The Press.
London, England, 1858-06-26 00:00:00

INDIA BILL.

On the order for the second reading of the Govern-
ment of India (No 3) Bill,
Lord STANLEY Said that, considering the discus
sion which this subject had already undergone, he
thought it unnecessary to offer any protracted corn
ments on the bill. The principles of the measure—
that the government of India should be transferred
to the Crown, that the administration of Indian
affairs should be by a responsible Minister, and that
this Minister should be assisted by a Council—had
been already sanctioned by the house. He then
proceeded to justify the proposed constitution of the
Council, the number of fifteen, the members to
hold &lice for life, the mode of their appointment,
seven to be elected by the Court of Directors of the
East India Company from among persons who were
or had been of their own body, the other eight to be
nominated by her Majesty, and the manner in which
vacancies were to be filled up. The salaries
of the members of Council it was proposed to
tis at 1,2001, a year, with retiring pensions, upon

617

a large and liberal scale, of 5001. after ten years'
service, and 8001. after a service of fifteen years.
As to the finances, it appeared tr. the Government
that the machinery contained in Lord Palmerston's
bill was totally inadequate and illusory, and that the
object would be better attained by regular and
periodical Indian accounts being laid before the
house. With regard to the army, it was proposed
that the scientific departments should be open to
competition ; that one-tenth of the other cadetships
should be given to the sons of Indian civil or mili-
tary servants, and the remainder disposed of accord-
ing to the existing system, it being the object of the
Government to disturb as little as possible the
present state of things. The 29th clause in the bill,
empowering the Governor General to appoint Bente-
nant•governort, the Government proposed to submit
to full and free discussion in the committee, holding
themselves at liberty to abandon it.
Mr. ALIGHT thought we should have presidencies
in India, and not an empire. If he were Minister,
and could get the house to agree with him, he would
have five presidencies in India, perfectly equal, ad-
ministered from Calcutta, Madras, Bombay, Agra,
and Lahore. Among these governments there would
he a generous rivalry for good instead of utter stag-
nation : evil ambition would he checked ; there would
be no Governor so great that he could not be con-
trolled, and if we were at last driven from India, we
should leave it in the form of so many compact
States, able to support their own governments, and
not a prey to anarchy and discord. In conclusion,
he said he would, when this bill passed, proclaim a
general amnesty, put an end to all mischievous in-
quiries into titles to landed estates, and bold sacred
the right of adoption, telling the people of India
that the Christian religion was true and the best for
mankind, but that that religion taught us to respect
the rights of conscience, and that the Parliament
and the Queen of England had resolved that no
wrong should be done to the millions that professed
creeds that they believed to be true ; and he would
establish a court of appeal in India, composed of
judges of high character, for the settlement of dis-
putes between the Government and its subjects.
Mr. WHITESIDE ridiculed Mr. Bright's scheme of
government for an Eastern dependency, and thought
his reflections upon the past government of India
did not prove much, though he admitted that in
many of the instances of annexation of territory
there was wanting the principle of legality. At the
same time he condemned all general sweeping cen-
sures of the East India Company. The task which
the present Government had in hand was one of
the most formidable ever undertaken by any Go-
vernment, demanding the utmost care to insure
its performance wisely and well; but he augured
good results from the scheme submitted to the
house.

After come remarks by Mr. P. O'BRIEN,
Mr. V. SMITH observed that the speech of Mr.
Bright had suggested subjects worthy of grave con-
sideration, especially whether India might not be
advantageously divided into presidencies. He (Mr.
Smith) still thought that some central authority
would be required. Referring to the bill, he dwelt
upon the importance of the question as to the con-
stitut;on of the Council. He objected to the
number fifteen as cumbrous and inconvenient, and
thought the bill orovided a sort of sham responsi-
bility. He strongly urged the adoption of the prin-
ciple of nomination, self-election being, in his opinion,
only a bad fcrm of nomination. He reviewed some
of the other details of the bill, the second reading of
which he supported.
The bill having undergone certain criticisms by
Colonel SYKES,
Mr. ROEBUCK said lie believed the bill was not
destined to a very long existence ; that it was
brought forward under pressure by persons unwil-
ling to do what they were forced to do. He now
regarded Lord Palmerston's bill as better than
this, which was a thing of shreds and patches. Ha
condemned the scheme for constituting the Council,
which would be a body for the government of India
that would be responsible to nobody. Upon this
rock the bill would be eventually wrecked. The
Council would be the real governors of India; the
Government of India would give offence to that
house, and would be put down..
Mr. T. BARING protested against the adoption of
Mr. Roebuck's theory, that the whole power should
be intrusted to a single 3linister, unless India was
to be left, like the colonies, to govern itself. As the
house had determined to legislate for India this
session, it was its duty to take care that there
should be an independent council to assist the
Minister.
The bill was then read a second time.
Several bills passed through committee, or were
forwarded their respective stages.

The house then resumed the consideration in
committee of the remaining clauses of the Sale and
Transfer of Land (Ireland) Bill, and afterwards
went through the other orders of the day and mo-
tions, adjourning at one o'olock.

OP

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.• . .
BANQUET TO HER HAITESTY'S
MINISTERS.
Os Wednesday night the Lord Mayor and the Lady
Mayoress enttrtained her Majesty's Ministers, the
members of the Corps Diplomatique, and a brilliant
company of distingnished ladies and gentlemen fel
the Egyptian•hall of the Mansion-honse.
The Earl and Countess of Derby and Lady Emirh
Stanley were prevented from being present in cons
sequence of the indisposition of the noble Premier.
The Duchess of Montrose, the Countess of Malmes-
bury, Lady Cairns, Sir James and Lady Matheson,
and Sir John and Lady Myers were also absent from
indisposition ; and the Duchess of Manchester, the
Marquis and Marchioness of Exeter, the Countess of
Hirdwicke, and the Earl and Countess Delawarr
could not be present, having received her Majesty's
commands to be iu attendance at the concert of the
Royal Academy of Music, which her Majesty
honoured with her presence that evening. The
Chancellor of the Exchtipter was also, at the last
moment, prevented from being at the dinner in con-
sequence of illness.
The Egyptian•hall was decorated with trophies of
flags of all nations and shields with banners.
Among the company present were—the Lord
Chancellor end Lady Chelmsford, the Turkish Am-
bassador and Madame dusurus, the Duke of
Malakoff, French Ambassador; the B.,lgian Minister
and Madame Vat) de Weyer, the Bavarian Minister
and Madame de Cetto, the Marquis D'Azeglio, the
Sardinian Minister, the Nettie, land: Minister, the
Portuguese Minister and Countess Lavradio, the
American Minister and Mrs. Dallas, the Austrian
Minister and Countess Appony, the Saxon Minister,
the Swedish and Norwegian Minister, Count Platen,
the Danish Minister, the Marquis and Marchi•'neas
of Salisbury, Baron Franckenstein, the Earl of Hard-
wicke and Lady Elizabeth Yorke, the Duke of Man-
chester, the Duke of Montrose, the Earl of Malines-
bury, the Earl and Countess of Shrewsbury,Earl and
Countess of Sandwich, Earl and Countess of Win•
chilsea, Earl and Countess of Egmont, Earl and
Countess of Harrington and Lady Geraldine Stan-
hope, Earl of Deaart, Earl and Countess Donough.
more, Earl and Countess of Verulum, Earl Nelson,
Earl and Countess of Bective, Eail of Delkeith. the
Countess Brownlow, Dowager Lady Willoughby de
Broke, the Right Hon. Speneer Walpole, M.P., and
Mrs. Walpole, the Right Hon. Sir John Pakington,
M.P., and Lady Pakington, the Right Hon. Mr.
'Henley, M.P., and Mrs. flenley, Lord and Lady
Colchester, Viscount and Viscountess Dungannon,
Afteectint Gough, Woman% and Viscountess Newport,
Lord John Manners, M.P., Lord Henry Gordon
Lennox, Lord George Gordon Lennox, Lord
arid Lady Sondes, the Right Hon. the Speaker of the
House of Common!' and Laity Charlotte Denison,
the Right Hon. Lord and Lady Claud Hamilton,
Lord Lovaine, M.P., Lord Naas, M.P., and Lady
Naas, Lord Hotham, M.P., the Right Hon. Sotheron
Estcnu t, M.P., and Mrs. Estcour, Right Hon. C.
Adderley, M.P., Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone,
M.l'., and Mrs. Gladstone, Sir Fitzroy Kelly, M.P.,
Attorney-General; the Solicitor-General, Right Hon.
J. W. Whiteside, M.P., and Mrs. Whiteside, Right
Hon. J. fetch:, NI.P., the Right Hon. the Advocate.
Genteel, Right Hon. H. L Gouty, bf.P., Right lion.
W. Beresforil. M.P., HOD. Colonel Sir Charles
Pnipph. the Hon. Frederick Lygon, M.P., Hon. and
Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Talbot, the lion. Mr. and Mrs.
W. 0. Stanley, Hon. Mr. Waldegrave, Vice-Admiral
the Hon. Sir 11. S. Dundas, Sir W. Hylton Jolliffe,
, and Lady Tiyhon Jollitf-, Mr. G. A. Hamilton.
111. P., and a distinguished circle.
The loving cup having been circulated.
The Loan Mao gave " Her Antesty the Queen,"
which was drunk with the usnal demonstrations of
I.yslty ; as was also the health of " The Prince
C.insinrt. Albert Prince of Wales, and the rest of the
Royal Family'
The next toast was " The Army and Nasl." with
which were coupled the names of Viscount Gough
and Major.Generel Sir Archdale Wilson for the one
service, and that of the First Lord 01 the Admiralty
for the other.
Viscount tionaii returned thanks on behalf of the
Queen's Army, and Major-General Wu.suat on behalf
of the Indian Army.
SirJ. P.teixorox, in reaming thanks for the navy,
said ;
inn devolves upon me, in virtue of theotbee which I have
the honour to hold, te acknowledge the toast which you, my
Lord Mayor, have been so kind as to propose Lbut I con-
fess that, xurronntled as 1 am by navel officers of the
highest distinction, I undertake the duty with feelings of
unaffected dididence. On the other hand, I cannot but
feel that 1 may express, with a freedom which they could
not do. the admiration that, in common with all my
countrymen. I entertain for this noble arm of the British
service. &Cherrs.) I may mate. with a freedom which
thi could not di, my behei that there is no branch of the
public service more entitled than the navy of England to
every honour which the British public can bestow. I know
that I shall best speak the sentiments of those gallant
if I say that they are now zealous and anxious as

*Meets if I s