The Express.
London, England, 1858-03-19 00:00:00

TER CONSULAR SERVICE.

hfr. B. FITEOZIALD gave sodas that .he should on
Monday mow the oppoiotaiost of • abet committee to in-
quire into tho alms of the comoloo motes of the cottntry.

CIVIL eBRVICE CONNUESION.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER laid on
the table the third report of this commitalon.

OODREVY LIGHTHOUSE.
Mr. A. SMITH moved for • select committee to inquire
into the circumstances connected with the erection of the

Godrevy Lighthouse, and to report their opiidoCo;7) the
proper position for the same, prefacing his motion with
copious details upon the subject.
The motion was seconded by Mr. PAULL.
Mr. HENLEY, after reviewing very fully all the skean-
stances connected with the lighthouse, said that, in his
opinion, no practical good could result from an inquiry Were
a committee, and if the motion was pressed, he should
oppose it.
Mr. Wyld and Mr. Bentinck supported the motion, which
was opposed by Mr. Cardwell, Mr. Lindsay, and Mr. Lowe,
and ultimately negatived.
IMPROVEMENT OF THE WORKING CLASSES.
Mr. SLANEY then rues to move that It was expedient to
establish a standing committee, or unpaid board or oorambi-
sion, to consider and report fromi time to time on practice
suggestions likely to be beneficial to the working classes.
He maid that as this was • new suggestion he felt bound to
give • reasonable ground for the demand he made on the
house and the government. It would be the duty of such •
tribunal or council to consider and report on any plan pro-
posed to them, bat not to do anything that would lead to
unreasonable hopes or unbounded expectations. One
ground on which he made this motion wee that
the committees to which separate matters relating
to the working classes had been referred, had
not worked out the advantages which might be
desired from them or the awes of failure. Another cause
which ought to induce the house to take up this matter was
the great change which had taken place in the circumstances
of the working chasm within the last half century.
Mr. S. ESTCOURT said no man could have listened to
the speech of the hon. gentleman without respecting the
motives by which he was actasted—(bear)—but having
hewed very attentively to what had fallen from him, he
could not, he confessed, usderstand what practical measure
ho was desirous of having carried out. His hon. friend
would perhaps permit him to put thin matter at once to •
tad. He would suppose that the motion was acceded to.
that the commission was leaned, and that his hon. friend
himself was, sa he very properly would be, placed at the
head of it. He was quite at a lose to conceive what
was likely to be the first step of the commission. Perhaps
his bon. friend would desire to afford facilities, by means of
that commission, to the labouring classes for sweetening
how they might beet lay out their money. His hon. friend
gave a sod of sweat. If the commission were appointed its
practical business would be to enable the working classes to
Improve their income. With this view it would, he sup-
posed, provide two tables—one setting forth the schemes
which the commission recommended, and the other those
which itswiahed to deter working men from embarking In. The
first result of this would be that all who were connected with
the schema denounced would band together against tho com-
mission, and, benevolent as were his hon. friend's intentione,
perhaps he would not be able to reach his own offfos without
the assistance of • body of police. (Laughter.) He would
suppose that • work g man laid out his 20L in accordance
with the advice given to him. It might happen, notwith-
-1 standing the best arrangement beforehand, that the scheme
recommended and selected would be mismanaged and fail.
Mr. SLANEY laid his hon, friend had mieunderstood
him. What he said was in effect that the commission should
report from time to time as to what was most likely to benefit
the working climes.
Mr. S. ESTCOURT faired the effect would be to encourage
speculation, and to excite expectations not likely to be real-
ised. (Hear. hear.) Bare advice would as usual prove un-
palatable. After the commission bad existed for a year or two
Meas. friend would advise in vain. Besideeteingimpeseticable
his hon. friend's plan would, he believed, be mischievous, in-
set:linch as it would be made a substitute for the caution and
intelligence which every man wee bound to exercise for him-
self. View, hear.) The commission being issued on the
authority of parliament, men would be led to depend upon it
rather than upon themselves, and if It led to no good remit
the discredit of failure would fall upon parliament. His hon.
friend need not come to parliament in order to carry out his
object. Why should he not himself be the unpaid com-
missioner P In that came the advice given might, like that of
some of the wisest men, prove not to have been the best ;
but it would be the advice of a private individual, and par-
liament would not be responsible for the result. He trusted
that his hon. friend would be contented with having ex-
pressed his views and not press the motion to a division.
and if he did not act upon this suggestion he should feel
bound to divide spinet the motion.
Mr. SLANEY said, after what his hon. Mend had mid,
he Amid withdraw the motion. He wished, however, to
biZi observe is ez km that he had never contemplated work-
lag people advised how to lay out their money, or pre-
mated- from on their own Industry, care, and fore-
The motion ins then withdrawn.
___

TREATMENT OF THB ERPOYS AND INSUR-
GENTS IN INDIA.
Hr. RICH this rose to call the devotion of the house to
the treatment of the mutinous semi and other Insurgents in
India, and to more for the following papers :—Copies of any
report or despatch relative to the protection afforded by
Mann Singh and others to fnetive Europium* at the out-
break of the Sepoy mutiny. Of any instructions given to
Akers in command of troops as to the treatment of mutinous
Sspoys or deserters. And a. to natives of Dude (not being
Sepoys) found in arms within the territory of Dude.
The km, muaber said Ito wished W call the

attention of the hones to the treatment which the rebellious
Seinera bed received, and were receiving, in India. In the
earlier stages of the mutiny, when men's minds were as-
tounded at the atrocities oummitted, it was almost impossible
to secure • calm discossiou of that subject ; but the tone had
now arrived when they might look the Indian calamities
fairly in the face. He hoped that in the observations he was
about to make he should not be misunderstood. He loathed
and detested as strongly as any man could do the atrocious
crimes which had boom perpetrated by the insurgent troops ;
but the very fact that the nation felt so strongly made Mrs
anxious that it should stand clear of any im-
putation of retaliation or vengeance. As regarded the early
stages of the rebellion, he would make every allowance for the
feelings of those who found themselves beset with treachery
and danger, and for the stern and resolute meaner in which
they stood on their defence. But at the same time he must
pay his tribute of gratitude to Lord Canning fur the manly
fortitude) with which he held the scales of justice, unmoved
by the cruelties on one aide and retaliationson the other.
The most extravagant tales had been told in this country,
and bad run through it like wildfire. Some of those tales
were such as made one's blood run cold. They heard of
swarms of mutilated women and children coming to this
country. Well, those who were most competent to form a
correct opinion—the committee of the society formed for the re-
lief of those who wore sufferin if throughthe outbreak in India—
stated that after the most diligent inquiries, extending over
six wake or two mouths, they had been unable to ascertain
• dangle:ease of mutilation infteted on any one who had
Lateens the shores of this country. He hoped that some immo-
ral instructions had been issued for the undue) of those In
India. That something was required to be done in this
direction was plain from the very last telegram which had
reached England. From this it appeared that 1,200 men
had been cut down by our troops, with the loss of but three
men on our part. It was clear, therefore, that no resistance
was made by the Insurgents, and it was unworthy of England
and of the English soldier, that such • state of Wage—little
short of butchery—should occur. He also found that one of
the contingents hail been most harshly dealt with. There
contingents, it should be remembered, owed but a qualified
allegiance to this country. They were the soldiers of princes
in alliance with us. Now in the ale to which he referred
110 men of a contingent were huddled together, shot and
bayonetted in a body, in the dusk of the owning. No proper
trial and calm inquiry appeared to have taken place. Again,
in many letters from India the killing of Sepoys was spoken
of in the most flippant manner. It was stated that they were
hung up es soon as caught, and if any aatives harboured
them they were themselves hung up. He could not believe
this ; but he thought that it ought to be publicly disavowed
by the government, as otherwise an unjust idea would
prevail throughout the length and breadth of the
continent. How different to this was the course
taken by General Calton In Canada, shortly after
the death of General Wolfe. That general had a due re-
gard to the honour of the British name, and he issued
a manifesto holding out the hope of mercy to those misguided
wretches who had fled to the woods. He did not say that
the cases of India and Canada were parallel in all respects.
Ho would, however, now come to a ease which was not
widely different from the case of America. He alluded to
the annexation of Oude. In that case intrigue was
first tried; first one great personage and then another was
sought after to be suborned. Those attempts failed, and
then the country was seized by a coup Viet. It was no
doubt necessary now that our position in Oude should be
maintained, but we were not justified in treating the natives
of Oude as rebels, and treating them as revolted soldiers
He Raid this because he saw in the Calcutta pipers demands
that Oude should be made one great slaughter-house. (Hear, ,
hear.) He regretted to hear that cheer ' • he had hoped that
no hon. member would be bound to support such a view. He
had hoped that here at least tome regard would be shown to
those who were fighting in behalf of a out down country.
Let the hon. member who cheered terneraber what even the
Sepoys had gone through—let him remember how often they
had been tried and not found wanting—let him consider
whether he himself would have proved as firm as they under
similar privations and temptations, and let him not, until
then, venture to cheer the sentiment that without
! mercy—nay, without trial—these men should be consigned
to a bloody grave. And in the instance of Oude, let the
hon. member bear In mind that it was the case of a people
struggling for its independence ; a people, therefore, to be
treated, as an enemy, truly, but not to be treated as re-
volted subjects. The hon. gentleman concluded by saying
that he.hoped that stern, resolute justice was done on thoul
miscreants who had beezi guilty of atrocitiee, yet that mode-
ration should be used towards the great mass of less notorious
offenders. With regard to the paper. for which he wialuid
to move, he had learned, by the courtesy of
the Secretary to the Board of Control, that those
which related to ',limn Singh might be found, and would
be produced. With regard to those relating to the instruc-
tions to officers, there might perhaps be a difficulty about
them, and he would not prey for them ; but as regarded the
third set of papers, relating to Oude, he thought there might
be some papers whick night be produced.
General Til.OlfOSON rounded the mottos.
Mr. H. I. BAILLIE could not think that the people
of Oade who were assembled under the banners of thetrets
and fighting for their independence could be placed in the
name category u mutinous Sepoys who bad murdered their
officers. On that subject he had no doubt that proper In-
structions would be given. With respect to Malin Singh,
when be (Mr. Bane) came into the home he was prepared
to say that he had no information to give ; but since he came
into the house some despatches had been sent to him, in
which he found some statements relating ts Mann Singh.
They were to the effect that Mum Singh, at the
commencement of the rebellion, declared for the
British government, and took under hie protection
a number of women and officers ; but be (Mr,
/Untie) was afraid that afterwards he changed his opinion,
and marched at the head of a large force to Lucknow. Any
information that was to be found with regard to him could
be given. as to the other pspere he bad no information to
give, and he hoped the hon. gentleman would withdraw
thole' two portions of hie motion, and the other papers re-
fared to would be granted.
Mr. W. VANSITTART said that in his opinion the
course pursued by Lord Canning towards the committers
and Astray of the crimes which had been committed, was
too conciliatory and inadequate to the occasion.
Mr. C. BUXTON said that no one who had considered the
events of the last few months in Indi• would do anything to
din:garage the men who het done their duty so well, but he
thought an expression of opinion from that house would
strengthen the Indian government in carrying out the manly
and conciliatory policy of Lord Canning. It would be difil-
cult for him to keep his subordinates within bounds, and he
needed some backing up from parliament. What he wanted to
know wsa, whether it was the judgment of the house that I
natives in India should:be hanged for simple dieaffootion. '
He, for one, repudiated these dogmas of stern retribution. I
At a moment when the Austrian government was hanging
up people for simply showing disaffection to their rule, it
would ill become this country, to follow such an example,
especially after protesting agmnst it, and also complaining of !
our countrymen being imprisoned In Naples. (Hear, hear.)
He hoped that we should not repeat the cruelties of Denton !
and Colet do Herboisi, but that the government would put a '
stop to the hanging up of men simply for seeking to deliver
their country from a foreign sway. This course, if persisted
in, must make our remonstrances against the tyranny of
Naples a mockery, and cause us to be hated throughout the
civilised world. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. MANGLES said that Lord Canning had shown
throughout such jar t, firmness, and moderation, that he
was entitled to the hest honour • end on that account be
regretted the opposit that was ;need in that house to his
ten
name being included in the vote of thaalts. In a letter from
his lordship ha expressed his belief that though he was now
accused of too great moderation, in a few months he should
be charged with too great severity. He Mr. Mangles)
concurred in much that Mr. Rich 'had said, but thought
he had made too great excuse for the rebellions conduct of
the Sepoys, He spoke of the greased cartridges as buying
been supplied to every regiment in the army, and their use
enfireed in spite of temonstrances. To the best of his know-
ledge these cartridges were not issued to • single regiment
as a regiment, but only to rifle schools where the men
were being instructed in the use of the Mini& rifle. The
very same cartridges had been wed by the soldiers for
ordinary arms for years, and without the least objection
the objection wee only mode when they were applied to the
Ifinie rifle. (Hear, bear.) Some of the newspapers referred
to by the bon. gentleman had told monstrous lies about Lord
Canning, and had done all in their power to throw odium
upon his measures. Much had been said about the horrible
system of mutilation ; but he bad not been able to ascer-
tain that a single well authenticated case bad soared in Eng-
land. He wholly disbelieved those stories ; when they
were inquired into it was generally found that the witnesses
were stated to be dead. (Hear leer.) He had conversed
with Captain Storey on the subject, and he was unwed that
Mile Jennings was pat to death at Delhi without any We.
Vio9l cruelty. (Hear, bear.) The atrocities first stated in
20ha.aiveppteilbl
on
the
eoe theiteotP:g°::(totsvtihteretaroosucothwpits sert
lm foohapCtie7.lhawnp.lf.amdepore:
aiwersonfot toalpSelmafmhaoteldi.tlialiaaheoithereaLwr:t, when
de-
spatch had been refereed to; but the hon. gentleman wee
mistaken in supposing that the expressions quoted related to
what had taken piece in Oude; the *counties.' were in our
own provinces. It was said that • liejsh who bad amnsted
the English troops had been hanged. A despatch bad re-
otatiY gene out, direedn =sire to be made into all
to the recent ministerial
the dronmeitaxices. Ha
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emaibintheilivsderisettalra.":"apeobwatithpwilloeldtbeeiunbleTriardnitimooten;wih.wobhouEltiliajiamtviakfthee:slinff;saah:olfl
nationality which Europeans had ; in fact they
had not even a word in their language to leg-
From the beginning cd time there
llatita'wej(Healr,rl°4ll;:hat iiiatk.iied)
silawksabalmosotheralb:nothingesieletatupofbuinronpaweni&reUbecamepmealilaolg.o:inTennhtooeminiforrett.hhssnt ine.
I rgbiest wee iardted tato theme gits7l7 wvald It be al On

that the annexation of Onde was not the cause of the re-
bellion. Its population WA about five million, ; and of the
100,000 rebel troops now Resembled in and around Lucknow
he believed that very few were natives of Oude. The mea-
sures complained of were measures of justice. The Week-
dars were not the rightful proprietors of the soil, and it was
an act ofjustice to expel them. (Hear, hear.) There was
no objection to the production of the papers moved for. He
was glad the discussion had taken place; it would tend to
place Lord Canning's character in a proper light. He was
confident that rebellion would not be punished as mutiny,
that justice would be tempered with mercy, and that Lord
Casting would prove fully equal to the duties of his position.
Capt. SCOTT reterrrd to a cue which he had heard from
• brother officer, where great cruelty had been practised on •
young lady.
Mr. ADAMS said the charge, naiad the officers rested
on no better authority than neaps cut oat of newspapers ;
and he was glad to find that the home was not disposed to
listen to them. (Hear, hear.) It was a sad state of things,.
of which the best that amid be said was, that the women and
children had been mustered. (Cheers.) There might
have been some extenuation if British officers had exceeded
the bounds of the calm dieciretion displayed in that house. It
wee an ill return for their gallantry that three slanderous
charms should be brought against them. (Cheers.) Indis-
criminate slaughter would doubtless be a stain on t heir cha-
racter and ours ; but where was the proof that each Led
takes place P (Hear, hear) In these diecueelons
there was too much of maudlin sentiment to-
wards that who were no doubt great crimi-
nals. (Chime.) It should be remembered timk we
were deal* with rebels, who were fighting us with ear own
arms and store", and not patriots rising in behalf of their
country. (Hear, hear.) They were now brought to their
last stand, and he hoped there would be no more misplaced
lenity shown. The great loss on the side of the rebels and
the smalluess of our loss was the strongest proof the great
military skill that was evinced by our forces. (Hear, hear.)
While we showed mercy to the rebels, let us never forget the
justice that wearies to oar own brave countrymen. (Hear.)
Colonel SYKES said that there could be no doubt es to
the opinion which he entertained on the subject under die-
cusaioe, but It gave him pleasure to find that those views
were reciprocated by the hon. gentleman the Secretary to the
Board of Control. It was remeaty to dispense justice, but
it was also necessary to discriminate in dispensing it and to
act in the sense of the instructions issued by Lord Canning.
He had read the proceedings of the court-martial in the case
of the Meerut mutineers, arid they confirmed the view lie had
taken, that the mutiny was not caused by the issue of
greased cartriges. In fact no grossed cartel's' had
been issued at all, and the men of the third regi-
ment of Bengal Cavalry were aware of the feet, but
a change had been made in the paper of the cartridges, and
this gave rise to suspicion. The men, therefore, said, We
know that these cartridges are not greased, but the other
men and our own families believe they are, and therefore we
eek that we ma not be forced to use hem." His hon.
friend (Mr. Mangles) said the Asiatics were accustomed to
nothing but despotism, and knew nothing of patriotism. He
believed that was contrary to the feelings of human nature.
Two thousand years ago, under the Buddhist system, the in-
habitants of Wash—the present Allahabad—elected their
own magistrates. In fact, every village throughout India
was a little republic. There was a hereditary chief, with a
village council, in which every man who held land in the
village bad a tight to sit, and that was the reason
that political storms did not reach them. (Hear.) Even at the
present time in several of the rajah principalities, the rajahs
were elected. (Hear, hear.) He thought he was, therefore,
entitled to say " no," notwithstanding the high authority of
his hon. irked who asserted that the Asiatics were
accustomed to despotism only. (Hear.)
Mr. P. O'BRIEN disclaimed any intention of throwing a
slur on the officer* of the British army in supporting the
motion. It wee one thing to condemn atrocities, and another
to speak against an exterminating temper now that the in-
surrection was nearly ouppreesed. (Hear.) It was wise to
chow that they had no ideas of vengeance, and that it was
their intention now to settle the government of India on
solid and jut foundations. He considered it his duty to
protest against the hinging(' of the hon. member for Boston.
Sir H. RAWLINSON was sure it could not be the object
of hon. gentlemen who supported this motion to justify the
Sepovs, but to obtain en expression of opinion that It would
be neither wise, just, nor politic, to be severe beyond what the
necessity of the case demanded. (Hear, hear.) They had
been at war fur ten months in India, and had probably fifty
different combat" with 100,000 of the revolted &pop yet
be believed that they had not a single prisoner of war. That
wen • grave fact, because theinferencetrom it was that no

quarte; was alien. (Hear.) [An hon. member: t` The
King of Deihl."] The King of Delhi was • state prisoner,
and not a prisoner of war. In the letterof offloers
received from India it was broadly stated that no
quarter was given ; and the officers seemed to glory
in it. Now, this arose from no cruelty, because the English
army were breve men, and cruelty was not natural to brave
men of eny nation. (Hear.) It arose from a feeling of
disgust in the army at the atrocities committed upon women
and children by the Sepoys, which feeling was incrceeed by
the reaction of the public usdignatka of this country in India.
It was therefore desirable that an expremion of their opinion
should now go forth to India that the time for mercy had
arrivel—(hear)—that sufficient blood had been shed, and
that justice should be tempered with mercy. (Hear.) It
would not only be uns.ldierly end unchristian, but imfltiie
that this proceeding of giving no quarter should be
any further. It would cause too severe a drain on the mili-
tary and pecuniary resources of this country to maintain an
exclusively British army in Indio. It was therefore politic
to leave a door open for reconciliation with India. (Hear.)
He did not say, as Mr. Colvin's proclamation did, that the
time for proclaiming an amnesty was come; but he thought
that it should be granted when the proper time arrived.
Mr. RICH replied, and reminded the hon. member for
Boston that he bore u strong testimony as tho hon. gentle-
man himself did to the absence of ferocity on the part of the
British officers, and he could do so with a warmer heart then
the hon. gentleman, because he had the honour of serving in
that army. tHear.) He thanked the hon. gentleman the
Secretary to the Board of Control for the humane declaratim
that due diecriminetion would be used in awarding punish-
ment, and trusted that the humane instructions issued by
Lord Canning to the drillau would more or less extend to
the military authorities. He would not press his motion to
a division, and would be contented with the production of
the paper which the hon. gentlemen had no objection to give.
The motion was then withdrawn.