The Sun. — London, England, 1825-03-11 00:00:00

TIIE LONDON JOURNALS. Extract!jrom the Morning Papers ,March 11,189-5. [TUE T14E5.1 A report is in such hot circulation, and is so eonnueatty repeated, that though totally unac quainted with its origin, we are inclined ttl think it entitled to consideration. It is said that Lord .Liverpool will support the Bill for Catholic- 1 Emancipation in the present Session ; and this being the case, it is even conjectured that the Chancellor may have the ingenuity to devise some means of satisfying his own apprehen sive mind on the subject of securities for the Protestant Ascendancy, and may not oppose the measure. These would be, indeed, most desirable conversions. We cannot he at war with Ireland for ever; and therefore, at any period, the sooner the peace is concluded the better. Happy would it have been had it been conluded before the death of Mr. Pitt; but it is still happier that it should be concluded in 1825. than not till 1826. We usethe terms peace and war, because we are essentially at war with Ire land. It is true we are not at this moment fight• lag her in her.counties and provinces, as we fought the AmeriCans in the war of their lode -pendence ; but if we are keeping down and op pressing the spirit and feelings which animate Irish bosoms, by the simple preponderance of an armed force, then are we essentially at war with that people, and so shall we continue to be whe ther they take the field against us or not, till eman cipation is granted. There are no battles fought at present between the French and Spaniards in the Peninsula; but still we assert that France is at war with every genuine Spaniard, whether (under the influence of the legitimate Govern ment there) she Itas forced him to fly his country, or—yet more cruel—she forces him to smother his feelings at home. Let us then, we say, make peace with the Irish ! But it is inquired, how will the new convert justifyor explain this change of opinion, supposing the change to have taken place ? In our minds he need not look far for an unanswerable explanation, though he may probably, for such is his nature, pur sue a more intricate course of argument. Let .him only urge the necessity of the case, and hiS adherents must he satisfied. Necessity has .Hitherto been chiefly the tyrant's. plea : why should it not be used by those who confer li berty on mankind as well as by those who take it away ?, Emancipation must be granted soon ; every one sees that truth clearly enough: why, then, should it not be granted immediately ? But whatever may be the fact with respect to the rumoured conversation at the Court-end of the town, the effect of that rumour in the eastern regions of the Metropolis was most striking.— The news arrived yesterday in the city that the Catholic Emancipation Bill would certainly" be. carried this Session," and produced as strong a sensation as the tidings of a battle lost or won in the late war. That atrocious tyrant Henry VII I. we. recollect, conveyed the two martyrs to the Catholic faith, Sir Thomas Moore and Bishop Fisher, to different prisons, and endeavoured to shake the constancy of each by a report of the ether's apostacy, but those adherents to the old .faith were firm. Not so was it yesterday with respect to Lord Liverpool's change of opinion on the Catholic question. The rumour of that event in the ,City was attended by a corresponding con -version, and plausite acclamations, of the more respectable merchants. The now probable suc cess of the measure " was hailed with satisfaction, " and regarded as an inducement to increased " confidence." Such are the expressions used in our City correspondence. Nay. even " the value " of the English funds was considered to depend 44 ' materially upon that event, because it is gene " rally considered that it will ensure the tran quillity of Ireland !" We can only hope the just ness of the conjecture Will be put to the proof, and be verified by the event. [BRITISH PRESS.] The new King of Naples is justifying the ex pectations of his people. Ile has renewed, with earnestness, his applications for the immediate evacuation of his kingdom by the Austrian troops, declaring that he will confide the defence of his throne only to his own subjects. It was expect ed thit the political exiles would be recalled: The eloquent Poerio, now a refugee at Florence, it is supposed will be among the first restored to his country. The name of Gen. Pepe having been mentioned in the royal presence, the King in stantly observed, C 4 Pepe is a man of honour and a true patriot. I have not forgotten the intimate connection I had with him. It enabled me to k no w him well and appreciate his merits. I shall not be long before I give him. proofs of the esteem I have for him." It is remarked that the English Legation is particularly well received by his Neapolitan Majesty, and this change is the more worthy of observation, as the British influ ence, during the Austrian ascendancy, was re duced almost to nothing. It is generally believed at Naples that the. constitution established in Sicily in 1810, under the advice of England, will be again piochtimed as soon as the.foreigners have evacuated the kingdom. [MORNING POST.] In the House of Commons, last night, Mr. Hume moved, that no Member be 'allowed to vote for or against any question in which he had a direct pecuniary interest. Mr. Littleton op posed the motion, on the ground that at preseid the House knew who were the parties interested, and attached no more value to their opinion than it deserved, whilst if the regulation proposed were carried, Members would secretly subscribe to undertakin4s. in the names of their attornies or friends, and would support them in Parlia ment, while no one knew the real state of the ease. Mr. Secretary Peel, Mr. Wynn, and Mr. Abercromhy also opposed the motion. The last mentioned Gentleman justly conceived that the only remedy for the evil complained of was pub lic opinion. After a . discussion of some length, but little interest, the motion was rejected with out a division. Colonel. Davies then moved for the appointinent of a Select Committee to consi der bow far the present Dudies on Foreign Spi- . rits and Tobacco u)ight be lowered, and urged, that by lowering them smuggling would be greatly diminished, if not entirely suppressed. The Chancellor of the Exchequer showed what had been done last Session, and the necessity of pro ceeding gradually in the reduction of duties.— Last rear something had been done in respect to Silk, and this Session it was proposed to lessen smuggling by reducing the duty on Spirits. If the smuggler could be driven out of the strong hold of Rum, there would only remain Foreign Spirits and Tobacco. These would be gradually lessened, and ultimately nothing would be left for the smuggler. The House would scarcely deem it necessary to take the business out of the hands of Government to put it into those of a Committee. He should therefore object to the motion, which was also rejected without a di vision. [MORNING HERALD.] Mr. Hume last night brought forward his mo tion, " That it be a standing Order of the House that no Member should be entitled to vote on questions in which he had a pecuniary interest." Mr. Hume admitted that the question was surround ed with difficulties, but contended that the cha racter of the House required some measure. The language of his motion was taken from a former Speaker's decision.; it embraced what had for merly been the practice of the House; and as some doubts had arisen in► consequence of the multiplicity of schemes brought before the House„-he thought the House would act wisely in recording its opinion. Mr. P. Grenfell was not favourable to the motion ; but said he should never lose the opportunity of challenging votes, till that Resolution was rescinded which excluded his vote on the St. Katharine's Dock Bill. Mr. Peel- admitted that the practice was culpable, but the canvassing for votes in the Committees was far more blameable than the votes in the House. Mr. C. Wynn declared that the most successful mode of remedying the evil would be to throw out any Bill where it was ascertained that there ' had been any undue efforts made to obtain votes. He and other Members, however, submitted that it would be a dangerous stretch of power to say what Members should not vote ; when the votes had been given, they might be rescinded on sufficient cause being show' ; and that it would therefore be better to leave the question open in each case. Mr. Robertson declared it to be a notorious practice in the city, when any new scheme was started, to retain " hundreds of thousands of shares expressly for Members of Parliament." — Mr. Hutne did not press his motion, being satis fied for the present with the general reprobation of the practice. [THE PUBLIC LEDGER.] . . We have received the Paris Papers of Tues day, with the Etoile of Wednesday, the contents of which are rather important. The Coronation, which had been postponed indefinitely for some reason not yet generally known, is now fixed for the 15th of May. If the louering state of the poli tical sky was the cause of the postponement, the effect having ceased, the cause must have also dis appeared ; and we must therefore take it for granted that the late signs of a storm have been succeeded by settled weather. But this inference, it would seem, should not be confined to the affairs of France, or the feelings of her Government, alone; for even Spain appears to have caught the impulse, by which confidence is to be sub stituted for alarm, such at least is the impression which an article in Tuesday's Monileur is calcu lated to produce, and which puts to rest the con tested question relative to the publication of a new amnesty by the King of Spain. The Mo. niteur gives this document, which has the merit too that it contains no exceptions, nor limitations, but pardons all political offences committed during the time of the Constitutional system. It is said that this measure had ex . cited great alarm amongst the Serviles, lest it might be the forerunner of much greater con cessions ; and they even entertain fears that Ferdinand, of whose versatility they have had ' some proofs, is going to turn Liberal. On this head, however, they may tranquillize themselves; and, with respect to the amnesty, they may also divest themselves of their apprehension ; as a promise, however solemn, does not exactly imply fulfilment on the part of the Spanish Monarch, save and except the punishment of political of fences. In keeping pledges of the latter descrip tion he is rather punctilious ; • but as his new am nesty may be designed asa retaliation on England for recognizing the independence of his former co lonies, it is possible he may be induced to execute it faithfully. With a view of punishing this court try, we trust he has taken it into his head to go seriously to work, for regenerating his remaining dominions; and we are sure our Government would submit to the castigation without a single 'murmur. Let him only begin by substituting con fidence for the present terror, and by laying at least the foundation of a better system of rule than the present ; and he may count upon the cordial good wishes, and not upon the envy, of the English nation ; though, we much fear, that the sentiments of the latter will not be put to the test, and that Spain is doomed to drink the bitter draught that. has been forced upon her, to the very dregs. The account of operations against the Burmese will be read with great interest, especially after the statement received yesterday of a mutiny among our native troops. The mutiny it now appears was confined wholly to the privates—not an Officer of any rank whatever taking part in it. Indeed it seems to have been a mere matter of personal feeling among the men, on account of some real or imaginary grievance to themselves alone. Of coarse there is no chance of its-spread ing further ; for either there are no other corps that ever had the same subject of complaint, or if there are, the Government will instantly re. move the cause by a more liberal grant of allow. ances. The moment of warfdre with a . fierce and persevering enemy is not the moment for suf fering disgust to grow up in the . minds of our own military. Partial discontent, however, is nothing new in our Indian army. When the Marquis of Hastings first took upon himself the . Government of India he found many of the uative troops dis. satisfied at the diminutions which the Authori - ties had felt themselves obliged to make in the military charges. " The paring knife," says the Noble Marquis, " was applied, with rather an undiscriminating hand, to many of the arti cles of the military establishment, which had till then been deemed indispensable towards a tran quil tenure of the country. Experience shewed that hazard had been incurred in a degree quite unapprehended. I therefore found Government convinced that perseverance in the experiment was too dangerous ; and the re-adoption of those military provisions, which had been stricken off, would have taken place, even had not another con sideration pressed it being done with the utmost speed. The disgust - of our native troops was so loudly expressed in all quarters, that the causes of it were universally canvassed : and as such an extraordinary lessening of our military means was ascribed to uncontroulable necessity, the same inferences of our debility were drawn by all the surrounding States." In the present in stance there is not only no token of debility in our Indian Finance, but it never was in so high and palmy a state. [MORNING CIII4ONICLE.] Mr. Hume brought the subject of Members voting on questions in which they were directly interested, before the House last night. We can not say that we were altogether pleased with the turn which the discussion took. It may be true, that the plan proposed by Mr. Hume would throw difficulties in the way of proceeding with private Bills ; but when gentlemen talk so loud ly of their honour, of the check of public opinion, and exclaim, in God's name, if nothing could he left to their honour, they had better at once return to their homes—it may not be amiss to remind them, that public opinion cannot be brought to bear effectually against private Bills in most cases, because the flagitious part of the business is generally concealed from the public; and with respect to honour, we have the confes sion of the most distinguished Members, that it has hitherto been utterly disregarded, both in the Committees and in the whole House. Indeed we should deem it hazardous to repeat the lan guage used by several of the most respectablc Gen tlemen ever returned to the House of Commons. This is no doubt an age of improvement, and far be it from us to pretend to assign limits to it. if we had been asked ten years ago whether we conceived it possible that a Home Secretary would propose to Parliarnet such a measure as that of Mr. Peel, we should have set down the person putting such a question as a 'fit subject for Bedlam or Utopia. How far Members may be smitten with the example of liberality and fairness set them by Ministers, it is therefore dif ficult to say. It is possible that men who have hitherto remained unmoved by the num berless invectives against judicial robbery commit ted in the House, —who have never yet been able to see that it was wrong in Committees to 1 1 resort to what has been pronounced by some of i r sr t e i e p v u e t r a b b l c e .ei t i ri a c b k l s e a t n o d pe a r r: themselves wiio the most mo e s it t h d e tifices, aeive the connection between honour and justice, or have deemed it inconvenient to dis regard it, should now all of a sudden de cide in all cases without any unfair bias, should resist all solicitation, should never give a vote till they have satisfied themselves by a painful investigation of the propriety of it. All we can say is, that such a change to a course of justice arid honour, would be every whit as miraculous as the obstinate perseverance for such a length of time in the course which has been the subject of so much animadversion. There is a very opposite apologue which now occurs to u-, but we forbear to quote it, being unwilling to damp the hopes which the country might be led to entertain from the magnificent promises of Members. INDIA. HYDRA LAD LOAN. • (Concluded from our Paper of Wednesday.) The consideration of the propriety of paying off the lean, by British funds, was still pending, but to enable the Govern ment to form a more correct opinion, the resident was ordered by Lord Hastings, in council, 19th November, 1822, to call on the minister and on the house for a complete account cur rent of every item on either side, since the house first had dealings with the Nizam (p. 286.) This was a measure that also suggested itself as proper to the Court of Directors (p. 376.) The house protested against fur nishing the account, as it would lessen their credit and be in jurious to their commercial interests (p. 348.) It was explain ed (p. 472, 473), that it was their accounts with the Nizam that were required, the transactions with whom were alleged by themselves to be open anti public, and were only sanctioned on condition of the resident being satisfied. The house, however, still protested against producing them, and it was only after distinct intimation that no advance could be made to them till they were rendered, that at last, in the end of April (p. 582), the order having been intimated, 13th December, they were produced, though they had stated one or two months as the period they would require to make them out (pp. 368-490.) Lord Hastings, in council, in answer to the dispatch of Sir Charles Metcalfe, of Sept. 1822, declared the explanation of Mr. Palmer as to the allowances to himself and his family . to be extremely unsatisfactory, and that they could never receive the sanction of the British Government, or be acknowledged by it• (p.. 'On gth Nov., 1822, Lord Hastings, (p. 288) in council, in forms the resident that he had determined to advance a crore of rupees to discharge the demand of the house upon the minis ter, as well as those of other creditors (p. 289.) This money was to be applied (p. 2811) to the payment of all claims justly arising out or arrangements sanctioned by the British Government; but arrears of stipends, or gratuities to the house, extraneous to the licit course of contracts, and de mands springing out of credit spontaneously given by the house, either to the Nizam, or individuals, must rest entirely on the good faith of the parties so trusted; the objects being unconnected with the particular views countenanced by that Government. With all such debts the resident was to have nothing to do. The resident was directed to report a detailed statement of the debts, when is would rest with the Governor General (p. 289) in council, to decide what should be rejected on the above principle. And to guard against injury to the house, it was directed that the payment should be gradual (p. 289.) Lord Hastings left Calcutta very early in January, 1823, and was succeeded by Mr. Adam as Governor General. In furtherance of the intimation given to the resident, on 13th September that all direct communication between the house andnt the Nizam should be stopped ; and to prevent any , further irigues, orders were sent, o n the I sth January , 1823, that the communication should be stopped, except through the resident, in the same manner as is the case with regard fo other British subjects at Hydrabad (p. 359, § 5a measure which the Court'of Di rectors highly approved ) of, 21st January 1 (p, 380, § 28.) These orders were communicated to the house on 10th Fe bruary, 1823, by Sir C. Metcalfe, who at the same time stated his readiness at all times to receive cominunications, and attend to their interests (p. 431.) Messrs. Palmer informed the resident, that these orders • See letter of Court of Directors, llth April, 1821, prohibit ing all the Company's servants, at native courts from receiving zerouneration at those courts (p• 416.) . would expose their house to great danger from their creditors, and prayed for his protection (p. 431, 432.) In answer to this the resident, informed them, 20th February, that he was authorized (p. 432) to aid them in case of extreme exigency to a limited amount, in compliance with his instruc tion of 15th January, 1823 (p. 354.) On the 3d of April, ac cordingly, the resident did advance four lees to the house (p. 494.) The Aurungabad accounts having been delivered and adopt ed, without adverting to the objectionable parts, for the sake of closing the transaction the sum of 7,82,180 was paid by the resident to Messrs. Palmer, on the 9th May, 1823, which, with the sum of four lacs previously advanced, discharged the balances of that account, 11,80,160 (p. 550.) On the 18th June, 1823, Sir C. Metcalfe had made a report to the government of gratuities and pensions paid to British inibject.s by the Nizam, exceeding one lac of rupees per annum,, of — which more than half were paid to Mr. Palmer's family, and he stated that others, not acknowledged by the Minister, had been since discovered (p. 347, 348.). These allowances had been the subject of the consideration of Government for many months, and Lord Hastings, on 19th November, 1822, had stated that they could not be recognised or discharged by the British Government, and Mr. Adam, on January, 1823, had stated them to be of the most doubtful nature; though he sus pended his decision as to allowing them in the account till fur ther explanation (p. 360). On the 13th June, however, the British Government came to a determination that the grants themselves (p. 549) ought to be revoked at once, leaving the question of arrears until the gene ral settlement. This was accordingly communicated to the Resident, and by him to the Minister, who upon that furnished the Resident with a list of allowances theretofore paid by the Nizam to various persons, consisting principally of the family, servants, and dependants of Mr. Palmer and his house. Among others, the former moonshees of Mr. Wm. Palmer (p. 575, 576,) and his brother, who received 700 rupees per month, and when they went to Mecca received 91,000 rupees from the Nizam's Government, to bear their expences. These allowances were ordered to be discontinued, with the exception of such as were paid for pensions to disabled soldiers (p. 577); the decision of the arrears being still suspended until the final arrangement. Upon an inspection of the Hydrabad accounts, it was sug gested by the resident (p. 551), that the bulk of the debt due to Palmer's house should be paid' off' at once, reserving for the final orders of the Governor-general, in Council, such sums as might be necessary to cover any deduction on account of objec tionable charges ; but he suggested that if any rejections were made, they should be conclusive, as their continuance with heavy interest would be more injurious than a present payment in full. To this proposition the Governor-General (p. 552), in Council, assented, seeing the little probability there was of ob taining any satisfactory explanation of the doubtful items ; and in counsequence of the evasions practised by Palmer and C 0.., for the purpose of protracting the fi na l se ttl e m en t, an d w hi c h had delayed it for five months, the Governor in Council was of opinion that the firm had forfeited every claim to the consi deration formerly contemplated of a postponed payment suited to their convenience, to guard against any injury arising from the difficulty of disposing of so large a sum thrown suddenly on their hands. Unless, therefore, any promise to that effect had been given to the house, the payment of whatever, sum should be determined on, in concert with the Minister, was directed to be tendered at once, a nd a ll intere s t t o cease from the date of that tender, 13th'June, 1823 (p. 552.) Previously, however, to this determination, namely on the sth June, ten lacs of rupees had been paid to them by the resi dent at their own desire, (p. 562,) and previous to the commu nication of these orders, a further sum of ten lees had been paid, (p. 579,) for the same reason. On the 14th June, 1823, Sir C. Metcalfe reported to the Go vernment that the examination of the detailed accounts delivered by Messrs. Palmers shoved that the loan was entirely a fiction ; (p. 554,) and that no loan whatever, of any given sum, had been made at that period. On the 26th Jtily, the Bengal Govern ment expressed their conviction, founded on the matter before them, and their confidence in the accuracy of the resident, that such was the case, though they had • not yet received the ac counts themselves ; and stated that there could be no doubt that the grossest deception had been practised on the Government, in all that regarded the affairs of Palmer's house, and that the Minister, whether wdlingly or not, had assisted in the deception (p. 563.) In their instructions to the resident, of the 22d July, they observed that supposing the statement to be confirmed by the accounts, no question could remain with regard to the disallow ing the bonus, as well as the allowances to the partners, and their dependents, with the amount of the accumulating_arrears at 25 per cent. (p. 573.) Subsequent to the dispatch of the Governor-General's letter of 26th July, the detailed accounts of Palmer's house with the Nizam reached Calcutta. Abd on 31st July; (p. 589,) the Government declared that, in their opinion, the fact of the ficti tious nature of the loan was conclusively established. Mr. Adam stated in his minute of 30th July, that though the accounts were too voluminous (p. 701,) to enable him to judge correctly of all their details, there were certain prominent parts which appeared quite distinct; and that he was not aware that any practical object could. be attained by a more minute investigation, as the resident had commenced, and perhaps completed, payments to the amount of seventy-five lacs, reserv ing for charges that might be eventually disallowed about twenty lacs : there appeared, therefore, no reason to delay coming to a conclusion upon the main questions arising out of these ac counts. With regard to the disposal of the sum reserved of twenty lacs, it was necessary to determine whether any and what items - should be disallowed (p. 703.) He stated that it was only to those prominently extravagant and disgraceful, that their attention need be directed ; that the bonus, with interest, amounted to 13,50,000 rupees ; and that the arrears of allowances to the Palmers might be taken roundly at 5,000,000, making a total of 18,50,000, which would be more than covered by the sums reserved by the resident. It would only be necessary to declare to the house and the minister the decision of the government, that these items origi nated in no public motive, but in views at variance with the in terest of the Nizani and his people, could not be recognised as forming a part of the debt, which the British Government had undertaken to discharge, and that it would not interest itself in the liquidation of the demand, on account of which no further payments were to be made (p. 703.) With regard to the members of the house, he declared his opinion that the worst suspicions of their conduct had not sur passed the actual and proved facts of the case, and that they had forfeited every claim to indulgence or consideration. Sir Wm. Rumbold having embarked for England, no steps could be taken with regard to him,' but that Mr. Lamb toe remaining European partner ought to be immediately or dered to quit Hydrabad, and repair to England ; independ ently of his concern in the house, he had been twice ordered home, by the orders of the Directors, though the orders had not been enforced. That Messrs. Palmers', not being Europeans, the same course could not be pursued towards them ; but they ought to be in formed that they were no longer to consider themselves under the protection of the British Government, (p. 703,) or entitled to its countenance, in the most remote degree. Mr. Feudal' (p. 704) and Mr. " Harrington (p. 765), having concurred in these opinions in the fullest manner, the resi dent is instructed accordingly, on the 31st July, and further directed to make a written communication to the minister in writing, that Messrs. Palmer had by the general course of their conduct, and more especially in the fraudulent transac tions of the sixty lacs' loan, forfeited every claim to the favour and support of the British Government, which has accordingly withdrawn from all interests in their concerns, and they are no longer in any degree under its protection (p 706). The Resident was informed, that Mr. Lamb must be per emptorily required to quit Hydrabad and proceed to Europe, but there was no objection to his being allowed a reasonable time for the adjustment of his affairs. Lord Amherst took upon himself the Government on the Ist of August, and Mr. Adam sailed for Bombay, in a state of extreme ill health early in September, as appears from the Calcutta newspapers, and had not returned to Calcutta when the last advices left India. The Government has been accused of, severity, in ordering Mr. Lamb to leave Hydrabad within six weeks. It appears from the above statement that five months elapsed between the date of Mr. Adam's order and Mr. Lamb's removal from Hy drabad, and that he had known that the Court had ordered him home for above two years. It is plain there was no severity, therefore, in the case. On the 27th August (p. 752) Mr. Lamb applied to Lord Amherst for leave to extend his stay at Hydrabad until the close of the business year of the house, in June, 1824, as Mr. Adam had allowed him a reasonable time for the adjustment of his affairs ; but Lord Amherst determined by an order of 17th October, that as Mr. Lamb had been apprized of the order of the Court for his return to England, ever since December, 1821, that he could not comply w i t h hi s d es i re, and he was in formed that the period of his stay was limited to the month of December next, at the expiration of which month he was per emptorily required to return to Europe. The orders of the Government for the withdrawing their countenance from the house of Palmer, and declining to recog nize the bonus and allowances as part of the debt to be dis charged by the British Government, were communicated to the house on the 25th of August, 1823 (p. 797-) On the 9th September, (p. 806) the house addressed the re sident on the subject of th e fi rst part of that commun i cat i on , from which they appr e h en d ed the very wors t consequences; for being deprived of the protection (If British Government, , and restricted by the letter of the 10th 'February (p. 431), from all intercourse with the • Nizam's .Government, they were li terally placed,. they 4edged,. in the situation of outlaws out the right of appeal to any known tribunal. It would de prive them of the means of realising their claims, which em braced even then a capital of more than sixty lacs, and involved numerous interests. They stated, that there was no court of justice under the Nizam's Government, and their only appeal could be to the minister ; they desire, therefore, to know whether the restric tion alluded to was to be considered as rescinded,. as if not, they should be placed•in the situation of existing commercially in a community, without the right of appeal, in any form, to its only known tribunal of justice. Sir C. Illetcalfe informed them, that the restriction was not withdrawn ; but this pecu liarity of their predicament, in a country where there is no tri. bunal of justice, if deprived of intercourse with the minister, and also of the intervention of the British resident, had been reported for the consideration and orders of government (p. 807.) Sir C. Metcalfe had, upon the receipt of his instructions, 31st July, stated to the British Government that the firm was precluded from communication with the Nizam's Government, otherwise than through the resident ; and was also excluded from the support of the British Government ; that there was no Court of Justice in the Nizam's territories. They had hi therto been all powerful against debtors, but it was difficult to say how, under the present circumstances, their just demands were to be prosecuted. If a debtor should refuse payment of a debt and an appeal to the Nizani and to the resident, be alike prohibited, to what quarter could they appeal. The re sident thought the restriction ought not to be withdrawn on their intercourse with the minister, but that an appeal to the resident ought to be left open to them (p. 799.) In answer to this application, the resident was instructed, that although it was desirable, with reference to the orders of the Court of the 24th May, 1820 (p. 7,) that all concern with Palmer's. affairs should be avoided ; yet, so long as the direct intercourse with the house and the minister was restrained, it could be no in fringement of that order to permit the Resident to be the channel of written communication between the parties, in cases where a higher rate of interest than twelve per cent. was not to be demanded from the parties against whom their claims were to be preferred; and the Resident was therefore authorized 17th of October, 1823, to transmit appeals from the house to the Government of the Nizam, in cases where not more than twelve per cent. was demanded, and the house had applied for redress in the first instance to the courts of the country (p._750, 5.1.) - - In answer to Messrs. Pahners' letter of the 9th September, Lord Amherst (p.. 807) declared, that he could not di scern i n Messrs. Palmers' explanation any ground for the revision 9f the order complained of; while much had since appeared to .. confirm its justice, and propriety. As the Government was precluded by the order of the Court, from interfering for the • furtherance of the demands of the house, and was bound • to prevent, in duty to their ally, any abuse of power on the part of his Minister, no course was open on the disco very of such abuse and fraud, but to adhere to the measure complained of. Lordship observed, that the house could not with justice complain of the restriction on its direct inter- ' course with the Government, while it was free to present, through the Resident, any appeal for redress; and was thus placed on the same footing with all other British subjects in the Nizturt's dominioni. Neither was. it warranted in their assertion, that the orders complained of made them outlaw, since the same channel was open to them that was. free to all other British subjects. Till they could shew that any legal demand had been rejected, they were not justified in asserting that redress was closed against them (p. 808). A moment's consideration wili shew the total .Want of fourfr dation of the complaint of Messrs. Palmer, that they were de nied the means of redress for any legal &Mind by the law as it stood. Until a special exemption was made in their fa vour, they were prohibited from any pecuniary transactions with the Nizam's Government, and their communication with his Minister could only have been through the medium of. the British Resident. Lord Hastings in_ Council, by his license of. July, 1816, had relaxed the law in favour of Messrs Palmer. upon the allegation that their transactions were open and public, and free from the taint of usury and extortion. In the couse of the inquiries which have been detailed above, it had been proved that the house had entrapped the British. Government into the sanction of a loan, to secure old out standing balances, the existence of which had been care fully, concealed, and had reserved to themselves, unknowp to the Government, a bonus of eight lacs out of sixty, which had raised the interest to an enormous extent, and totally 'defeated the alleged objects for which th at l oan was ra i se d . It had also appeared, that a direct system of collusion had subsisted between the house and the minister of the Nizam. Conduct such as this had, beyond all question, deprived the house of any claim to the protection of the British Governmkt, and made it impossible to permit the continuance of a direct intercourse between the house and the minister. The Gover nor-general had accordingly prohibited a ll i ntercourse with Of minister, except through . the r e sid e nt ; b ut t h at c h anne l 0' communication, was in express terms reserved to the house , which was put on the same footing with other British subjects+ who had not received any exemption from the general law. it is tree, that by the order of the Court of May, 11320, (P. • 70 the influence or authority of the'British GovernmentfOr the furtherance of their demands was not to be exerted ; but there was no restriction upon the ordinary communication through the resident, for all legal purposes, imposed upon 41 , e house. The intimation to the minister, that the house had - forfeited their claim to the British favour and support, only put there. in the situation in which others stood, and in which they would . have continued, but for the interposition of the British Govern ment in their favour, and the countenance, communicated to , the Nizam's Government by Lord 'Hastings' dispatch, 17th of July, 1822 (p. 164,) after a. termination had been put to the. AurUngabad contract. It was, therefore, evidently untrue to state that they were debarred from • all intercourse with the Nizam, and a perversion of terms to compare themselves to outlaws. - • • Lord Amherst, therefore, was quite correct in stating in his dispatch,pf , 17th October, 1823, (p. 808,) that the government had imposed no shackles on the house, in the licit exercise of their commercial pursuits, but had interdicted them only from dealing with the Government, and direct intercourse, with the minister of the Nizam, over whom they exercised so baneful' an influence. The limitation kut by the Governor-General upon the inter- ference of the resident in favour of the house as to demands of'' sums, the interest upon which did not exceed twelve per cent., was not satisfactory to Messrs. Palmers, who, in two severs instances, in the case of Umeen 00l 3loolk, (p. 747,) and 310 0- ' neer 00l Molk, (p. 752, 7960 applied for the interposition of the government to recover demands bearing interest at a higher denomination. Upon being informed that the British Govern ment were not at liberty to forward claims of that description, (p. 832,) Messrs. Palmers intimated to the resident, that that permission of the government was rendered nugatory by the condition it imposed; and they accordingly declined to urge their claim at the reduced rate of interest prescribed by the - British Government (p. 843.) It appears to have been made a subject of complaint, that the • resident declined to forward any demands bearing more than twelve per cent. to the Nizam's Government; but when it is recollected, that the most distinct opinion had been given 11 the Attorney and aolicitor-General, and the law officers of the Compaßy, that not more than twelve per cent. could be taken under any circumstances for loans, made either to Princes or in° dividuals in any part of India, without violation of Acts of Par liament ; to which opinion the government were directed strictly to conform, and which had been intimated to the public in the Government Gazette; (p. 104) it must be obvious to every one?. that the government were precluded fro m b e i ng t h e c h anne l communication or assisting, in any respect whatever, for the, purpose of recovering sums, upon which a l a r ger ra t e o f interest had been reserved. On a review, therefore, of these transactions, it will be seep/ that three successive governments, of Lord Hastings, Adam, and Lord Amherst, concurredin thinking the reserve = tion of the bonus, and the concealment of it from the govern;. ment, as reprehensible in the. highest degr ee , as a d m i t ting no excuse or palliation, and justifying the inference of culpable' collusion (p. 187) ; and they all equally agreed in the cessa; tion of all transactions between the Nizam's Government'au"' the house (p. 189.) Lord Hastings, it would appear, had afterwards changed opinion, 19th of December, 1822 ( p . 31 5) ; b ut t h e decis i on Mr. Adam upon these points, as well as upon the fictitiou s nature of the loan, was confirmed by Sir Edward Paget, lily' Fendall, Air. Harrington, and Mr. Bailey, who formed the st" preme council in succession, and was sanctioned by Lord herst, who declared that subsequent discoveries had continue", the justice and propriety of the resolution that had bee° come to. Under these circumstances, it is difficult to conceive, that to have put the ho use u p on the same footing with other lititisv subjects in the d om i n i on o f t h e Nizam, should form the subjec t of complaint. To Lord Amherst, whose opinion was unbiassed by form e discussions, and who must have been dispassionate, the Tre s-. sure appeared rea sona bl e , an d was, besides, in strict confer,' mity with the o r d ers o f t h e C ourt. That i nnocent par tie; should have sustained any injury, is matter of great regret' but it is evid ent t h at t h e course pursued by the house could 1?°, be permitted to continue ; and that to have afforded immuu;t . , to those who h a d soug h t to o b ta i n extraord i nary ga i n, by u` positing their money with the house, for the sake of procurinfi. a larger rate of interest, would have sapped the foundation • that high sense of honour and purity which has for so 0 1 . 11131 years distinguished the British character in India. Printed and Published for the PROPRIETORS, at the SO I4 • OFFICE) No. 112, Strand, by J. B. CARSTAIRS.