The Express.
London, England, 1851-06-25 00:00:00

'ERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—TVE3OAT, lirsi 24.
The Lotto CHANCILLOR took hie out at the o'clock.
PETITIONS PRESENTED.
NATIONAL LAND Cu . —By Lord BROUGHAM,
from members of this company, complaining of the treat-
meat they hal received, and alluding to • member of the
other house of parliament, whose name he would not men-
tion, as, having Wren aceemory to it.
IVOLICZ ur Towxs Lord BROUGHAM, fpm
Oxford, praying for en alteration in tins bill.
Toe Inure STATEIL—By Lord HATHERTON, from
Bilston, against the truck system.
APPRENTICES TO SEA SERVICE (IRELAND)
(No. 2) BILL.
On the metiers of the Mamas of p..sonicisonn this bill
pared through committee.
OBSTRUCTIONS ON RAILWAYS BILL.
Lord CAMPBELL said this bill had been returned Prom
the other boom with • for aendments, which having et-
plained, be moved that their)nlohips should agree to.
After • few words from Lord STANLEY the motion was
agreed
Mto.
STAP DUTIES (IRELAND) CONTINUANCE
BILL.
Oa the mobs of Earl GRANVILLE this bill was reads
wood time.
THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.
Lost STANLEY postponed his motion on the subject
of • representative government for the Cape of Good Hope
until Monday OCII, when he should move that the subject
L,. referred to a select committee ; and he begged to say,
that in adopting this coursi., he was not actuated by any
feeling of hostility to her Majesty's government.

REVIVAL OF CONVOCATION.
Lord REDESILLLE—My lents, I rise to give notice of
a motion which I propose making on Tuesday nett— that
an humble and dutiful address be presented to her "staidly
raying fur the revival of both Houses of Convocation.
1
re I think so framed it as to prevent it being summit/
that I seek to °lade from this house any eaprenioa of
opinion on the subject, though it is one worthy the consi-
deration of this house and of the public. That, however, is
not my pulp& on the present occasion. I am only anxious
to draw the attention of this horse and the public to a
queetion which I conceive to be of vital importance to the
interests of the church. I have long intended to submit
this ntntion to the house, but I have delayed doing so be-
fore
in CUI.CIIIIVEICI. of one of our bishops having called a
diocesan synod ; and, as I AM desirous to keep the question
altogether separate from that movement, I now give notice
of me' motion, before the assembly of the synod, and I fie
the dry for its discussion after it shall have terminated.
(Hear, hear.)
THE CASE OF JOTEE PERSHAUD.
The Earl of ELLEN BOROUGH said he understood the
noble lord. the President of the Boar' of Control, had
received official inhumation of greater importance, and
hail no ultection now to offer such explanation as might
he neeeteary with respect to the case of Jotee Perthaud, he
should give him an opportunity of doing so by moving for
the popery of which he had given notice the other night.
lint, tint, be would state what appeared to him to he the
case, and he would also date who this Jotee Penhaud was.
Ile was not an ordinary new who had made a large wan
by contracts with the Indian government; he wits the
son and brother of the most considerable bankers in bilk
who heel as high a position in their own Mina
as the Haring+ an. Rothechilds did in
and were the possessors of most extensive estates.
'the father and brother, as early es 1810, commenced con-
tracting with the government ; they had always appeared
to he trustworthy persons, and performed most valuable
services. In the year le3B, when the army first marched
to Affghanistan, Jetts: Pershaud,who was then at the head of
the firm, took the contract fur the supply of the army ; and
the nettle lord would recollect that no better appointed army
ever proceeded from the frontiers of India. He subse-
quently was employed ex • contractor in the campaign of
Itbulapore, and he was • contractor in the last war in the
l'uttjaub. On all those three occasions he had great difficulties
to coutenel e ith, because no sufficient previous preparation
hail beets nine: for bringing together large bodies of men.
And with respect to the last, which was • most difficult
campaign, because the greatest number of troops were em-
ployed, he believed lie might say, without the fear of dis-
pute, that that great army had never wanted • day's
provisioning, whilst the enemy were compelled to sur-
render for want of food. During all these operations Jotec
l'enhautl was generally at bead-quarters, sharing in all the
difficulties and dangers of the war, personally exported to
every privation ; his agents were employed in every part of
India providing the foal necessary for the men and horses.
It was not imputed& that in employing so great o number,
and such a variety of persons, many of those persous might
have committed more than erron, and might have been
guilty of the great offences attributed to Joint Pershand
himself and hi. agents. But thine offences on the part of
sulionlinate mono., meting at so great a distance from their
chief, might be possibility have occurred without his having
had any knowledge of it. Ile understood front all persona
acquainted with the character and proccohnge of this per-
son, whom he might call LI gentleman, and he was remarkable
fur his gentlemanlike manners in a country where all men
were courteous, this gentleman had shown great facility
iu the transaction of bunions ; he had never preten poi
nt
unreasonably ptas
unreasoned), when what he bail urged had been objected
to ; and he was • favourite with all the officers.
At the conclusion of the hostilities almost from
the very wish when his services were nu longer
censitlen-d of value this gentleman hail an action
brought against him of • more disgraceful ehruutter.
Ile undenttead that such were the 1111.1411.1 and such
the intelligence of this person, that it would be difficult to
carry on any operations without success in which he acted
as the contractor; and it would also be most difficult—and
be 'poke on tbs• authority of the person best calculated to
form • judgment in this matter—it would he must difficult
to carry on any great military operations in India without his
assistants.. In February, th 19, about the conclusion of the war,
various charges were broughtaguinet this gentleman, chiefly
by agents employed is his service. These charges were re-
ferred to several commissariat officers and the military
hoard, anti in May, late, the military beard referred the
charges to Major Ramsey, who was the principal com-
missariat Aker in that department. In September, 1849,
that talker reported that the charges were unworthy of
cossialeration—that they appeared to pruned from a de-
sire to talon money nom Jotec Pershaud—and he ad-
vised that no proceedings should be taken thereupon.
Tins report wee not to the military board, who were di-
vided in opinion. Two of the board concurred in the
opinion that the Owen were unworthy of credit, but thu
ode r ‘Col. Merkel thought the whole mutter should he
referred to the president in council, who again referred it
to the lieutenant-governor of the north western provinces,
and that lustetionary, on the Itch March, made • re-
Drone to the magistrate of Agra, directing him to maks
an inquiry, and that gentleman made his report on the
27th ot Jun.-. ltut there, were other re -loons made on the 12th
and 19th of July by two other civil officers employed in that'
part of the country. Ile understood that this report was
written bribe gentleman to whims the duty was first lib
trusted—Me. Dintietto—but that it was presented by sd••
the r who hail been substituted fur the first, at a •omewleat
Lite perm.' in the summer. The lint magistrate who hod
teen employed to investigate the truth of the charges was
hantelf, to a large mould, • debtor of the person against
whom the charges were made; and that he understood well
stated to account for the further progress of the inquiry
being eenthled to another gentleman. 'that other path-
man peoreeded to make his inquiries, and on the ilk./
November he presented his final report; and after that
tiu d report the Lieutitiovernur of the north wagon
protium directed thet the trial should proceed; and that
as approved ern the 10th of November by the tiovernoin
(Leiters', who appeared to have been without any
cogentince whatever of the earlier proceedings in
this Id*, Thu trial took place on the 27th of Manly
and, after a trial which lasted twenty days, the am
curd was unanimously acquitted. Ile should have
stated that in September, 1840, after Jobe) Pershaud
IX eta arraigned and had given bail, he proceeded to Cal.
cotta, and there instituted • civil suit against the 1/01reelae
1114.11 t for the recovery of 578,000/.. which be alleged to be
the balance due to hem. That proceeding, it appeared, was
ill-advised, and was founded on • misapprebensime I 4
in the first place, he had brought a civil et*
against the government, it would have been COIF
potent for the government to have instituted a ed•
metal prosecution against him, supposing matters to
have come out during the investigation upon which they
might have prosecuted bins. Seeing he was to be tried no.
der • new act, by •jadsie and ajury appointed by theegoverm
most, and seeing the way in which the case was got up, he
did not wonder that Jobe) Pershauel should have preferred
the chances of • trial in tho Supreme Ceurt to • trial in the
court at Agra. (Hear.) He thought the president in
council committed • great error by not adhering to the ele-
ment of the majority of the military board, which was that
the inquiry ought not to be prosecuted further. Ile
uadersteod the witnesses against Jute.; l'ershaud
were principally persons who bad been concerned in the
conenacte end who were brought by force under escort
of eulice to Agra to be examined by force. They first gene-
rally rare testimony in favour of their employer ; and then
it was said they were threatened with criminal proceedings
for complicity a the offences and crimes charged against
Julie ershaud. But they were informed that if they
would make a full conk...gun, and support the charges, they
should be pardoned; and some of those persons were said
to have been retained its durance until the trial, that they
might then give evidence according to their second state-
ments on oath. It was stated on the trial, and it had not
been denied, that the defendant was at last committed upon
the evidence of Icicle:sees with not one of whom he had ever
been confronted, and without any evidcaist whatever having
beeit even in his defence. lie knew not whether the de-
fendant had been called on to appear, but be did not
appeer ; and the whole of the evidence upon which he was
arraigned was taken in his absence, and he never produced
one single whales in his defence. (Hear, hear.) liut this
was De: all; when he bad been arraigned he put in bail, and it was then that he proceeded to Calcutta; and, ander
the erroneous impression, that being in Calcutta, he might
di-regal the Court of Agra, he did not rerun to Agri
Use time when his bail expired. The person who bid he-
nna security for his appearance was his advocate, Me, Log
and the recognisauces having been estreattel the antimeretfica;
.tgrit proceedol to obtain payment of the aillesit bit
which the rteettnisanees were given. Mr. Lam My
it surety for the appearance of Inter Pershaud. moynee.
e.seded to seize his personal goods, and laid an embargo en
Lis printing press, be being the editor of a newspaper. !lag
there was another steifewleut which hehaul heard if is
tit, country, under ateh cirtunistances, a lady's bedroom
acre entered, and her jewellery taken from her, what
would be thought of it ? Dot when in India policemen
enured the serene of. Illation and took even the note-ring
*vs the pow of hie wife, it was enough to rouse the in-