The Press.
London, England, 1858-02-06 00:00:00

THE PRESS, FEBRUARY 6, 1858.

The Calcutta Relief Committee have solemnly
stated that, after the most searching and careful
inquiry, they can find no oases which in any way
corroborate the above statement. Lord Shaftesbury
has since offered the following explanation in a letter
to the Times :

Some time before I made the speech I had heard, from
a person in whom I had entire confidence, that there was
a letter, "from the highest lady now in India, describing
that, day by day, ladies were coming into Calcutta, their
ears and their noses cut off and their eyes put out." In
the heat of speaking 1 made reference to that statement;
and the report from which your first correspondent,
" A Lover of Truth," has quoted was, no doubt, that which
appeared in most papers. But, in the report printed in a
separate form, the words are not " I saw ' but " I heard a
letter;" and the history of the change is this :—The editor
of a county paper, being desirous to circulate the speech.
sent me the slips immediately, with a request that I would
make such alterations as were recessary. The words
" I saw " I instantly struck out, and substituted " heard "
(it ought to have been " heard of "), making the passage
run thus, `• 1 heard of a letter from," &c. 'l'bis was done,
and the copy so corrected in circulation within a few days
of tha delivery of the speech. The disclaimer published
by your correspondent, " A Lover of Accuracy " (which I
now hear for the first time), is sufficient to prove that my
informant was in error, and, considering the delicacy of
the evidence, I should, I confess, have acted more wisely
had I not used it. The remainder of the corrected pas•
sage runs —" When I tell you that children of tender years
were put to death in cold blood." This statement is
distinct from the other, and was founded on evidence open
to every one, and, so far as I know, never contradicted. I
have by me many letters revealing cases of still greater
atrocity; but the sufferers or their relatives shrink from
any disclosure of their names and circumstances.—l am,
sir, your obedient servant,

SHAFTESBURY.

LAST NIGHT'S DEBATE.

HOUSE OF LORDS.
ADDRESS TO HER MAJESTY.

Eatl GRANVILLE moved a congratulatory address
to her Majesty upon the marriage of the Princess
Royal.
The motion was seconded by the Earl of DERBY,
and agreed to unanimously.

BA:CKRTIPTCY LLW.
Lord Bnotrorissi brought in a bill for the reform of
the Law of Bankruptcy.
The bill was read a first time.

CHURCH SERVICES.

The Archbishop of CANTERBURY introduced a bill
intended to enlarge the powers now possessed by the
authorities of the Church of England, with respect
to the performance of religious worship in other than
consecrated edifices. _

After a few words from Lord Campbell, the Earl
of Shaftesbury, and Lord Dungannon, the bill was
read a first time, and ordered for second reading on
Monday, together with the Church Discipline Bill.
Thcir lordships adjourned at six o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

ADMISSION OF JEWS TO PARLIAMENT.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL, adverting to the notice given
by Mr. T. Buncombe of a resolution allowing Baron
Rothschild to assume his seat, upon taking the par-
liamentary oaths in the manner most binding to his
conscience, intimated his intention of moving, as an
amendment, the previous question.

correspondence had passed between the English and
French Governments having such an object in
view.
Lord PALMERSTON stated that a despatch bad been
received on the subject, which there was no objec.
Lion to lay immediately before Parliament. The
noble lord proceeded to explain and excuse certain
expressions that had been used by Count Persigny,
the French Ambassador in London, as well as in
some addresses to the Emperor Napoleon, which
had appeared in the Monitenr. Some of these dicta
had, he believed, been misunderstood, and others
were attributable to the misconceptions so prevalent
abroad respecting the laws and customs of England.
It would, he contended, be most undignified to
modify a solemn act of legislation in this country on
account of some intemperate language employed by
few private individuals in France.

Mr. HORSMAN observed that the charge advanced
by Mr. Roebuck did not relate to expressions dropped
by private persons, but to the language used by
official personages, and promulgated iu the official
organ of the French Emperor.
After a few words of explanation from Mr. ROE.
BUCK, the motion was withdrawn.

THE HAVELOCK ANNUITY.

The house having gone into Committee of Supply,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved the
preliminary resolution, whereon to found a bill
granting an annuity of 1,0001. per annum to the
Dowager Lady Havelock and to the present Sir
Henry Havelock. In bringing forward this motion,
he briefly alluded to the lamented death of General
Havelock, and recapitulated the services performed
by his son, the present baronet, who had already dis-
tinguished himself by his gallantry in various engage.
ments during the recent military operations in India.

The motion was seconded by Sir J. PAKINOTON,
and after some conversation agreed to unanimously.