The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-10-12 00:00:00

LORD CANNING% DEFENCE OF THE
OODE PROCLAMATION,

Lord aiming bee replied to the chapattis of the
Secret Committee of the ffsest India Gompony, condemn-
log the proolamation which on the drd of Idaroh lila
LmAshlp directed the chief commissioner of Gude to
issue from Luoknow. The reply is dated 17th of June,
1858. lint hie Lordship complains that the censorious
despatok has been made pub& . that the telegraph had
tarried it over the length and breadth of Indle I and that
this, was " calouleted greatly to Increase the difficulties in
which the government of India la pieced, not oely by
weakening the authority of the Governor-Generel, hot
by encouraging resistance and delusive hope. in many
classes of the population °Wade." Lord Canning then
proceeds to say :—" No taunts or sarcasms, some from
what quarter they may, will turn me from the ilath
which I believe to be that of my public duty. I believe
that a change in the head of the the Government of
Indie M title time, if it took plasm under eirmunstanoes
which indicated a repudietlonou the part of the Govern-
ment in England of the policy which hue hitherto been
pursued towards the rebels of Oude, would seriously re.
turd the pacification of the oountry. I believe that that
policy has been from the beginning merciful without
weakness, and indulgent without compromising the
dignity of the Government. I believe that wherever
the authority of the Government has been established it
has become manifest to the people in Oude, as elsewhere,
that the iadalgthoe to thaw who make submission, and
who are free from etreciou crime, will be large. I
believe that the issue of the proolaumtion, which has
been so severely condemned, was thoroughly consistent
with that policy, and that it is so viewed by thaws to
whom it is eddreseed. I believe that that policy, if
steadily pursued, offbns the beet end earliest prospect of
restoring peace to Oude upon a stable footing. Firm in
these. convictions, I will not in a time of unexampled
diffoulty, danger, and toil, lay down of my own act the
high trust which I have the honour to hold; but I will,
with the permission of your honourable committee, state
the grounds upon which these convictions rest, and de-
scribe the course of policy which I have pursued in deal-
ing with the rebellion in Owls. If, when I have done
so, it shall be deemed that that policy has been erroneous,
or that, not being erroneous, it hue been feebly end in.
effectually carried out, or that for any reason the eon-
fidenes of those who are reeponaible for the administrs-
tioa of Indian affairs in England shoeld be withheld from '
me, I make it in; respectful but urgent request, through
your honourable, coininittee, that I may be relieved of
the °Aloe of Governor•Generel of India with the least
passible delay."
Then defending his proclamation, Lord Canning says,
that before laming it he had *Dote to thole oonoluxions,
founded on Information and opinions carefully gethered,
end from his own observation •:—" Ttitt all questions of
punishing with death, or even traneportation or impri.
sonment, rebels, who, however inveterate and onset/in,
their bullshit} bad been, mire free from the stain of
murder, . should be set aide. That the one declared
gunishment for rebellion should be ooniblection to the
tote of proprietary rights in the soil. Finally, that if
a proclamation were Lined on the ovum of Laakmeaf,
it should be ODA not threatePing 004thetion, al a poi-
able contingently, but declaring it, pointing out, how-
ever, the meths by which relaxation and indulgence
would be obtainable, and /Sieber that no attempt should
be made to. Wise* the 1110DADVA of relaxation and in-
dolgenee,.whieb.might be wooded in particular cams.
aad
40,44 oiler of the GoVerwahniaichnt:holit=d
bo
reeperyverediatai
The neoeisatation wee *Mentors made to decilitre the
confiscation, sad not to threaten it, bemuse the natives
of India, while they otteeli much weight, to a diethtet
to a vague throat, whether Kinv•Yed bY, P atiottps
otbenv • whilst it might sidelY be assurned gist the
epidi m which the dans treating of indulgent)/ would'.
I be acted upon in the dilitrieee
I would gradually booms known throughout the pro-
vince., and have oonelhatory effmt. Precaution was
Wren Wheel perversion end mistransletion by publish-
ing, ii. the . first Indium, none but vernaoulm versions
of the proolanistion."
II was sent to Isioknow on the gnd of Mem* ; On*,
1.014 Lord Owning readved from the chief oolongs-
sioner, Mt JAMBI. butrim, a letter urging that the terms.
. of kbg rootamation should be mollified i "mainly on
. Yu. geontut.tiab It would render kepetpap the attempt to.
latthip.taloaate on the side of order, and Would .
Muni to mdsepersie.romstenoi 1 end reoevautandbrg
~ aaab tiniutowapp apm‘ehiets AD heists* beim anew
hp liold-bloodoil inerdern of the Bumming
' la te enlisted on oar side by the restoration of their
''
it
misdeal possessions, subject to such restriotons as woul

protest their dependent* tram uppreeeinn," Lard non.
thohiht there were 1•0111101111 whlsh forbade the 'Any.
thin of NI,JIIM Olittliongreallth 6114 11160 " the
unfevenvhble vaw thhen y 141 distinguished valuerul
the enleitenes n the grog atnellun wee a tonne at maid%
te iii 1,0140,
In the euf, Lord (lowing argues thill the prorgaimdlun
washed weti and thclugli, Toidowl, the wyk
lough, the teoult whelp Mega' the lendhuldere In our
th/uur,
n another litho In the (lout of Illreethre Wale Ith
Ju 111 M), hold donning hohnowledgee In a 'portly
member the "Mrneee,.e of your saullnue4 ounhdenee r
end thug the whole natter wee mended betweea bM
llumpholy end the Ouvernur.