The Press.
London, England, 1857-12-19 00:00:00

THE PRESS, DECEMBER 19,1857.,

Who could say what the result might have been had
there been 10,000, or even 5,000, native Christians in
Delhi or Cawnpore ? The benefit which the State would
derive from the successful spread of Christianity in India
was so clear and patent that it was not necessary for him
to dwell upon it any longer; but would he be forgiven for
saying that in his view—he only spoke for himself—
looking back at the past conduct of England as a State in
India, remembering how we had ignored the existence
of Christianity, and recollecting also how in our dealings
with the native States and native peoples we had broken
some of the plainest and clearest obligations of our
religion, we could not but anticipate the greatest pos-
sible indirect benefits from the spread of Christianity in
India ?

In conclusion, Lord John Manners moved :
That the Church of England is called, by the late
calamitous events in India, to adopt more energetic
measures for the diffusion of the Gospel in that benighted
land ; and that this meeting will give its hearty support to
the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in ha efforts
to strengthen and extend its missions among the Hindoos
and Mahomedans.

Mr. Justice COLERIDGE seconded the resolution, and
quoting a passage from Xavier's Memoirs to show
that the responsibilities of the government of India
must be accepted by her governors, said, the time
might come—for nations had their consciences, and
there was such a thing as national responsibility—
when it might be said to us, " I gave you India from
her mountains of snow in the north Ito her most
southward cape ; I gave you her boundless plains,
her vast rivers, her gold, her jewels, her rich com-
merce ; I gave you all these things—for what ?
Was it to find places for your younger sons, or husbands
for your flowerless daughters; to build palaces at home,
plant your parks, or adorn your mansions ? No, for with
these things I gave you millions upon millions of immortal
souls; I gave you souls benighted in ignorance, imbruted
in vice, brought up the doctrines of evil ; I gave you
India to bring these into the fold of Christ. Could we
suppose that India had been given to us for such trifles as
he had been alluding to, or that it came to us by chance ?
Could we suppose that accession after accession, annexa-
tion after annexation, was to be attributed to the ambition
of one man, the enterprise of another, or the misconduct
of a third? No; these were but occasions, and India was
given to us for a great and good purpose. Had we
answered that purpose? Only one reply could be re-
turned to that question—viz., that we had failed entirely in
performing and carrying out the only purpose for which
the great empire of India was given to us.
The learned judge then impressed upon his
audience the imperative necessity of greater exertion,
and of regarding India for the future as one of the
first objects towards which we had a duty to discharge.
The resolution was carried unanimously, and a
second, proposed by Professor SLATER, and embracing
the establishment of missions in the Presidencies
and chief cities of India, being also carried, the pro-
ceedings terminated.

The great body of us now can certainly influence the
councils of the nation by our opinion, but the time is not
far from hence when you will be able to determine by your
vote who shall govern England. When that time arrives
I hope to see a good Government in India—good govern-
ment wherever the power of England extends, and I ask to
what part of the earth it does not extend?
Mr. Roebuck concluded by formally moving his
resolution.
Mr. OTwAY seconded the resolution, and Mr.
MEAD, the late editor of the Friend of India, sup-
ported it.
Mr. COLLET proposed an amendment in the same
terms as that which he moved at the London
Tavern :

The East India Company were not responsible for the
annexation policy or the Affghan and Persian wars. If
Lord Dalhousie and Lord Canning were bid governors,
who was responsible fur that but the Government which
appointed them? The East India Directors recalled Lord
Ellenoorough fur the annexation of Soinde, and this was
the return that body met with from their fellow-
countrymen.
- -

The amendment was put and lost.
Mr. C. MURRAY moved an addendum to the motion
to the effect that they ought to respect the political
rights and religious feelings of the people of India,
and to insure this that a radical change in the
representation of the people of this country was
required.
Mr. ROEBUCK said he was a friend of parlia-
mentary reform, but he thonght it could be best
promoted by keeping it distinct from the question of
India reform.
Mr. LOCKHART seconded the addendum, and said
that it was folly to throw all the blame of the mis-
government of India on the East India Directors.
Since 1833 the Government had all power and autho-
rity in India, but till Parliament was reformed they
never would have good government either in this
country or in India.
The resolution was put and carried, there being
two dissentients.
A petition to the House of Commons, founded on
the resolution, was, on the motion of Mr. ERNEST
JONES, unanimously adopted.
The meeting then separated.
During the proceedings a great deal of interrup-
tion and disturbance was occasioned by Captain
Atcherley, who made constant allusions to " l'e-
terloo" and " Red Indians," ttc. By a unanimous
vote of the meeting, he was expelled the room.

1125

THE DUBLIN METROPOLITAN POLICE.

Mr. GROGAN gave notice that he would on an early
day in February move for an inquiry into the manage-
ment of the Dublin Metropolitan Police.

JOINT-STOCK BANKS.

Mr. HEADLAM gave notice that, upon Thursday, the
11th of February, he should move for leave to intro-
duce the bill of which he had given notice for the
amendment of the law as regarded joint-stock banks.

THE CORPORATION OP LONDON.

Sir G. GREY gave notice that, upon Thursday, the
4th of February, he should ask leave to bring in a
bill for the reform of the corporation of London.

THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA.

Mr. WYLD asked the First Lord of the Treasury if,
upon the reassembling of Parliament, it was the in-
tention of her Majesty's Ministers to propose any
alteration in the present Government of our Indian
empire ?
Sir G. GREY replied that the noble lord at the
head of the Government had already informed the
house that he would state the intentions of the Go-
vernment with respect to India at an early period of
its next meeting.
The house then adjourned till the 4th of February
next.

jortign anb Colonial jnalligenzt.

FRANCE.

An imperial decree in the Moniteur of Thursday
announces that foreign brandies have to pay on
importation into France a duty of 25fr. per hectolitre
of pure alcohol.
The bullion of the Bank of France continues to
increase, and confidence is well sustained in the
stability of commercial affairs.
There are rumours of a grand financial scheme
being in contemplation. It is said that M. Pereire is
negotiating a fusion of the Credit Mobilier, the Credit
Foncier, the Comptoir d'Escompte, and an important
though less known establishment than the three
foregoing —the Caisse St. Paul. MM. Rothschild,
Bartbolony, and others have on foot a rival
scheme, according to which the Comptoir d'Escompte
would be reorganised and started afresh, with the
enormous capital cf two hundred millions of francs.
It seems to be quite certain that the vacant seats
for Paris will not be filled up until after the Corps
Legialatif reassemble in January.
A conference to be held in London upon the subject
of the African slave trade, it is reported, will in all
probability take place very shortly.
The trial of the Countess de Jeufosse at Evreux
excites the attention of France at this moment to
exclusion of all cther subjects of interest.