The Express.
London, England, 1853-07-27 00:00:00

PUBLIC BUSINESS.

OF INDIA BILL.

the two departments as aforesaid ; and the said board is
hereby empowered to sell the buildings and premises now
occupied by the Court of Directors in Leadenhalbstreet, is
the City of London, end to :apply the proceeds thereof to
defray any espenses which may be inmated la providing
convenient officie, in one building, for the use of the said
Board of Commissioners and the said Court of Directors."
His object was to establish a more speedy, effective, and less
expensive administration of Indian aff.ure in England. It
would be difficult to show why there should be
two departments, destined to act together for the
e irryiug on of the government of • great country,
sitting at • distance from each other of two miles
anill,2oo yards, which the new distance table be believed
showed the India House was from the Board of Control—
(hear, and • laugh)—and which separation occasioned
much useless labour, considerable delay, and great expense.
The hon. gentleman argued, at considerable length, and
quoted various authorities in favour of his proposition. On
the question of expense—he stated that the cost of the es-
tablishment in Leadenhall-street, including the salaries and
the allowance to the Directors, but exclusive of pensions,
was 141.00 W. a year, and the charge made upon the Indian
revenues for the Board of Control WU 29,14 U , in addition
—making • total of 170,0001. for the government of India
in London. Compere with this the cost of the government
of this country. I hefeharge for the Home-ogee was 27,0001;
for the Colonial-office—(which had jurisdiction over forty
colonies, and hail to carry en correspondence
with forty colonial governments)—the charge was
19.0001. ; and for the Foreign-office, 69,0001.—
making • total of 13.1,000 ~ which was several thousands a
year less than the charge fur the establishment in Leaden-
ball-street alone. He could not understand why this
charge of upwards of 180,0001. (including pensions) should
be continued (or carrying on the horns government of
India, when they had it upon the authority of the right
hon. member for Edinburgh (Mr. Macaulay), the right hon.
baronet the member for Carlisle (Sir J. Oraham), Sir C.
Trevellian, and others, that the principal government of
India should be in India, and that the government of India
here should be merely a government of revision and con-
trol on great questions of policy, cad that the system of
constant intermeddling in minute matters cramped and
fettered the government in India, and occasioned a delay
which was fatal to all improvement in Indian administra-
tion. What he proposed was that there should be a build.
ing provided in the immediete et ighbourhood of Parliament-
mreet, sufficiently capacious to receive both establishments
—the India house and the Board of Control.
He should surged the transferring of the museum and
library at the India Heim to some public purpose, and that
the building itself be meld, the proceeds to be applied to the
expense of a new 'ruddiest. and any surplus might he de-
voted to beneficent objects in India. littlest) two depart-
ments were in one building together there would be an
end of a great deal of stupid and tedious correspondence be-
tween them, and a great deal of the delay, expense, and
want of efficiency, which was the result of the present ar-
rangement, would be got rid of. There was no reason why
the direetors should not be brought nearer to Downing-
street, where there was an excellent plot of vacant land,
on which • building might be ereved. If this plan
was adopted the President of the Board of Control would
be brought more closely into co-operation with the direc-
tors, and many matters being discussed by word of month
instead of by letter, would take a tenth part of the time in
being settled ; while it would be possible to reduce the staff
of the Indian establishment both in this country and in
India. He believed there had not been a more useful or
practical suggestion offered to the house during the discus-
sion of this lull than this, and if hereafter some change was
made in the present mode of governing India, this arrange-
ment would be • step in that direction.
Sir C WOOD thought this was a question which would
be better left to the consideration of the authorities inter-
ested, than that the House of Commons should by this bill
impose it on them.
Mr. V. SMITH was glad this question had been em-
bodied in s clause. Without meaning any imputation on
the President of the Board of Control and the Court of
Directors, he must say that they did not do their business
so fast as it might be done, and he wished to enable them
to do it faster.

After a few words from Sir H. MADDOCK in rapport of
the clause,
The committee divided—
For the clause
Against it

Mr. V. SMITH then rose to bring forward the following
clause, of which he had given notice :—" And whereas, by
an act pima in the third and fourth year of his Majesty
King William the Fourth, intituled, 'An Act for effecting
an amngement with the East India Company, and for the
better Government of his Majesty's Indian Territories till
the 30th day of April, 18.54,' it M enacted, that the Presi-
dent of the Board of Commissioners for the Affairs of India,
but no other commissioner, as such, and the secretaries and

other officers, shall be paid by the said company such fixed
salaries as his Majesty shall, by any warrant or warrants
under Ilia sign manual, countersigned by the Chancellor of
the Exchequer for the time being, direct; be it enacted,
that such fixed salary shall in no cats be less than the sa-
lary which shall be paid to one of her Majesty's Principal
Secretaries of State ; and that only one of the said secre-
taries to the said board shall be capable of being elected sr
sitting and voting in parliament."
Lord PALMERSTON said there were good reasons why
it was impossible that the President of the Board of Con-
trol, in the existing state of things, should net assume the
name of Secretary of State. But he concurred with hia
righf hoe. friend in thinking that the President of the Board
of Control ought to be placed, both as retarded the dignity
of his offin and his salary, in the position of a Secretary
of State.

TM e.sea;iitZeonTh

Mr. J. G. PHILLIMORE proposed the insertion of
the following clauses:—"And whereas it is expedient that
a tribunal should be constituted to decide upon and take
cognisance of any disputes that may mime between the
groverameat of British India and any native prince not a
British subject ; and to interpret any treaty of which the
waning may be disputed between any native prince and
the British government, be it enacted, that the Queen's
judges at each presidency shall henceforth be respectively a
competent court to decide any question in dispute between
the government of British India and any native prince not
• subject of the British crown, who shall sppeal to such
tribunal, and that an appeal from the decision of such tri-
bunal shall lie to the Court of Privy Council in this
country, and that such decision of the Court of Privy
Council shall be final. That every person having a vote for
the election of a member of parliament in this country, who
shall have resided five years in India, shall have a vote in
the election of such directors of the East India Company
as are not nominated by the crown." This was a
matter of great importance to India. It was •
question which was not new, nor was it now .
brought under the notice of parliament for the first time.
Both Mr. Pitt and Mr. Fox had in their time pressed the
subject epos the attention of the legislates*, while, at a
still later period, Sir Robert Peel endeavoured to impress
upon the legislature the importance of establishing such •
tribunal a• that which was now proposed. He had tense-
wally sufficicnt authority for the treasure he was recom-
mending to the committee, and he had only to state that
the tribunal he would establish would be similar to the Su-
prime Court of America, which exercised an appellant andan
original jurisdiction. This tribunal would have power to de-
cide upon all matters of dispute which might arise between
dependent states and the East India Company. At present
no such tribunal existed in India, but the East India Com-
pany, contrary to every principle of jurisprudence, deciied
for themselves, and pronounced the law in all eases of dis-
pute that might arise between them and the native prinoes.
As might be espected, the law administered under such
circumstances was grossly partial, and always unjust, and
doubt and uncertainty was constantly hanging over the
heads of the four hundred states that were dependent upon
the Est India Company. These states had to pay a mil-
lion of money annually to the East India Company, and
to support an army amounting to 4.50,008 men, of whom
about 290,000 were provided by the company ; and it was
only natural that disputes of one sort or another should be
constantly taking place between some of these states
and the company. Too frequently it happened
that the states were most unjustly treated, in-
deed history scarcely afforded any parallels to the instances
of cold-blooded cruelty and injustices, which occasionally
characterised the proceedings of the company, with refer-
ence to dependent states. Honesty was the beet policy here
as every where else, and he earnestly implored the com-
mittee to take this one step towards making our Indian
empire rest upon the solid foundation of truth and justice,
rather than arrogance, cruelty, and oppression. (Hear.)
The clause was then brought up and read a first time.
On the question that it be reed a second time,
Mr. LO WE said it was not worth while, at this stage of
the discussion, to go back to any former act of injustice
which the East India Company might have been guilty of,,
and therefore, without following the hos. and learned gen-
tleman through the whole of his discursive speech, be
should confine his attention to the clause itself. Well,
thee, be could hardly see the advantage of establishing such
a tribunal as this in India. It might be of great service in
settling disputes between independent states ; but in India,
where the people were familiarised to a sovereign of a
despotic form, it would be quite out of place. The
Oriental people could not be made to understand our no-
tions of • civil tribunal with limited power. Their genius,
their habits, their feelings, were opposed to any species of
control placed between them and the supremacy of the
government, and it would be dangerous to break in upon a
system which, although highly despotic in its character,
was yet respected—if not venerated—by the natives. For
these reasons, and others which he would not stop to go
into, he must oppose the clause.
Mr. BRIGHT was afraid the native princes would not
be satisfied with the decisions of this intermediate tribunal.
Ile however thought the suggestion of the late Sir Robert
Feel, to convert the Privy Council into • Court of Equity,
for the settlement of disputes between native princes
and private individuals, might be judiciously and safely
engrafted upon this bill.
Sir C. WOOD observed that it was quite unnecessary for
him to add • single word to the argument which had been
adduced against the claims, but with regard to the case
put by his hon. friend the member for Manchester, the
committee would observe that it we, not a dispute between
the East India Company and • private individual, or there
would have been ample means open for obtaining re-
dress. (Hoar, hear.)
Bir J. W. HOGG deprecated the introduction of motions
like this, which were only brought forward to gratify a
schoolboy feeling of indulging in vapid declamation or
gratilyiog • rancorous teeing of malicious spite. (" Oh.")
After some discussion,
The clause was then put and negatived.
Mr. BRIGHT moved the following clause: " Whereas
it would tend tea mere speedy and effective administration
of Indian affairs in England, and would materially diminish
the ezpendicire of such admini•tration, if the business of
the two departments of the Based of Commissioners for the
Affairs of India, and the Court of bisectors of the Rut
India Company, were transacted in one and the same build-
ing, it shall be lawful for the said Board of Commissioners
to pro-ide, and the said bored shell, within two years from
the 30th day of April, 18.54, provide, in some suitable situa-
tion, ealleisat Aces let the tzenaection of the boniest; of

Sir J. W. HOGG thought that the proposition of the right
bon. gewlernan put the matter upon its right footing. The
duty of President of the Board of Control entailed upon the
gentleman holding that office quite as much labour, and
that, too, of a more continuous character, as the office of
Secretary of State upon its holder.
Mr. Vt ILL:AMS said that when hon. gentlemen looked
at those who had held the office of President of the Board
of Control, they would come to the conclusion that they bad
hitherto received quite as much salary as their abilities
deserved. (Laughter.)
Sir H. WILLOUGHBY thought that the name given to
the President of the Board of Control was very likely to
lead to confusion. In point of fact, there was no ►oard
at all.

After a fcw words kat Mr. Pima:moan tad Sir C.
By Kama.,
The house divided : the smabses wen—
For the clause
Against
. . .

The cause therefore stood part of the bill.
Mr. WISE then moved the following cause: " Anl be
it enacted, with regard to the admission of persons to the
Military College at Adliscombe, that at least one-third of
such persons shel be selected from the sons of officers who
are, or who have been, in the civil or military service of the
East India Company, and the selection of such persons
shall be made by the Oovernor•Oeneral of India for the
tints being." The right hon. gentleman (Sir C. Wood) at
an earlier period of the discussion, stated that he would
throw open Addiscombe, and at a later period he had
stated that, acting upon the reprementati.ns of the Indian
committee, he had resolved to make no alteration in the
admission to Addiscorobe. He (Mr. Wise) considered that
this was a course giving just ground for complaints; to
obviate which he proposed the introduction of this clause.
Sir C. WOOD said, that it the observetion of the hon.
member, touchiog the alteration which had taken place in
his (Sir C. Wood's) opinion upon this subject were a just
one, no alteration whatever could be made in committee.
Ile thought that the proposed clans' would tend to lessen
the number of appointments given to sone of °Moen.
After a few words from Mr. 131.e.CIrrr and Sir D 2 LACY
Eva ea,
The committee divided, the numbers were—
For the clause 29
Against
The clause was therefore lost.
The CHAIRMAN then reported progress.
The house then adjourned until 6 o'clock.
The House resumed at 6 o'clock.
POOR LAW.

Mr. A. PELLATT rose to move for leave to bring in a bill
to abolish the removal of the poor, and to equalise the rates
for their maintenance, and to make other amendments in
the laws relating to the relief of the poor, bat almost imme-
diately notice was taken that there were not 40 members
present.
The SPRAKtiI consequently counted the house, and there
being but 38 members, the house stood adjourned at hall-
past 6.

REMOVAL Or NUISANCES IN ST. LIIKE'S.—The
Board of Guardians of this parish have given public notice
that they have formed themselves into a sanitary committee,
with a view to put into forte the powers gives them by the
Nuisance Removal Act. They purpose visiting all those
parts of the parish where nuisances exist.
STRIKE or SOUTHWARK LABOURERS.—The Mater

side of the borough of Southwark is in a great state of
excitement in consequence of the strike of nearly 2,000
labortren who have been working at the different suffer-
ance wharves. The pay of the labourers for the last GO
years hae been, their employers my, three pence per hour,
including the time occupied in breakfasting and dining,
and two pints of porter per man, the working hours being
from 6 till 8, thui producing 3s. Gd. per cloy. They had
received this price when provisions were dear, when bread
was Is. 3d. per quartern, meat Is. per pound, and porter Gd
per pot, and they now strike and require fourpence per
hour, with all' the above advantages. The reason they
assign .forinereasing the demand is that the sufferance
wharves having the privilege of landing foreign goods, the
coasting trade has recently been eupeneded by the rail-
way.. The wharfingers state that if they are compelled to
pay fourpenee per hour, the labour will be increased 33
per cent. in expense, which will ultimately fall upon the
merchants and consumers. 300 men paraded round the
wharves in the course of yesterday, and threatened to do
desperate mischief to any labourers who dared to go to
work for less than fourpenoe per hour. It is said that
from 400 to 500 men struck at Scovell's, from 200 to 250
struck at Humphery's, from 150 to 200 struck at k'enning's,
from 200 to 2.50 struck at Allen and Thompann'a, from 200
to 250 struck at Curling's, and that several other strikes of
similar extent were made in the conies of the day. Most of
the above large concerns have been obliged to submit, on
account of she number of foreign vessels and craft lying
aloopide the wharves, laden with most valuable cargoes.
PARLIAMENTARY PARALLELS.—" Mr. Spooner pre-
sented • petition from parish(' in Wiltshire against the
opening of the Crystal Palace on Sundays." Suppose Mr.
Lucas were to present a petition from parishes in Meath,
praying for the dome of butchers' shops es Fridays 1--
ranch.

THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JULY 27, 1853

ELECTION

CLITHEItOE.
When athe committee met 'eaten* morning,
Boothman who bed been partly 'humbled on Monday, was
re-called, and said he saw a number of flags flying from
different public-houses in Clitheroe during the election.
He was asked if those flags were considered to indicate
that these hosees were open house', but the committee
decided that the question could not be pressed.
Joseph Dugdale, a green-grocer, said he was a voter of
Clitheroe, and had been canvassed by Mr. Aspinall, and
Mr. Hartley Baldwin was with l.im. Subsequently he
saw Mr. Aspinall and Mr. Leonard Baldwin at the Wheat.
sheaf public house. There were a number of carters there
at the same time, and they asked for something to drink.
Mr. Baldwin ordered a half-gailon of ale for them, and he
afterwards ordered a second half-gallon of ale, and treated
witness to two glasses of gin. At that time Mr. L. Baldwin
praised witness to vote for Mr. Aspinall, but he (witness)
did not then'promise.
John Pulman, landlord of the Craven Heifer public-
house, said he held some land untie:. Mr. Aspinall, and
paid him 401. a year rent. He also held some land under
Mr. Hall. Nr. Aspinall and his steward (Southward) can-
vassed him repeatedly, separately ; also Mr. Dewhunt and
Mr. Bailey; and, on one occasion, Mr. Bailey, in Mr.
Aspinall's pretence, gave him half-a-crown to get drink.
He had a bill against Mr. Aspinall for drink furnished to
people during the election. When he went to Hall to pay
his rent, he asked him when he would be paid his bill
against Mr. Aspinall for the election, and Mr. Hall laughed,
and said they were not going to pay any bills yet. After
that he applied to Southward, Mr. Aspinall's steward, for
payment, and, on one occasion he got some wood from
Southward, and S nithwud said that wood would go to
pay part of his bill.
Richard Dean, a beer-seller, stated that Mr. Aspinall, Mr.
H. Baldwin, Mr. A. Dewhurst, and Mr. F. Bailey, ceme to
his house to canvass him. They called for five glasses ot ale
(which included one for witness himself), and Mr. Bailey
put down halt-a-crown to pay for it; witness was about
giving him his change, when Mir. Bailey told bins that be
need not give him any change, but to treat himself and
friends with it. On the Saturday before the election, Mr.
Hall (Mr. Aspinall's solicitor) give the witnew uuatkede
an order to give away to his friends at his house if. worth of
ale. Witness doubled the order, and gave 41. worth. Some
of those who partook of it were electors. Ile gave them to
understand that he had got an order from Mr. Hall to give
it. He bad sot since been paid the 41. Some time after,
when he met Mr. Hall, he told him he had doubled his
order, and Mr. Hall replied, " It's all 'eight." Ile sup-
plied Mr. Hall with coals, and they " reckoned together."
At the conclusion of this witness's examination,
Mr. Serjeant Kinglake informed the committee that was
the ease of the petitioners as regarded the treating alleged
in the petition.
Mr. Slade said, in the event—which he did not at all
apprehend—of the other side claiming the seat, ho should
enter into a recriminatory case.
The committee then adjourned. Mr. James will this
morning sum up the whole of the evidence for the
petitioners.

ARY COMMITTEES.