The Sun. — London, England, 1824-07-19 00:00:00

INDIA HOUSE, FRIDAY, the 9th of JULY, 1824. LIBERTY OF THE PRESS IN INDIA. Having given only a brief outline Of Mr.lium's Speech on this interesting subject, we are induced to present it-to our Readers in a more enlarged and accurate form as it contains n complete refutation of the calumnies industr ious)y cirentated against an enlightened, meritorious, and amiable tqbile Character (Mr. &tux 'ADAM) in his a dministration of the British Government in India. Mr. IMP EY observed, that, with respect to one part of the epeech! (Mr.' Kinnaled's) . which they had just heard-he meant that part of it which related to Mr. Arnott-he had a plein and evident answer to give, which, in his opinion, ought to be satiefactory to every man in that Court. The case (dein Arnett, it should nut be forgotten, had not as yet arrived in this country. The conduct of t he Government abroad was subject, first, to the animadversion of the Court of Directors, and next, to the official notice of the Board of Controul. It was, therefore, quite imposible for this Court to take up the cast: m. 4 mere vsgue locrw statement. They must wait until the detail:ter Mr. Arnott's case, - and an explanation of the %Walla anti conduct of Government, had arrived. . The Court ramie see, that, to discuss this question, under these chum 'lances, .would lee highly improper, and most injurious to the Government. of India. It was acting calumniously towards Any mine loosen his conduct with abuse, in the first instance, and to Wait for his explanation after censure had been pro. nounced on him. The very ions speech which they had just bawl he :met cherecterise as consisting simply of two parts alit oat, the praise of Mr. Buckingham ; the other, the abuse of ell those who were opposed to him. Putting the case of Mr. Arnett out of the question, the motion certainly appeared to be connected with two circumstances of great importance. One Of these wax, the alleged removal of Mr. Buckingham front ludie,, contrary to all law, and in defiance of all justice. The Other shad reference to certain regulations, lately teamed by the Goerniment of India, for the correction and restraint of the Press in that country. In his opinion very short answers might be given, in that Court, - to the address of the lion. Proprietor, on those points. It must prima elide appear to the Court, that ? in all probability, nothing had been done, in this case,, either illegal or unjust ; because Mr. Buckingham hail appealed from the Government of Bengal to the Directors e and also la the Board of Controul, for the renewal of his license. andOils'apPeal had been disallowed. Both those Bodies had examined Ins case, end they had refused to interfere, or to re. new his license for residing in India. If, however, it were Arms, that he hadoeffered, either in person or property, in con. aerftience Of the Conduct of the Otivernor General, that Court •was.not the place iii which he ought to seck for redress. Ile ought tolook for reparation in a Court of Justice. T here was not a man who heard him, who del not know if it were proved to theamisfaction of an English Jury, that Mr. Buckingham had been injured by the tyranny or injustice of the Indian Go. 'vernment, that ample damages would be awarded to him.-e The lion. haver had stated, that, to bring an action at law would he .4 hopeless course, since it would be very difficult to prove malice on the part of the Governorseenerale Ile (Mr. "Lupin) believed that it would indeed be difficult to do so; but, it' that were the case, how dare the lion. Proprietor im pute malice to the Governor-General . with such confidence and boldness as he had done ?-(flear !)-The lion. Proprietor asserted that Mr. Buckingham was illegally removed. lie Would say, Vouch were the filet, that the person aggrieved 'Meet recover very heavy damages. But he was prepared to 'hew, that the removal of Mr. .Buckingham was perfectly legal, and completely j us tifi a bl e . Wi t h res p ect t o th e secon d root,, the answer was equally Alton. The - law of this coun try had given to the overnor-tteneral in Council the power to institute rules and regulations for the Government of the town of Calcutta, and he possessed the same authority with respect to Tat: PRO VI NC ES EN E RALLY. The regulethlns complained of hid been agreed to by the Governor-General in Council; 'ehey were argued in the Supreme Court at Calcutta, and in Court they were registered. They had afterwards been treestnitted to The King in Council, as was by law directed, and to I'he King in Council, Mr. Buckingham had appealed. lie was called on for a printed state of his ease, which case weeld ultimately be argued before The King in Council.- Therefore, so far as the Court of Proprietors was concerned, the ' case of Mr. Iluckingltem wee, (tram ono prince. That eeeurt hall nu right to int er f ere with the subject. The clues. ties wag, in ajutlieial course, before The Kittle in Council, and tr• decision of the Court of Proprietors could have no influence on it, one way or other. In any common case, this short en. veer would be quite suffi c i e n t t ,b ut , as t h e y lied been told that this was only the commencement of a series of discussions on ..tbject, which discussions, it appeared, were first of all t he carried int in that CtR..• ~ and afterwards in other places, thought it was right to enable the Proprietors, by a plain statement, U, judge how they ought tottecide, supposing for a triaoieot that they had the necessary- jurisdiction. Ile would endeavour to show, that there was no foundation whatever, in law or in .juetice, for the aumPlaint of. Mr. Bechinglmin-he ield shov e quite clearly, that Mr. Buckingham was not re leoeed from India illegally-she would dentonetrate, that Mr. Beekinghatei W;01 not compelled to leave that country until he Lid, over and over .4*bn-infringed on the regulations laid down fur the Government of the frets'. Whether those regu. Dion% were or were not hives, he Would not say ; but certainly they had been treated as laws by the Maripeis of' liagtings, in Coeueil e and they had been laws even by Mr. Buck in :nn himself. Before .Mr. Iluckinglnon was removed, he been .warned" anti menaced, oyes told over Agßin,;brtlie. Ceeertunent of the Marquis of Ilitelitiget lintl'even iwthe'hand aeritlekof the Marquis of Ifaitinge. hiniselfeereletive to hi coestant infraction of those regulations. But yet. after all these warnings and Viillionitrances-Aftaz all theme threat* -After being rept itteilly told, Clet e if lie did not desist, he:would be removed, 41 e. email/lain& that he heti been Illegally sent owee. With respect to , ono point which the Don. Pmprie. tor 1.4 d firgual at great length, and . which re,gaNied the metric- Lielie which had hoed' laldon the tool. he' thought he could eienv, in the first place, thet there never ,heli •heen a free press in le - Ate-that SUCII A thinteenever could have entered the mind set-the Marmite of Hastings hieleelfs e and t h at its eetaleish. in :en was wholly inconsistent with hie own regal' jell , . It was quite-ehex that it tree Kele could not i•xist untkr a deniotie . Goveruntent.-(llear, hear I freire Mr. , Vo veratrient of India always was, s must be, ri'destnitie elvernineet, while it w e e itt ep t i e e t tee . c e by el , It ek we)-. With 'respect to the cane of Mr. iinelrirtglniin, it wita Inn!Ctii , ArY tct - cell the attention of the Court, in the first place, td the 'real , etateef the facts, without gloss or ornament. Mr. 'lucking learn, as they hied been told e. wes by profeseion, a mariner. In -order to pureue that profereticm In India , he obtatiued a license 'Mai the Company to gn there. With that license he proceed. ed in Calcutta in the year 1418. In purulence of the terms of that lieenge, it was necessary that he should enter into a cove ensot with the Company by indenture-that covenant provided, Oat, bq long as he remained in belie; he should conduct and detoesta himself ace:Ming to the regulations, which, from time to time, tuight be put i 1 force at the Settlement where he was r , *4itt. And, la order to enforce compliance with that in desiti.tra, the following provision wits made in their Charter:- Provided always, and he it further enacted, That if any " person having obteined a certificate or license front the said Court of Directors, authorizing such person to proceed to " the Beet Indies, or other place within the limits of the said COTllparty'a Charter, shall at any time soconduct himself, as, in the judgment of' the Governot.General, or . Governor in (sunlit of the Presidaricy within which such person " abaft be found, to have forfeited the claim to the coon „ whowee an d protection of the Governor of such Pre " eidency, it shall and may be lawful for such (lover. " star-General, or Governor in Coetteil, by order, to de in dare, that the certificate or licence, so obtained by such p erso n, shall be void, from it tie) , to be named in such order, said from sod after such It day so to be named in such order, " such preen *then he deemed and taken to h e a person re. " tiding and being in the feast Indies, or parts eforesaid, with. " out Itrei cs or authority for that purpose, any matter or thing teethe contrary notwitinuending."-Soch was the law upon wlaidi the 'Government of India had acted on this occasion. NOw..in became material to consider how Mr. Buckingham eotultteted }dimwit' while in India. Ile proceeded there as a rharinc!, but he thought proper to set up a press at Calcutta. With this, however, he did not quarrel, whatever might be hie *Pillion an to the manner in which that press was conducted by . I :kir. lindciattivirm It now became important to consider what were the rules end.regolatione which this gentlemen. Wee der his licence us it mariner, was Inroad to abide by. They hut been told by die other side, that every thing which had bean donehY the Marquis of Hastings, reepectlng the rules and vegetations for the Government of the Press-drat, tree„, tbl i eee7 net which that Nobleman had done, relating to was ft mere feint-that he did not really nimitt that which his words end acts declared elet) Watit ut, he w tkiz to lie his inset'. insult to that Noble s ir i V to t° 4 7 ce Yi v t e lle i t li h t l a c w o li Q r o i l l e ; . ; ri t e Cif rp c li o 3 nd act betra y ed ear )--.--Was It not most i 'fe ltin g to him lteaswert. that - 1 4 gated were contrary to h i 13 401410ne whielche promul, oral '13,-W•44 there ever known sa ticee%eiLlelien,te,i;nerrete,e,e4e4ll duty, t es di/ el eller& (fore theripeit tintiouhteelly wrA4 '.. r " /- 4tit wim; authority hid tete H ere . e ties P -4 El far "r • )- cilia-se-ter of tlie Marquis of 'firoteg . „ l / 9 7 e ne le e r. virj od right bed lid t 0 ttaiert that thefilorlla a mete had aettel w i t h insincerity P--(llseir i ye -Be (Mr. rfa r i.f.- no• that. the NUble ,Neeettie WiViVrt . P 4 -44.1 5 14774 ) .-1 1**d been placed in 111401 r: tiotTy rn" ' tilitte'kuitt tali on the 4) of Mr. 13016 pi:bailees conduit, 4iftieft Chew* 'yiee ee m et a t .Neste Marquis WWI quite is comet; 'He enoultleyendeeeeeli;:e O of those papers, which the Honourable Proprietor (Mr. Kin. 'laird) had designated as silly, foolish, anti contemptible, to which he had applied all the strong and offensive epithets he could think of ; which document was absolutely revised by the • hand of the Noble Marquisliimeelf---(Hear I)—The letter Ad.( dressed to Mr. Iluckinghani 'informing him that, if he to pursue the course itch he bad been so often warned to forego, his licence wOul be withdrawn, and he himself would be removed from India,. was written, every word,..by r the hand of the Marquis of Hastings ! What, then, would the Court say of a Gentleman, who, on his own lyre dixit, as serted, that the Marquis ofaastings pursued one line of con. duct, while in his heart and in his mind he favoured another ? —(Hear, bear I)—The regulations which were promulgated by the Alarquis of Hastings for removing the Censorship from the Press in India, did not give to that country a free Press. He would remind the Court, that when the Marquis Wellesley was Governor-General in Bengal, be found it necessary to impose a censorship on the press, which remained in force until the Marquis of Hastings took it off; but, soon after he removed :the censorship, be introduced other regulations for the Govern ment of the Press. This had most 'erroneously been called the establishment of a free Press in India. It li was, hbwever, no such thing. It was very true, that those regulations or restrictions, promulgated by the Marquis of Hastings, were quoted by Mr. Canning in the House of Commons, and that Right Hon. Gentleman indulged himself in a laugh. And why P He laughed at the idea of such re -strict.ions being referred to, as a proof Of the establishment of a free Press in India I—(Hear.)—That was the cause of his mer. riment. The regulations adopted by the Marquis of Hastings were conveyed to the Editors of a different newspaper. They were there informed, in the way of statement end explanation, what was expected from theist in conducting their several Jour nals, and they were' told that, if they did not conform to those regulations or expressed opinions of the Government, they were liable to be removed front India under the provisions of the Act of Parliament. The following wits the circular sent round on that occasion : ' " To the Editor of the " Sir—llls Excellency the Governor-General in Council hav ing been plensed to revise the existing regulations regarding the controul exercised by the Government over the Newspapers, I am directed to communicate to you, fur your information and guidance, the following ItesOlutiont, passed by his Lordship in Council " The Editors of newspapers are prohibited from publishing any matter coming, under the following heads:— " Ist, Animadversions on the measures and proceedings of the Hon. Court of Directors, or other public authorities in England connected with the Governin'ent ut India ; or disquisitions on political trensactions of the local AJininistration, or offensive remarks levelletlett the public conduct of the Members of the Council, of the Judges of the Supreme Court, or of the Lord Ilitihop of Calcutta. "2d, Diseussions having a tendency to create alarm or sue. picion among the native population, of any intended interfer: ference with their religious opinions or observances. " 3d, The repoblication, from Englieh or other newspapers, of passages coming under any of the above heads, or otherwise calculated to affect the Brithdi power or reputation in India. " 4111, Private scandal mid personal remarks on . individuals tending to excite dissension in society. " Xelying on the prudence and discretion of the Editors for their careful observance of these rules, the Governor-General in Council is pleased to dispense with their mihntitting their papers to an officer of tiormintext previous to publicatin. The Editors will, however, be held personally accountable fur what ever they may'publisit in contravention of the rules now com municated, or which may it otherwise .at variance with the general principles of British law, us established in dais country, and will be proceeded against in such a naanner its the Gover. nor-General in Council may deem applicable to the nature of the offence, fur any deviation from them. " The Editors are further required to lOdge in the chief .Se eretary's ofilec one copy of every newspaper, periodical or extra, published by them respectively:" Such were the regulations of the Government of the India ' Press, as.promulgated by the Marquis of Hastings. It was for, the Court to say, whether ; the ft free pow" could apply to a press which was subjected to such Now the next question was, ht)w far Mr. Buckingham, (aring the time he resitl,ll in India, complied with these regulations ? The first publication of his which attracted the attention of the Government of Ind ie,and which called for its interference, was what Wax copeeived to be a libel on the tliwernment of Madras, which appeared on the tllith of 'May, 111111. lie did not speak of this production as one that would be deemed a libel in tide country, bin as it publication tliut was treated as a libel by the Governer-General aryl His Council. Ile would not read that document, lam he would suite to the Proprietors the letter which the Marquis of Ilaetings and the other Members of the Govern. ,cent ditectvd to hie writton to Mr. Beck:lngham, in conse quence of its appearance. The letter ran thus :-- " Ti? llr, )Ittck Ingham Ed itor, o fehe Ca/Nitta Journal. • • Departnivnt. " ratention nt Onverrinient having been drawn to certain► paragraph:4, published in the (_'abetter Journal of Weil. nestlay the 2141 i ult., an, directed by his Excellency the Moat Noble the flovernor-General its 0)111161 to conitnuniente to you the following remarks regarding them : • " The Governor-(e: end in Council observes, that thim . publi. cation 13" WIMP attack upon the Governor of the P ree ning of Fort St. George. in winch his continuance ill office is re- presented as a public ,caloroity, and ;his conduct 'in admini stration asserted to be governed by despotic principles, and infinence t i by ;unworthy motives. "'l'h;: (oyernor Onnerld iii council rofreins from enlarging upon the . injurious circlet, which publieitions it* such it nti titre .are calculated to prodnen in time doe administration of the effidis of this country, It Ls sufficient to inform on, that ha consul :s the paragraphs Above quoted to be highly offensive and objectionable in theniselVes, and to amount to a violation of the obvious spirit of the instructions communicated to the Editors of Newspapers, without subjecting them to the retie mut revisions of the Officers of (iovertnitent. "'The Governor-General in Council regret* to observe, that this ia not the only ;Haan; t with` e theee tfi le e nt s l T a lr J it ou o7 l „ 1 1 3 ,1_ •4 utin ed publications structions above referred to. On the 'orient ciecaeion, tile Governor-Gerteral in Council doe% not propose - to exerdse the powers vested in him by law; . but I ant directed to avtio:.int you, that by, any repetition at' a similar offence, yotewill be considered In hove forfeit td all claim to the coutitenance 'anti protection of this Government, and will subject yourself tti be proceeded against under the :pitta:pittasection of the Wl' Geo. 3 cep. 145. I am, - &e. (Signed) " 'W. 11. Hayti:vs (Thief Sec. to Gov." '' Cottneit (thumb: r, ee I ti, 11119." It was here very material to consider in whet light Mr. Buck ingham, soon alter his arrival in India, viewed the power winch was alluded to in the for,aroing 'Letter. To flint Letter Mr. Buckingham returned the following answer " To W. B. BAYLEY., Esq. Chief Seeretnry to Obvernment. " n---I have the bonder to acknowledge the reeeiptbf your letter ofthe expreseing the displeasure of the One vernor-General in Connell, at the publication (it' certain para.' graphs in the Calcutta Journal, or the 28th ult. reflecting on the character of Mr. Elliott, in his public capacity its Onverner of Madras.-.I shall not preettintv to intrude on the notice of His Lordship in Council, any observations tending to the ex tenuation of my conduct in this or in any previous instance ? es departing from the spirit of the instructions issued to the 'Edi tors of the public Journids in India, at the period they were exempted from the necessity of previously submitting their publications to the revision of the Seeretary to GOveinnient.— I shall rather confine myself toobserving, that I sincerely re gret my having given cause to his Lordship in Council to , ex press his displeasure, and the more an; as there is not an in dividual among the numerous subjects under His benign Go. vemment, who is more sensible than myself of the'unprece. dented liberality which liar marked His Lordship's admini ittretion in general, and the , immense obligation which all 'the friends of the Press owe to the measure of the revised Itegula tions in particular. The very marked indulgence which His Lordship In Council is pleased to exercise towards ate, iii re= mitting on this occasion the exercise of the powers vested in hint by law, will operate as an additional incentive to my future observance of the spirit of the instructions issued befdre the commencement of the Calcutta Journal, to the Editors of the Public Prints in India, in August, Mk of which I am now fully informed, and which I sloth! henceforth make my guide. " I am, &c. (Si4tied) "J. S. BUCKINGHAM. " Calcutta, June 22, 1819." Stich was the promiso. made by Mr. Buckingham to the Alarquis of !Listings ; and he would call on the. Court to mark how 111r.'lith+kinghtiiti kept that promise—hovr he conformed to those regulations with which . he was, as lie admitted, per feCtly acquainted. Not many montlisaftewards, 31r. Bucking ham renewed his attack on the very same person, the tiovernor of Madras. On this second occasion, it alilleateti the Marquis of liestialo felt it necessary to direct the Secrete)* of the Coon again to address a remonstranc, to Alf. Buckingham. In the letter which was, in consequence, written to th at Gentleman, the following passage would . .fre foam) 12th January, 1820. " The. Onv'ernort(4eneral iu rout cll has pa rcelvta with re ;at imp,mtion made o yini by the indulgence you inrected to tier.) you. of The esitilh t o6l.triene of 'Mir again hit itrri, the t iw i le u 4 s o e tokunt instance; I . lls Lordship in Council coritows himself : With requiring, t f olti ;, , distjnct thy, impropriety, of y f ) . ur ,wr i d u .„ o a fu ll an/t .idflicicot apology' to the floVerninent of V i r t ies' n L, Ge ,„. n , e, for the; injurious insinuntiang insertOti in yoth , pi t o* Alay, vial) 9th conduct of that Uover m i l w,. !l it he/I thyralentfe Votirnel." " In the long speech by which this -question' duced they had been favoured with a recital of several libels published by Mr. Buckingham, which rendered it necessary for the ,Bengal Government to interfere. If he were to go ever those libels again, it would only weary and disgust the Court. Suffice it to say, that, during Mr. Buckingham's resi dence in India, he.puldishcal libels against the Bishop of CaJ. cutta, against the Clergy, and against the whole Government 'of India, as being actuated by corrupt and unworthy motives He described that Government as discouraging merit, while. it rewarded meanness and. subserviency. He sent forth libels against the Governor-General, against the Commander in -Chief, against the Grand Jury, who-had-found a bill against him; and he had. attacked private individuals in innumerable instances !—(Hear !).—He must say, in the presence of that Court, that he could-not perceive, in the conduct of the Mar tinis of Hastings, during the occurrence of these publications, any of that wisdom, promptitude, and firmness which dis. tinguished the other parts otitis administration.—(hear, hear !) •Certainly the,Noble Martinis adopted some means to stop this growing evil : but they were not sufficiently strong to effect that object. Ile endeavoured to check Mr. Buckingham ;he tried threats;-he tried advice;--he tried Courts . Martial(llear, hear )—but it was all in vain. Mr. Buckingham went on, to the last, in the same obnoxious course. He at length ventured to deny the Authority of Government altogether, and to set its mandates at defiance. In consequence of an article •in which the power of the Government to remove from India any Euro. pean, not a covenanted servant of the Company, was completely denied, 4 the andwing x l i c g t n te c r a , w hy ri t h e e n the Marquis of 1 Secretary to the Govern ment, was addressed to Mr. Buckingham on the Bth of Sept. 1022. 44 T o M r . J. S. Bircuti;ax.tm, Editor of the Caku lta Journal. " General Department. 66 gin,--The attention of the Governor-General in Council has been called to a discussion in the Calcutla Journal of the 31st ult., respecting the power of Government to: forbid the ffirther continuance within the British Territories in India of any Eu ropean not being a covenanted servant of the Honourable Company. 1. With a suppression of facts, most mischievous, as tending to bt.tray others iron penal error, you have pot out of view.the circumstance thtif the f residence alluded to, if it be !without a license. i criminal by the, law of Englan'd ; while, it' the residence be sauctioned.tby license; it, is upon the special recorded condition not simply of obedience to what the local Government may see cause to enjoin, but to the hOlding a con duct which that Government shall deem to merit its countenance nod protection ; a breach of ,which eonditien.forfeits the indul gence, end renders it liable to extinction. " 3. This provision, which the Legislature of your Country has thought proper to enavt (53d. Geo. 3. c. 155. x. 36), you havedarmglk enileaYoured to discredit and nullify, - by assert ing that a tratnitnission for offences through the press is a power wholly unknown to the • law ;' that no regulation rix -Ist% in the Statute Book for restraining the press in India,' and that, •‘ the more the nionstroui doctrine of transmission is examined, the more it ruust . excite the abhorrence of all just minds.' . _ ...... " 4. No comment ix requisite on the groat' disingenuousness of describing as a tyrannous authority, that power. the legality and justice of which you had acknowledged by your voluntary acceptance of a leave, granted on terms, involving the express recognition to that effect. Neither is it necessary to particula rize the many minor indecencies in , the paper observed upon since you have brought the matter to one decisive point. " 5. Whether the,Act of the . British legislatnre, or the opt. nion of an Shall be Predominant, is now at issue.— It is thrnee imperative on the duty of the local lloVernment to _pnt - thesiihjict at rest. The long tried forbearance of the oo vernor.(leneral will fully, prove, the extrema reluctance with which he adopts a measure of harshneas.; and even now His li4cellency in Council is ple4ised to give you the advantage of one more warning. You are now finally apprized it' you shall again' venture to impeach the validity of. the Statute quoted, and the legitithacy of the power vested by it in the Chief thority here, or shall treat, with disregard any official. injunction past or future from Government, whether connimoicated in terms of command, or in the gentler language, of intimation your license will be Immediately cancelled, and you will be or. tiered to depart forthwith from ' 6 I am, &c. (Signed) "C. lAtitutifuTort." During the whole of these. proceedings relative to the subject ,of the Press, the 3larquis of Hastings was acting contrary to the views of His Colluegues, who wore anxious that more prompt and efficient measures should be taken. Now, was it to be supposed, that the Noble Marquis was the only person in the right ? Was it to be imagined, that he alone could judge correctly on thill.subject, and that His Colleagues runst,:all be in the wrong ? He could nut tell what the Dirs...ctors - ,thottght on this point, but it might be inferred, as.they, butt ultimately sanctioned the removal of Air. Ilitckingluon, that they viewed the contittet,of those who tied sent hiss tows 7 an psricetly ctn _ runt unit luskidahle. Vat, the Muttioi3 or Hastings, t ironghoitt nil these proceedings, had acted in opposition to Ills Conned, oppositiort to those Gentlemen who bad 'deetncti it necessary to remove Mr. Buckingham ,frOrn India. A motion had, long beibre, been mode in COoncil for the removal et . that indivt. dun]. It was proposed that his licence lie withdrawn, and that proposition wits supported by the her, ii Ceased, thongli it was over-ruled by the Marquis of IlAtings ! Woad it then have'been a win,clei-, if, when the pe riot! arrived, which placid at the head of the Government those who previously declared, that Mr. iluckingham ought not to be surreys() to remain in India—would it, he asked, have been is' wonder t if they proceeded to remove hista for 11Is pest trlMS,"reSsic;' They did not, however, do this : No, t h ey Waited for ilium which they were sure to find„ namely, another transgression! As'to the nature of this last transgression, he would say nothing. He_carcsinot whether the conduct of the Government was right or wrong hi visiting the offence as theY had done.—( hear, hear hat:Government, in exercising its authority,,was accountable to the Court of Directo rs . Th ose who compsigril it felt that the 'ankle in question was •an improper one, and they resented the publication, as, by law, they had a right to' do. The (' P i n i o n o f t h e Mem bers of Conn long before, was, that :11r. lluekingliarn should he re moved ; and when that removal took place, neither the Court of Directors, nor the Board or Controul, censured those who adopted the measure. Op the contrary, they agreed in the Ipropriety of the Act—( Hear, hear!)--As to Mr. Buckingham, re stmeld be extremely sorry to say any thing disrespectful of him, and he wished the same forbearance had been manifested, on • the other side, tower& Mr. Anast---(llear, hear 4---fle should feel that he degraded himself, and insulted the Court, if he applied the same epithets to Mr. Buckingloith that had, this day, been applied to Mr. Adam—(iieer, hear. !)—Mr. Buckingham • for aught helrnew to the contrary, 'might - have acted from the sincere conviction of his own mind. He might suppose that a free Press would he beneficial to Citfr Indian Empire, and lie might perhaps feel that he was a Martyr to his eflhrts for the attainment of that object. He understood ties. Buckingham was now employing himself in the-produc tion of 'a very useful work in this country. Had he published ht England what he thought proper to publish in India, no person would hive found fault with it—(Hear, hear !)—Such publications would be here in tic right niece —Wu place where the strictures of a free Press would operate .with good cocci the 13 nyenuu t . If India. There was • one part of Rlr. Buck- Ingham's . conduct, and of the conduct of his'rUhTetes, which • •he roust utterly condemn. Ho meant, their treating this ar a personal question between Mi..Buckin;;lttim • and Air. Adam. Mr. Adam, acting on public iirittelple, had removed Mr. BuCk. inylputi for Moven-M[4'6f India; Put iti!rdi ) Polents accused him with having taken thatstetirrorn ttitkiretterprlytitejonlic e It w. 14 a Very easy thing, %elk ) , tee, itt thr di g _ ioneo of half the Globe from tiii' Native Country, to condemn hini as a tyrant--to brand him With the ' 6 dialichnra&rer of a malicinns man !—ln answer to_ observations which. hid worn 'mode on this subject, he littgot.4lWe fo r ead lb .tha , Chun 'tile Opinions, entertained by some eminent men in India with re. spect both to Mr. Adalll personally and to his.A4Miniitra two would lay before the Conn dertAin'lT 6B :',t.Z.e 4 from a letter written by th e G over n or of'DOesitta from a letter written by Lord A mhe Gentlemen would object to his tootteren* ititr livered nt a public tneeting the y ent kyian Who *no actually which was specially called - at the tetinination of Mr. Adam's which Wass ]' old Goiernment. fly whom VMS, that most faicit.Ll'ab le 'nPili Ir. g r ti lt -11 :4a rh ; i tt k O, AP a nl n: Adam given? It witsgieen, by Counsel for Mr. Buckingham lihrtself—( Hear !)..... a nti every person who knew that individual must know, that, he was (40 lasi man who would be gniltY of deceit or ofinjustice„.4feaff) —The letter from the Governor of Bominty to a near relation contained this passege:— ":11ornhay At; k hI, t12:1. " Nothing can exceed the praise which eVerylgody in lien " gal bestows on John Adam's tltninistrathill,,,Which is the " more to his credit, as much of his employntoi 1105 been of 6 , an nnpipular nature. 'Elie restriction Pli.t4prtss in parti 46 cilia-- but the inconsistency of o:free:press; 'where nothing " else is free or intended to be free, Is ton obvious to escape you, " It is our duty, and °I am. happy to: say, it is our wish too, to " hasten on the time when the people'or tho'country may take "a share in their Government. But at present nobody would " take a part or an interest in politleal discussions but the Eu " unseals, of whom more than nine-tenths compose the strength " of the Army." . . . i'The third tostirnony in &your of Mr. iioant's. conduct •was that of Lord itrulterst, who aecotuanied thi) expreasion of the '., , ittifaettii.y manner m WhiCh he had administered the affairs of ltittiti; ) ivitWatt i”epre:isiort Of 'reitet that Ilia attite of health was 1 4 ;R cit :i tutwanltt '.depfive.-,hith ofltialtitttre toiii%tattee4+ax; :by ji log that, psailtance, hc.,feltAlott,,hp bad,lt?kt t' thp. ' stlift' on -. At rich he had prindpaity - 1 ati t . i" - , should now call the attentionof the Court to a public meet ing which was convened at Calcutta, at the close of Mr. Adam's administration. The very first name which he observed signed to the requisition was that of Mr. PALMER, the Gentleman whose favourable opinion of Mr. Buckingham had been so triumphantly quoted by the Mil. Mover. . Mr. Ferguson, who acted as Chairman on the occasion, thus expressed himself in One part of his speech Of such a character (observed that " Learned Gentleman) itsvas needlessly say much. Every one " who heard him knew that it was impossible to speak too " highly of the manner in which he had executed His PUBLIC ." and His PUIVATE DUTIES t and it was indeed to him (Mr. "-Ferguson) a source of the highest gratification to be call e d " upon to propose a public mark of respect and esteem to such " a man, whose purity of heart and sterling public worth en " titled him to the highest consideration in the power of the " meeting to bestow ! From his (Mr. Adam's) having passed " his life among them, they were well qualified to judge of his " merits; for his own part he• firmly believed that British-In " dis owed the major part of its present prosperity to the ar " (Nous exertions, the indefatigable attentwn to duty, and the " strict integrity which had distinguished Mr. Main in the " execution of the duties of the various and responsible situ*- " tions which 111 had tilled. Ile would say further, that he " firmly believed that in every public act of Ilia life he had " been influenced by none but the very best intentions, and he " felt assured that it was the lot of very few men to be esteemed " and beloved as was that excellent and admirable man ! In " unassuming benevolence—sound judgment and purity of " heart—he was surpassed by no man, and he (Air. erguaonj " was justly proud of his friendship." Such was the character of the individual against whom the shafts of scurrility had this day been directed in that Court.—( Hear 4—After the time which had been taken up by the Hon. Mover and by himself, it was Most unwillingly, that he trespassed farther on the Proprietors ; but the subject of a free press in India was of such extreme ins penance, that he could not refrain from offering to the Court some observations on that topic. The proposition for the emu tiliehment of a free press in India was: conceived in a total mile apprehension of the nature of the benefits that were desirable from n free press, and was opposed to that which he had ecnisi tiered a fundamental maxim of policy—namely, that, when a new institution was introduced into any country care should be taken that it was suited to the habits of society in that country . 1 —( Hier !)-13ecause, what might be conducive to the l u and prosperity of the peoplein one State, might be utterly destructive of the best interests of the community in no , ther.—(Hear !)—lle thought he had sufficiently ahewn, that nothing like a free press had ever existed in India, and that, whatever restrictions were imposed on it were imposed by the Government. The press had always been subject to the arbitrary regulations of the Government in ' circumstance which they had heard condemned to.day AS a great impeachment to the good sense and honesty of their Indian servants ; but he thought the Court would pause a little, on the wisdoth of altering that system, when they found that all their servants, men of ability, of integrity, and of experience, were directly opposed to any such innovation as was now contended for. Such was the opinion entertained by the Government of Bombay, headed by Air. Elphinstone; such' was the opinion entertained by the Government of Madras, headed-- by Sir Thomas Munro; and the Government of Bengal, headed by Lord Amherst, were unanimously of opinion that to introduce a free press in India, would create the utmost confuainn and dis. order at present, and would finally he destructive of The Bri. tish Empire there !—(11 ear I)—Such were the calm and deli.: berate opinions of the Gentlemen he had mentioned; and he believed, if he detailed the grounds on which that opinion rested, they would be found perfectly satisfactory. A free press, according to his notion of' the subject, was only calculated for a people who lied attained a very high degree of civilization.- -( Hear 1)—lIe might venture to say, until our own Revolu. tion in 1899, there was not in the world a free press; and he believed that a free press could not fairly and - substantially exist, except under a free Government.—(Hear!)—The privi leges of a tree press, which were fully exercised at present in this country, were, undoubtedly, most advantageous 'to the people ; but why was this so ? Because the Executive Govern ment was responsible for all its acts to a free -Parliament ; and that Parli a m e nt was responsible Joi t t l s a :O u n n s i t t i e t d Ue i t n its :ul a r tree . people. The press in this country enlightened and united the various parts of the State t.--livery individual, whether Gayer nor or Governed, was efitte,to by it, an ing that from which ' the y . derived so much benefit. 'every man, however, in this country knew that the primary object of every journal was its own immediate profit.—(Cries of No ! sad Hear!)—No man An • his senses would deny the fact. Be did not mean to s a y th a t profit was the only object sought to be obtained; hitt lie would contend that the primary object of every man 'who set up a journal WAS his own profit. The sequence til li the pr w e s a e s ; v t a h t at i o 1 , 1 o a f s r e t r n e , s sf o ri t i l e rii s r i ,a i n t edd constitutionalt e b est institution aenfur t s. ments, so also, as they well knew, was it sometimes the source cif irreligion, immorality, blasphemy, and •sedition. It was occw.ionally a pander to our worst passions, as well as the s u p. porter of our noblestpropensities. %illy was it that the false hoods and calumnies, which frequently disgraced the press of this country, made no impression, and obtained no credence? It waa hecaese Society here was enlightened and civilized in a very high degree, anti individuals were capable of judging whe ther a statement was well or ill founded ! The character of a great and good man in this country could not sufferein the slightest degree from the 'slander of venal writers ! No disorder was produced by their publication. The vessel of the State moved 'equably on in spite of the storm, which it free press occasionally raised around it; and the law, which was a law of protection to those who obeyed it, became a law of correction to those by whom it was disobeyed !) (Hear!)—ln India the converse of this proposition was true, and thereforea free press..could not exist in that country. The people had no. check on the Government there through the medium of a free Parliament. The only check on the Indian Goventinent'svas the authority which residedhere. The people of India were not in the habit of judging accurately of' the krounds of truth and felsehood respecting Cioverneuent (hear !)--:Whether what lead been said this day in the Court of Proprietors :Were truth or falsehood, (a fact that would be canvassed in lingland), he was quite sure that the whole of these operations would lie firmly believed from one end of India to the other without inquiry. Let the Court consider of what the populetion 'of India consisted, and then they would be better enabled to judge whether a free press was calculated for that country. The population, consisted of two very uric quid PvittletcEuropeens and Natives Was it for the Europeans Opt this free press was wanted ? The Europeans w ere c hi e fl y the Cmpitny'a Civil or Military Servant s , i n hi g h or l ow situa tions;' the. smell remainder were either Merchants or Shop. keepers ; who Were' allowed to fOIIoW their avocations under the raise and regulations promulgated by the Government. Cur- Was it o(u t i f,f, t t i ) n orho l ‘ is y i6ouidc i .fle.h t demanded,tt sh b ee r enr t ve h iat e bnb s trct e nst l tl? l fl t ea t a e (c : cef . fro c eett l aein a lre s p ; :r e ale— s i that a free picas was would he press) under Government rreeanintntit inferior co o n r l t Bengalfrs o e s u 1 vents had to do, was to acquire a knOwledge of the duties that were entrusted to - them, and to diechurge those duties feitlifelly,. \Vats it desirable that they should b e ca ll e d l imn the perfTirmance of those duties, weekly or daily, for the pur. pose of writing censures on their - superiors ?—(Hear !)—Was it for the benefit of India that they should be permitted to state, thetethose in power appointed persona to offi c e f r om base and corrupt motives ? Was it for the benefit of the Com. pany's Empire, that Writery or Cadets should set up as Censors of the Indian Government ? If these were to be the uses 'to which it was meant •to apply A free preas; he must strongly deprecate the introduction of that engine into the Company'e territories. ' In the present day it would perhaps only promote trouble and dissension, but hereefter it would produce ruin. I t was qu i te i mposs i ble to have i free press n India without its effects being extended to: the immense native population.. What lesson, he wished to knew, would a free - premme teach that population ? It would teach them, in the first, place, that they were subjected by force to a foreign government; and, in the next place, they would be taught the inalienable right of a ll t o free themselves from a foreign yoke.—(Hear !)—This was a lesson that would slowly reach them, but It would reach diem at last,—(hear, hear 1) — and the 'end weal be the 'expulsion of the British Power from India.—(Hear, hear !) The lesson that would be taugh: to the Native Army would be much more quickly learned, and would far more dangerous. Th e N at i ve A rmy constantly came contact with European Officers, and he feared, if a free press were once established, that great insubordination would . 41)911 prevail. If the Native Troops heard their Officers debating on the measures of Government, would they not stain learn to debate those subjects themselves ? Would they not be quickly reminded, that the country was preserved and defended bythcm ? Would they not recollect that they were deprived of any participation of the High; flOnOurti and Immunities of the State? And would they not be told, that n participation in these Honours anti Immunities Would be the reward of a successful rebellion ? This was the last lesSon that Woold be taught in India by a free Press. The scholars would undoubtedly find much difficulty in carrying it into effeet ; but when there was such an immense- disparity lof force, the consequen ce wou ld b e fatal It would be equally ruinous to thlic country and to India, which 'would be left a prey to hopeless rapine and dreadful devastation. He should strenuOnelyoppose this motion for papers, which, as it appeared to would. afford no information whatev er on t h e subject. - Eut whitiiiti the necessity for information, when those Who were hostile to the motion admitted all the facts ? It Would be for the,Poprictore to decide on this question, after thei lied heard what sort of a case was made out on each side. Hui ekmceived that that which lie had submitted to them m et , in the met Setietaitory. , mannerevereilpart of the statement of the lion. Proprietor (Mr. Einnaird),iand therefore he sho u ld Move, " that this Court do Adjourn."- CITY, HALT-PAST OVZ: O'CLOCW. Consols opened this morning at 92ii for tho account, with little or nothing doing in 13riti3lt Funds. In the Foreign Markv t a great deal has been done, particularly in South American, the prices of which, however, are still low. An express from Paris has brought the French Rentes at 981. 50c. On Saturday we announced the arrival of the Lyon cutter from the coast of Mexico, with ac counts which were on the whole favourable for that Republic. In fact the prinCipal intelligence brought by this conveyance, - (besides that of the ratification: of the loan ni mentioned by n 3 On Saturday), is the frustration of a conspiracy in favour of the Ex-Emperor hunttrox ; and the seizure of the principal conspirators, together with their papers, proclamations and correspond ence. The following are the particulars of this event, as detailed is " The Sun newspaper of Mexico " Mrttco, MAY 14.--By orders of Senor the Commandant' General, a house in the street of Celaya was lust evening en' tered by the authorities, and the following persons Liken into custody, who were holding a secret meeting." (Here follow the names of twenty-two individuals; ar" n(l whom are one Brigadier.fienernl, three Colonels, several othe r military Officers, some of whom arc on the retired list, and yiz civilians.) " The examination of these men led to the arrest of— ' " Don J. Antonio Andrade, General of Division. " The Count del Valle. " Don Ignacio Cisneros, a clerk in the post-office, through whose agency the correspondence wairerried et t . -s " The circumstance of having surprised them whilst holding a meeting, and in a manner so effectual, that not one of thim escaped, the detachment having entered simultaneously frame the roof and at the door of the house, was particularly °PO' tune, as their numerous papers, documents, proclamations' and correspondence, were at once taken possession of. Ther e were heard • God, Independence, the Hero of !pals.' IL is said the wife of Don Francisco Santoya (who officiated al Se cretary to the Association) to re h er h usband ' s name ell" ° ne ° f the documents and swallowed it. Their design apra re °I have been to dispose th e peop l e. (under the stale Vele ° °f exciting hatred towards the Europeans) to proclaim Itorbide. " MAY 25.—1 t is affirmed that the Commander of the Eng . lish sloop of war Camelion arrived in this city yesteTd3Y: direct from England, whence he was dispatched at 24 h"" notice, with dispatches of the greatest importance to &Or e. the Commissioners of that Government accredited to °Ts. As noon as he anchored at Vera Cruz he set off, and has tiv veiled hither wiU all possible expedition. " May 15. —Th e G overnment has completed the form all6*s required to conclude the loan of eight millions, cant:Act'll by the'agent of this Government with the house of schmit and Co. of London." In our front columns WI. 114Ve given v" tracts from the French anil Brussds P a per 4 ft:" CI ived since our hst. They do Hot contain anY thing worthy of retnark. In our Paper of Friday last, we endeavow ea to chew the importance of the unfavourable i"; telligenre which it was alleged had been recei o ` from Greece, and which was so artfully colc siP ed, as to excite feelings of despondency in 0 1 ° 4° who were not careful enough to discern that ever t if the fact s d eta i le d were not exaggerations , still , they were very far from being of so serious tti nature as some enemy to the Greeks bad w ishe d to represent them. We are truly happy to f ina l' . from th e s u bj o i ne d d ocument wh i c h h as been sued by Messrs, OBLIXDO and LUBIOTTI S , that PRICE OP STOCKS Tills Rank Stock 3 per Cent: Red. 931 3 per Cent. Cows. 924 34 per Cent IU 1)A If AT ON) O'Ci.titAi.. Old Annuities — New Ditto Ex. Bills 10001. 2d. 39 43 Ditto 1id......... 0 Ditto 501)1 . 4.1 Ditto lid. 4O 39 Ditto Small 2d. — Ditto I id. Ditto Commercial — Bank for Act. - India for Acct. - Cans. for Account Feu _ ( nixed. 4 per Cent. Assd. lOll (New Bank Long Ann Imp. 3 per tents. India Stock Ditto Ronde South Sea Stook PitICF:OI OP PORETON Ft Austrian Ns, 5 per ct. 93i Chilien, This, 6 per ct. I 'ohan hue. Ws. 6 perct.Bq ii 1 Scrip 5.% tlis. Danish, 5 percent. Greek Scrip 16 dis. 111 exican• Bonds .53j —Scrip Neapolitan 5 per cent — Peruvian H onda Scrip • Ilusaiztn, Old, 5 per ct 94ji NOS, AT ONE O'CLOCK• Portuguese Bonds B7li. Scrip — Prus.ian, 5 per et. Ditto New sratii%li 1821, sper et. __ 1823, ditto -- Buenos Ayres ... ..... ...1 i dis. Alliance Shires l2l l3i Palladium Equitable Loan par i • AI anehenter Ditto - Freneh lt cotes - . Scrip top. PRICE Or I lII%If STOCKS, JULY 15. • Dank Stock "55; Grand Canal Loan, 6 p.ct. --. Gov. Deb. 33 per cent l-1 ' • Ditto 4 per cent.... ,--; Stock, 3A per ct - Goy. Deb. 4 per cent. — Royal Canal Stock . -, Gov. Deb. 5 per cent. —Stock, 4 per cent. - New Treasury Hills, .5 per cent —1):, G per c-:nt. City Debentures, 4 per ct. Dalt:lst Office Govt. .:-.:c. , Lying in Hospital 4 per et. 4 per cent. .... • Exchange on London, July 14, 0. . • , FOItEIGN MAILS. AnnrvEri. 1 France 1 Holland 1 'Flanders 1 Brazil DuE. 1 I,hibon Gottenburgh ' 211amburgh 0 America munGE Evening, 15 minutes ctitur O. 1116 /I ‘VATER AT LONDO Morning, 44 minute; after 7. Till _II SUN• SOLEM QUIS DICEIII. FALSUM AUpL•'4T LONDON, MONDAY, JULY 19, 1824.