions, of not extending their dominions. On these grounds he would give his vote for his Hon. Friend's motion. Mr. GRANT (an East India Direttor) spoke in favour of the original motion. He said he was in India doting the first Mahratta War, and was a witness to the mischievous effetis of it. The ex pences entailed upon the Company by that war had hung like a mill-stone round their necks ever since, and they had felt its evil consegnences to the present moment. Every extension of territory and dominion carried with it a pr.spottionate increase of expences, and the Company were losers in consequence of n,•tv concluests. He should, therefore, vote for the original motion. Mr. HUDDLESTONE (another East India Direttor) said, he was sorry the matter had been brought forward, but, as it had, he wished to say a few words on the subjedl. He adverted to a parti cular paragraph in one of the Marquis Wellesley's dispatches, in which it is stated " that the policy of the treaty of Bassein had received the approbation of the Court of Direaors, through their Secret Com mittee," which, he said, must be a mistake of the Noble Lord, for that the Direttors, in any matter of that nature, had no more authority than any other matt in that /louse. He paid a compliment to the aative and enterprising spirit and genius of the Mar quis Wellesley on his first arrival in India, and the consequent destruction of the Mysore Government ; but it was easy to see in that destration the seeds of future war with the Mahrattas, and in that he seemed to him to have erred in departing from the moderation of his predecessors. With regard to , the present Mahratta War, he thought it highly im ' line. The Chiefs of this Power, when united, are very powerful, but prone to quarrel with each other. Scindeah and Holkar would have played our game ' for us, but we had prevented them, by interfering as we did. It could not be expeSed they would agree to this treaty. The Peshwa was a fugitive in our dominions, and, under such circumstances, the I treaty was made with him, and, as such, it cer tainly could not reasonably be expetted, that it would be acceded to by the other Mahratta chiefs. He had the best opinion of the purity of the Marquis ‘Vellesley's intentions; but had hoped ' that the disasters we had experienced 25 years ago, would have deterred him from entering upon a si milar system of measures. If we are to keep all the different powers in India under, can it be supposed we shall be able to do it longer than while we stand over them with bayonets in our hands ? For several years past, as the Company have advanced in reve nues, they h..J equ.illy done so in expence. and it was morally impossible to bear the drain of men that would be necessary to keep so many millions of the human race in subjection to us. No mall bean knew than he did, the benefits, almost beyond calculation, which this country migh►. derive from our possessions in India, if affairs were managed with justice and mo- deration. Its Majesty's Government, he said, had shown their anxiety on that head, by their recent appointment of the Marquis Cornwallis as Go vernor-General of India. This Nobleman was as amiable in his character, as he was exalted in rank, and was known by the native Powers to combine within himself all that was just and good. Ile had already convinced them that, while possessed of abso lute power, he was actuated only by inviolable honour and the Most conciliatory disposition towards them ; and he thought that a declaration of Parliament, such as the Hon. Mover has brought forward, made at this time, just as the Noble Marquis was about to sail for India, would be a token to the native powers that we wished, and intended an abrogation of the present system, and could not fail of being attended with the most beneficial effeetti. He would there fore vote for the original motion. Sir T. METCALFE (an East India Dirednr) differed in opinion from both the Hon. Gentlemen who spoke Last. If Scindeah and I !olkar had not been divided at Poonah, the consequence would have been the consdidation of their several great powers, and we should have had them both joined against us. The Mahrattas had always had it in contem plation, ever since the death of Sujat Ul Dowla, to extirpate the English from India. Madajee Scin deah had the same, and he thought the Marquis Wellesley had the highest degree of merit, in being able to frustrate their machinations, and by attack ing them separately, preventing those mischievous consequences which a combination of their powers could not fail to produce. Mr. C' lAPMAN (another East India Director) spoke in favour of the original motion. He said, that the moment they entered into a treaty with the Peshwa, they must expel a war with the Mahrattas. He had been resident in the country of the Rajah of Berar, and there the Peshwa was not allowed to be the supreme chief over the other feudatory chiefs. Scindeah and Holkar could never be expected to agree to the treaty, and he thought, therefore, it was very impolitic to enter upon t. The war was very expensive, and he was afraid would be pro dudive of considerable mischief to the Company's affairs. Lord CAST I.F.REAGH explained. Mr. PR INS EP congratulated the Honourable Mover on the persevering industry with which he had always exerted himself relative to East India affairs, and as they had now been brought under consideration of the House, he hoped they would go on and sift them thoroughly. On the present occasion, however, when a Noble Marquis was on the eve of setting off for India, to take on him the supreme command and government of the country, he did not wish such a declaration as that moved for by the lion. Gent. should be voted by the House, as he was afraid it would be the means of fettering and binding up his hands, at a time when he ought to be left at full liberty to ad in such manner as to himself should seem most proper. He should there fore vote for the previous question. Mr. R. THORNTON supported the original motion. He said, that so far from fettering the Noble Marquis who was now going out, he thought it would have a direct contrary tendency. The objet of the Noble Marquis in going out was certainly the opposite to the system which had been pursued by the other Noble Marquis. He looked upon them as the sword and the olive branch; such a declaration as that now moved for would hew that Parliament are determined on a dereklion of the late system ; arid it would shoe: the Marquis Cornwallis, as well as the native powers in India, that you do not send him out merely as a common Governor-General. but that the country may derive advantage from that conciliatory disposition which is so much wanted to heal tha wounds which, he thought, had too rashly been inflieted there. If we were to hold India, and to keep the French out of it. we must not think of doing either by the sword, but by con ciliating the minds of the native powers, and con vincing them that justice and moderation should be the future rule of our condo& towards them. No one could deny that Marquis Wellesley had aced with great energy and a.livity. In his opinion the Noble Marquis was too active, too energetic, and too enterprising. On the death of Tippoo, it was generally supposed that peace for ever would be the consequence; instead of which, war suc ceeded to war, and there was every reason to appre hend that they would be the means of inspiring the Native Powers with an inveterate hatred of the Bri tish name and charader. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER rose and observed, that after what had been said by some of the I ion. Members who had spoken lately, he begged to call the attention of the House to the statement made by his Hon. Friend, on which he grounded his motion fur the previous question.— The declaration moved for by the Honourable Gentleman, in one point of view, might be very unobjedionable. So far as it we?.t to ,hew the opi nion of Parliament expreSsed in 1, - 5 4 .!, that an ex tension of territory and dominion, by means of un- Lejust aggression, w as no t O w intention or wish of the Legislature, no one could fault with it ; but from what had been said of this &arum in one part of the Hon. Gentleman's speech, 44 that we should not be allowed, in case of our being engaged in a just and necessary defensive war, to make Any extension of territoryor dominion,either as indemnity for the past. or security for the future," he thought it was an ar gument fraught with the gp.atest absurdity. He thought also, that it was unfair in another point of view, in as much as it c inveyed a direa .ensure on the conduti of the Marquis Wellesley, who had atchieved a series of the must brilliant vineries in India, and had Added more to the security of that country than could almost have been supposed to be possible in so short a space of time. The , r ~..... . • Right Honourable Gentleman then went into a very long and eloquent eulogium on the No ble Marquis for the active promptitude and supe rior talents with which he hail entered into and carried on the stcoiel sad late Mysorean war, by the conclusion of vriiich he gave a deadly blow to the power of the Fren.h in oiat part of India, and gained a territory and length of sea-coast that must prove a most valuable acquisition, and a very great security to the territories of the Company. Still, however, though he had done so much, he found that a great deal still remained to be effected, and that the Marhattas, instigated by the French, were combining with each other in order to attack us with the greatest possible effeet. He had, how ever, with a promptitude and wisfom which reflet ed on aim the highest honour, entered into a treaty with the Nizam and the Pesbwa, and had frus trated all the crafty machinations of those vio lent and turbulent spirits Scindeah and Holkar ; had broken and destroyed the remaining power of the French in India, and had laid the foundation of the future security and safety of that country. It was also unfair, he thought, to endeavour to cast this kind of censure on tile Noble Marquis, at the present moment, because he was supposed to be on his return home, and it was but fair that he should be present when any charge of censure was brought forward against him. The Right lion. Gentleman expressed himself highly pleased with the general ',train of eulogium in which so many • Hon. Members had mentioned the chara&er of the Noble Marquis who was soon to go out to India, for whom no one had a higher respell, nor a more exalted opinion of his numerous virtues, than he himself entertained. He admired, as much as any one could, the mildness and moderation of the Noble Marquis, after having so gloriously termi nated the first Mysorean War. Rut Gentlemen should recollect that that mildness and modera tion, owing to the violent and obstinate disposition of the ruler of that country, had in some degree been the occasion of the necessity of entering into the second attack on Mysore, which had been so ably and wisely conduCted by the Noble Marquis Welles ley. The Right Hon Gent. concluded a speech, into which neither our time nor limits will permit us to follow him at greater length, by saying that, under all the circumstances of the present motion, as he did not any more wan his Noble Friend wish or desire to put a dire& negative upon it, he must sup port the motion for the previous question. Mr. FOX said, that at so late an hour he would not trespass at any !ength on the time of the House, 4 but he thought it impossible fur any one who wished well to his country, to give a silent vote on a question of this nature, especially after what had been said by the lit. Hon. Gent. who had just sat flown. He was perfectly Astonished at the language of the Rt. Hon. Gent. Surely he cannot forget the resolution of 1782—What Was the meaning of it ? Why, that we should not extend our territory or dominion in India. Nothing could he more plain or simple there was no mention of unjust aggressions; or any such ri.fi culoos ideas as a just and defensive war which should entitle you to obtain an extension of territory, either by way of indemnity or security. But, it seems, all this .vrete to be excused or vindicated, because you were afraid of the power of the French in Indik. Had not the French the same power in • the year 1782 as they had in t 797 ? And yet. when the resolution was passed in 1782. no dread • appeared re:lie:ling the French, though that power was certainly as much to be dreaded in the hands of the House of Bourbon, as it has been in any of those who have succeeded them. But, said the Rt. Hon. Gent. why urge the resolution now ? For the best reason in the world—because policy requires it. The system which was then so wisely And so nnanimously adopted had been broken in upon and almost done away, and the consevence was, that the Company's affairs were every day growing worse by the enormous expenses which successive wars brought on, and which always kept at least an equal pace with the extension of territory. It had been said in the course of the debate that this resolution would be fettering and binding the hands of the Noble Marquis, wbo is soon to go out to India. He thought otherwise ; nay, he was convinced that it would have the effect of for tifying and strengthening his efforts Why does he go out ? At' his time of life it cannct be for the sake of emolument of any kind, nor from any aspiring motive of ambition. The Noble Marquis has long since acquired fame suffi lent to gratify the most ambitious mind. It cannot be for the purpose of active and vigorous warfare. No : the Noble Mar quis knows very well that he is to go to India to re-establish a system of moderation and justic' ; and, knowing that his efforts to that desireable end must derive considerable assistance and advan tage by carrying out a convincing proof to the na tive powers, that it is the wish and determination of Parliament to ad up to that system which he is espe cially appointed to restore. Every circumstance spoke strongly in favour of the motion of his Hon. Friend. Three Gentlemen in the Direftion of the East India Company had spoken on the subje4t with great clearness and ability from their personal knowledge of the country, and they all tell you, that if you had every inch of India in your pos session, it is of such immense magnitude that it would drain you of the blood and resources of the country, and ultimately ruin it altogether, by an ex haustion which it is not able to boar. Rorie became the mistress of the world, he said, by defending herself When other powers quar relled, she engaged in self defence. No man is absolutely safe from harm, while there is anotlrier man near him that may knock him down—so with nations—we are always atraid of tbe-French, and so we shall continue to be as lung as they have a man or a ship, and there are native powers with whom we are at variance in latish. lie thought no man so fit to carry the resolution into eTeeFt, as the Noble Marquis who is going out ; and As such the motion of his Hon. Friend had his entire sup port and approbation. Mr. FRANCIS said a few worrit, denying the fad of the argument, that the resoliskin would fet ter the hands of the Noble Marquis. He agreed with Mr. Fox that it *gad strengthen is:- The question being loudly called, a place. For * priviosu question 106.—, 46-.• Majority 59. At HALF-PAST ONE u'Clock the journal till Meeday. a its m a from • what Irene • quit EgyP aim a a c lose snitan a intent • out e ditinr i r nprt , client Iran( 11 miry, cated ble fe be po • bado and other sized .t vent( Thri K of pe • then, into! a tablia a not whit • Lord corn' a nt te had ▪ MATI • aftio a- el tl a COM the i pent ly rely join et this Frei re their a pi • nOUI • pedit t. born is de.t • S p ot is re Ler at DA! ie 401 cony • Free tend of Ceni LI- Nob he Sire then • clud n. bad, te. bad ic, tient! ca teele tot the LO the In mil ;he the t iz:•• be di he Nati ea it, fu ed natal Ye ups pan in at re inter art whol nage as. Mali be had s g The ant fore ey just .ar soon !tit allot Hun into .ta slant tifiat u• that rsl to th lrs is II omit be with the man that bosti ee p then ant- vernl are Geip on j tsl lern out waves and eut le.as has ato said, ease kar decis '" r: ticuL her, broil one one tort neral rest then the up on seh able the this I lion, the OW /ICC. the i Lade Ea !sit/ Nob! - - It his ants. 1 diviiion took 6.—.Apkun n the H.eusts al. .........A II TIN .1.7 .