The Sun. — London, England, 1858-05-18 00:00:00

LATEST NEWS. THE BOMBAY MAILS. The Peninsular and Oriental Company have received the following despatch from Marseilles this (Tuesday) morning : " The steam ship Panther, with the Bombay mails, arrived at Marseilles at five this morning. " The mails left for London at 10 o'clock." MONTENEGRO. PARIS, TUESDAY MORNING,- The Moniteur of this morning contains the fol- lowin g ; "The much to be regretted fighting which has been the consequence of the entry of the Turkish troops into the territory of Grahovo has instigated the Governments of the Emperor, and of those Powers who are acting in concert with him, to take new steps in the matter. "The Government of his Majesty the Sultan has now listened to their advice, and on the 14th last. transmitted to his Majesty's Commissioner, and to the officer in command of the Turkish forces, the formal order to suspend hostilities. "There is, therefore, every reasen to hope that, thanks to the common efforts of the Powers, and to the disposition manifested by the Ottoman Govern ment, this affair will shortly be concluded in a peaceful manner." TRIEST MAY 16. Intelligence from Ragusa states that Hussein Pacha had collected near Trebigue a corps of 2,000 regular troops, and was awaiting a rein foreement of 3,500 regulars recently landed. An attack on Trebigne was not apprehended. It is stated that the late defeat of the Turks is to be attributed to a perfidious act on the part of the Montenegrins. The nature of the act of perfidy is not stated. TURIN, MAY 16. France and England having decided on the appointment of an international commission to examine the plans of the works to be executed at the mouths of the Danube, King Victor Emanuel has nominated M. Menebrea, deputy, to be mem ber of the commission on the part of Sardinia. MADRID, MAY 15. The Gazette publishes two royal decrees, one closing the session of 1858, and the other nomi nating M. Possada Herrera, deputy, to be Minis ter of the Interior in the room of M. Diaz, rc signed. FRANCE. PARIS, MONDAY. Fuad Pacha, Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, had the honour of being received by the Emperor yesterday. It is believed that the Turkish and Montenegrin troops have already suspended hostilities. The two ships of the line, the Algesiras and the Eylau, which, we have stated, were two days back ordered to put to sea at Toulon, are, it is said, to proceed to the Adriatic, in consequence of the dis turbances in Montenegro. The Pays announces, on the faith of letters from China of March 30, that in consequence of despatches which he bad received from Calcutta, Lord Elgin after consulting with his allies, had decided on sending one of the English regiments to India so soon as the first reinforcements should arrive from France, and which were expected about the end of April or beginning of May. Marshal Bosquet is so much recovered as to be shortly expected at Pau, where the villa Olympia has been prepared for him. It is hoped that his native air will have the effect of completely restor ing him to health. A most unpleasant effect has been produced here 1 . 3 1 a duel 'fought some days ago between a writer in the Figaro (the Legitimist Cha rivari) and two sub alterns of the army. The quarrel originated in a paragraph published in the Figaro, and signed "Memo," in which some jokes, more suo, were cut at the expense of the sub-lieutenants of the army. The Youthful Bayards took fire, and numerous let ors were addressed to " Nemo" provoking him to Justify his wards by his acts. " Nemo " soon threw offthe mask which concealed his features, he avowed. ,hininelf as H. de Pene, and informed one of his chal lengers that he was completely at his disposal Whenever he should be called upon to give satis faction. The challenger was an officer of the 9th ehasseura, named Courtiel, and the encounter took Place in the neighbourhood of Paris, in presence of several witnesses. In a short time the officer was Wounded in the arm by the civilian, and the affair t e rrninated. The former assured his opponent that had not the slightest animosity against him, and they shook hands now that all was over. To the „ s a urPrise of the civilians, another subaltern, of the ' t ame of Hyene, who was one of the witnesses, stepped forth, a n d said that the affair could not end Laos--that the pkwantryof the Figaro had offended the Whole body of the sub-lieutenants of the French ar my; and that he, as one, demanded satisfaction Z il the spot. M. de Pene declared that he did 1 7 °4i. Consider himself bound to renew the contest ; had already exposed his life by giving satis faction for the presumed offence, and if he con sented to expose himself to the sword of another adversary for the same cause he might be called fn to fight with the whole army. Sub-Lieut. tlyene was not satisfied ; he answered angrily ; the rejoinder was equally warm ; a discussion arose; hard words were exchanged ; according to some a blow was struck by the officer—accor ding to others he flung a glove in the face of De Pane, while, on the other hand, others affirm that neither the one nor the other occurred. The upshot was that a second duel ensued, and M. de Ilene, who had already escaped one adversary, was in a few minutes run through the body by a second, and now lies in a desperate state in a public-house near the bridge of the Pecq. There is little or no hope of saving him. The principal editor of the Agar*, named Villemalsam, demanded an audience of the Emperor ; it was declined ; he was referred by the Emperor's private secretary to the Minister of Justice. The officer has been ordered under arrest by the Minister of War, and a report has been presented to this functionary for the Minis terial department. It is thought that the result will be the adoption of severe measures to check duelling, the necessity for which seems to be shown by the present affair following so close on that of Lieutenant de Mercy, who lies under sentence of death, for murder. The effect produced in Paris by tais duel is most painful. I t is the subject of con vwall h ersation in every society, and, though I do net see how the Government can be made respon siblefor th ese f a t a l encounters, yet it is undeniable at the military element, which so largely enters into its composition, and which has gained for it so luch unpopularity, tends to excite discontent anclß quotations Map otations a mong the p o p u l a ti on i n an unusua l d egre e ; and you may judg e o f thi s by th e f ac t th a t thi s duel is re garded as an i m p or t an t an d even om i nous event, a ealoßds?niut ia this only which induces me to notice it. 17.—The following were the pPer Cents 92 75 Credit Foncier o. end mon th Belgian 44 tper end Cent. ..... 69 70 Piedmontese (5) month Bank Shares... R0a193 Credit lktobilier . 692 50 Austria n Spanish Threes 921 DO, Amount 6BO Home Debt RAILWATS.—FOR CASH. Orleans Northern i rasWestern' 565 New Ditto 757A Stburg Lyon and Mediteran. 756 625 i Grand Central — New Ditto Sardinian ............... 425 Geneva PRUSSIA. A. letter from Berlin, in the Cologne Gaz e tt e, an nounces that the fortifications of Konigsberg are to be considerably strengthened. The works are to be commenced immediately. Additional forts are about to be erected at Spandau. A line of 18 detached forts, extending as far as the heights of Pichels doe, about a mile and a half beyond the town, are to be erected, and Spandau will become a fortress of the first rank. T he King and Queen of Prussia were to proceed t Sane-Souoi on the 17th inst. SARDINIA. TURIN, MAY 12. The important an d respec t a bl o h ouse o f F e lix Rig /4°4od Co., Co., o f thi s place, have suspen d e d paymen t. circ umstance transpired last evening. It seems mo re have bee n lit t l e expected; and the shock i s the f t t i ere severe. T ur i n passed so successfully through th® calamitous period of the crisis which caused such consternation and misery at Milan, Venice, and elsewhere, that hopes were entertained the silk houses would succeed in carrying on until better times. Messrs. Rignon's failure is said to be due entirely to the great fall in silk, of which they are large holders. With the exception of the above unpleasant in telligence, there is nothing new in commercial affairs here or at Milan. The silk market is exceedingly calm, and little or nothing doing. Encouraged by the great abundance of mulberry leaves, many growers have made provision of an enormous quantity of eggs, and it is said that if only a fourth of the numberproduce healthy worms, which arrive at maturity and do their work properly, a satis factory crop may be reckoned upon. The news from Naples, Spain, and elsewhere is generally good. The Chamber of Deputies, in its sitting of the 14th, commenced the discussion on the bill for a loan of 40 millions of francs for extraordinary pub lic works, consisting of 15 millions for buildings connected with the army and navy, and 23 for the docks to be built at Genoa. During the discussion, which was finally adjourned to the next sitting, it was btated that the public debt of Piedmont amounted at present to 630 millions, but that on the other hand the railways belonging to the State represented a capital of 1,200 millions. gTALS. 129 8 101} 934 Business this tisl. THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY IWENING, MAY 18, 1858. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS.-(YESTERDAY.) The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at five o'clock. THE EARL OF SUAFTESBURY'S RESOLU. TIONS. The Earl of DONOUGI3IIfORE called their lord ships' attention to the fact of Viscount Falkland having voted in the division on these resolutions on Friday last, both in person and by proxy. The majority of the Government was thus diminished by one, and should lye 10 instead of 9. He hoped the house would adopt means to prevent such mistakes in future. The Earl of BESSBOROUGH said that if their lord ships looked at the division lists, they would find that Viscount Falkland's proxy bad not been tendered. piness it must be a merciful Government. (Hear, hear.) Now, having acquired this dominion in India there arose a rebellion against us. We had a wonderful army and that army mutinied. Let no one for an instant sup pose that I stand up as one not feeling, deeply feeling all the atrocities that mutinous army has perpetrated. No man has been more ready to raise his voice against them than I have been, and I will say let punishment to the uttermost follow those atrocities ; but I draw a broad distinction between the mutinous army and the people of India. (Hear, hear.) And now I come to Oude. The Governor-General of India and the Directors of the East India C , mpany were pleased to annex Oude to our dominions. I hold some peculiar opinions on this matter. (Hear, hear, from the Opposition.) You do not know what these opinions are, why do you cheer ? (Laughter.) The opinions I hold aro that I think the first injustice the least—(hear, hear)—that when you have conquered a country you ought to annex it at once and not el eate intermediate authorities and enter into treaties with them ; but that having done so you are bound by those treaties. (Hear, hear.) Let me take the instance of Scinde. There we began unjustly, but still we conquered Scinde, and we annexed it. That I think a better mode of proceeding than we followed in Oude. We entered into treaties with Oude as far back as 1801, and these treaties contained certain stipulations with regard to the dominions of Oude. Another treaty was made after that, but though laid on the table of this house it has been declared to be no treaty at all. (Hear.) Ultimately it was declared, on the ground of the treaty, that because the King of Oude did not behave to his people as he ought to have done his kingdom was to be annexed to our dominions. Now, I say that was an injustice which it would have been far better to avoid by annexing Gado at once. (Hear.) Be that as it may, it pleased the Go vernor-General and the Court of Directors to annex Oude to our dominions. We ought to recollect chat the I people of Oude were accustomed to their native dominion, and when the annexation took place they expressed strong feelings of dissatisfaction, and when the mutiny of the army broke out they joined the mutineers. We warred against them, but will any man tell me that we warred against the people of Oude as a band of muti neers, and not as a nation ? (Hear.) It was a nation war ring against a nation, and we conquered them. Now, I solicit the attentio n o f t h e h ouse to what followed. A scene was enacted to which the history of mankind shows no parallel. (Hear,) Annexing Oude, we immediately proceeded to dispossess the landowners. That created dis content. When the mutiny broke out the people of Oude, as I have said, joined the mutineers, and we conquered them. But before Oude was conquered the present Go ' vernor-General issued a proclamation, by which he con fiscated—l use the term in English as it was written in English—he confiscated, with the exception of that of six persons, all the landed property of Oude. (Hear.) I say that the history of mankind affords no parallel to such a case. (Hear.) I know that the Normans in their day confiscated a great deal of the land, but they did not go the length of confiscating all with the exception of the property of six persons. (Hear.) But to come to the commencement of the question now before us. The Go vernment of India in this country receives from India a proclamation that was or3ered to be issued on the fall of Lucknow ; and what did that Government do ? It sees that a proclamation is about to be issued which in that Government's opinion would make the whole people of Oude rebellious to the very end of their lives. (Cheers.) And I ask gentlemen to observe that it has been said, and I believe cannot be contradicted, that this procla mation,the opinions and wishes of Sir C o li n Campbell, Sir J. otram so issued, and ndsir o J. declared,Lawrence. was d one i n oppos iti on t o (Hear) I have seen pri vate letters in London from India which say that the effect of tills pr :clamation was trpiiealent to a demand for 20,000 troupe in addition to those we have already in India. I say, then, that the Government which would have passed over a proclamation of that description in silence would have deserved im peachment—(hear, hear), and I believe there would have been none so ready to say so as the gentlemen now on that (the Opposition) bench. (Laughter.) The President of the Board of Con trol, on receiving such a proclamation, was bound to express an opinion. Whose opinion ? What opinion ? His own. (Hoar.) He was bound, under standing,acting to tell Lord Canni ng what he thought of it, and he did tell hint. (Hear, hear on his own ) Waat other con clusion could he have come to when he read of the con fiscation fur ever-of the lane s ef the people of Oude —for it is idle to tell m e t hi s proclamation does not confiscate the whol e l an d of Oade ? (Hear, hear.) There are some ugly words in that proclamation, the true sense of which the house cannot fail to see if it will only be guided by it's own judg ment instead of being led away by party feeling. (Hear, hear.) The Governor-General in this proclamation, it w'll be observed, informs tee people of Oude that the Government will remunerate those who preserve their allegiance, and he names six parsons who are to be per mitted to retain their property. But he says farther— and, mark you, this proclamation is addressed to the people of Oude—(cheers)—not to the chiefs, not to the landed proprietors, not to the Dukes of Bedford— (cheers and laughter)—but to the people of Oude, with six exceptions, and to them he says that "The proprie tary right in the soil of the province is confiscated to the British Government, which will dispose of that right in such manner as it may seem fitting." (Cheers.) You will recollect this was written in Euglish—(hear)—and that words more complete could not be used to signify that the whole landed property of Oude was confiscated to the Government of England. (Hear.) And now I will make an observation, if the house will allow me, upon the statement made by the nob'e lord the member for the oily of London on the injustice of publishing that proclamation and the despatch of the noble lord the President of the Board of Control. Now, let us hear how it did occur. This intended proclereatien was sent home, but the proclamation was issued at Lucknow, after the fall of Lucknow, and differ e d i n some respects from that proclamation. My hon. friend the member for Birmingham (Mr. Bright) read the actual proclama tion as it was published in the newspapers. Ile put a question, and an answer was given to him, to which by and bye I will refer. The answer given was the answer to this proclamation that I have read, and he was pro mised that the answer should be laid on the table. It was laid on the table. Could you lay on the table an answer that was not gison (" Oh All the Govern ment could do was to say, " We have sent an answer to the intended proclamation, and that answer you shall know." You did know it, and what was there wrong in that ? It is a very simple statement, but a very true one. Therefore, I Kay that Lord Ellenborough was bound to give an answer; that, in the second place, he was bound to give that answer which in his honest mind he intended to give ; and that this answer was made. And now I come to the third ques tion involved. It has been said that Lord Eilenborongh ought to haveenade an answer, but that he had no right to publish that despatch. Therein was the gravamen of the charge made by the right hon. gentleman (Mr. Card well). I would ask the house whether there are not cer tain questions that compel au answer? If I go up to the Secretary to the India Board and say—" Would you rob au a mar.?" and if t h e hon. gentleman replied, "Considera tionshave seengh.) a proclamati on of public po l icy prevent my answeri ng the quest time" the p resumption would be that he would rob him. (A laugh.) The e hon . memb erfrom fort the e Birmingham said, Governor-General India about O u d e, and I wantto know if you have heard of l f of it, whether you have answered it, and the nature of your answer ?" What occurred ? The Secretary to the India Board got up and answered one -half of that ques tion. He said, • "We have answered that proclamation, and you shall see the answer." Upon which my hon. friend, who is not a roan to be put off, said, " I hope the Government are not satisfied with that answer ; I am net. I want to know what you said. Did you agree with the proclamation 1" " No," said the Chanc e ll or o f t h e Exchequer, " we di d not agree with it ; we differed from the policy indicated in every sense." Now I ask the house, as men of common sense, whether, if the right hon. gentleman had got up and said, "considerations of public policy prevent my answering the questi on ," th e conclusion, of e very man would not' have been that the Government blamed that proclamation? (Hear.) It is as certain as daylight. If he had approved the proclamation he would have told us so, and by declining to answer he would have answered that the Government did not agree with the proclamation. (Hear.) What then was the con duct 'to be pursued by the right hon. gentleman? That which he did pursue. Ile said, "We did disagree with the proclamation." Will you tell me about paralysing th e Governor-General's arm ? Who was to blame ? (Hear, hear.) Was not Lord Ellenborough bound to answer the proclamation as his own judgment told him it should be answered ? and, if you comdelled the publication of that despatch, the evil of it rests here, and not with the Government. (Cheers.) There is this wonderful peculiarity — l will no t sa y m i sc hi e f — o f a G o • vernment like ours—that the people should know what is going on. I believe that th e arguments used i n this debate go further than some hoc, gentlemen think, and that they condemn the hidden diplomacy which is the curse of this country. (Cheers.) I fi rmly believe that, if we knew from day to day what the Government are doing, we should be better off than we are. (Cheers,) Now, we are led blindfold into every error. War comes on us, and we are told we must not inquire. Peace ernes on u', and we are told we are too late. (Hear.) When it is important that we Should know the public interests step in, and when to know is of no use at all we are told all. (Loud cheers.) Sir, I want to know if this is not a fair descrip tion ? T here was no other course be fore the Government except that which they pursued. Tney were called upon to give an opinion. They did give an opinion, and they gave it according to the honest bias of their own minds. (Cheers.) When they were called upon to publish that o pi n i on i t was b y t hi s side of the house, and they h a d no alternative. It was published in spite of themselves, and th e pu bli ca ti on is not (Cheers.) to be laid at their door . Well, then, if we are to regard our Indian dominion as a matter in which we have an interest, we have a y e t greater interest iii truth and justice. (Hear.) If you wanted to pacify India it would be by the course pointed out in the des patch despatch ought to b e printed in letters of gold. Sir, I believe so. That was an honest despatch, and Ido not know my own c ountrymen if th ey do not come to the same conclusion. (Cheers.) I entreat my countrymen to remember that there are things:above party. If they are to consider mere party moves I will ask them what they will get if the Government are in a minority to-night ? Why, a Government that we have cashiered lately—(loud cheers)—because they neglected the honour of England. (Continued cheering.) We are to allow hon. gentlemen on this side of the house after passing a few weeks in the cold regions of Opposition, to go in State across to that (the Treasury) bench. (Cheers.) And for what? Do the people of change in th e p o li cy of the l ate G o• England expect any vernment ? If they do they are wof ally deceived. Sir, I believe that good government, that happiness for the people, that the advance of liberal measures, which we all desire, are more to be obtained from that weak Go vernment—(pointing to the Treasury bench)—than from the strong insolence of this. (Pointing to the front Op. position bench amid great cheering.) I have seen, Sir, both, I have tried them both, and I am sure that we are further advanced in a course of improvement and liberty than we should have been under the guidance of the noble lord (Lord Palmerston). (Cheers.) If wo seek simple honesty—if we want justice for the people of England—if we seek the happiness of the people of England and good government for England, we shall give a decided negative to the resolutions of the right hon. gentleman the member for Oxford. (Loud elitetrs.) Sir C. WOOD considered that the object of the last speaker was to divert the attention of the house from the question before them, It was not a question of a strong or a weak Government, but whether Lord Canning had done anything calling for the censure of Parliament. He was not prepared to consider Lord Canning's policy and he asked the house if they were ? (Hear, hear, and cries of yes, yes.) He wished to enter on the question irre spective of party feeling. (Ironical cheers ) He as sured the house that he was not actuated in defending Lord Canning and condemning the Government from the paltry love of office (ironical cheers) but from a be. lief that pulite interests in this country and India were perilled by the course her Majesty's Government had taken. (Hear, hear.) He proceed e d t o d e f en d the proclamation which he said was only addressed, as regarded confiscation, to those who had been in arms against our authority in India. There was a distinc tion drawn between the landholder and the people. Up to the sixteenth paragraph the proclamation had reference to the former and what followed to the latter, and as such, he contended, the proclama tion would be read and understood in Oude. The right hon. gentleman read numerous extracts from Col. Sleeman's report, and also that of Sir J. Outran in reference to the rapacious conduct of the talookdbars, or landowners of Oude towards the people, observing it was their property only that had been confiscated. The proclamation must be looked at in the manner in which it was issued to the people of Oude; and in doing so, it appeared to him it would produce benefit by inducing the disaffected to return to the British authority. The proclamation, as issued by Lord Canning with regard to confiscation was similar in language to those issued by a predecessor with reference to the Punjaub. After that portion of India had been for a long time in a state of anarchy by a decided policy such as that which had dictated the present proclama tion, it had become tranquil, and had furnished us with means for suppressing the mutiny. Was the proclaina• tion, then, a fit subject for censure ? (Hear, hear, from the Opposition benches.) Was Lord Canning, placed as he had been in a position of peril, and having acted with consummate judgment under the most trying circum stances, to be the target of vituperation ? (Hear, hear.) But if the proclamation gave offence, it might have been repiied to with much more fitting language. (Hear, hear) Never until Friday last had he heard the lan guage of a subordinate quoted against a man in Lord Canning's exalted station. (Hear, hear.) Public ser vants abroad had of late years been attacked in their absence, but he (Sir C. Wood) contended that this was the first instance in which a high Minister of State had been so attacked by his own Government. (Hear, bear.) It would be difficult for Lord Canning to avoid resigna tion under such accumulated attacks, but his sense of patriotism might rise superior to the bad taste of his colleagues. He did net think he should have bad to contend against the wisdom of publishing the despatch. He thought the Government stood unmistakably con victed on that point. The Government were responsible for the publication, although Lord Ellenborocgla with that high-spirited and chivalrous feeling which charac terised him, took upon himself the whole responsibility. The Chancellor of the Exchequer bad been the delinquent in the matter, for his words of disapproval cf the do spatch might have been recalled, but the promise of Lord Ellenborough to produce it could not. (Hear.) If one Minister was to be responsible for the whole of his colleagues, the right boo, gentleman ought to take his fair share of the responsibility attaching to the publication of the despatch. (Hear, bear.) When it was stated by the Government it would be iocsn venierst to produce certain papers asked for in refer ence to the Cagliari, the motion was not persisted in, nor would the production of this despatch if her jesty's Government hart given a similar answer. (Hoar.) He wov ld not allude to - that part of the S ili citorGeneral's defence, that a copy of the despatch had been given to Earl Granville and Mr. Bright, because from the dates it appeared the conies were not given till after its publication, but the noble bird the Secretary , for the CulAnies distinctly stated on Friday the circum stances on which it should or should not have been given. If this despatch had only been intended for Lord Cenning's eye, there would not have been so much cause for complaint, but proclaiming it at the same time to the people of India was the most disastrous thing pas sable. (Hear, hear ) It was, however, writtou and in tended for publication, for it partook more of the charac ter of a proclamation than a despatch. (Hear, hear.) It was a document in its terms derogatory to the Go vernor-General end dangerous to the peace of the country. If there was just cause of complaint against the Governor-General, it was the duty of the Govern ment to have recalled him in a manly and honest man ner, but it not they ought not to undermine and weaken his authority. (Hoar.) The efr !ct of this despatch on the people of India would be far beyond that on the Governor-General, and twenty changes of the Homo Government were as nothing in comparison to it. (Hear, bear.) It would encourage the people of Oude to con tinue their resistance against the British authority ; and the right hon. baronet asked the house if there was t be no settled policy in India, but that in every change of home government a change of policy was also to take place in India. If, ai they now said, the annexation of Oude was unjust, why did not the house state so two or three yearn since ? Then, no breath was whispered against it, at d ought now not to have been condemned, as it had been in the despatch referred to. If they were prepared to restore Oude and reinstate the king, let them do so ; hut : if not, let them Fay so, and then they would have credit for consistency. They, ho w ever, appeared to shrink from doing so, yet they told the people of Oude they were acting right in re• sisting the authority of England. It was impossible this despatch could facilitate the pacification of Oade or encourage those they bad called on to come in to lay do wn their arms. When it told the people they were doing right in resisting British authority, on that de spatch would lie the blood of those soldiers shed in paci fleeting Oude. (Cheers.) It would be published in every native newspaper in India, and the people would be told that the former rule, though bad, was at least native, and in consequence no part of India would be free from insurrection and war. (Hear, and cheers.( That was a question ten thousand times more important than the change of the Home Government, and he held that the despatch, so far from proving a ineeeage of peace to India, would prove to be a firebrand of war. (Cheers.) Tee publication of the despatch could not now be re traced ; but he held it to be their duty to protest at the earliest possible moment against the writing and pub lishing of such a docurnoht, and counteract its prejudi cial effects as much as possible, by censuring the con duct of those who had taken a step so fatal to our autltio rity in India, and to assure the people of that country that we were prepared to maintain our possessions there which the valour of our soldiers and the skill of our statesmen had hitherto obtained, and to rule them with justice and clemency. Mr. HARDY said on rising to fellew the right hon. gentleman who had addressed the house with so much eloquence and so much vigour be felt that some apology was required from him, seeing that he so seldom ad dressed the house. He never addressed it, however, with out a strong conviction of the justice of the cause that he advocated, and he never felt more strongly the jus tice of his cause than he did now. The right hon. gentle man had spoken of the annexation of Oude, but, passing that by, he would at once came to the question whether this despatch was one which did justice to the people of England and to the people of India. The right hon. gen tleman told them that he had three objections to take— that they had prematurely condemned Lord Canning, that they bad done it in unfit terms, and that the pub lication of the despatch ie India was dangerous to British power. Now, as to the premature condem nation of Lord Canning, when was the time at which they were to condemn ? if he was told that one of the servants of tLie country had published a proclamation which was in itself bad, was he to hesitate ? He had re• ceived no intimation that any such proclamation was about to be issued, (Hear, hear.) He knew nothing, he heard nothing, but that a letter bad come to a right hon. gentleman containing explanations. That letter bad never been produced to the President of the Board of Control ; but it had been shown to a noble lord in another place, that he might use it as an attack on Lord Ellenborough. (Cheers.) That letter had been much spoken of ; but who produced it ? It was not produced on that side of the house ; and was it produced on the other by any fair means ? But when it was stated by Lord Ellenborough, the noble lord who led the opposi tion in the other house got up, and said he had not seen the letter. The noble lord,i t appeared was not in the secret ; it,was not communicated to him. He did not see in his plece that evening the right hon. gentleman, ' whose portrait, painted by himself, would be handed down to posterity. But he turned from that which was small point of the case. (Opposition cheers.) Hon. gentemeia opposite cheered, but not one of them bad been found to defend the right hon. gentleman. But he should pass from that point. And now with regard to the speech they had just heard. He bad no fault to,find with it, except that the right hon. gentleman had en deavoured to alter the issue, and put the question on the issue raised by the noble lord (Lord J. Russell), who told them that in the despatch the Government not merely:condemned Lord Canning, but declared him unfit to hold the meanest office. Now, he asked if that was a fair representation of what had been done on the occa sion ? Then the noble lord threw out his taunts on those who sat on the Treasury bench, and said they had shown a spirit of animosity towards Lord Canning, and had endeavoured to deprive him of the just tribute which was his due. NOW, he should like to kr.ow to whom Lord Canning was more indebted for his defence, when he was attacked on a former occasion, than to the right hon. gentleman, the member for the University of Cam bridge and the right hon. member for Oxfordshire, and who damned him with faint praise more than the noble lord the member for the City of London. The noble lord did not then look with the same feeling on the occu , Ipants of the Treasury bench, and in his desire to do them a little harm he did not care about disparaging Lord Canning. The noble lord the member for Tiverton, on the motion for the vote of thanks to Lord Canning, said they would not be at all committed on the question of the memorial of the inhabitants of Calcutta. The noble lord (Lord J. Russell) said he did not pretend to jndge of the manner in which Lord Canning had con ducted these operations, and then he w ent on to praise if H Lord Canning. (Cheers.) Hon. members c heered as he had omitted to state that. No stated in the first . in stance that the noble Lord had praised Lord Canning, (Cries of Road.) He had not got a copy of the speech 4 (Cries of Oh, oh.) Ile could only say he concurred in what the noble lord had said as to the moral courage of Lord Canning. But the noble lord ought to be the last man to say that the occupants of the Treasury bench were ready to withhold from Lord Canning the tribute of praise which was due. He was quite ready that they Mould take this question on the ground that the right hon. gentleman had put it—that they should treat it as affecting the interest of India, though at the same time he could not give entire credit to the right hon, gentle man for being uninfluenced by party considerations. H e could not say that the motion placed before them was a sort of motion on which they ought to be called upon to vote. He had never heard it called an honest motion, but he had heard it characterised as an adroit one. It was a trap in which to catch members of different opinions. They were told that they had no right to con sider the meaning of the proclamation which Lord Can ning had issued, and then those who said that immedi ately went into an elaborate defence of it, and the right hon. gentleman who had just sat down told them he per fectly understood the meaning of it. The right hon. gentleman the member for Northamptonshire, whom he did not see in his place, told them that he approved cf it. He should like to ask the right hon. gentle man whether he had any knowledge of the isroclarna, tion before it was published, and whether he had issued any directions for its publication. But the right hon. gentleman was not there. [A MEMBEII—Ho could not answer if he was.] He presumed that there were members of the late government that could answer that question. His hon. and leerned friend the member for Sheffield spoke of the proclamation in terms so distinct that neither in England nor in India could it be .misun derstood ; and w h en th e r i g h t h on. gentleman who had just sat down told them it would not be understood in India in the same sense, he could only say, on the con trary, that he had been informed by those who had re sided in Oude, or the neighbourhood, that so far from that being the case, it would be distinctly understood as taking possession of every right in the laud, not only of the talookdars, but of the smallest holders. It was ad dressed to them all, and under it the whole of the pro perty would be seized. And when he read the letter of Mr. Edmonstone he found that all that was saved to the landowners was their lives and their honour ; their lives we had not th e p ower to take, nor their honour, as they were spread over the whole of Cowie, while we had only possession of Luckoow. If ever there was a docu ment which carried its own explanation with it, it was that proclamation—(hear, hear)—for if it wis not in tended to apply generally, why were six exceptions spe• cified by name ? Or, again, if it destroyed no proprie tary rights, what was the valve of the exception made in favour of the six loyal talookdars ? Throughout the whole kingdom the people, and not tie talookdars and chiefs only, were in arms against us. It wag, in fact, a national revolt, as it had been described by Lord Ellei borough and the Court of Directors. (Hear, hear) It was not his (Mr. Hardy's) intention to go into the an rexation of Oude, for the present was not the proper time to discuss that ; but this he would ray, there was not a single averment in Lord Ei!enborough's despatch which could not be proved by the most irrefragable evi deuce. (Cheers.) The noble lord did not say that the peo ple of Oude had been unjustly treated, but he recom mended the Governor-General to consider the position in which they were placed, and what their feelings must ns cesserily be. He asked the Governor-General to boar all that in mind in dealing with them ; and that was exactly what the Court of Directors had also done. Io their letter to the Governor-General, dated the sth of May, they said—" In dealing with the people of Oude you wid aoubtles3 be move I by special considerations of justice and of policy. Throughout the recent contest we have ever regarded such of the inhabitants of that cow,- try as, not being sepoys or pensioners of our own army, have been in arms against us a s a n ex c ptional cites. They cannot be considered as traitors or eaor. rebels, for they had not pledged their fidelity to us, and they had scarcely become our subjects. Many, by the introduc tion of a new system of government, had necessarily been deprived of the maintenance they had latterly en joyed ; and c there feared that the speedy loss of the it means of subsistence must follow from the same course. It was natural that such persons should avail them , eives of the opportunity presented by the distracted state of the country to strike a blow far the restoration of the native rule, under which the permitted disorganisation of the country had been so long to them a eource of un • lawful profit. Neither the disbanded soldiers of the native Government, nor the great talookdars and their retainers, were under any obligation of fidelity to our Government for benefits conferred upon them, You would be jtt-ttfie - d, therefore, in dealing with them as you would with a foreign enemy, and in erasing to c n elder them obk•cts of punishment after they have once laid down their arms." (Cheers.) Teat was the view of the despatch to which he (Hr. Hardy) would invite at ttmtion ; and what, ho would a•k, was the position of Lord Ell.mborough on the 12th of April, when tho pro clamation arrived ? The Government had not been back• ward in expressing their opinions as to the mode in which the people of India should be treated. They had sent out a state paper dated the 2I h March, and laid it on the table of the house on the 29th of April ; and in that despatch they declared the mode in which they bad deteracin-sl to act with regard to the people of [ elr. Hardy read the fourth paragraph of this document.] Thu document went on to state that for a hundred years the people of Oade had been faithful allies of the G everamedit ; that whatever wrongs might have been perpetrated by th-m had been committed one urn another ; and that they had never off,red any opposition to the British rule, but had, on the contrary, assisted it wilt money and soldiers in times of emergency. It was after that despatch had been sent cut that Lord Eilenborough wrote the letter which eves now complained ef. It seas said that his right hon. friend (NIL'. Disraeli) had stated in the house that the proclamation was disapproved of by the govern ment in every sense ; but how was it possible, after having indited the despatch of the 24th of March, they could do other a les than di , approve of it ! (Che'.!rs.) But the right bon. gentlena en (gr. Vernon Smith) said he would never have agreed to make one of his colleagu is a scapegoat. The right hon. gentleman did not seem to recollect all the passages in his political career —(laughter and cheer-)--ctheretise, the right hon. gentleman might have cafle i to mind a motion brought forward by an bon. baronet (Sir E. B. Lytton), involving one of the colleagues cf the right hon. gentleman, namely, the noble lord the member for the city of L endon. But that colleague was abandoned. The noble lord retired from the cabinet, and the motion was given up. (Rear.) Upon the noble lord was thrown the onus whi h belonged to the whole ministry ; and they refused to bear any part of it. (Beer, hear.) So that it would seem that the right horn gentleman had after all been a party to the abandonment of a c lloague. (Cheer=.) The present government did not, however, wish to thro over the despatch of Lord Ellenb rough. On the con trary, they adopted it from beginning to end. They adopted it as laying down the principles upon which they were prepared to treat the inhabitents of Oude; and they adopted it as embodying sentiments of humanity which were as necessary for the honour of this country as they were fer the happiness of the people of India. The despatch reminded the Governor-General of thews principles, but it did not encourage those who were in revolt. And here (said the hon. gentleman) I certainly do complain of the noble lord the member for the City, in having in the course of his speech made use of an expression which I am sure in his cooler moments he will regret. (Hear.) Thu noble lord tell us that the mutineers, when they read the despatch would say, " True it is we have the G ivernor-General for our foe, but we have a friend in England." (Opposi tion cheers.) Hon. gentlemen opposite say they are free from party spirit, and yet they are ready to applaud that sentiment. (Ministerial cheers.) Are they not ashamed to say that we whose friends are fighting the battles of the country would wish to encourage those who are in arms against it ? (Loud ministerial cheers.) When have we ever been neglt,gent of the interests and honour of the country —we who, in support of those interests and that honour, assisted in sending the late Government out of office ? (Loud laughter and cheers.) Has it ever been said that the noble earl who was so lately at the Board e f Control was slow to strike those who were in arms again-t him ? Has it ever been said that his arm was shortened against rebellion ? But the noble lord is one that knew how to temper justice with mercy, and he was the first to receive those who came and submitted themselves to his mercy. (Loud cheers.) The house was told that they must not regard the despatch as expressing certain sentiments, but that they must look at the tone in which it was written. (Hear.) Yet surely when the interests of mil lions were at stake, when the honour of England was in peril, and when the cause of humanity was in question, people were not to dip their pens in milk and water. (Laughter and cheers.) They ought rather to state their sentiments with frankness, though without insult, as he believed Lord Edeoborough had done. (Ole, oh, and cheers.) He (Mr. Hardy) had not the honour of Lord Canning's acquaintance, but he believed him to be a man of the highest probity and humanity. (Cheers.) In fact no man could command so many and such devoted friends, except his character was deserving the respect of all. (Loud cheers.) If, then, Lord Canning was actuated by those noble and patriotic motives which had been ascribed to him, he would read the despatch in a very dif ferent light from that in which it was regarded by hon. gentlemen opposite, (Hear.) He would look on it, not as intending an insult, but as calling his attention, no doubt in strong and forcible terms, to the opinions enter tained by Government with reference to the conduct he should pursue towards the inhabitants of India. (Hear, hear.) The passage which the noble lord had specially reprobated was the 17th paragraph, " We cannot but think that the precedents from w hich you have departed will appear to be ccnceived in a spirit of wisdom supe riorhlve to that which appears in the precedent 3 made." (Opposition cheers ) Well, that migh t. in two ways. (Laughter.) He ventured to say that in addressing that despatch to Lord Canning, Lord like , ou read be Ellen borough thought he was dealing wii k th e If had the good of India at heart, and who would not suffer any like him self—(laughter)—with one who, feeling of wounded pride tO b stand for one moment in competition with the interestsoth of Oude arid of this He (Mr. Hardy) believed that country. (Loud cheers , ) Lord Canning, so far fromwishing to resign, would bow to the arguments contained in Lord Ellenborough's letter, which had tbeen greatest submitted considerationto him by numerous and weight. Indeed,ose in India would have he hoped that long before now adopted different course, tof to persona h Lord Canning in proclamation. an d would have offe red to the people h. of Oude terms mor e suitable than those contained But it was said that the Government had sent out this despatch without waiting to see what explanation the G o vernor-General .had to offer. Well, but this was not the first occasion on which the same thing had taken place with regard to Oude. In 1832 there was a Go vernment of which the noble viscount (Lard Palmer. ston), the noble lord (Lord J. Russell), and he did not know how many right hon. and hon. gentlemen opposite were members, Lord Auckland was then Governor. THE WEST INDIA MAIL. SOUTHAMPTON, MAY 17. The Royal Mail Company's steam-ship Parana, Captain Bevis, arrived this day at noon, from the West Indies, with the usual mails, in charge of Lieut. Irwin, R.N., Admiralty agent. On her homeward voyage the Parana expe rienced fine weather, with light and moderato winds. Her dates are : Grenada April 28 Jamaica IP 28 Jacmel Barbadoes St. Kitt's Antigua May 1 Nassau April 13 Blewfields Grey Town II 19 Colon Carthagona Demerara Trinidad I ' P 2 She brings 185 passengers, of whom 128 are saloon, 35 children, 16 servants, and 6 children. The Parna brings on freight—Total specie, 973,807 dole. ; gold, 373,632 dole. ; silver, 520,862 dole. ; platina, 1,580 dole. ; gold coin, 66,338 dole. Also 186 serons of cochineal; pearls, 14,400 dole. ; 42 bags of cocoa, 125 barrels of ginger, 14 tamarinds, 81 bales of tobacco, 8 bales of sarsaparilla, and 80 packages of sundries. The news is unimportant. Sugar making was proceeding with great spirit in the islands, the weath-r hitherto being extremely favourable, and the yield far above the average, amounting, in Martinique, to one-fifth, and that of Barhadoes equally good. The southern islands are much in want of rain, not having hadany since the fall of last year. They have had some slight showers at St. Vincent's and the n , rtheru islands. When the packet left, freights at Tobago and Trinidad were from 3s. Gd. to 45., and at Barba does 35., with the prospect of full cargoes. On the 16th, at noon, the Parana spoke the English ship Glenwillie, for Honduras ; all well. IRELAND. LIMERICK, MAY 17. CITY OF LIMERICK ELECTION. The city has been in a state of the greatest con fusion from the last few days. Last night a despe rate mob from the Irish-town, with stones and bludgeons, broke in the windows of several of the houses ; the magistrates investigated several of the cases this day, and in the majority of them it ap pears that the persons whose houses were thus at tacked were supporters of Mr. Spaight. The police have been acting on the alert and the resident magistrates in the city are Mr. Barron, Mr. How ley, Mr. Taviteau, and Mr. Beal They are most active in preserving the peace. This day the high sheriff, Dr. Kane, made a proclamation in the Court House to the effect that de election is to com mence on Friday, when the nomination takes place, and the polling on Monday (this day week). The result of the contest continues doubtful, and even disinterested persons are unable to hazard an opinion. MARKET NEVIS.—(Thie Day.) HAY MARKETS. SMITHFIELD.—Meadow hay, 21 lOs to 4/ Os; clover, 3/ lOs to 51 Os; and straw, 1/ rs to 11 103 per load, A full average supply, and a sluggish demand. CUMBERLAND. —Meadow hay, 2/ lOs to 4? 2s; clover, 3t 103 to Si Os ; and straw, 1/ 6s to 1/ 10s per load• Trade dull, at our quotations. Supplies tolerably good. WHITECITAPEL.—Meadow hay, 2/ 10s to 4/ Os; clover, 31. 10s to 5/ Os ; and straw, 1/ 5s to 1/ 108 per load. A slow trade, at barely stationary prices. COLONIAL. TEA.—The market continues very dull, and there is not the slightest alteration to report in prices. SUGAR.—There is a steady demand for all good grocery qualities at fully late quotations, but inferior descriptions are neglected, although holders demand full values. In the refined market a fair demand exists for dried goods, the finer descriptions being at rather easier quotations. COFFEE.—Several large lots are announced to-day for public competition, and prices are expected to rule firm. The demand, however, is not active • good coloury quali ties of Plantation Ceylon realise fully late values. RICE.—The market continues very inactive, and the few sales effected have been at lower quotations. RUM.—The inquiry for good qualities of Demerara con tinues steady, and full rates are current. A few purchases of fine quality Jamaica sold for 4s 9d per proof gallon. SALTPETRE.—The market is still very firm, and a rather large amount of business has been done at full values. TALLOW.—There is not much business doing, but prices remain steady. P.Y.C. on the spot, 53s 6d; June, 53s 3d; and last three months, 50s 6d per cwt. COAL MARKR. Prices of Coals per ton at s. d. Tanfield Moorßutes 12 C Howard's West Hartley M.-MAY 17. the close of the market Wallsend, &o. s 4 4 , Braddyll l6 0 Eden Main l5 6 Elaswell 17 6 fletton l7 *6 Netherton 16 0 Bebsi de's Hartley l6 0 Hastings Hartley. l5 9 Morpoth West Hartley 15 C Wylant South Hetton 17 3 Russell's Hetton 15 9 Kelloo le 6 Acorn Close l5 6 Eden Hartlepool l6 6 Wallsend, &c. Powell's Duffryn Steam 20 0 Toes l7 € South Keno° 16 3 Eleugh l5 3 Birchgrove Graigola, _lB 0 llunwick l4 6 Hartlepool Hotton l6 3 South Hartlepool l5 9 Ships at market, 75; sold, 66. By a general resolution of the trade, there will not be any market to-morrow (Wednesday.) LLOYD'S SIIIPPING.—(This Day.) LONDON, May 18.—Wind this day at noon, S.W.; light airs and line. FALMOUTH, May 17.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—Betsy, from Singapore. SIINDEIIIAND, May 16.—Wind S.—Sailed--Young Sam, for New York. OFF DOVER, May 17. Arrived -Helena, from Rio Janeiro ; British King, from Demerara for London. SOUTHAMPTON, May 17— Sailed—Orinoco (s), for St. Thomas. Tagus (3), Gibraltar. OFF PLYMOUTH, May 17.—Arrived—Juno, from Bre men-for New York. QUICENSTOWN, May 16.—Arrived—Enchanter, from Callao ; Venilia, Monte Video ; Junita, Cardenas ; For tunate, Rio Grande ; May Flower, Demerara ; Glanmure, Barbadoes. HuLt, May 17.—Wind S.E.—Arrived—John Arthur, from Buenos Ayres. OFF QIIEENSEOWN, May 16.—Arrived—Georgetown, from Barbadoes, and sailed for London. QUEBEC, May 3.—The Pride of Canada, from Liverpool to Montreal, which went on shore on Red Island on the night of the 27th April, is still aground, and the tido flows in and out of her. MARSEILLES, May 18.—Arrived—Panther (as), from Bombay ; mails to leave for London at 10 a.m. (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) _ SOUTHAMPTON, Tuesday Morning. Wind W. ; rain. Arrived—Money, from Swansea ; Eclipse, Madeira ; Ham monia, (s.), Hamburg; Courier, (s.), Jersey; Parana, (s.), St. Thomas. Sailed—Dispatch, (s.), for Jersey; South-Western, (s.), Havre; Orinoco, St. Thomas; Tagus, (s.), Gibraltar; Marquis of Bute, Sunderland. LIVERPOOL, Tuesday Morning. Wind S.W. Arrived, May 17.—National Guard, from Galveston ; David Harrison, Bahia ; Bugio, Lisbon ; Emerentia, Huelva ; Frederick Gustav, Dantsic. Arrived, May 18—John Fielden, from Bombay ; Camilla, Rio ; Hache Rouachon, San Sebastian ; Lialdade, Aveiro; Anneberg, Stettin; Matthew King, Marseilles; Celeste Henry, Caen. (BY SUBMARINE AND BRITISH TELEGRAPH.) GRAVESEND, Tuesday Morning. Wind S.W. ; tide 5 hours' ebb ; cloudy. Arrived, May 18—Caroline Chisholm, from Trieste ; Vibilia, Guernsey ; Canterbury, Rangoon; Volunteer, Leghorn ; Toes de Castro, Figuel a. DEAL, Tuesday Morning. Wind W.S.W., strong. Passed—Dolphin, from Freemantle ; Demetrius, Mauri tius; Albion, Jamaica; Clementina, Algoa Bay—all for London. Passed off Dungeness, May 17—Amelia Augusta, from Rangoon ; Infanta; Mobile ; Blossom, Odessa ; Grace Longstaff, Sierra Leone ; As I Said, Algoa Bay ; Joven Enspaquia, Porto Rico ; Ignes de Castro, screw steamer, F:guiera ; Jamaica, Antigua—all for London. Report of brigantine Demetrius :—Passed the brig John Romney, of London, standing south, in lat. 42.36 N., long. 18.32 S., all web, on May 10th. COMMUNICATION WITH RITSIA.—The Anglo-French Steam Packet Company have established a line of steameri between St. Petersburg and Great Grimsby, in connection with the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway. The first vessel, the Grimsby, a fine ship of 900 tons, was despatched last week, and has been followed by the Yarborough, THE INDIA TELEGRAPH. Lord DE MAULEY moved for copies of all corres pondence between the English and Austrian Govern ments respecting telegraphic correspondence between Ragusa and Alexandria. The Earl of MALMESBURY said that all the papers referred to by the noble Lad were being printed, for the purpose of being laid before Parliament. SUPPLY OF MEAT TO THE METROPOLIS. Lord BERNERS presented a petition from the butchers, graziers, farmers, salesmen, and others en gaged in the trade and supply of meat to the rnetropolital markets. The petitioners com plained of the bad accommodation for slaughtering anicaal- , , the loss occasioned theraby, and they prayed that their lordships would alter or repeal the various acts relating to the subject, or pass new measures to remedy the serious evil complained of. The petition was ordered to lie on the table. THIRD READINGS. The Chelsea Hospital and Water Works (Exchange of Lands), Chief Justice of Bombay, Trustees, Mort gagees, &c., and Loan Societies Bill, were severally read a thir time and passed. Their lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YESTERDAY.) The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following bills were read a third time and passed : —Brentford and Richmond Railway ; Carli le, Lang holm' and Hawick Railway ; East Kent Railway (Wes ; tern Extension) • Fife and Kinross and Kinross-shire Railways ; London, Brighton, and South Coast Rail way (Shoreham to Hena,ld, &c.); Worcester and Here ford Railway. The following bills were further considered and or• dared to be read a third time :—Andover Canal Rail way ; Ballymena, Ballymoney, Coleraine ' and Fortrush Junction Railway • Belfast and County Down Railway ; Corris, Machynlietl, and River Dovey Tramroad (Ma chynlleth, and River Dovey Railway) ; Dean Forest Turnpike Trust; Hesketh Marsh ; Llandaff and Canton District Markets ; Luton, Dunstable, and Welwyn Junction and Hertford and Welwyn Junction Railway Companies Amalgamation ; Taunton Water ; Water ford Gas ; and Wind;ior New Road. The Stanhope and Wokingharn Rectories Bill was read a second time. NORTH BRITISH RAILWAY BILL. Mr. ELLIOT moved that the minutes of the proceed ings of the committee on the North British Railway (Elawick and Carlisle Junction Railway) Dll, and Bor der Counties Railway Ball, in Group 13 of Railway and Canal Bills, be printed at the expense of the parties and distributed with the votes.—Ag..eed to. METROPOLITAN TOLLS Colonel FORRESTER, Comptroller of the House hold, appeared at the bar of the home with her Ma jesty's gracious answer to an address voted to her Majesty for a Royal Commission to inquire into and re port as to the best means of abolishing tolls and toll bars within six miles of Charing-cross, to the effect that her Majesty, having taken it into consideration, had directed the Royal Commissioner to issue as requested, THE OATHS BILL—CONFERENCE WITH THE LORDS. The SPEAKER announced that he had received a message from the Lords, app intiu a conference with this house to-morrow, at half-pa.it 4 o'clock, in the Painted Chamber, on the Loads' amendments to the Oaths Bill. THE DERBY DAY. Capt. VIVIAN gave notice that he should to-morrow move the adjournment of the house at its rising till Thursday, (Cheers.) THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA. In answer to a question from Mr. LYGON, Mr. H. BAILLIE said that the first private letters received by the present Government from India arrived by the mail on Saturday. Oa that day three private letters from Lord Canning reached Lord Ellenborough, in which he stated he had received information that Lord Ellenborough had accepted office. He (Mr. Baillie) thought that Lord Canning's sending three private letters by one mail was a sufficient procsf that the noble lord was in the habit of corresponding by private letters with the late President of the Board of Control. (Cheers.) CONSOLIDATED FUND (11,000,0001) BILL. This bill was read a third time and payed. STAMP DUTY ON PASSPORTS BILL. This bill, as arn ;tided, was considered. THE VOTE OF CENSURE ON THE GOVERN mENr —ADJOURNED DE 13 A.TE• On the order being read for the reiumptioa of the adjourned debate on the motion of Mr. CAMDWELL, Mr. ROEBUCK said—Sir, a question of more im portance was, perhaps, never submitted for discussion in ny legislative assembly than that which now occupies the attention of this house. If we think of the number of persons likely to be affected by it, and of the time at which the proposition is brought forward, all these con siderations indicate the importance of the subject now under discussion. Sir, Gibbon, in his History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," enters into a discussion on the probable capacity of that empire, and in that magnificent resum4 which he gives of the power and importance of the empire of Rome he says that the Italians and provinCials together amounted in round numbers to about 120,000,000, and he adds that that was the largest community of men ever subject to any system of domination. But, sir, our Indian empire leaves this far behind. There are not only 120,000,000, but I think the persons who are influenced by our domi nion in India amount to nearly 200,000,000, and there is now submitted to our consideration a question in volving the happiness of this large section of the human race ; for we have now to determine whether this domi nion is to be guided by the great principles of honesty and virtue—(cheers) --or whether the power which we exercise is to be the only guide of our conduct, and that the object which we have in view is the sole aggrandhiesle fmeeelnintgof s t r England. ongly power of my country ; still, there are things which an e om and ono of these is that mankind should learn to my mind are even for g t Ah r s a d t i t En h in a og n n England sthhme ahna:l s i n cannotiems s ;o a r n t importance, the power re cognise and practise the great principles of honour and virtue. At the present moment there is involved in our discussion this important question—shall we, in the furtherance of our dominion, for objects purely selfish, forgot the great principles of virtue and justice. Shall we, in order to establish oar dominion over what I may call the defenceless people of India, utterly re gardless of that which civilisation ought to teach us to regard—shall we, I say, pursue our own objects without any consideration of the principles which ought to govern us as a people ? The motion made by the right hon. gentleman the other night is, I think, one of the most transparent of party manoeuvres I have ever seen —(loud cheers)—and I have seen many transactions of that sort. At this very moment we, the House of Com mons, are vindicating to ourselves the government of India—for it is idle to talk of the Crown. The Crown means the House of Commons. (A laugh.) That ap pears to excite in the minds of some a feeling something like surprise ; but I would ask any man who under stands the practical working of our system of govern ment to answer me this question—is not all the power said to be centred in the Crown really exercised by this house ? Shall we say, when we transfer the government of India from the East India Company to the Crown, that we do not give it to the Ministers of the Crown who act under the control of this house I Therefore I say that when we talk about transferring the government of India from the East India Company to the Crown, we really declare that the House of Commons is to govern India. And at the very time when we are so discussing this matter of the government of India there comes before us a mere matter of party politics. (Cheers.) We forget the happiness of 200,000,000 of men, and we re duce the question to the consideration of this bench and that. (Renewed cheers, and No, no.) No, no ! is there any man so utterly void of consideration of what is going on around him and of what is being enacted before his rgt she eyes—is iatnssotchtnoeto there ushtene ttpor hyaperceive tepy: Ccanypehni politics—let (Cheers.) rat ist a c.ho n )s so whatne utd i like we blind puppy— (a laugh) ieu • lett • we a r t ueh can, fighting f t government l w n e g c f n r f of Thehqtchuua rermesdeatr Cardwell) np o ge onhlbil hon, propoundsaffectingogfns 0..f0r gentlemaneNw r o t r to the consideration.att, the happiness of 200 , consider() O, 0 0 this f ehrweetsphho pr oclamatio n o t uhew i tel siaromomtrnhneai wrong d espatch botdh q , neei u rchso e hpef s fora t iirs i tae o coayo n hri sdlx: b ftc e oha f irane o ndud r vil e :oiirls, u nhevig s eserins ? .. dent of the Board of Control was wrong in writing any wrongin the publication of that despatch. h t then e despa tch s n ay l s e h saysnwasan h s w e Now, lam prepared to meet him on all these points. I say, first, he was bound to write that despatch ; I say, secondly, he wrote the right answer to that despatch : and, thirdly, I say he was not answerable for the pro duction of that despatch. (Cheers.) I have no doubt that may astonish some gentlemen in this house, but before I have done I hope I shall be able to satisfy them of its justice. Was he or was he not bound to write an answer to that proclamation ? I will not now enter into any dis• cuesion of the manner in which we have acquired do minion in India ; I will only say this—that having en tered it as a body of mere merchants we in course of time acquired the dominion of that vast country, but that we did not do so without sacrificing on almost every occa sion every principle which ought to guide the justice of a nation—(cheers) —that we have been rapacious, that we have been cruel, that we have been unjust, but that we have acquired dominion. (Cheers.) We have done it by the great power and capacity of the men we have sent there—by the wonderful valour of our troops, than which nothing can be more wonderful, but notwithstand ing, we have sacrificed truth, honour, and justice. (Hear, hear.) I know these are to many gentlemen unpalatable truths, but they are truths nevertheless. (Hear.) There is only one justification of dominion, and that is, that i. is such as to promote the happiness of the people over wham it is exercised, but in order to produce that hap- r General, and a despatch was addressed to him, calling upon him to cancel a treaty which be had entered into with the King of Oude. (Hear.) Well would it bays been if that despatch bad been published. [Ur. BRIGHT —"Hear, hear.''] The King of Oude would then have known how the treaty was regarded in this country, and he would not on a late occasion have appealed to a treaty which in England had no existence, and which Lord Auck land, Lord Hardinge, Col. Sleeman, and Lord Dalhousie said had never been properly explained to him, nor had be been made to understand that it was annulled. (Cheers.) But how did the Government of 1839 deal with Lord Auckland ? He would tell them in Lord Auckland's own words : "I cannot fully express how deeply I must regret that a e t aurs me, of u tnuc place t ai n our measure admitted to be so vvelletimed'and b ene fi c i a l b y th e great ma j or i ty of judges in this country, a measure which, geared irielladtiisuotraderwithproomudiuseudn, a 8 ssiLahple ty and practicable footing, just and usafulalike to the British Government, to the king, and to his people, should have been so unequivocallycondemned and nEngland, without l• without permitti ng to the Government in India even the opportunity of ono ex p la natoryrepresentation. (Cheers.) This condemnation has not only b een announced to us but it has been declared publicly, an d it remains for me only to act as best becomes the obligations of my duty in the difficult circumstan ces i n w h ich I am situated;' (Cheers.) He would only say in passing that the exam ple here set him was one which Lord Canning would do well to 1.11)W. (Cheers.) And what was the answer of the Government ? They did net condescend to give their leas ins for thus placing is Governor-General in so ignos minions a position, but they confirmed their previous de cision in the roost peremptory language. They simply said, " We have only to observe that we adhere to our former instructions, and direct that they may be forth with carried into effect." (Cheers.) He had, therefore, bet right to say that the noble lords who sat on the oppo site benches, and who appeared so anxious to cross over —(laughter)--had been parties to condemning a Gover nor-General of India without waiting for one explana tory remark, and the publishing in the House of Lord. what they had done. He might add that Lord Auck land did not resign. (Hear, hear.) The proclamation of Lord Canning could not be confined to the kingdom of Oude. In the neighbourhood there was a district, Re hilcund, where there was a peculiar tenure of land—a joint family tenure. Several members of a family held the same piece of land ; and as it was not often suf ficient to support them ail, some of them took service in neighbouring provinces, and under tho Eaet India Company. Would it not be thought that the procla mation applied to them? (Hear.) Would not the people of Rohilcund ask one another, "If such things are done in the green tree, what will be done in the dry? —if the Btitiah Government treats the inhabitants of Oude in this manner, what will it not do to us, who are confessedly under it s rule (Cheer.) Again, the procla mation would be peculiarly grievous to the Hindoos ; for they held that unless they had land which they could charge with payments on accunt of sacrifices for their souls their eternal welfare as well as their temporal in terests would be compromised. (Hear, hear.) He (Mr. Hardy) would ask his hon. and learned friend (Mr. Roebuck) what was the object of this motion ? (Ch. era.) Was it England or in India? (Renewed cheers.) If in India, he could only nay that serious as would be the t ff,ct of the proclamation, a majority in favour of the resolution would be still more fatal. (Cheers.) It ap peared from every newspaper of tl ae day that, as re garded the result e f the - proclamation there was but one osenien in India. (Cheers.) He would quote a few lines from an article which appeared en the 6th of May in what was called "the leafing journal," but which he hoped would not lead the public much longer—it led themin many contrary directions. (Laughter and cheere.) A. fortnight ago the journal in qu :stems wrote—" All the authorities concur in affirming that we might come to terms with the inhabitants without any trouble at all. Neither landhclders nor peoplo even in Gude, have any objection to our rule or supremacy ; but the former class desire a satisfactory tenure of their estates, and the latter look for assistance and piotection." (Laugh. ter.) Very different was this fr en the course that great journal had since taken. (gear, hear.) Ile (Mr. Hardy) had received or bad seen many letters, which, however, he would not produce, because he should be called upon to read them ; and that he had no autho. rely to do. This, however, he would state, namely, that they entirely cot:finned the statements in the In dian newspapers, and showed that the proclamation was condemns from ono end of India to the other. (Hew.) He would venture to say that if thee proclamation was crrried into effect, they would require not merely rein• forcements for the troops in India, but a new army of 20,000 men. (Loud cheer. He read in the Friend of Indix, which had just arrived : All the authorities who describe the impediments to a forcible subjugotiou of Oude concur in affirming that we might come to terms with its inhabitants without any trouble at all. Neither landholders nor peopls, even in Oade, have any objection to our rule or supremacy; but the former class desire a satisfactory tenure of their es tates, and the latter look fur assurance, and protection." (Cheeers.) And again-- - " All efforts to conciliate the people round Lueknow hare hitherto proved unavailing. They will neither return to the city, nor provide our troops with supplies. Not one of our men dare wander far from the main body. It makes every man in Oule a declared enemy, and does not exhibit any means of coercion. (Loud dime's.) As an amnesty, the boon conferred is ridiculous; for what power have we to put to death five millions of human beings? But the In. than treasury has been for some Wine exhaneted ; the pros cleination cannot refill it. Lucknow cannot be put up to auction, nor the castles of the taloeekdars sold to thehiehest bidders. Oude cannot be parcelled out into small farms and lot to aliens, fe , r interlopers would as soon take possession of the forfeited est a t es as an I r i s h gauger of a Tipper Ty estate in a year of famine, or a church missionary of a liv ing under the Neapolitau Government. The reports that the proclamation wilt give sue to will be endless. The British Government will be held up both as weak and rapa cious; as weak, in offering the life it has not the power to take ; as rapacious, in seizing estates to which it has uo right." (Loud cheers ) The ri g ht hon. gentleman (Mr. V. Smith) told the house that it bad no information upon which to pronounce an ornioo upon the meaning of the proclamation ; but the gentlemen opposite, in some of their speeches, had pu , -, an interpretation upon it which no one in England had a right to put, and which the people of Oude bad not put. (Chet); s.) But this, forsooth, was not a party question—this was not a question that affected thee tenure ef office He did not know with what feel ngs hoe, gentlemen regarded those (the Ministerial) benches—and, for himself, the sooner he Was tuned out the better it weal i be for his eaee and c older. (Laugh ter.) But there were rights to be vindicated and a duty to be done. (Cheery.) He should with his right hand might wither if ever he held it up in support of anything that octraged harnaei'y ; but he was proud to say that he could on this occasion hold it up in the common inte rest both of Eug'and and of India. He did most firmly believe that when the rec >lie mien of pary struggles had passed away, it would be admitted that the noble lerd, the late President of the B card of Control, though he ringlet have been injudicious, had been octal. ed by nothing but an hottest desire to promote the good of the people f:r whose sake ho had sacrificed 30 years of his life. (Loud cheers.) If hon. gentlemen op posite succ cried in their attempt to reoccupy the Trea sury benches, they would have done so without pro• claiming a policy. (I laugh answerer by loud cheers ) They would not have declared whether they intended to maintain the pi ocl unettion or whether they intended to disavow i%; and the public would justly say that they had taken office under false pretences. (Lou,! cheers.) Lord DUNKELLIN hoped the house would extend to him its usual forbearance to a new member, while he expressed his opinions upon a question of painful and pecuthir intertst to him. (fLar, bear.) He fslt wish the learned SelicichoreGeneral that it was impossible to di. - cuss the subject before them without referring to the do cuments which were supposed to have been published in India. Ani yet, it could not be ant painful to the Go vernor-General to be told that the House of Commons had censured documents as emanating from him, with out any certainty that such was the case. The precis illation had been condemned as too severe—as being too sweeping—on the supposition that the people of Oude were not in rebellion. Now, he begged to deny at once the very foundation upon which that argument rested. Not only were the people of Oude in rebellion, but in a rebellion of the very worst kind. Oude had long since been annexed to the British dominion*, and it formed a portion of our territory in India when the present Go! vernor-General assumed his office. The outbreak com menced at Meerut, far away from the confines of Gude, and it had raged at its height before it burst upon that kingdom. Lord Cunning's proclamation wee not a measure of confiscation, it was intended to place the o and without rights of Oude upon a right footing, d without which there would never be peace in the country. It had been suggested however, that Lord Canning's proper course would have he er n to have issued an amnesty. No doubt such an amnesty might have been issued, and _probably its immediate effect would have been to have producedthe Governor-General of quietness. But, although might have consulted his in adopting that own ease eminently unworthy of him, having regard t course, it would have beenfuture i n terests at stake, and tor the career of those o w h o the er e to succeed him in the govern- have w followed such a policy. H e world vote for t rnent of India, to he r esolution of the right hon. gentle man the member f o r Oxford, because be believed th e policy o f the Government to have been unju s t as we ll as • detrimental t o tee hest interests of our Indi an emp i re. (Hear.) OVAINE having been on terms of conside rable Lord L . . th Lord Canning, confessed the intimacy wi . • hest possible opinion of his merits. ad 'win the fog ' mired his • firmness as well as his hum an it y ; nor h a d he been slack j i n justification of his nobl e f r i en d. H e a l so ver y much regretted the publication of the d es p a t c h , at the sum© time that there was no overlookin g th e f act that it was useless to attempt to suppress it. However, the real question before them for discussion was, what was to be their future policy towards India, and whether it was right to have issued such a proclamation—which, let them mark, must be read unmitigated and uninter preted by any of those private instructions which would never reaeli the bulk of those to whom it was directed. (Hear, hear.) Attempts had been made on every aide to gloss over the subj ec t o f t h e wholesale confiscation. Now, one thing was certain, that whenever previously the tide of conquest had swept over India the property in the soil had invariably remained where it was. The latest accounts from India showed how the proclamation had been interpreted in India. Much had been com plained of the sending out such a despatch at such a junc ture to the Governor-Geueral. Now, he would recall to the house that during the progress of the Crimean war a Minister in office did not hesitate to forwa rd letters t o th e C r i mea ac t ua lly impugning the (Hear, honour and the veracity of the commander-in-chief. left un questioned hear.) Well, were civil governorshfe of our armies were to be i questioned when the gallant c thus unmercifully dealt with in the midst of unparalleled difficulties ? He honestly confes sed, issuing of that bad Lord Can nine asked his advice as to the hie proclama 46 Ef. 106' 92 LO6/ )9/ i i i