The Press.
London, England, 1858-02-13 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

PUBLIC-HOUSES.
In reply to Mr. Hardy,
Sir GEORGE GREY stated that he hoped in the
course of the present session to bring in a bill for
the regulation of public-houses.

BRIBERY AT

Lord PAL3fERBTON, in answer to Mr. H. Berkeley,
said that he intended to move for the appointment
of a select committee to inquire into the operation
of the Corrupt Practices Prevention Act.

CORPORATION BILL.
On the motion of Sir G. GREY the City of London
Corporation Bill was read a second time.

:NT BILL.

Lord PALMERSTON moved for leave to bring in a
bill for the better government of India. The mea-
sure, be observed, was prompted by no hostility to
the East India Company. A most anomalous posi-
tion of affairs had, however, grown up in India, by
which a merely commercial company had gradually
assumed important political functions. This pro-
gressive change had not occurred without attracting
notice from the Legislature. As long since as 1784
Parliament had interposed a modified degree of con-
trol over the Company in its administrative capacity;
and in 1853 by another act their commercial mono-
poly was abrogated. The East India Company had
consequently become a phantom of its former self,
and a state of things had arisen which, as he believed,
was equally unreal and cumbrous. The nominal
governors of India, the members of the Court of
Directors, were elected by a constituency who pos-
sessed no personal connection with that empire ;
while the responsible administration was rendered
an almost evanescent quantity by the complicated
distribution of authority between the Board of Con-
trol, the Leadenhall•street Court, and the Governor-
General. After explaining some of the practical
evils arising from this anomalous organisation,
the noble lord submitted that the system
of check and counter-check had been car-
ried too :fer. The cumbrous machine required
simplification. Her Majesty's Ministers should be
endowed with a complete control over those adminis-
trative proceedings for which they were held respon-
sible to Parliament. The bill he proposed to introduce
affected only the home system of Inuian government.
With the functionaries in Hindostan of every rank
he had no intention of interfering. So far as they
were concerned, the only change would be in the
signature of the despatches they received, and the
address of those they transmitted to England. In
conducting the government of India, and in nego-
tiating with native princes, he thought that the name
of the Sovereign must prove far more effective than
than that of a trading company. Lord Palmerston
then proceeded to give an outline of the bill. He
proposed to abolish the present Court of Direc-
tors, theaßoard of Control, and the Secret
Committee, and substitute a President and
Council for the administration of affairs in India.
The President would be a member of the Govern-
ment of the day, and under the fullest responsi-
bility to Parliament. The Council was to consist of
eight members, nominated by the Crown for a period
of eight years, but two of whom would retire by
rotation every second year. These Councillors must
have been Directors of the Company, or resident in
India fur a certain time. They would receive sala-

ries of 1,0001. per annum, but not be eligible for
seats in the House of Commons. The President
would have the apanages of a Secretary of State, and
be assisted by an Under. Secretary, sitting in that house.
In Council the opinion of the President was to be
paiamount and final, except on questions involving
revenue, upon which he must obtain the concurrence
of at least four other members. Respecting patron.
age the noble lord entered into various details,
stating as the ultimate result of the proposed
arrangements there would be no additional privilege
of this description lodged in the hands of the new
President or his colleagues in the Executive Ad.
ministration. He concluded by replying, in antici.
pation, to sundry objections that might be urged
against the measure which he asked leave to in-
troduce.

Mr. T. BARING moved an amendment, setting forth
the opinion that it was not expedient at present
to legislate for the government of India. The hon.
member, in support of his motion, adverted in detail
to the existing exigencies of the country as pro-
duced by the still pending revolt, and contended
that the present moment was altogether unfit for the
accomplishment of change so extensive as those
which the proposed bill would inaugurate.
Sir E. PARRY maintained that the bill was excel-
lent in principle and not ill-timed. It ought, in his
opinion, to have been brought forward long since.
The extinction of the East India Company had for
years been a much-needed reform. The system had
been useless, cumbrous, and effete.

Mr. MONCKT,iN AIILNES controverted the assertion
that the " double government " degerved abolition.
The present time was, at any rate, most inexpedient
for legislation on the subject.
Mr. VANSITTART also contended that the East
India Company were unjustly and hastily con-
demned. The evils arising from the present system
were enormously exaggerated. Before attempting to
pass new Acts of Parliament, they ought to inquire
into the causes of the pending mutiny and the
authors of the late disastrous policy of annexation.
Mr. AYRTON, from a long residence in India, had
derived experience which convinced him that our
Eastern empire ought not to be left under the
administration of a trading company. In support
of this conclusion he appealed to various passages in
the past history of the British rule in India.
Mr. ELPHINSTONE defended the East India Com-
pany, under whose administration the Indian empire
had been successfully gained and governed. The
blunders that might have been committed were in his
opinion traceable to the interference of the Home
Government.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER observed that
two positions were assumed by the advocates of the
Company. It was said that they had conquered
India, and had established there a model adminis-
trative organisation. Both of these assumptions he
denied. Almost every conquest of territory was
actually effected against the positive injunction of
the Directors, by their ambitious and disobedient
servants on the spot. The foundations of our Eastern
empire were laid by Clive and Hastings in direct
antagonism to the avowed policy of the Company ; and
our practical sovereignty over the whole of Hindostan
was accomplished through the system of subsidiary
treaties with native princes, which had been in-
augurated by Lord Wellesley, au officer of the
Crown. Respecting the claim to good govern.
ment, the right hon. member referred to nume-
rous debates in Parliament, and reports of coin
mittees, showing, as he maintained, that the ad.
ministration of the Company from the battle of Plassy
to 1784 was the most corrupt, perfidicus, and rapa-
cious of any civilised State. All that was creditable
in their history dated from the establishment of the
Board of Control, by which the Minister of the Crown
obtained the power of interfering in the government
of India. Tracing the course of recent changes,
Sit G. C. Lewis argued that the Company had by
successive steps lost their trading monopolies and
dwindled into a subordinate and almost fictitious
position as a political power. The system had be-
come a delusion and ought to be abolished. It was
now requisite that some one should be responsible
for Indian government; but when Parliament wished
to exact responsibility, they must concentrate power.
On that principle the proposed measure bad been
founded.
Mr. It. MANGLES controverted some of the his-
torical deductions advanced by Sir G. C. Lewis, and
vindicated the policy of the East India Company
both in the past and present century.
On the motion of Mr. ROELUCK the debate was
then adjourned.
The house rose at half-past twelve o'clock.

REIGATE.—At the Clore of the poll on Saturday
the numbers were :—For Sir Henry Rawlinson, 212 ;
Mr. Doulton, 116 ; Mr. Monson, 95. The returning
officer (Mr. T. Martin) declared that Sir H. Bowfin-
son was duly elected.
SOUTH NORTHAIIPTONSHIHE.—The nomination is
fixed for Monday, the 15th inst., and tho election
for the following Thursday, the 18th.

ITSW,VW:

E PRESS, FEBRUARY 13,1858.

Sul JOSEPH PAx.roN, M.P., has tendered to the
present duke bis resignation of the offices be held
under the late Duke of Devonshire. Sir Joseph
wished to retire some months ago, during the life of
the late duke, who dissuaded him from bis intention.
It is rumoured that a policy of assurance for 80,0001.
on the late duke's life was effected by Sir Joseph
Paxton.

.
T
Cowl Anh rfaskion.
Her Majesty, the Prince Consort, with the mem-
bers of the Royal Family, according to the present
arrangement, will leave Buckingham Palace for their
marine residence at the Isle of Wight on the 22nd
jest. The Court will return to Windsor Castle for
the Easter vacation the last week in March, after
residing in town for a short period.
Volittral.
CABINET COUNCILS were held on Saturday and
Wednesday at the official residence of the Prime
Minister in Downing-street. All the Ministers
attended.
THE NAVY ESTIMATES for the present financial
year have been printed. The total vote required is
9,140,127/., being a net increase over the vote of
1857 Bof 932,6011. The increase has taken place in
nearly every item.
LORD PALMERSTON has appointed his relative, the
Hon. Evelyn Ashley, second son of Lord Shaftes-
bury, to be one of his private secretaries.
THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE Will succeed the late
duke as Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire, and the
Earl of Sefton will be the new Lord Lieutenant of
Lancashire, in the room of the Duke of Devonshire,
who has resigned that office.
CONVOCATION assembled at Westminster on Wed.
nesday. In the Upper House, which sat on Wednes-
day only, the Bishop of St. Asaph presented a
petition from the Foreign Gospel Society, praying
for the subdivision of the vacant see at Calcutta.
The Bishop of Lincoln also presented a petition from
200 of the clergy against the proposed liturgical
revision. The Bishops of Oxford, St. David's, Man-
chester, and London, spoke unanimously against the
proposed liturgical revision. The Lower House sat
on Wednesday and Thursda:„ when several petitions
against liturgical revision and against the new
Divorce Act were presented and ordered to lie on
the table.
WE understand that Viscount Monck is about to
resign his office of one of the Lords of the Treasury.
—Globe.
NltlroDalitait.
HAVELOCK'S proposed monument will be erected on
the opposite side of the Nelson column to that of
Sir Charles Napier's statue.
THE Committee of the Society for Promoting
Christian Knowledge, of which the Archbishop of
Canterbury is at the head, intend meeting in the
course of a few days on the subject of the proposed
new Indian bishoprics.
Tim DECISION OF THE ROYAL COMMISSIONERS
against the removal of the National Gallery from
Trafalgar-square is already known to the public.
The Lords of the Treasury thereupon requested the
Commissioners of Works to provide an estimate of
the expense of enlarging the present gallery, as pro-
posed by the majority of the commission. Mr.
Hunt, the surveyor, estimates the total expense at
500,000/.
THE COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL on Thursday
agreed to refer to a committee of the whole court to
consider what measures it may be desirable to take
with respect to the two Corporation Reform Bills,
and report thereon to the court.
A DINNER is to be given this day to Dr.
Livingstone, the African traveller, on the occasion
of his departure from this country for a fresh expe-
dition into the interior of Africa. He is furnished
with all requisite assistance from the Government
of this country to push his discoveries to a still more
successful conclusion than heretofore. A sum of
5,000/. has been assigned to him for the prosecution
of his enterprise. He is to be accompanied by com-
petent assistants, and, in short, everything appears
to have been done which can help him on his way.
Dr. Livingstone is to proceed in the first instance to
the Cape of Good Hope.
THE DEATH OF MR. HORSLEY PALMER, whose
name for fifty years has been among the most
eminent and honourable in connection with British
commerce, is announced. Mr. Palmer was elected
a director of the Bank of England in 1811, filled the
Post of governor for three successive years (1830 to
1832), and at the date of his retirement last April
was senior member of the court. His withdrawal
from the active business of his firm was notified at
the opening of the present year.
Vrabintial.
A SlLven CRADLE, in accordance with an ancient
Custom of Liverpool, has recently been presented to
Mrs. Francis Shand, wife of the late Mayor of Liver-
Pool,—that lady having given birth to a child during
her husband's term of office as chief magistrate of
the borough.
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