The Press.
London, England, 1858-04-10 00:00:00

THE PRESS, APRIL 10, 1858.

which upon the whole conducted its affairs with such purity
of motives and so studied the interests of the people con-
fided to their charge, as the Government of India. My
Lord Mayor, I am bound to pay that tribute to the govern•
ment of the East India Company at the present moment,
when it appears to be upon its political death-bed.
( A cry of "No" and laughter.) It certainly appears
to be the general opinion of the public that the time has
arrived when the mission of that Company as a company
has been to a great extent closed, and when the duties
which it has hitherto performed must, in the necessary and
natural course of events, be transferred to the direct au-
thority of the Crown. That authority for many years has
been indirectly, but not less really, exercised ; and the
transfer of the nominal authority is but a small change in
the actual exerzise of political power in regard to India.
But, my Lord Mayor, that transfer is by no means so easy
and simple a task as some would suppose. (Cheers.) Great
interests have to be consulted, great difficulties to be over-
come, and a great and important problem has to he
solved. That problem is no less than this—how, if the
change is to take place, it iA possible at the same time to
secure the necessary undivided responsibility of a Minister
of the Crown and to surround him with that knowledge
and experience with reference to all the mighty and varied
interests of that vast empire which is so necessary to any
Minister dealing with such complicated and diversified
affairs. That is the problem which Parliament has to solve,
and I think he w ould be a bold, not to say a presumptuous,
Minister who could hope by himself, or with the aid of his
colleagues, with a notice of a few days or even a few weeks,
to strike out a scheme which would not be liable to grave
objections, or which in its progress would not require
serious modifications. We have been called upon suddenly
and unexpectedly, as your lordship has stated, tu undertake
the duties of Government, and among others the one to
which I have alluded, which is not the least pressing. We
have not the presumption to suppose that we can be pre-
eminently successful. We have deemed it our duty to
bring forward a measure which, as we believe, may effect
some of the objects to which 1 have referred. We laid
that measure before the country, purposely and intention-
ally, previous to the recess, in order that it might be sub-
jected to public investigation and inquiry. We do not
deprecate, but, on the contrary, we court discussion. We
court suggestions. We court the co-operation and advice
of Parliament and of the muntry, with the view of render-
ing the change which we propose as safe and beneficial as
we earnestly desire that it may prove to be. The one
thing which we alone deprecate—and which we deprecate,
not for the sake of the Government of the day, but on ac-
count of the important interests involved both in this
country and in India—is, that a question involving such
mighty interests, and of such overwhelming importance,
should be made the sport of political parties or the battle-
field of rival disputants. We shall approach this great
question in no such presumptuous or controversial
spirit; and for the sake both of this country and
of India, I trust that the measure we have submitted
to Parliament will be discussed by those who object
to it, and by those who give it their support, not in
a spirit of political controversy, but of fair and dis-
passionate argument, with the object of rendering the
great change which is proposed as safe and efficient
as possible. We must remember, however, while we are
legislating on the subject of India, that that country has
been recently, and still is, the scene of a formidable and
alarming revolt, which has risen to the magnitude of a
mighty war. During that revolt instances of atrocity
have occurred at which human nature shudders, and over
which humanity would fain draw the veil; but our
countrymen have performed unparalleled acts of gallantry
and heroism. Their daring in the field, their courage
in the siege, their patient and heroic endurance have
hardly been equalled in the military history of the world.
So long as history shall be known, so lung as the world
shall last, will be familiar as household words to every
Englishman the recollection of the noble gallantry and
desperate courage displayed at the siege and capture of
Delhi, and the heroism, the patience, the more than
mortal suffering of the noble garrison of Lucknow. Even
while I speak I trust that a brighter glory is about to
beam upon the name of Lucknow. 1 trust that the
gallant and illustrious chief who commands the army of
India, and who has been collecting his forces for a final
and decisive effort, may at this moment have crushed
beneath the iron heel of conquest the last embers of this
serious mutiny. I trust that even now Lucknow may be
once again in the power of our victorious trocps. I wish
I could think that when Lucknow is captured it wouid
be possible for us to sheathe the sword. That sword must
still be drawn, if not for war, at least to execute the stern
behests of justice. ( Hear, hear.) There are deeds which
cannot be allowed to go unpunished. There is innocent
blood which calls for just retribution. ( Cheers.) But,
although the sword may be drawn, let it be the sword of
cool, calm, and impartial justice ; let it not be the sword
of wild and indiscriminate revenge. Punish you must,—
assert your authority you must,—extort a severe penalty
you must from those who have committed deeds which
even legitimate warfare could not sanction ; but when you
have exacted that measure of punishment, I trust we shall
exhibit in India the best principles of that Christianity
which we are anxious to extend throughout the world.
(Cheers.) I hope the day may not be fir distant when
justice will give place to mercy, and I trust we shall then
be ready to recognize not only the great debt of vengeance
we owed, but also the higher duty which devolves upon
us of showing mercy to those who are no longer in arms
against us, to those who having been momentarily seduced
from their allegiance under the influence of strong tempta-
tions have again submitted to our authority, and, above all,
that we shall recognize the grateful task imposed upon
us of rewarding those—and many there are both in high
and low stations—who have adhered to their allegiance
under all trials, who have never (altered or flinched in
their fidelity towards us, and especially those who have
exerted themselves to save the lives of innocent Europeans

whom chance had thrown in their power. If we are 'lint
to punish I trust we shall be equally just to reward, and
that when this mutiny shall be at an end we shall remem-
ber that duty and policy alike call upon us not to wage an
indiscriminate and exterminating warfare, but as soon as
possible to heal the deep wounds which it has inflicted,
and to show to India that if we are to remain masters in
that country we are so not merely for selfish purposes but
for the benefit and advantage of the people over whom we
exercise authority. (Cheers.l

My Lord Mayor, 1 will not refer to a single topic more,
nor would I have referred to this if it had been possible it,
connect it in any way with party spirit. I will not even
advert to a matter which must be of great interest to this
metropolis—viz., the measure which has been for some
years in agitation for the reconstniction of the great cor-
poration over which your lordship so worthily presides—
except to say that, as I trust discussion may have softened
asperities and modified extreme opinion, so I trust that it
may be possible for the wisdom of Parliament to devise a
measure which shall place that institution more in conso-
nance with the habits and requirements of the present age,
without, in the least degree, detracting from its dignity,
power, or importance, or failing to secure in all future time
the same consideration for its chief magistrate, a considera-
tion due to the sentiments of high honour and public duty
which, with but very few exceptions, have cbaracter.zed
your predecessors, and which, I am sure, will be worthily
imitated by your lordship. ( Cheers.) My lord, ladies,
and gentlemen, in the name of my colleagues, and in my
own name, I cordially thank you for the kind manner in
which you have received our healths ; and whether our
term of office be longer or shorter I trust we shall be able
abroad to uphold the dignity of this country, combined
with the maintenance of peaceful and amicable relations
with all foreign States; and with respect to our domestic
policy, I can only say our best exertions will not be want-
ing, our constant labours will not be grudged, in the en-
deavour to promote safe and steady social progress at home.
(Cheers.) IVhatever may be the varied political feelings
and opinions of the country, all I hope is that we may
have credit for desiring faithfully to perform the arduous
duties which have so suddenly devolved upon us, and in
striving to perform them our best encouragement, our best
reward, will be the sympathy, the goodwill, and if I may
venture to hope, so tar the confidence of our fellow-
countrymen. (Cheers.)

The LORD CHANCELLOR, in a brief speech, replied
for "The House of Lords," and to the toast of
"The House of Commons," in proposing which the
LORD MAYOR said that he hoped the new Chancellor
of the Exchequer, if compelled to impose a fresh tax,
would devise one that would please all parties—(a
laugh)—
Mr. DISRAELI replied as fellows :
My Lord Mayor, I cannot, like the Lord Chancellor, sav
that I have only recently become a member of that branch
of the Legislature in which I enjoy a seat, for on several
occasions I have been called upon to return thanks for the
House of Commons in this hall ; and, indeed, I should
feel some embarrassment on the present recession from

the difficulty of varying the phrase; in which our acknow-
leagruents should be conveyed to you, did I not recollect
how ancient, how intimate, and how cordial have been the
relations which have always subsisted between that assem-
bly and this great corporation. f know, therefore, my
Lord Mayor, that the proposal of our health on your part,
and its reception by the citizens of London, are not a mere
idle ceremony. The connection to which I have referred
has, in my mind, been favourable to public liberty ; it has
conduced to the maintenance of the independence of the
House of Commons, and has cherished the high spirit
which has been displayed by this famous corporation.
With regard to the allusion your lordship has made to the
difficult position which I now occupy, I must thank you
for the very enclumsting manner in which you have offered,
on the part of the citizens of London, to come forward to
supply the deficiency which is at present apparent in her
Majesty's Exchequer. (Laughter.) Certainly that Ex-
chequer is not now in an over-brimming state; but, atter
such an expression of feeling from the representative of
the wealthiest city in the world, I can assure you that when
the budget is introduced to the House of Commons—and
it certainly cannot be :ong delayed—T shall enter upon
that difficult and arduous task with much more confidence
and courage than T should have felt had I not had the
honour of being your lordship's guest this evening.
(Laughter.) The announcement on behalf of the city of
London that they are prepared to pay new taxes is one
which I have not a doubt will tomorrow have a very favour-
able influence upon the public securities of this country.
(Laughter.) Frequently as the grateful task has devolved
upon me of returning thanks on behalf of the House of
Commons to the chief magistrates of this great city, I can
assure you that my satisfaction is increased to-night when
I recollect that the eminent individual who occupies the
high position of Lord Mayor is also a member of the
House of Commons and, although T would hardly pre
some to make a political allusion on such an occasion as
this, I may venture to add that I have great pleasure in
frequently meeting his lordship not merely within the
same walls, but in the same lobby. (A laugh.) I assure
you, however, my Lord :11-tvor, that the gratification I
experience in finding a member of the House of Commons
filling the high position which you now occupy is not
occasioned by any political feeling. I have had the honour
of being the guest of Whig Lord Mayors, and of thanking
them for such compliments as you have this evening paid
to the House of Commons. Whether the Lord Mayor be
a Wnig or a Tory is to me a matter of indifference; but
it is to me—and I hope it is to every one—s subject of
congratulation that the ancient connection between the
House of Commons and the City of I.ondon should be
maintained in so peculiar and intimate a manner when
the chief magistrate of this city is also a member of the

noose of Commons, for it binds together two institution°
Which have illustrated the history of this country. (Cheers.)
After the usual conciuding toasts—" The Bar of
England," "The Magistrates of the City," and
"The Lady Mayoress "—the party broke up, after an
entertainment fully bearing out the high character
of civic hospitality.