The Press.
London, England, 1858-12-11 00:00:00

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1202 THE PRESS DECEMBER 11, 1858.
We doubt whether Mr. LOWE himself does not princes .7f7-----"-------"---India may look forward with confi- On the whole, it is a proclamation
prefer the present calm of Kidderminster to the dente to retaining their possessions, without the people of this cioseotuhntehtrryencahmtaraioanycstwoeferlltohfleet
fear of their being, at some future day, seized it is one which, from its dignity, moderation, and
more exciting reminiscences of a former visit to
his constituents. and absorbed by the dominant power which jt•hasetie7e,
svioilif thera surrounds them.
THE NEW APOSTLE OF FINALITY.
THE INDIAN PROCLAMATION. Her Majesty also pledges herself "to respect
"the rights, dignity, and honour ofnative princes
IVHEN Sir ROBERT PEEL carried off the clothes
THIS document, as important a one as ever was "as her own; " and we must claim for this pro-
issued by a monarch of these realm; has been raise the merit also of novelty. Had we re-
spected the "rights "of native princes, many of of the bathing Whigs, they were, at all events,
received in this country since our last publica-
the horrors of the late mutiny would not have new clothes, and could be
thought and said an applauding
tion. We have read it, as we are sure every worn—at least so
occurred. It must never be forgotten that it was
patriotic and honest man amongst us must have the denial of the rights of adoption to NANApublic—to some
read it, with feelings of the greatest pleasure and SAHIB which roused into ungovernable fury the purpose, if not with some grace. The appropria•
admiration. There is not a topic on which it inhuman passions of that monster, led him tion was intelligible, and the new wearer got on
to conceive and to execute the awful mas- as well:as if he had been born in them—as well as
ought to touch with which it omits to deal; and,
Jack did in the Giant's Seven-League Boots.
sac. re at Cawnpore, and, in the eyes of .whop.iofsrrown:dualid;icihnatnhidne
on every topic with which it deals, it deals ably and
but that Somebody should, at the present MO.-
his countrymen, gave him a position to stand
well. We venture to predict that it will serve
non Other instances of the refusal of
to establish British rule throughout India on 11. . ' •
their rights might be brought forward—rights ment, pick up and indue the old, uncomfortable.
firm foundations, for it lays down with clearness
dear, beyond measure, to the Hindoos, as affect- and ill-made garment of Finality which Lord
the principles on which hereafter that mighty
ing, in their.belief, their state in a future life—empire is to be governed, and it sets up a stan-Josisi RUSSELL has with difficulty shuffled ed.
rights affecting the Hindoos in general through- • •
dard of appeal, by which may be tested ouris singular, and that that Somebody should be Mr
out the length and breadth of the land, and
future measures and policy. There it is ; it when violated in the persons of their LOWE is most surprising. Yet so it is. Mr.
cannot be reversed ; it is the great Charter which, •
chiefs, made them tremble for their own. They LOWE stands forth as the champion of Finality.
which all the inhabitants of India can henceforth
claim as their right. have now their Queen's assurance that their The politician who denounced all ancient privilegn
"rights will be respected," and doubtless this and prescriptive rights, who laughed at the
We will only touch upon the leading points. will likewise serve to re-establish confidence in notion of usage and vested interests, and who stip
one of the most important of which is contained the native mind, and reconcile it to British matised Charters and Title Deeds as musty parch-
in the following words, which we read with the dominion. ments, entreats his fellow-countrymen not to
greatest sastifaction : On the subject of religion, we are glad to see trifle with a Constitution consalidated by the
"We desire no extension of our present terri- the avowal of a belief in Christianity promi- events of six hundred years, takes his stand
tonal possessions; and while we will permit no nently put forward in the foreground; no base against Mr. BIUGHT, with CHATHAII, BUM,
aggression upon our dominions or our rights to attempt to ignore the fact that the Sovereign of Pirr, and CANNING at his back, and declares his
be attempted with impunity, we shall sanction these realms is a believer in Christianity,in order determination to seek henceforth " for the in-
no encroachment on those of others. We shall to obtain the good-will of her heathen subjects. " spiration of his conduct from that pure fowl.
respect the rights, dignity, and honour of native Then, in the genuine spirit of Christianity, comes " tarn—the generous and noble history of the
princes as our own." a disclaimer of her Majesty's right or " desire to " British Constitution."
These declarations are so calculated to corn- impose these her convictions on any of her Mr. LOWE is, in fact, against nearly every pro-
" sub-jects." position that Mr. BRIGHT has made or hinted at.
mend themselves to general approbation that Next comes the declaration of " our Royal will He is, or his speech is, highly Conservative. We
there are many—too many, we fear—who Will " and pleasure that none be in anywise fa- don't know that we have been so surprised
read them as mere declarations of course, highly " voured, molested, or disquieted, by means of since in our boy hood we saw for the first time
befittiir, a British Sovereign on the " their religious observances ; but that all shall on the stage a French clown who was made to
direct government°
of so vast an empire. assuminglt is, " alike enjoy the equal and impartial protectiou &epic:sent two weu, by converting his back-front
therefore, well to point out that, although ` cer-
tainly they are only in accordance with every `of the law." This, again, is excellent ; the into a front-front, and putting a face on the
"religious observances," of course, being such as back of his head--one front being a thief and the
principle of justice and good faith, they yet have the law allows. For the law, be it remembered, other a policeman. But what are we to think
the further merit of novelty; for they are not the does restrict such religious observances (for in- of Mr. LOWE in his new garments? Shall we
doctrines that have either been proclaimed o. r
acted upon for the last quarter of a century in stance,.. Thuggee and Suttee) which come into enrol among our Conservative forces this able•
collision with the everlasting rules of justice and but somewhat timid, gentleman who is afraid
England and her agents in dealing with India. morality. that Mr. NEWDEGATE is going too far and too
Had they been, we are well convinced that we
should never have passed through the fearful The conclusion of the parasraph which we
e fast? He is a man of very considerable talent,
ordeal of the late mutiny and rebellion. have quoted is as follows :
and would be no small acquisition to any party%
But what is under his clothes ? We should
Lord DALHOUSIE, be it remembered, publicly "We do strictly charge and enjoin all those like to know that. "Seems" are very well
avowed that annexation of the dominions of the who may be in authority under us, that they managed
native princes, on every plausible occasion, was, abstain from all interference with the religious cult now-a-days; and it is nearly as dd.
to discern a man's political intentions
and ought to be, the rule of British policy ; and belief or worship of any b. •
of oursu j ects, on pain of through his speeches and his writings, u to
he acted upon this rule. The most signal—not our highest displeasure." guess at a woman s figure through crinoline. We
the only instance, however—of his so doing, was
This is the only sentence in the Proclamation
in the case of the Sovereign of Oude, whose are afraid we shall be regarded as very suspi-
dominions were seized and annexed shortly after which we could wish omitted or altered ; for
cious people, but we cannot accept ap
surearances
ly, as must be inferred from what we have pure and simple, in grantee,
the case of Mr. we, anY
h,., had been declared by the Queen's Govern-
just said, it needs qualification. In its present more than in the instance of M. DE MOST"'
ment as " the sovereign who with his ancestors
" had been uniformly faithful to their treaty form it covers Thuggee, Suttee, or any other LEMBERT•
abominations which may be practised, under the
" engagements with us," and of whom Lord DAL-
pretext, or even the conviction, of their being what'lir is
not:siv. himself declared, so late as on the 18th ofLoit
thwEa'tshaettiistusode
anxious i s
conserve . Ba
sad
June, 1855, that " the rulers of Oude had ever required by " religious belie" or of their being to shield from the attack of Mr. BOUGHT . Is it
t " been faithful and true in their adherence to the essential to "religious worship." We feel cer- the British Constitu ion, the influence of the_
" British power. and that no wavering friendship min that that is not the construction which its middle classes, and the representation of proe
authors would put upon it, but it is the construe- perty and intelligence ;oris it the position of th
" has ever been laid to their charge." Who can
now doubt but that our ungrateful conduct tion to which it is not only liable, but which is Whig-Radical party, as represented by thire,hi_t!
towards this ruler of Oude, and our unjustifiable the logically correct one. We say we are sure it Administration, and the machinery by,
for
annexation of his dominion; on false pretence; is
not the construction which its authors would they gained that position, and by which,
were two of the chief causes in which the mutiny put upon it, because Lord STANLEY himself told nearly a quarter of a century, they have retain
of the army originated, and which mainly con-
eii
the deputation from the missionary societies that "almost a monopoly of power " ? Let us take Inc
duced to convert it into a rebellion of that whole " " ThecoWere certain principles which were pro- following extract:—
people ? baltvalder than any form of belief now exist-
" ing the world, and such principles they were We say false pretences, because we affirm that
those who have read the official reports of the " hour to carry out in opposition to any native calledThebyßtehthannt modestßili
onfaml
" prej dices or feelings which might be opposedordinary
state of' the police in Bengal, must be well aware am a drop of blood, or disturbing the
e,B324asaltreallhouyghaitgrwe;
that if the internal condition of Oude really "to them." We regret that we o not find such revolution.. 6 True, it was carried without ken-
justified its annexation to our Indian dominions, a qualification of this declaration, but we trustrevolution.
an early opportunity will be taken of setting it
the internal condition of Bengal would equally tbhuesiienss,ess oaf lifgre aeantd of society
inipo;
important
ttit wreas,vonet.-er-
Th who *ed it naturally and justly ac-
theej its annexation to the dominions of right. --Ile
quired a claim upon the gratitude of to vest.:
King of OUDE. For the want of protection The promise to protect the rights of landed
for person and property, and the amount of crime proprietors is also specially calculated to restore a monopoly of power. At least, with the excep-
(the plea put forth for dethroning the King), tranquillity and confidence. The unwise mea- tion of five y during which Sir R. Puns. To
of England, and they gained by that bill almo
Was quite as great in the Bengal provinces, as m sures adopted in Oude immediately after its Prime Minister, the Government has been exc ur;
party whose leaders
, the dominions of his Majesty.
We will not now particularize other cases, in annexation, with reference to the tenure of land,
in which the sepoys of the Bengal army were sively in the hands of the
were the means of
which the territories of native princes have been deeply interested, was unquestionably one of the
unjustifiably annexed to our dominions we will many exciting causes which produced the naturally hike to do POmething which will re
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content ourselves with expressing our strong mutiny.
al)- This is very temting to a Government—they
they_
them twenty years of office unmterruPtedlY' k
ith
probation that henceforth this lust for territorial i Of the amnesty clauses it is impossible to all the concomitants of pay and pa
vithra.6
carrying that Reform Biu•
A eltension is renounced, so that the native speak with too great praise• • They like it ;it is human nature. And ha.—
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