The Express.
London, England, 1866-07-20 00:00:00

THE tVRESSI PRWAY

contrary to such a conclusion. Then there is a very
strong charge against Colonel Nelson, who also is assumed
to have been guilty of crimes that have not been proved,
and we are asked whether any steps are being taken to
bring him to trial for putting to death tuilawfully certain
men and women who had been previously flogged, it
being alleged that one of them was in a state of pregnancy,
and for authorising the flogging without trial of Alexander
Phillips, Richard , and numerous others. Now, as •
fact, it is shown in the evidence taken before the commis-
sioners that no one was togged without trial by Colonel
Nelson, and no woman known to be in a state of preg-
nancy was tried. The hon. gentleman, therefore, was
not justified in so decidedly announcing that
Colonel Nelson was guilty of crimes not proved, or In
founding inch conclusions as he bas upon assump-
tions wbtoad. I felt it my duty to make these observa-
tions. In the first place I cannot approve of the hon. gen-
tleman assuming throughout that these proceedings were
illegal, for that is a matter of controversy, and on which
there may be aoonflict of opinion, and in the second place
I think that he ought to have taken care that the question
should have been extremely, nay, severely accurate.
Having made these observations upon the long question
addressed to the government, I hope the house will
act consider me obtrudes if I state what
had really been done in this matter. When
these occurrences took place in Jamaica the
late government issued a commission in order that we
might obtain the fullest information from local inquiry.
I think the government in so acting took • most wise sad
prudent course. The commission was composed of eminent
men, possessing public confidence, and whatever contro-
-1 very there may be upon other parts of that question,
there can be none as to the acuteness and assiduity with
which those distinguished persons performed the &idea
they undertook to discharge. The late government act-
ing on the report of the commissioners, dismissedthe
governor. That appears to me to he conclusive as regards
the eau of Governor Eyre. Those who ask for further
steps seem to me to confuse errors of conduct and judg-
ment with malice prepense, but the House of Commons
would scarcely sanction such • confusion. Then with
regard to the subordinate officers, naval and military. The
late government gave instructions to the Admiralty and
the Horse Guards to investigate the conduct of the
officers connected with thou departments, and to report
upon the same. The Admiralty, after investigation and
consideration, decided that no fresh inqdry was requisite,
and approved of the conduct of the admiral on the station.
The Horse Guards, as I em informed, have not yet made
their report. Under these circumstances I cannot under-
stand how the hon. gentleman should desire, after the
investigations that have been already made, to bring this
question forward. If it becomes necessary hereafter to
forward further instructions to the Admiralty and the
Horse Guards, we shall be justified in doing at, but such
instructions will be founded on new information. At the
present moment I am not prepared to offer any further
explanation on the subject to the hon. gentleman. (Hear.)

political discussion, but that it is simply intended for the
preservation of the public peace. (Cheers.).

THE 11ELEiOTT ELECTION.

Mr. LOWE, pursuant to notice he gave • fortnight
go, called attention to the circumstances of the recent
Holston election, at which the mayor, having already voted
for Mr. Campbell in his private capacity, when the votes
were equal gave him a second, or casting vote. After ex-
amining the precedents, which showed that, though in the
last century two similar caami—Bramber and Horsham—
had occurred, the practice latterly had been invariably
to make • double return, he read a letter from the
mayor, which, he said, fairly pursed him of contempt,
and with a view of providing Simi ar eases 111
future he moved a resolution affirming that when candi-
dates have equal voices it is the duty of returning officers
to make • doable return.

- - ---
The CHANCELLOR. of the EXCfrEQUER
that as the matter was one which wee likely to to
much controversy, and as there wu a bill on the "object
before the house, the resolution should be postponed for
further consideration. . . . .

Mr. GLADSTONE concurring (though M the same time
expressing a doubt whether the matter could be dash
with by a resolution alone),
The subject was postponed for a week.

TH:B INDIAN BUDGET..

In committee of the whole house Viscount CRAN-
BOESI brought forward the Indian budget. He said
that it was the practice in treating Indian finance to deal
with three years. With respect to the first of the three,
18665, the gross revenue was 45,653,0001., and the gross
expeaditur• 45,846,0001., being • deficit of 193,0001., and
a difference of more than 800,0001. from the estimate. In
regard to the year 1865-6, the gross revenue was
47,041,0001., and the gross expenditure was
47,020,0001. In that year there was an increase
generally in the land and forest revenue, though
the net profit from the latter was at present but u
The excise yielded 2,291,0001., being a gain of over 47,0001.
on the previous year. The income tax had been repealed,
principally becalm it had been a complete failure in
India, though at teupence in the pound never producing
more that two millions a year. The salt tax had ex-
perienced a considerable loss, about 167,0001. The cus-
toms showed a gain of 88,0001., while opium gave
8,638,0001., or 1,217,0001. more than in the previous
year. The public works realised a sum of 1,016,000/.
Turning to expenditure, he spoke of the enor-
mous sod of the collection of the revenue, it
being 8,776,0001., though there was last year a diminu-
tion of over 00,000 t. The army cost 13,486,0001.,
being nearly the same as in the previous year, which was
about the average expenditure. The expenditure for
public works was 5,352,0001., law and justice 2,439,0001.,
and pollee 2,398,0001. ; each item being en increase. The
estimate of the revenue of the year 1866-7 showed • de-
ficit of 72,8001. The opium tax was estimated at
8,600,0001., but that was a high and exceptional estimate ;
and he feared that too much reliance was placed on this
source of revenue. This was the more to be regretted as
the percentage of other sources of Indian revenue had de-
creased rather than increased ; and thus opium had become
the essential element in Eastern finance. For the current
year more than 6,000,0001. was spent on public works,
which was a heavy item of expenditure, but it was in fact
• large surplus which was invested in remunerative works.
The cash balances at the close of the year would not be
more than 10,000,0001. The railway expenditure had
been a source of enormous success, for the repayment of
the outlay was going on with extraordinary rapidity. The
Great Indian Peninsula line paid 7 per cent. on its capital,
and the East Indian nearly 5 per cent., though neither
of them was fully and thoroughly opened. In consequence
of a very full and able report on the general moral and
material condition of India which had been presented to
the house, it was not necessary for him to say more than
that education was progressing, public works—particularly
of irrigation—were going on ; railways advancing ; the
Ganges Canal bad been rendered more fitted for its great
purposes, and there was much evidence of prosperity. The
shortness of his tenure of office must be an apology, if he
needed it, for his not speaking of the policy of the govern.
ment in regard to India, but it was quite in hie power to
say that that policy was peace, public works, and an avoid-
ance of the old aggressive system of annexation.
A discussion ensued, in the course of which Mr. Lama
showed that since the equilibrium of expenditure and re-
venue had been restored after the Indian mutiny, it had
on the whole been maintained ; while the revenue bad, in
the but five years, increased a million per annum—and
went into a comprehensive exposition of Indian affairs in all
their branches. He was followed by Mr. Stanafeld, with a
speech of a like character ; after which the debate was
continued by Mr. Smollett, Mr. Crawford, Lord William
Hay, Sir J. Fergusson (the new Under Secretary for India),
he.
The debate was closed by a reply from Lord CRAN-
BORNE ; certain formal resolutions were agreed to, and the
house resumed.
The Thames Navigation Bill was then taken in coin.
mittee, and passed through that stage.
REFORMATORY SCHOOLS (RECOMMITTED) BILL.
The consideration of this bill in committee was poet-
poned until Thursday next at 12 o'clock.
INLAND REVENUE BILL.

The house went into e;iTmittee Pro form! on this bill,
but immediately resumed.
REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE BILL—RE-
DISTRIBUTION OF SEATS BILL . _ _

Mr. GLADSTONE, who rose at a quarter to two o'clock,
said—On rising to move that the orders be discharged, he
had a few words of explanation to offer as to the course he
proposed to take. On the occasion of the resignation of the
lies government he had not moved the discharge of the
orders, under the conviction that it was their duty to give
the incoming government an opportunity of con-
sidering the course they should adopt respect to
the bills. The declaration of the leading members
of the government in another place, and likewise in the
country, showed that it was not their intention to take
any step in reference to the bills, a course of which he did
not at all make a complaint. He did not think, however,
that the motion should be taken altogether as a matter of
course, and he had therefore given notice of his intention
to make it, in order that if any member desired to take
the opinion of the house upon it, he should have an op-
portunity of doing so. At that late hour he would not
enter into the reasons for not going forward with the bills
at this period of the session, but perhaps it was expected
of him that after all that had taken place
he should say • word as to the future. As regards

the future, the great subject of the representation of the
people was not primarily in the hands of himself or of those
with whom he had been connected. It was, of course, to

her Majesty's government that in the first instance
the country would look for a decision in reference to those

bills. He did not desire to press the government
upon the question, nor did he make any com-
plaint that the government had declined to give an
early opinion upon the course they intended to adopt
He would only say that it would be a matter of great satis-
faction, both to his colleagues and himself, if the govern-
ment should be in a condition to moot this question, and to
deal with it in a satisfactory and effectual manner. He
did not ask from them, nor was he prepared to give on his own
part, or on the part of those with whom hehad the honourto
act, any pledge either with respect to time or any particular
provisions of the late bill, or any bill for parliamentary re-
form. This was not the period at which the matter
should be so handled, but they would be glad to sup•
port any measure which they believed to be good and
effectual, and without the smallest regard to what
had happened should he ready to assist and to congratulate
those who might be more fortunate than themselves.
(Cheers.) He must also say without conveying any impu-
tation whatever on any class of persons that they were not
the parties who would consent to the passing of any
measure that they should regard as reactionary or
illusory in its provisions, and to such a mea-
sure they should offer the best resistance in
their power. Beyond that, to any questions put to him
in regard to their future course, and their intentions in
respect to this matter, he would only say that they should
wish to be judged by what they had said during times past
and in the present session. He meant not so much in refer-
ence to the particular terms or provisions for
the attainment of an object of such great
public importance, in respect to which all parties ought to
remain entirely free, as in respect to the temper, the spirit,
and the aim with which they should at any time, if
it became their duty in the place which they now
occupied to approach this subject. With respect to those
points, they would wish their future conduct to be inter-
preted by their language and their acts in the past. With
those words he begged leave to move that the orders of
the day for going into committee on the Representation of
the People Bill and Redistribution of Seats Bill should be
discharged.
COMMONS METROPOLIS BILL

This bill passed through committee.
The remaining orders were disposed of, sad the house
adjourned shortly after 2 o'clock.

SADLER'S WELLS THEATIUL—Mr. Nye Chart,
the acting manager at thin theatre, announces his benefit
for this evening. The bill of fares unvsually attractive,
embracing the company of the Olympic Theatre, in Tom
Taylor's play of the Ticket of Leave Man, and Miss Cicely
Non, the favourite vocalist, in Buckstone's oomic drama
of the Child of the Regiment. Mr. Chart deserves well of
the frequenters of this establishment for the manner in
which he has conducted it, under the present lesseeship,
and may be remembered as a popular comedian at this
theatre some ten or twelve years ago, under Mr. Phelps's
management. The performance is announced under the
patronage of the Duke of Wellington.
[Advertisement.] HOLLOWAY'S PILLS. This
medicine haa been coantly Increasing hi public estimation far
years, and le now acknowledged to be the most wonderful remedy
In the world. It acts directly on the system, removing all ob-
structions from the stomach, renovating the springs of life, and
purifying the blood, eradicating liver complaints, that main-
wring of so many diseems—Mdisestion, loss of appetite, pain in
the aide, and general debility. It is also a remedy on which
the asthmatic may place the greatest dependence, and obtain
perfect restoration to health. The hypochondriac and dyspeptic
should retort to these invigorating Mlle, which are capable of
converting the gloomy shadows of their life into beaming sun-
shine, and Missing back those naturally happy thoughts en-
gendered by a good digestion.