The Press.
London, England, 1857-10-10 00:00:00

978

" set of words," and in our times the Whigs
have turned "Civil and Religious Liberty"
and " Reform " into cant phrases. Whether
they will be allowed by the country to con-
tinue so hollow a game after the solemn pledges
of Lord PALMERSTON and Lord JOHN RUSSELL,
is yet to bo seen.

It is pretended by some of the Liberals that
it would be " impossible " for Parliament to
deal simultaneously with two such subjects as
Parliamentary Reform and the Indian question.
Now let us not be deceived by words. The
Indian question has two aspects—the military
and the legislative. When the mutiny shall
be put down, then the legislative question as
to the future mode in which India shall be
governed must come on for serious and pro-
found discussion. There are no two opinions
about the positive certainty of the legislative
question of Indian Reform being discussed,
once that the authority of our arms is
decisively restored. So that, on the assump-
tion that Parliamentary Reform is to be ad-
journed over next year on account of what is
conveniently called " The Indian Question,"
in 1859 the Legislature will be called on at the
same time to do•il both with Parliamentary
Reform and the Anglo Indian question again !
Observe the case, and let there be no doubt
about our position on it. If Ministers say
that they cannot deal with a new Reform Bill
for England in 1858 on account of India, they
will be virtually putting off the subject until
the whole Indian problem be decisively
settled. For we do not suppose it possible
that a Cabinet, whether in 1859, 1860, or 1861,
would go to Parliament and say, " Here is an
" English Reform Bill. It deals with counties
" and boroughs, with franchises, extension of
" the suffrage, new boundaries, extinction of
" corrupt boroughs, transference of represen-
" tation, and so forth ; and here also is an
" Anglo-Indian Reform Bill, dealing with the
" East India Company, organising a new
" Legislative Council, placing the army o❑ a
" new foundation, extinguishing ceitain
" grievances, reconstituting the Civil Service
" in the East, and making new arrangements
" about the double government of India." We
do not suppose that any Cabinet in one SOS-
slim would call on Parliament to try and dis-
cuss such an enormous amount of purely
legislative work in one year.
In its present aspect the " Indian Question"
is one almost entirely for the Executive.
Action, and notlegislation, restoring dethroned
authority, and not reconstituting official power,
are the wants urgent upon Government.
" Before next summer," says the Times, " we
" shall have put down this mutiny." We hope
so; and until the mutiny be thoroughly
crushed out, it will be vain to ask for Par-
liamentary attention to subjects of Indian
social reform. How, therefore, stands the
question as to the competency of Parliament
to deal with the subject of a " New Reform
Bill" in 1858 ?

In answering that query, we shall see what
Parliament has done in former times. While
the great revolutionary war was raging, Mr.
PITT and his Cabinet found time to put down
u most formidable Irish rebellion, to miss the
great measure of the " Union " through the
English and Irish Houses of Lords and Com-
mons; and about that time, while the Marquis
Wsti,ssi.sy was in the East, the Indian ques-
tion had asmimed most portentous dimen-
sions. When the present century opened
there was no talk, as there is now, of Parlia-
ment not being able to deal with only one
question at a time. The claims of the Homan
Cat .olics, and Negro Emancipation, were then
pressed forward with extraordinary ardour.
Lords GRANVILLE and GREY on one bide, Lord
CASTL REAGI-I and Mr. CANNING on the other,
concuired iu forcing the Catholic question on
Parliament Iu 1808, when the Peninsular war
was beginning, so far from exclusively being
occupied with one question, Parliament and
the public mind were profoundly occupied by
the " Cath'lic Question." In 1808 the "No
Popery " cry was never louder in the land ; and
in 1812 after Mr. l'EacsvAL was assassinated.
and when the empire was in a most critical
condition, Lords GRANVILLE and GREY de-
clined office on account of their opinions