The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-02-16 00:00:00

imperial Varliament.

HOUSE OF LORDS—TuusuAT.
The House sat only for a short time last night, and
adjourned after despatching some unimportant business.

.THIJRSDAY..

---------
Earl GRANVILLE, in reply to Lord Carnarvon, stated
that the government intendedto introduce • Bill during
the present session for Yarliataentary Reform' but that
the time when they might incroduce it intuit be left to
their discretion.

Earl GREY then presented the petition which the
East India Company had drawn up in consequence of the
determination of the government to introduce a Bill to
place Her Majesty's East India possessions under the
direct authority of the Crown. Earl Grey gave a sketch
of the contents of the petition paragraph by paragraph,
and declared that he thought its arguments unanswer-
able, and that the transfer of authority contemplated
would be attended with most dangerous results, inas-
much as every step taken by the government with regard
to India would then be considered a party question, and
canvassed and opposed accordingly. In point of fact,
the interposition of a body of men of such high character
as the Directors between the government and the Indian
Executive was a great benefit, and had prevented many
acts of injustice. The power exercised by the Directors
was a moral influence, and he contended that if what
was called the double government were done away that
salutary influence would be destroyed. There might
be some faults in the existing institution under which
India was administered, but it was possible to improve
and modify without destroying. The mutiny to which
this contemplated change was owing was a military ris-
ing. The population at large had lent it no assistance,
and this fact proved more strongly than anything else
that the East India Company had not misgoverned the
country, for if they had done no the mass of the people
would surely have risen against their rule. The true
cause of that mutiny would probably be found in ,the
fact that a policy of aggression had caused great de-
mands upon the small body of British troops, and at the
same time augmented beyond its due proportion the
native army, but with this policy of aggression the Direc-
tors had nothing whatever to do ; it emanated from the
Board of Control, and the East India Companyhad often
protested against it. On one point only he could not
agree with the petitioners, and that was in their prayer
for further inquiry. both an investigation, he thought,
would have no good rcsult, and in all probability de,,*en-
erste into a commission for making a charge against the
company. He thought if any change were proposed
that it should be made at once,

The Duke of A.RGYLL said it was impossible to deny
the petition just presented was worthy of the body
from which it emanated, that it was dignified and tem-
perate. It seemed, however, to him that the question
was one of time, for it must be in the recollection of
every one that when the Indian Bill of 1853 was passed
there was a general belief that the step then taken must
eventually lead to the result contemplated by the mea-
sure which the government were now about to intro-
duce. During the last two or three years Indian subjects
had been freely discussed ; law, the tenure of land, the
growth of cotton, the policy of annexation, had all had
their turn, and the assailants of the existing system had
invariably directed their attacks against the form and
structure of the government at house, attributing the
evils of which they complained to the " double govern-
ment." Even the East India Company itself admitted
that some change might be necessaay, but stickled for
previous inquiry. Lord Grey had thrown over his cli-
ents, and repudiated this coarse, but the government
could only treat the petition as it came before them and
they did not scruple to say that under existing circum-
stances and during the excitement and irritation which
existed in India in consequence of recent events such an
inquiry would be most impolitic, and injurious. The
government on this point had made up its mind that a
change must be effected, and effected as speedily as pos-
sible, Lord Grey had made the most of the old bugbears
of party politics and of patronage, but it must be remem-
bered that whatever change was made the really valua-
ble patronage to place in India must remain in the
hands of the Executive in India, while the house patron-
age, which was merely patronage to service, had since
1853 been thrown open to the educated classes of the
country at large. Much, too, had been made of another
bugbear—that of time ; and it was said ; "Do not
make this change just now." But he had yet to learn
that recent events had at all shaken our rule in India,
and believed that our sway would continue till we had
raised the people of India tea level with ourselves.
. . . .

Lord ELIE;BOROUGH thought, that it would be inex-
pedient at present to make a greater change than this
Involved.

Lord ABINGER moved for correspondence on the sub-
ject of Oude, and was reminded by Lord GRANVILLE
that there was no question before the House.
Lord DERBY deprecated as suicidal any legislation
upon the subject until the existing revolt was sup-
pressed.
Their Lordships then adjourned.