The Express.
London, England, 1848-04-07 00:00:00

for life. There was no difference amongst the judi ea as to
the character of the acne/ or the propriety of the verdict ;
they said they could discover no excuse for the off:faders
and wheu the Lord Chief Justice gave judgment, he p
ro-
Qprisoneis that crimes committed egainat life and pro-
perty for the most part ended in suffering to the individual
cle his family, but in the present case the Crime was against
all society, and was one which went to break down every
barrier which the constitution had erected for the safety of
life, liberty, and property. There was then no difference of
opinion as to the nature of the crime. The trial was good—
the verdict was good and complete—and the judges approved
of it. Why, then, did the hon. member for Finsbury now
come forward and tell that house in the name of the people
that they were dissatisfied ? The hon. member must surely
have forgotten that on that mischievous night when those
treasonable acte, for which these men were now justly un-
dergoing the penalty ce the law, were perpetrated, nine
men were shot down and killed. These dint in their guilt,
and with the sin of their crime upon their heads. They
were in all probability ignorant people without friendii, and
had been induced by the influence of Frost to join in the
illegal act, But what must be the guilt of that 1111111 who
led them on to that clime which resulted in death to them )
He bail no hesitation in saying that that leader had to an-
swer for those nine lives. (Hest., hear) He could not
understand what excuse could be made for that man, wise,
leading otaers to criminal acts, in the prosecution a annie
abstract cause whieh he advocated, occasioned their deaths.
In his view that Mtn would be as guilty of their deaths as,
though the parties fell by his hand—and the penalty should
lie with him. The diem of the example of Frost and his
co-partners is guilt on the state of society had not been
what it m:ght have been. Fortunately matistra'es, the in-
habitants generally, and the soldiers, did their duty and
they had their reward. Then what ground wu there for
dissatisfaction ? (Hear, hear.) Was it that strict acid im-
partial justice had not been done? This no one
would be bold enough to assert. Or was it that the
peoplet ert,erii;,,sciast,ssenaemnour,:sif.thien formspt aortelformir:Ledufb:hese
relied in this case and is ad failed, they were di4satistied ?
But with regard to that objecti as, a majority of the judges,
it was true, decided that it was good ; but a majority also
decided that it was not taken in good time—and, not a ma-
jority, but all the judges., agreed that if it hal been taken in
time the only effect would have bean to postpone the trial.
He did not despise form in legal proceedings. On the con-
trary, be believed th it form gave strength to the law, and was
themeansof pent, isine the innocent and keeping power in its
proper place, nor did he mean to say that there had not been
something wrung in point of forms in this case sufficient to
justify the t xereise of the prerogative of mercy to the extent
to which it It it beer, sxerctsed. Of all species of treason the
worst was the Irv) ing war in the Queen's dominions. This
was the crime of which these parties hail been guilty, and
with his ri adieg of the laws, and his understanding of the
object and meaning of punishment, he could not vote fur the
motion. (Hear.)
Mr. GAtLDN ER supported the motion.
Mr. O'CONNOR, in ri ply, thanked the hnuse for the
fair and p i,ent hearing thee had given to the subject.
Al hon. members had objected to a general motion in favour
of all plaice{ deadeye, he was willing to amend this by ex-
cluding iron it .111 such offenders, except Frost, Jones. Wil-
liams, and (the man convicted at Stafford) the only
parties for wh. in he was interested. Having so amended it,
be would put it to the opinion of the house. The house

divided:—
For the motion
Against it 9l-68
THE LATE RAJAH OF SATTARA.
Mr. G. THOMPSON ro-e to move for a select committee
to inquire into the conduct of the court of directors of the
East India Company, and of the government of India, to
wards the late R. 1211 of Sattara, and to report thereupon to
the house. Ile sa d that as the pre sent was a new case. no
longer the petiti m of an individual hut the memorial of 00,1100
or 70,000 natives of India, peas ing torjustice to the bereaved
relatives of the late Rajah of Sattara, he trusted it woual re-
ceive the attention of the house. It had been contended that
the Indian government hail acted with the strictest justice
towa ds the late rajah, but stern facts gave the strongest
contradiction to that amnion. Who was the late Rajah of
&Rua ? He was the lineal descendant of the founder of
the Mahratta emoire—an empire which once extended from
the berths of the Jumna down to Tanjore. The lath rajah
bad been solemnly recognised by the Indian government,
and an alliance was entered into with him avowedly to the
advantage of both the contracting parties. Treaties had
been entered into with him by Me. Elphinstone and Lord
Haatinus; and even ale. Canning had thanked General
Smith for havine, by his victories, placed the rajah on the
throne of his ancestors. For 17 years, from 1818 to 1835,
his highness is id remained our faithful ally, and had highly
distinguished himself by his enlightened and just government
of his own domains. Then the Indian government com-
menced violating thine treaties which confirmed the rajahs
authority over the Jaghirs, and plot upon plot followed until
at last he was dethroned and expelled from his domains. The
hon. member entered into see, cal details respecting these
transactions, all of which have been reported in former de-
bates, and said, that if a committee was granted he would
undertake to prove that the rajah had !Neu the victim of the
grossest injustice and oppression. The deceased rnjah had
never ceased struggling for his rights. In 1836 he ap-
pointed an agent in Ertl nd to appeal to the India hoard
and the company against the canduct of the local authori-
ties ; that agent did app:-al, and communications were sent
out, but not one et those communications was shown to the
rajah. On two occasions Sir R. Grant had promised the
rajah to lay We statement of his case before the India board,
but he had failed to do so. The charge against the rajah
that he was conspiring with the other native princes to drive
the British out of India, rested on the evidence of two
standar!, who had never been subject to any cross-examina-
tion, and whose statements had not been confirmed in any
respect, and upon this evidence, without explanation or
ia-
quay, the government of Bombay had condemned the rajab,
and inn secret de patch to the court of directors, had d dared
that he had been faithless to his treaties, and had entered
into a league to put an end to British rule in India; and
!mine, without eutficent grounds pronoueced him guilty,
they felt bound to maintain that he was so, and to sup-
press everything that went to prove his innocence.
A commisaon was appointed, receiving its instructions from
Sir R. Grant; three men eat in the capital of a sovereign
prince to try that sovereign, who was not even allowed to
eras-examine the witnesses or have an advocate present.
The testimony given was most contradictory, and yet the
rajah was found guilty. This committee ought to be granted,
were it only tar the sake of clearing the memory of Sir R.
Grant from the stain which must otherwise rest upon it. It
was mach to Major-general Lodwick's credit that he had
made an open confession ; and if the committee were granted,
he would give the fullest evidence on the subject.
Notwithstanding the rajah was found guilty by the
commission, when the evidence was transmitted to Cal-
cutta, serious doubts were entertained about it, and
means were taken to procure a forged document
which did not find its way to Sir R. Grant until after consi-
derable delays. The resionation of Major-General Lodwick
was then effected, and Calonel Ovens appointed in his place.
He arrived at the rajah's residence in June, 1837; within
two months he had sent numbers of letters to Bombay; and
then Govan Row was secured and tampered with, and a
confession extorted from him, which however did not con-
firm the form.? evidence. Afterwards a petition was forged
to prove ethspiracy on the part of the rajah ; 750
rupees were promise d the forger ; but these not being
paid, he come to Colonel Ovens to expose the whole affair.
Major Oliphant, one of the directors of the East India Com-
pany, protested against the conduct pursued towards the
rajah. There were serious charges ageing Col. Ovens of a
grave and dark character, every one of which he would un-
dertake to prove before a committee of that house. He would
prove that the correspondence between the rajah and the
governor of Goa was forced. He would tell who the parties
were who f aged it, and the places where it was forged. If
the rajah was guilty, so was the viceroy of Goa; and if the
government believed that he really was so, would not
they have made representations on the subject to the Poeta-
gime eovenunent ? It was said that the governor of Goa
Promised 30,000 troops, 15,000 of whom were to be French,
and who must march through Turkey, l'ersia, and Afghan-
istan. (Hear, hear.) lie knew the right hon. gentleman
opposite would refer to authority, and say that Lord Auck-
land and Lord Brougham believed the rajah guilty. But
they pronounced their opinions before the documents on
which he was believed to be guilty were proved to be forged.
It never entered into the heads of Lord Auckland or Sir R.
Grant to depose the rajah without affording him a fair trial.
And up to the present moment he never had a copy of the
evidence given him. (Rear, hear.) The court of
directors themselves had such misgivings on the
Relied, that they wrote to Sir J. Cartrac to arrange
the matter with the rajah. But there were parties in Bom-
bay who were oppose d to this, and when Sir J. Cern= pro-
posed to draw up articles, Col. Ovens threatened that he
would make revelations which would compromise the cha-
racter of Sir J Carnae himself.
Sir J. C. 110BHOUSE—God bless nay soul!
Mr. THOM PeON—The right hon. gentleman says " God
bless my soul!" He (Mr. Thompson) cried Amen." Ile
would produce an eye-witness of what had occurred, if he
was granted the committee. The right hon. baronet seemed
to think it incredilila. The greater then the necessity for
inquiry. The rajah bad the alternative proposed to him of
admitting his guilt, or being deposed. He preferred his de-
Position to the dishonour of admitting that he was guilty.
(Hear, hear.) He said that he would lay down his crown,
bat that he would not stain his character. He lam accord-
ingly deposed, and now it was said that it was because he
would not sign the treaty of 1819. He was told that his
Private property. would be respected, but after peaceably
submitting to his deposition, neither he nor his represents-
ti ve bad touched one farthing of the 300,0001. which he le ft be-
Mad him. The night after he was di posed he was placed in a
cattle shed, and the officers who accompanied him were heard
tom, this is a business which will make a row in England.
Colonel Ovens had for three years intercepted all the raijah's
correspondence, and that of his friends in Europe and
European friends in India, and it was a remarkable fact that
not a single letter could be produced to bring on him the
slightest suspicion 'of hostility. From 1839, when he was
deposed, to the present year eight years had elapsed, and not
one single circumstance bad taken place confirmatory
or corroborative of the charges brought against him
Months and years had passed along, and there had been a
*lO7 accumulation of evidence in his favour. Take an-
other fact. Who, connected with India, believed in the rajah's
guilt ? Not the residents at the rajah's court—not the
di-
rectors of the India board—not the present chairman of the
directorate. (Henn hear.) lie would only further remind
the house that there were great Daum at stake in their de-
cision. It had gone abroad throughout India that the
rnialt.had been unjustly deposed. The people of India were
. anxiously watching that house, to see if there was any real
!Pixel to the government at home. (Cheers.) They asked
for this committee, moreover, in justice to the Indian
government. The government of that country was a
government less of the sword than a government of opinion,
lad it was ottomaty to the maintenance of that opinion