The Press.
London, England, 1858-04-24 00:00:00

THE PRESS, APRIL 24, 1858.

it was the declaration of the right hon. gentleman
and his colleagues, and not as arising from any
undertaking on the part of the house. He believed
the introduction of a bill and keeping it in sus
pease by the same Government was a very unusual
course, and he therefore trusted the right hon. gen-
tleman would not adopt the course he bad stated.
Her Majesty's Government ought to take one of two
courses, either propose the resolutions and act on
them, or withdraw the present bill.
Sir E. PERRY asked whether instructions had been
sent to India that terms of amnesty, including pro-
tection to life and property and full toleration in mat
tern of religion, should be held out to the inhabitants
of Oude, excepting in gross cases of heinous crimes ;
and, if no such instructions had been sent, whether
in the opinion of her Majesty's Government it was
not expedient to do so ?
Mr. RICH called attention to the mutinous sepoys,
and said some inducement should be held out to
them to return to their allegiance to the government
of the East India Company.
The CHANCELLOR Of the EXCHEQUER said, in reply
to the last two questions, instructions had been sent
to India, that, so far as was consistent with the
demands of justice, their suggestions were to be car-
ried out. With reference to the church rates, he
was inclined to think that the bill did not bold out
any hopes of settling the church rates, and rather
than give a day for going into committee on it he
would bring in a Government measure ; but his
objection to pledging himself to it was his doubts
as to the possibility of carrying it this session.
He thought it was desirable to take the opinion of
the house on Mr. Puller's motion. With regard to
the India Bill (No. 2), he thought that it was better
to take a decision on the resolutions, and if they
were affirmed by the house to introduce another bill
founded on them. His reason for keeping the pre-
sent bill on the order was to defend those parts of it
that had been attacked, and had not been answered.
Lord PALMERSTON said he thought the course pro-
posed now by her Majessty's Government the only
one open for them to take. He would not discuss
the propriety of proceeding by resolutions first, or by
bill. The resolutions in c ,mmittee must be the
prißciples on which the future bill must be drawn.
Mr. BRIGHT thought the course now pursued the
most convenient in the present awkward position of
her Majesty's Government. With regard to church
rates, he assured her Majesty's Government the
country were determined to have the question
settled, and urged them to fix a day for that purpose.
He bad no desire to change Governments, and
wished to see the present Government in office so
long as they would pass useful measures for the
country. He asked her Majesty's Ministers to recon-
sider the measure—reconsideration wag the best

thing a Government could do, for it often happened
that " second thoughts were best."
Mr. V. SMITH asked her Majesty's Government to
lay on the table the instructions sent to India, re•
ferred to by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He
hoped the instructions were accompanied by admira-
tion of the conduct of the Governor-General, Lord
Canning, as he greatly deserved it, though that
eminent person had been improperly assailed by the
right hon. member for Droitwich.
Sir J. PAKINOTON said that when a vote of thanks
to the Gni/err:lot-General of India was given he
considered his conduct hypothetically, being based on
the memorial from Calcutta, without Lord Canning's
answer. Since then the Government had received
Lord Canning's answer to it, and in almost if not in
every instance his answer was satisfactory.
Sir H. WILLOUGHBY suggested that it would be
better to drop both the India bills now before the
house.

The motion for adjournment till Monday was then
agreed to.

BANKERS' CHEQUES.

The house having gone into Committee of Ways
and Means,

On the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHE-
QUER, a resolution was passed establishing a stamp
duty of one penny on bankers' drafts and cheques.