The Express.
London, England, 1852-04-19 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY. APRIL 19.

To-steirr the subject of India is again to be
brought before parliament by Mr. HERRIES, and cer-
tainly few subjects deserve more serious consideration.
Lord Drier's speech in moving for a committee''
of the House of Lords to inquire into the operation of
the Act 3 and 4 WILLIAM IV. chap. 86, for the better
government of the QuEEN's Indian territories.
whereof the East India Company are until 1834
trustees, if without the vigour and force of his lord-
ship's statements on subjects of party interest, was,
nevertheless, • very favourable. specimen of his
calmer little of clearly and skilfully launching the
outlines of • great question. In it, however, Lord
Deeni's high oratorical ability was more promi-
Dent than his real acquaintance with the
case he was dealing with. Thus, in the very
commencement of his speech, his lordship assumed
and segued on a position for which there is no foun-
dation in (Act, yet which, if granted, goes far to
control and sway the inquiry he eJneluded by moving.
The act of 1833, he said. appears to have con-
templated a continuance of the political power", of
the company for 40 years, though it only granted
them for half that period. This, wo think, is a
fallacy, and one so important as to deserve distinct
notice. It is true that statute provides for the
payment of the Company's stock in 1874
at the rate of 2001. fur every pal!. stock. But the
reason for fixing that period was that by 1874
the sinking fund of 4000,000 f., dirce'ed by the
act of 1034 to be set aside out of the Company's
commercial assets, will then have so far accumu-
lated as to furnish the means for the repayment of
the stock at that rate without any draught either
on the finances of England or India. Meanwhile, no
doubt. should the powers of the company be allowed
to expire, there is a liability on the part of this coun-
try to discharge at 2031. the East India Stock, on
three years' notice being given. But as until the
divideuds thereon shall fall below eight per cent.,
the market price will probably be higher than the
rate of repayment, the pi oprietors would lose by the
notice ; and it is, therefore, little likely to be
given. At all events, these provisions in the
Act of 1831 were introduced simply fur the protec-
tion of the pecuniary interests of the proprietors of
East India stock, and were never intended to create
any claim for a renewal of the political powers of
the Company—still less to impose on parliament any
obligation to recognise, or act on, such unfounded
preten.ions. Lord Beetle must not, therefore, be
allowed to trammel or fetter the consideration of this
important question by any such illusory inference,
however skilfully introduced " en pa wine"
The legislature is in 1834 quite as free to abolish
the political powers of the East India ('ompany as it
was in 1831 to abrogate their commercial monopoly ;
and unless the parliamentary committees start in
their investigations from that point, and with a
clear and distinct understanding that Lord DERBY'S
assumption is inaccurate, the inquiry may take quite a
wrong route. For, if that be not granted, the issue
will be the best means of improving the machinery
of an administration for directing part of the home
government of India and all the patronage of that
country, and not whether the "experiment" (as Mr.
eneitets WYNNE called the act of 1831) has been
successfuL It will be important, therefore, to procure
from Mr. HERRIES further explanation on this point
in the House of Commons when he to-night moves
for the committee thereon.
'to return to Lord BERM'S speech, it may be added
that with some excellencies, it had two great defects;
it never rose to any proper appreciation of the real
worth of native character; and, though it referred
to some remote probability or coatingency of the
natives being able, under British sovereignty, to
administer their own affairs, it never suggested a
single mode or measure by which to promote and
advance that great end ; without which we are
merely conquerors in India.
No doubt, under the Company's charters, and by
the courage, and audacity, and unscrupulousness of
their servants. we have acquired a marvellous empire
in India. But the points now for solution are,
whether in doing so the tendency of our proceedings
has not been more and more to unfit the natives for
administering their own affairs; and whether, having
now no external enemies to dread, and complete
supremacy within safe limits, our pride, our " in-
solence in office," as Lord ELLENeotiounri described
it, and our indifference to all interests but those of
the governing class, may not render our danger
greater in a stationary than it was in a progressive
state. When, then, Lord Deans' turned so much to
the past ; traced its great and glorious events; and
drew all his illustrations sad lopes of the future there-
from, he referred to a state of things that has
terminated. A new world in India is opening upon
Bs; in it the past can teach us few lessons ;—unless we
can realise its wants and supply them, we shall
never elevate the natives of India in the social scale.
They may remain our subjects; but they will gra-
dually become • race not worth governing.
lin one great point both Lord DERBY and Lord
Et.eaxeimoecin concurred- "I do not," said the
former, " lay any stress upon the extent of territory
acquired by the Company since 1834; because I am
by no means sure that the possession of that terri-
tory was an unmixed advantage." The latter added
that, in his opinion, the limits of our empire "had
already in some quarters been passel. It is with
much regret I look to the possession of Peshawur
and of any country on the right bank of the Indus
eseve Kalabagh, where the naviion from the sea
emceed. • • And of this )lam sure, that be-
yawl the present territorial limits it would be the
log=of 'Nikk ei insanity to peas." Such are the
*et here always been expressed in this
*rag ; eel Vwe have been alone in their exprea.
dea In the meteepolitan press, there is some esti:.
Judea ia palaelly finding them also the opinions
of ell ease eke have really studied the actual posi-
tion of ear Istlian empire under a sense of either
palidsal se used respousibility.

MAN4ION-lloC4t.—On Saturday, the Bth of May I
the Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress will entertain her
Majesty's ministers, the foreign ministers, es well as a
distinguished party of mambas of both house, of parlia-
ment, and their ladies.
A PRACTICAL MCIVER TO SIR F. ILIILLT.—The 6
following singalar nom for voting against a free trade
candidate was gives by a butcher in an agrieultaral con-
stituency . "I am parry I cant support you. I believe
that you was well. but free trade does not agree with
me. I can't MS lbw beet plucks and offal (naafi them
as they bang upon the wall). Look here. People sow-m.
=have so mush bread to eat that they will not bay my
Cheap bread in all very well, hut it don't do for my
trade, sad leant vote for you." Calling upon another
voter (an aripanual labourer), the wife, a quick, Weill.
put-lookiew wow, only appeared, add, addressing Mr.
Mellor said," Are you in favour of teeing our bread ?"
No, quite the cannery ; I wish to prevent its being
taxed,'' quoth the candidate. " Then my husband will
vote for you." Mr. Y. " May l see your husband. as I
should be glad to hear him confirm your premier! ?" " You
need not fear ; come here (opening the door of a room,
and pointing to fire children), do you think that my hue.
band will go and vote against his own children?"
FATAL COLLISION IN Tug CIIANNEL.--A
Colli-
sion, resulting in the loss of a Dutch ship and most of her
crew, was announced at Lloyd's, on Saturday evening It
took place on Friday morning, in the Channel, off the Bill
of Portland. The Triton, Mr. Baker, master, bound from
Cardiff to Bremen, was brought up in the Chieeel Cave, a
good anchors on that line of coast, and, while in that
pieties, a Daub trader, name at present not correctly
ascertained, but belonging to IRottardam, and bound to
Liehau from Liverpool, in working up, ran with tremen-
dous force into the Triton, which was taken amidships. She
sustained considerable damage by the collision, and her
escape from immediate foundering may ne deemed most
providential. The Dutchman was low in the water, and
her hull receiving a fearful shaking, she almost instantly
began to fill. As quickly as practicable, the Triton got
clear of the Dutchman, and the latter very shortly &fest-
wards went down in deep water, with, as was supposed at
the time, every soul on board. It has %ince been ascertained
however, that a pilot boat from Portland succeeded is
picking up the master and his brother, but the remainder
of the crew, sit or seven in number, perished. After mat
difficulty, the Triton, by the aid of n boat's crew, from
1:t idport, was got into that harbour. None of the beaks
had been picked up when the account was dispatched, The
Dutchman is slated to have been awed.

FRANCE..
PARIS, BartrlMATlo4ll49.
I have just heard of a circumstance which paints
to the life the systematic degradation to which the
deputies of the Corps Idsgislatif are subjected by the
government. You are aware that before the map
tritat members of the Assembly had easy access
at all times to the ministers to confer upon business
relative to their constituencies. I informed you
lately that some dispute had arisen between the
deputies and the ministers in consequence of the COP
sation of the old privilege, and that the affair vita
compromised by the ministers appointing partied's'
days fur the reception of deputies. Well, twee's-
ties presented themselves this morning to wafture
a minister in conformity with the new rule. Bat
they acre surprised to find the antechambererowded
witb persons quite foreign to the legislature. The
' deputies had certainly understood from M. Bil-
; ]unit, president of their chamber, that they
were not to be confounded with the vulgar herd of
applicants, but to be admitted immediately, if not ex-
'esively, to confer with the minister on the affairs
',at the nation. They sent in their cards and titles.
After kicking their heels for a quarter of an hoar
wittiest getting any answer, they sent in their cards
rwith an announcement added in pencil that
li
waited. Still no answer was returned. During ,
this interval the other suitors were admitted iu turn.
Finally, the two deputies having danced attendance
in the antechamber for a full hour, sent in to the
minister the following note :—" MM. A. and 8.,
deputies, have come on the day and hour fixed by
the minister to have an audience of him. They have
waited an hour in vain, and have retired." I can gua-
rantee to you the authenticity of this fact. Thus the
representatives of the people are worse treated by the
government than common individuals. The first
can go to the ministers on any day ; the depu-
ties are limited to fixed days; and then they are
obliged to wait till the common herd of solicitors is
dismissed, and the queue of applicants exhausted.
Such is the respect shown by the government for
that one of the "great bodies of the state" issued
from universal suffrage. Meanwhile the unfortunate
deputies, besides being subjected to these affronts,
have to consider their unremunerated services.
Nothing can exceed the bitterness with which the
poorer representatives compinin of their lot. They
see senators swallowing pensions of 30,000 f., and are
not even allowed the old daily stipend of 23f. I
heard one of them complain that he had done
for himself by becoming a deputy. His con-
stituents he said overwhelmed him with un-
paid letters ; ho ruined himself in cabs,
gloves, visits, and leas de repr;sentation he
Illvos on the trot all day about the affairs of his de-
pertinent, and had not a moment to giro to the pro-
helm of the bar, by which ho had heretofore real.
hod a decent competency. And all this while the
montors, who bad nothing whatever to do, were
gorged with princely incomes!
It is announced that bills for the construction of
the Cherbourg Railway and of that from Bordeaux
to Cette will shortly be laid before the Council of
State. Apropos of the Cherbourg Railway, a " mot"
is attributed to the President upon the occasion of a
recent reception at the Elysee of a deputation in fa-
vour of the line, headed by M do Tocqueville. On
seeing for the first time since Dec. 2 the eminent
advocate of representative government in his pre-
sence, the President said " I see with pleasure, M.
de Toequeville, that railways bring men together."
M. N ictor Hugo, jun., hcs addressed the following
letter to the Siiete:
I have just seen in the Ind,,peridance of Brussels that the
raiment has remitted the remaining four months of the
ijsisammsat to which I had been condemned. The pun-
MMS ifilieted on my father and on my friend, Paul
who is still undergoing confinement for an article
slimed by me alone, prevents me from accepting a pardon
stick I have in no way solicited.
A_ telegraphic despatch from Toulon states that
Ihematla Bauchart had spent the lath at Fort
. Ile has ordered the discharge from cus-
tody 760 persons belonging to the department of
the Buses-Alpes out of 279, condemned to trans-
portation.
The Bulletin des Lois publishes three decrees di-
viding the credits granted for the expenses of the
Ministries of Justice, Marine, and Finances during
1832.
The credit accorded to the Ministry of Justice amounts
to 26,415,634 fr. ; last year it was 26,569,345 fr. The de-
crease arises from the fact that the ezpenses of the Council
of 84ate are no longer included is the budget of the
Misr of Justice. Them expenses amounted to
MOW Consequently the actual credit, instead of
Ulm diminished, eontains an increase of 724,299 fr.
lfles emmtA of 117,225,778 f. in the budgets of the Ministry of
the Marine and Colonies exceeds that of last year by
36.7.11,046 f. The principal increase arises from the salary
of the ministry, which was raised from 48,000 f. to 100,000 f. ;
from those of the directives and ersip/oyis raised from 830,700 f.
to 713,567 f.; from the provisWas, which had increased
sairarly 3 millions, and on the colonial service. The third
audit published in the Bulletin des Lois is one of
114b,936,899f., granted to the Ministry of the Finance for
the year 1852. In the year 1851 the amount win only
037,575,930 f. This increase of nearly 10 millions prium.
pilly bean on the service of the public debt, which has risen
sham 391,160,780 f. to 394,368,433 f., and on the general
ismien, which has advanced from 16,595,860 f to 18,497,000 f.
The Monitear publishes the text of the bill now be-
fore the Corps Legislatifforremodellingthelawrelative
Lathe " rehabilitation of persons who have been con-
densed by courts of justice." The new bill proposes
to sepal the decree of the provisional government,
to akso
_that clause of it which places misdemeanours
srModes upon the same footing, but to restore the
of imperial legislation, and to re-establish
'lotion by judicial trial, subject to the appro-
bation of the President. It is understood that the
asthma proposal of the government was to place the
=ive solely in the President's hands, but that
eh' er, in a set et sitting of the council of state,
Mk se esergetia a speech in support of the jurisdic-
tions emoded hew, that M. Abbatucci gave way.
Ibe 1111 abaft do dam within which rehabilitation
mg be panted to lie jams Goa the expiration of
do sea boes is MISS cillarar. awl three in mead
obbroaleava It Wows Ibeambitisa, in the first
ewe; dampers' toilsome Is do some arrondiese-
I meat, Lei in the next of dew roes. To avoid
painkl psblicity, public adeortimmonts, hitherto re-
quire& are to be dispensed with.
M. Poisat, a deputy for the Ain under Louis Phi-
lippe, has written a letter to the Debate against the
Copper Coinage Bill in an unusually bold strain of
opposition. He refers to the part taken by him in throw-
Logout asimilarbill in 1843. He continues tohold the
eari=hichhe Geo frankly expressed, that " the little
satiefeetion• of replacing unpalatable effi-
gies by a new image is no compensation for the in-
convesimice of the museare. He thinks the diminu-
tion in the intrinde nine of the coin a great temp-
lates to forgery, against which the vaunted artistic
aft to be displayed is no sufficient guard. He,
moreover, prophecies that the poor will not be per-
suaded to part with their old copper coins for new ones
of much less weight, and that the same hostile feeling
will be manifested which caused the repeal of the
law tampering with the coinage of the 111. Thermidor.
The friends of M. Fr. Arago are painfully divided
in opinion upon the question whether ho ought to
take the oath required by the constitution. Should
he decide not to do so, he will lose his place u Di-
rector of the Observatory, and his private fortune is
very small.
Five thousand plates for officers schakoe have been
ordered front a manufacturer of the Marais, bearing
the eagle, with a space left for a crown.
At the Bourse the Four-and-a-Halfs closed without
change at 101.20. • the Threes closed also without
change at 72.20. Itailways were firm. Orleans rose
33; Central, 20; Bordeaux, 11.23; Tours and
Nantes, 10.
nrsosy EYZNINO.
Marshal Gerard, the hopelessness of whose reco-
very' from sickness I announced to you a few days
ago, died yesterday afternoon. Ile had been for the
eighteen hours preceding his death in a state of un-
consciousness ; but the members of his familyiar.ro-
niained by his bed until ho breathed his last.
shal Gerard was in his 80th year. lie is the fourth
marshal whom France has lost during the last few
months. Sault, Sebastiani, Nlarmont, preceded him
at short intervals to the grave. The death
of the last left Gerard, who received his
baton immediately on the accession of Louis Philippe,l
doyen of the marshalls. Marshal Reille, created in
'11847, succeeds to this rank. You will remember that
Gerard commanded a division of Grouchy's corps in
the emperor's last campaign. Hearing the roar of
daimon in the direction of Waterloo, ho made earnest
attempts to persuade Grouchy to march in that
direction to join the emperor, and the deaf ear that
his commanding officer turned to his urgent appeal
is deplored by M. de Lamartine, the latest historian
of that bloody field.