The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-05-04 00:00:00

FRIDAY.

On the order for going into oommittee upon the resole.
!lons on the Government of India,
Lord H. VANS moved "That the change of cironin•
dances since the first proposal by Her Majesty's late
advisers to transfer the Government of India from the
East India Company to the Crown renders it inexpedient
to proceed further with legislation on the subject during
the present session." He was not opposed to an altera-
tion of the present system hereafter ; but, under the
circumstances, there being no urgency, it was not wise,
in his opinion, to break up this system, and to part with
councillors vvell acquainted with the details of Indian
government.
The motion was seconded by Mr. CIRIGORT.
Mr. A. MILLIS opposed the motion, and was at a loss
to understand what the circumstances were which
should preclude the House from prooeeding further
with legislation upon the subject. Why, he asked, did
not Lord H. Vane support the amendment of Mr.
Baring? Whatever arguments might have been then.
urged for delay were weakened now, and he hoped the
House would not be deterred from legislation by such
arguments as .had been offered in support of the
motion.
Sir F. BARING called the attention of the House to
the state in which it came to the consideration of this
question. The Government was not able to assist the
House in this important proceeding. A Government
which had the confidence of the majority of the House
had a certain control over its opinion. Could that be
said of the present Government Were they able to
advise the House on this question? It was from the
difficulty of their position that they had been driven to
their present course, and no one was so green as to
doubt what was the real opinion of the Chancellor of.
the Exchequer.
Mx. 111. Gruisow said, no 008 0011141 say that there was
any deficiency of information; on the contney, all
necessary information was scoeseible to the House to
guide it to a sound decision in devising a ethane of
home government for India. As the proceeding by
resolutions would furnish an additional stage for dis-
cussion, he thought it was the best and most practical
mode that could be adopted.

Lord PALM6RSTON had no hesitation in saying that it
was his intention to oppose the motion. He thought it
would be inconsistent not only with the interests of the
country, but with the honour and dignity of that House,
if they retraced their steps and determined to do no.
thing. As things then were, he was ready to go into com.
mittee upon the resolutions, with a sincere desire to
make them as consistent u possible with sound legis.
lation.

Lord STANLEY acknowledged that this wan one of the
most difficult and oomplicatad questions with whioh the
House could be called upon to deal, but the difficulties
would not be diminished by time; they would not be
less in 1859 than now. It had been said that a strong
Government only could deal with this question ; but e
Government might be strong in regard to general policy
and yet not able to influence opinions upon Indian quer
Hons. Then, au to public opinion, such questions did
not interest a large number of persons out of doors.
Peculiar circumstances had of late excited public interest
regarding India, but that interest would diminish as the
incidents which created it passed away. The question
having been raised, and it having been proposed to
transfer the Government of India from the Company to
the Crown, in his opinion the only vriedom lay In corn.
plating the undertaking.
Upon a division, the motion of Lord H. VANE Tel ne•
vitiated by 447 to 57, and the House went into ooronsittes
upon the resolutions.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved the first
resolution, "That it is expedient to trarushor the
vernment of India to the Crown."

Mr, hIANOLIII entered at much length upon a de-
fence of the East India Company's administration, vin-
dicating their rule from various imputations which had
been east upon it.
NIT G. Lewis insisted upon the inherent and chew-
terietio defects of the double government, and that the
time had arrived when the present complicated and
superannuated mystem should be put an end to.
Mr. Honexam said, if the India revenue fell short
after the Government was transferred to the Crown, the
deficit must be made good by England. The opium
revenue was very precarious, and if it failed there
would be with the existing deficiency, a sum el
R 5,500,000 to be annually provided for by the taxpayers
of this country. He objected to the resolution, therefore,
because we thereby assumed liabilities not yet fully ow
eiders&
Colonel SYKES urged am a reason for not legislating
for India at this time, that 105 petitions have been
presented for the removal of caste, and 97 for the ex-
tension of Christianity in India j and that these mat.
tors were known to the natives of India, who looked
upon the dump of Government SS the means to be
employed for carrying out these objects.
Mr. GLADSTONE said that the territorial debt of In&
R 50,000,000 had been borrowed in the shape of loans to
the Company, and if the security were altered without
the consent of the creditor, it was not enough to sal
I that no harm was done to him this was a question for
him to decide.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, the secu-
rity of the public creditor in India was not changed
belied exactly the um* security u before, namely the
revenues and territories of India. In reply to Mr.
Honnnan, he observed that she transfer of the Govern-
ment oould not dianinish or increase any possible liability
of the finances of this country which existed be-
fore.

—filo resolution was speed to, and the Chairmen was
then ordered to report progress.
The House adjourned at a quarter put 12 o'clock
until Monday.