The Press.
London, England, 1858-01-09 00:00:00

THE PRESS, JANUARY 9, 1858.

under the plea of religion, and by the system of edu.
cation they had established they had shaken the
confidence of the people in all religion, and brought
their minds to the desolation of infidelity. They had
also fostered and upheld that abominable system of
caste, the principle of which was to degrade the
larger part of the community, and to favour tho
pampered and arrogant minority, who had now
evinced their gratitude by rebelling openly against
us. After speaking of the hostility exhibited by the
Government of India in times past to missionary
operations, and quoting a speech of one of the
Directors, who said he would rather see a band of
devils let loose in India than a band of Christian
missionaries, he proceeded to express a hope that in
whatever changes might be introduced the Govern-
ment patronage of idolatry would be swept away, and
that no impediment would henceforth be offered by
the Government to the free progress of Christianity
and civilisation. He entirely sympathised with what
the chairman had said in reference to the circular
issued at the instance of Sir J. Lawrence, which had,
he believed, afforded encouragement to all the
Christian and faithful natives. The more we heard
the more reason had we to be astonished at the
tranquillity of the Punjaub, which he attributed
solely to the wisdom and firmness with which it was
governed by that able functionary. If the same wisdom
were displayed in the government of the rest of
India there would be no reason to place restrictions
upon the freedom of the press :
For his own part, he considered that where the press was
fettered there was but little hope of good government, and
he was convinced that the sooner the Government of India
relieved the press of that country from the shackles they
had imposed upon it the better would it be for the safety of
that portion of our emptie. The Government of India
would have been perfectly justified in suppressing treason-
able publications and punishing their authors, but they
were notjuatified in treating all alike. That a full in.
vestigation must take place into the csuses of the outbreak
was clear; for the manner in which the Government were
taken by surprise when the mutiny broke out, and the ex-
tent to which, unknown to them, the disaffection prevailed,
proved how utterly ignorant they were of the feelings of the
native population. He had been told that the British
Government had not dealt justly with the landowners in
Oude, and this might possibly account for their hostility.
But, be that as it might, he could not conceive a more
striking evidence of the want of wisdom in the councils of
India than in the annexation of Oude at a time when there

was but one British regiment in that kingdom, and, more
than all, in leaving the native population with arms in their
hands and all the forts and strong places in their posses-
sion.

Lord EBURY aildressee the meeting, and, alluding
to the revolt, said he looked upon the Canton
squabble " as an interposition of Providence."

Sir Culling Eardley, the Rev. J. Smith, the Rev.
Canon Champneys, Mr. Marshman, and several other
gentlemen addressed the meeting at great length,
advocating the principle of ignoring caste and placing
Christianity upon an equality with Hindooism.
Mr. MARSEIMAN, in moving a resolution proposing
perfect religious equality, said we had respected
caste, and it was the high-caste Brahmin that bad
arisen against us. Wre were called upon, then, the
more imperatively to relinquish a policy that was
derogatory to the national character, derogatory to
our national religion, and which had failed as a ques-
tion of political expediency. He admitted that it
would be most impolitic to endeavour to force our
religion upon the Indian people—by so doing we
should unquestionably raise against us the hostility
of the population generally, as well as those of high
caste—but it had been suggested that a proclama-
tion should go forth, stating the principles upon
which our Government was hereafter to be con•
ducted :
Hitherto the Government had issued proclamations
only in the moment of terror, and had consequently mani•
fested a greater degree of sympathy for native prejudices
and squeamishness in regard to giving offence by propa-
gating Chnstianity than they would do in calmer moments.
Now an opportunity occurred of issuing a proclamation
free from those influences. Now that they were about to
inaugurate a new policy, and now that the Crown was
about to assume the government of India directly, let there
be issued a comprehensive proclamation, announcing to
the people of India the religions principle on which the
Government of that country was to be hereafter conducted,
and which, coming from the highest authority—not from
the Governor-General, but from the Crown—should inform
the natives of India that we are a Christian people, governed
by Christian principles, and shall continue to be so
governed; that these principles will guide us in our
government of their country, but that, while we profess
Christianity, we allow every man to follow what religion
he pleases. Such a proclamation might now be pat forth
without dread, for we were henceforward to govern India,
not in the timidity of weakness and the squeamishness of
fear, but in the confidence of our own strength—and so
far from its exciting any misapprehension in the minds of
the natives, and lead to disaffection, he believed it would
tend more to secure and consolidate oar empire in that
part of the world than all the proclamations that had been
hitherto issued.

Resolutions in accordance with the object or the
meeting were then proposed and passed, and the
proceedings terminated.