The Express.
London, England, 1858-03-30 00:00:00

(Stamped Id. Additional.) [TWOPENCE.

BOTAL CISNBILIL THILMICAL FUND.

Yesterday the thirteenth anniversary festival of
the General Theatrical Pond was held at the Freemasons'
Tavern, W. M. THACICIRAT' Esq., in the chair. There
was a very full attendance of gentlemen interested profes-
sionally and otherwise in the institution, end • number of
ladles were also present. After the mull loyal and patriotic
tome had been duly honoured,
The CHAIRXAN rose to propose the toast of the evening,
and said—Having seldom, indeed only once before to icylife,
life, been called on to fill the chair on an occasion like this,
and not possessing that happy genius and skill in such mat-
ters which belong to a friend of mine not very far from me
(Mr. Dickens), I thought I could make up for my deficiencies
by previous assiduity and study ; and I went through a long
course of reading relative to the drama, beginning with
its very oxemencement, with occasional slight ramifications
into the history of the Chinese and Turkish stage. (Laughter.)
The commencement of the drama, I find, was at a period
about 670 or 680 years before the Christian es. It hap-
pened at • time, when one of the seven wise sages of Greece
flourished in Athens, and who was celled Solon. He was •
man of great eminence in his time, and I have introduced
his name because I wished you to see how assiduous I have
been, and also with • view to your enjoyment of the puzzle
which you will experience in wondering what the sage Solon
has to do with the toast of to-night. (Laughter.) Solon,
being one of the greatest persons in Athens, consented to
witnsse a dramatic representation by Thespla, its discoverer,
and who went in s waggon—no doubt, a stage-
-(laughter)--about a theatrical circuit. (Laughter.) Hl=
witnessed the performance, Solon sent for Theepis, and hav-
ing • IIstook in his hand. he said to him, How dare
yea MIL a moil of hssr Xlmsepis smarsiratid. sat
said that songs and Interludes were not meant to be taken
as mattem of fact, but were simply intended to amuse. On
which Solon thumped his stick on the ground and said,
" Begone A man who will tall such fibs on the stage would
forge • bill of exchange." (Laughter.) This story is told
in Plutarch's Life of Soles, and I never read of his life
after that. ("Hear" sad laughter.) What a number of yeses
have passed since Solon has been called to his rest, and poor
Thespia has gone to his long account: Every one present is
aware how often a character on the stage is acted over and
over again, sad though Solon and Theepis are dead their
parts are still acted among us. When your worthy
treasurer was making that journey of which he told us on
the occasion of ono of the festivals of this institution, with
fourpenmehalfpenny in hie pocket, provided with a little
skimmed milk for rdreshment, and clothed in • painted calico
waistcoat, bat with • cheerful heart under it—suppose that
Solon had overtaken him •; no doubt the sage would have
had as light an opinion of him—would have looked down on
him, and eurveyed his calico 'waistcoat with contempt, while
he congratul•ted himself on how superior he was to that poor
person struggling manfully on the road of life. There are
Sodom among us even now. There was a Solon in a Ger-
man band who once said to me that he did not read
novels because they were not true. (" Hear, hear,"
and laughter.) This was worthy of a Solon, for
a Solon may be a pompous humbug, though be thinks
himself far above • wandering actor. There may be Solo=
who cannot apmedate music, beanee they have no ear for it,
and cannot MU the difference bet seen " Water parted from
the Sea" and "the music in Ariadne." (Laughter.) Let
us then suppose that his indifference proceeds only from hie
own dulnem,, end not from any more unfmourable feeling.
But because Solon is so wise and virtuous, is there any reason
why there shall be no more cakes and aIUP No, despite of
Solon's gravity, all youth and humour say we will have our
sport ; Harlequin shall dance with Colombine, the Clown
shall eat hia saneage, end Hamlet shall kill his wicked uncle,
and we will not be horrified at the transaction. (Laughter.)
Claude Melnotte shall still walk up and down with Pauline
under the spangled heavens, and still adorned with • pair of
spangled tights, sad we will have our sports and our
sports, despite of all the Salons, with sticks as thick m a
beadle s. (Hear, hear.) Perhaps, however, when Solon
comes to look at • society like this, and sees how prudent and
how generous you are disused to be, he will be inclined to
have a greater respect for Theepis in his cotton waistcoat
than when he met him trudging on the road. How proud
all the members of this society ought to be She is not yet
twenty years old, yet she has saved 10,0001., and she has
spent 9001. a year in doing good. She has relieved the
orphan and the needy, and taken to their last home the
friendless poor ; and she has done more than this, for she has
enabled mon who never same to her, and who were never
likely to come to the society, to have the satisfaction of feel-
ing that there was such • place to come to if need
be. (Hear, hear.) The contributors and subscribers to
a society like this know that there is a bank on which
they can draw without shame, and I hope that we shall
soon hear of the increase of its tenth', that its means of
usefulness have become known all over the kingdom, and
that it will have largo receipts every year from such members
as recognise its admirable uses and efficiency. There is no
need to recommend the society to the professional gentle-
men present; they know its excellence, they have looked into
It themselves, and they advocate it among their brethren. As
for us, who are visitors to-night, we, from many a kindly
association, moat have a strong regard for the stage, for we
owe to it a multitude of hippy hour", and we will show our
appreciation of it to-night by roost cordially drinking,
" Prosperity to the General Theatrical Fund." (Loud cheers.)

MS. BUCISTONE then rose and, in pleading the
cause of the Institution, said —lt is now widely
known that the object of the General Theatrical
Fund is to provide life annuities for all persons
practising the art of acting, dancing, or singing; also for
pantomimist. and prompters belonging to the fund ;
while all members who have subscribed for reven years
may claim their annuities at the expiration of that
short term, should they become incapacitated from
following their art by accident or infirmity • and,
gentlemen, we none of no bear a " charmed life "
against affliction, whether of the mind or body—we know
not Low soon we may require that little but honourable
independence to which you so generously subscribe. Should
the Juliet of the evening that you have so much admired
slip in her descent from the balcony, and the nurse, unable
to arrest her fall, should else fracture a limb in consequent*,
or be otherwise disabled—should the bounding dancer, whose
oirs have called forth your rapturous applause and your
bOuquets—should she, in turning one of her astonishing
pirouettes, happen to dislocate that ancle, the form and pro-
portions of which you have so closely scanned through year
opera glass—should the tragic actor and graceful fencer,
while showing his skill at carte and tierce, in the character
of Hamlet, have an eye thrust out by some awkward Lanus,
or any of us suffer from " the thousand natural shos,ke " that
the player, as well as other fifth, Is heir to, I are sure, gen-
tlemen, you will neither dine nor sleep the worse for
knowing that you have assisted in alleviating these cala-
mities. (Applause.) I arm, indeed, happy to tell you that
our fund is in a flourishing condition, and that we are enabled
to carry out all its purposes. From the time we first com-
menced paying annuities we have Lad 17 claimant, who
have receivedfirom 301. to OM per annum ; some of these
have died, but we have now nine receiving annuities, the of
whom en females. During the past year we have returned,
according to our rules, 1001. to members retiring from the
fund ; have expended 301. in funeral expenees ; and though
It is not our custom, yet in peculiar and extreme eases we
have not withheld the hand of charity—and yet, having done
all this, our capita) miter to .night will not be far short of
11,0001. (Loud cheers.) This capital, gentlemen, has
beat created by the subscriptions of 163 members, insisted
by your liberality on these OCCAMOUP, and the donation. of
friends and well-wishers. (Cheers.)
Mr. C111111.1.1:11 DICLESSI, who was received with much
applause, next rose and said—ln our theatrical experience as
playgoers we are all equally accustomed to predict by certain
little signs and portents on the stage what is going to happen
there. When the young lady, an admirals daughter, is left
alone to indulge in a short solilequy, when certain smart
spirit rapping. are heard to proceed immediately from be-
neath her feet, we foretell that • song is impend*.
(Laughter.) When two gentlemen enter, for whom, by •
happy coincidence, two chain, and no more, are in waiting,
we augur a conversation, and that it will assume • retrospec-
, ties biographical character. (Laughter.) When any of
the performers who belong to the seafaring or ma-
rauding professions an observed to arm themselves with
very small swords to which are attached very large
hilts, we predict that the affair will end in a combat.
(Laughter.) Carrying out the association of ideas it may
have occurred to some that when I aaked my old friend in
the chair to allow me to propose a toast I had him in my
eye • and I have him now on my lips. (Laughter and
spasms.) The duties of • trustee of the Theatrical
Fund, an office which I hold, are not so frequent or so
great as its privilege!. He is in fact • mere walking gentle-
man—(laughter)—with the melancholy difference that he
has no one to lore. (Laughter.) If this advantage could be
added to his character it would be one of • more mineable
nature than it is, and his forlorn position would be greatly
=proved. (Laughter.) His duty is to all every
half year at the banker", when he sigma his
name in a large greasy inconvenient book, to
certain documents of which he knows nothing, and
then he delivers it to the property man and exits anywhere.
(Laughter.) He, however, has many privileges. It is one
of his privileges to watch the steady growth of an institution
in which he takes great interest ; it is one of his privi-
-*as to bear his testimony to the prudence, the goodness., the
self-denial and tho excellence of • class of persons who hen
been too long demented, end whose virtues are too much
denied, out of the depths of an ignorant end stupid supersti-
tion. (Hear, hear.) And bandy, it is one of his pririleges
sometimes to be called on to propose the health of the chair-
men at the annual dinners- a the institutioo, when that
chairman is one for whose genius he entertains the warmest
admiration and whom he respects se a friend, and
as one who does honour to literature end in
whom literature is honoured. (Loud cheers.) I say
when that is the case, he feels that this last pri-
vilege is • great mod high one. (lend cheers.) From
the earliest days of this institution I have ventured to
impress on its managers that they would consult its credit and
success by choosing its chairman as often as possible within
the circle of literature and the arte—(hesr, heer)--and I will
venture to say that no similar institution has shown finedf se
haring been presided over by so many remarkable and

rtinguished men. (Hear, hear.) lan sure, however, that
it never has had, and that it never will have, simply bemuse
it can not hays, • lustre cast upon it than by the
presence of the aobla English writer who fills the chair
to-night. (Greet obseenig.) It is not for me at this time end
in this place to take on myself to flutter before you the well-
thumbed pages of Mr. Thackeray's books, and to tell you
to ebeerre how fall they are of wit and wisdom,
how euteepeitinng and how devoid of fear or favour ; but I
will take team to remark, in paying my due homage and re-
spect to them, to say that it is fitUng that such a writer and
such an institution should be brought together. (Seer.
hear.) Every writer of fiction although he may not
adopt the dramatic form, writes in, effect for the stage. He
may write plays, but the truth and passion which are
in him must be more or less reflected in the great mirror
which be holds up to nature. Actors, managers, and authors
are all represented in this company, and it may be supposed
that they all have studied the deep wants of the human
heart in many theatres; but none of them could have studied
its mysterious workings in any theatre to rester advantage
than in the bright and airy pages of " Vanity Fair." (Hear.
hear.) To this skilful showmen who has so often delighted
us, and who has charmed us again tonight, we have now
to wish God speed, end that he may continue for many years
to exercise his potent art. To him fill a bumper toast, and
fervently utter, God bless him I (Cheers.)
The CHAERMAN briefly returned thanks, and expressed
his gratification at the terms in which he had been spoken of
by his friend, Mr. Dickens, as well ea at the circumstance
Ws t two literary gentlemen could be found who entertained
each sentiments towards each other as they did. (Cheers.)
Several other toasts followed ; and the contributions, in-
cluding 100 pongee frees the Queen, reached 4001.
einigetelail=Mendliettetitenbtg,
whom were Mies Poole, Madame Retdevedord, Miss Julia
Bleeder:l, Miss Ryles, the Sinus Miscall, Mr. Gauge, Mr.
Ring, Mr. Young, Mr. Shonbridge, Mr. W. E. Ransford,
Mr. G. Tedder, Mr. Lawler, Mr. Ransford, Mr. Beale, Mr.
Morgan, Mr. Thomas, &c. Mr. W. Lovell Phillips
presided.
The arrangements for the entertainment of something
over 200 guests were most liberally and skilfully carried out
by the proprietors of the tavern. Mr. Toole was an efficient
nutmeat&

WAGES OP DOCKYARD LABOURERS-DEPU-
TATION TO SIB JOHN PAKINGTON.

Yesterday a deputation, consisting of Mr. J.
Townsend, M.P. fee Greenwich; Mr. Medea, of Deptford,
and Mr. G. H. Graham, of Woolwich (Poor-law Guardians
of the Greenwich Union), Messrs. Jolly, Murray, Riordan,
Mason, Stonehouse, Barnaby, and Davey, of Woolwich, had
an interview with Sir John Pakington, First Lord of the Ad-
miralty, at Whitehall, for the purpose of requesting the Lords
Commissioners of the Admiralty to raise the wages of govern-
ment dockyard labourers from the present insufficient scale
of 13s. per week. Mr. Townsend, M.P., introduced the
subject.
Sir J. PAKINGTON—What de the dockyard labourers
pay in the shape of rent, and what are their domiciles with
regard to comfort P
Tow/ion:tn.—They generally reside in rooms, paying
a high rent, for which they scarcely receive an equivalent in
thet. shape of convenience or the means of sanitary improve-
men _

Sir J. XINOTON said the discussion in the HOMO of
Commons, alluded toby Mr. Townsend, was especially upon
the point, whether the government would be justified in the
matter of wages in departing from those laws which usually
regulate supply and demand. He could easily imagine a
state of things when, in consequence of the competition in
the labour market, the wages would be so low that the la-
bourer would scarcely be able to exist. He was sorry to see
wages ground down so low as they were at present, but, as
a rule, no man would give 16s. per week for work which he
could get done at 13s. He should like to ask whether the
dockyard labourers received more wages some years since,
when the price of oorn was high?
Mr. !}Banal( replied, the wages then paid were 14s. per
week.

Sir J. PAETNOTON—Then I should thick, conaidering the
reduction in the price of provisions, that the men are better
off at present.
Mr. GRAHAM observed be bad served as a Poor-lsw
guardian for sixteen years, and a very large per centage of
the pauperism in Greenwich resulted from the low wages
paid to government workmen, who were utterly unable to
provide against a period of sickness.
A Manaus—And the government establishments are en-
tirely exempt from the local rates.
Mr. DAVE r reminded Sir John that whilst provision was
made by the government for the education of the children of
workmen at Woolwich Arsenal, such regulations did not
apply to the dockyard.
Eir J. PAXINGTON observed that he was the last man
to advocate the grinding down of wages, end he was bound
to state that Mr. Townsend had advocated the cause of these
dockyard labourers in a matt humane manner in the House
of Commons. He was not at present in a position to promise
en increase of wages, but he intended to visit these dock-
yards, and personall investigate and mobs inquiries as to
the condition of the whom he would gladly benefit
if it could be done consistently with justice end a due regard
to economy in the expenditure of the public funds.
The deputation then withdrew.

THE HAVELOCK MEMORIAL.—Mr. Ross Mangles,
M.P., Chairman of the East India Company, having ap-
pointed yesterday, at 12 o'clock, to receive a deputation from
the committee appointed at the Drury-lane meeting to carry
out the expression of the nation's gratitude to the
late Sir Henry Havelock, by the erection of a statue
to hie memory upon a site in Trafalgar-square, pre-
sented to them for that pumas by her Majesty's
government, the following gentlemen waited upon bim at the
East India House, namely : Sir Macdonald Stephenson, Sir
Duncan MacDougall, Sir John Login, K. 8., Gen. Dela-
motte, C.B. Mr. 0. Moffatt, M.P., Mr. P. F. Robertson,
M.P., Captain Hall, R.N., C.B. (Nemesia), Major Adair,
Mr. Alex. Wilson, &o. Sir Macdonald Stephenson, we are
informed, in intraducing the deputation to Mr. Mangles end
to Sir F. Currie, the chairman and deputy chairman of the
company, called their attention to what had taken place at the
Drury-lane meeting, stated that it was the intention of the
committee to apply for subscriptions to ell the great corporate
bodies, and, taking into consideration the services which
General Havelock had rendered to the government of India,
they thought it right to make the first application to the
East India Company. Mr. Mangles, it is understood, un-
dertook to lay the request of the committee before the Court
of Directors. It was stated by one of the deputation that it
is the intention of the committee to apply to the Woods and
Forests for leave to place • box for the subscriptions of the
public upon the she of the intended statue in Trafalgar-
square.
TESTIMONIAL TO THE NEW BISHOP OF CAL-
rtrrA.—The masters and pupils of Marlborough College
intend miming by subscription, amongst themselves, the
handsome sum of 5001., for the purposo of presenting a tes-
timonial to their highly-esteemed Head-Muter, Dr. Cotton,
previous to his departure for Calcutta.—Solirhury Journal.
TESTIMONIAL TO LORD FORESTER.—A splendid
testimonial was on Saturday last presented to Lord -Forester
on bie marriage by the members of the Belvoir Hunt, as a
mark of their esteem, and as some acknowledgment of the
sport Await during the twenty-seven years be hunted with
the Belvoir hounds. The presentation took place at Syston-
park, Lincolnshire, the scat of Sir John 1 horold, in the
splendid library there, and on the mead= of the meeting of
the hounds, in the presence of upwards of 100 ladies and
gentlemen. This beautiful work of art was afterwards placed
upon the lawn, and exhibited to more than 150 of the farmers
of the county. It forms an illustration of an incident which
oocured in Croxteth Park on the 15th of January, 1851. On
an elaborately worked ppesddeesstal see the Duke of Rutland, Mr.
Litchford, Sir T. Whk.te, and Goodal on horseback. The
I fox has taken refuge on the minima of a tree, and the
whipper-in has nearly attained the spot. The tree is of
bronze, and the horses and riders ere in silver. The horses
are modelled front life, and the riders may be easily recog-
nixed from the likeness they present. The most minute de-
tails of the group are elaborately and beautifully finished.
Lord Forester is standing near the hounds, whkh are in
appropriate and striking attitudes.
A MISER.—A short time since a husbandry la-
bourer, named Henry Midmer, employed by Mr. W. Noakes,
sin., of the pariah of Tioehurat, died in a very penurious
and wretched state, leaving two orphan children. For
several years previous to hie death be bad been in constant
work, notwithstanding which he has been noticed to lire in
a very indigent manner, end keeping his two children in •
belt-starved sate, bequest], living himself for days together
on boiled cabbage and salt, and occasionally on boiled Swede
turnipa, until his system became debilitated end otherwise
disordered, that his death may be fairly attributed to star-
vation. Ills friends and neighbours suspected him of
hoarding money, and after his demise and burial a strict
search was made, and a savings-bank book was found,
showing a deposit about ten years ago of 631. Os. interest
on which has aims been accruing. Further search was
made and de. was found sewed up in a bed tick. Au auction
sale took plate last Wednesday of his furniture and effect',
and on removing the dock a brick inside of the case was
disooreredolo be loose, and on taking the same up some
ashes were visible, underneath which was a bottle wrapped
up in a rag, containing in gold and other coins 1351. 10e., se
that the deosassd was worth, while existing with his We
children In that starving state, over 3001. It is stated that
his children think there is Form) more in the garden. Just
previous to his death he several times used such expression!
se What Mall Ido with it ?" "What will become of it r
and on being 'eked what he meant or &Budd to, be replied,
" Oh, you must not take notice, I don't know what I am
talking about."—Stosses dierrtierr.
Sow= Kam/mime Idoestry.—Darin the week
'MilMane 27, the visitore have been as follows : 97,
y, Tuesday, and Bawds,' days).
.. 1%018
on Monday and Tuesday (free ), 4,649 , on
the three students' due (anitasioevirS public, 6d.),
1,078 • students' or. .mbg (lVoineeday), 623 ; total
10,2981

Oxpreoo.

TO 00111LIOPONDILOTT.
ilessOmisais labobibia kr ...me Sonse,Jestics trebles pepir.
art be se the Oda. Illb leinanwarial. by Tee *VW* se the
ilw el pelindlia.

HIGH NATI/ AT LONDON DEIDON.
Tree DAT-61.1104. %Aft., 4111.1."0. lb• Um.
fo.oaaaNfadaL 130 a.

LONDON, TUESDAY, NANCE 30.

ME new India Bill does sot improve upon
acquaintance. We had hoped to find in it
some consolatory pampa not in Mr. Disituu's
speech. But we have been diaapp3inted. The Bill,
indeed, is a disappointing—a disheartening Bill. It
keeps the word of promise to the ear, and breaks it
to the hope. There are too many evidences of good
intention in it for us to condemn it in tote ; and
Yet it wants so much to make it a really
good Bill, that it is impossible to stamp it
with our approval. It is not sufficient that
in such a measure as this there should
be a theoretical recognition of certain principles;
we must be convinced also that those principles are
to have practical application in such a manner as to
ensure their permanent vitality. But the framers of
this Bill proclaim a great principle, and then forth-
with proceed to perform its obsequies.
The complaint, therefore, which we make against
the Bill is, that it is not true to itself. We had a
suspicion of this when all that we knew of its contents
was what we had derived from Mr. Dies. rm's
speech. Bet now that the Bill itself is before us
that suspicion bus developed into certainty. We
admit that there is good intention in it. The
erection of a well-composed and independent Council
is intended. A great deal of pains has doubtless
been bestowed upon this part of the scheme. It is
altogether an elaborate and complicated affair—
partlyeleetive, wholly representative. It is a Council
of such a character as cannot very easily be converted
to purposes of Parliamentary jobbery. But a well-
composed Council is one thing—a well-constituted

Council is another. Now, the new DERBY-
DISRAELI Council appears to us to have no consti-
tution at all. It is true that there are no
Ins than eleven clauses in the Bill de-
voted to the " Duties and Procedure of the
" Council"; but we learn little mon from these
clauses than that eighteen gentlemen, representing
almost every description of Indian interest, and, pre-
sumedly, every description of Indian experience—
eighteen gentlemen selected for their especial know-
ledge of Indian affairs, and, in a majority of cases,
for their proved and admitted aptitude for the work
of Indian administration—are to be the mere in-
struments of • Secretary of State, who may have
some knowledge of India and the working of the
government, but who is just as likely to enter upon
his office with the very rudiments of Indian know-
ledge yet to be acquired. We learn from these
clauses,ostensibly defining the "Duties and Procedure
"of the Council," what " it is lawful for the Secretary
"of State "todo ; and by inference and analogy
what it is lawful for the Council to suffer. " The
"Council shall, under the directivu of the Secretary
6. of State, conduct the business," &c. " The
" Secretary of state shall direct the manner in
"which all such business shall be transacted," &c.
The " duties "of the Council are simply to submit
to the dictation of the Secretary of State. The
Secretary of State is to bestride them like a
Colossus. He is, apparently, to do the business
single-handed. Ile is to prepare the despatches to
India, and may even mud them off without submit-
ting them to the Council. All that he is required
to do in such a case is to record his reasons.
Reasons are always forthcoming ; but meanwhile the
mischief has been done.

Now, in all this there appears to us to be • re- .
venal of the proper order of things. Let it be
admitted, for the sake of argument, that the system
et " Double Government," though sound in prin-
ciple, is inconvenient in practice. It is not alleged
that there has hitherto been in the Court of Direc-
tors of the East India Company any want of know-
ledge, any want of ability, any want of an honest,
enlightened desire to benefit the people of
India. It has been declared, indeed, by men
of very different shades of political opinion,
that the East India Company have done their
work conscientiously and intelligently, but that the
system under which the Home Government of India
has been conducted is a cumbrous, complicated sys-
tem, little tending to energetic action, and provoca-
tire of injurious delay. It is proposed, therefore,
to simplify the administrative machinery, by bring-
ing the two parts of the " Double Government" into
immediate association with each other—retaining
the know ledge and the working powers of the Com-
pany and the responsible control of the Imperial
Board. Each, under the old system, had its
uses ; each was suited to the part it had
to play. The knowledge and experience were
with the Court of Directors, and therefore it
properly devolved upon them to initiate the public
business of the Home Government of India. The
power and responsibility were with the Board of
Control, as the representative of the Imperial ele-
ment, and therefore necessarily with that body was
the final and decisive voice. We have never heard
any objection to this. Among the many condem-
natory or disparaging comments which from time to
time have been passed upon the system of " Double
Government," we have never once heard it alleged
that it is unsound in principle or disadvanta-
geous in practice that the Court of Directors of
the Fast India Company should initiate the
ordinary business of the " Double Government."
On the contrary, there is a general ad-
mission, even by the most strenuous opponents of the
" Double Government," that as the Court of Directors
possess leml knowledge and experience, and are for
the most part well acquainted with all the details of
Indian Government, much benefit results from their
deliberations, and that it is desirable to secure the
application of this knowledge and experience to the
thorough airtime, as now, of the business brought
before them, without all the complicated formalities
which are said to be inseparable from the action of
two different governing bodies at opposite ends of
the town. But it is now proposed that all this local
knowledge and experience shall seldom or never be
applied to purposes of useful deliberation. The
Secretary of State is to deliberate; the Secretary of
State to initiate ; the Secretary of State is to be
the Alpha and the Omega—the Be-all and the End-
all W the new system of Indian Government If the
Councillors desire to do their duty, and to earn their
money—that is, to take a really active and influen-
tial part in the Home Government tff India—
they mast place themselves in a chronic state
of antagonism with the Imperial Secretary.
They must call for the assembling of Coun-
cils; they must write protests and dic-
iest.; they must continually endeavour to con-
trol the Secretary, without the least power, or
indeed, the least hope of ever effecting their object.,
And thus everything is reversed. The weaker and
the irresponsible body is to endeavour to act as a
check upon the powerful and the responsible Minister,
with a certainty, in almost every case, of entailing an
Itself a humiliating failure. With the strongest

possible sense of its feebleness and insufficiency,
the Council must either consent to subside
into a nonentity, or must waste its ener-
gies in vain attempts to control a despotic
Secretary. The old acknowledged system,
indeed, is entirely reversed. Instead of the initial
processes emanating from the knowledge and
experience of • deliberative body, everything is
now to be originated by the responsible, but in all
probability the ignorant and inexperienced, Minister
of the Crown ; and instead of the responsible and
powerful Minister sitting in judgment upon the acts
of the powerless and irresponsible deliberative body,
that powerless and irresponsible deliberative body is
to sit in judgment upon the acts of the powerful and
responsible Minister of State. And so, instead of •'
chain of solid and beneficial realities, we have,
from first to last, practically, we do not my
intentionally, so many flatulent shams. Let the
Ministers look to this in their Easter holidays. The
Secretary of State must not initiate, because he has,
in all probability, no knowledge and no experience ;
the Council must not sit as an incubus upon him,
because they have really no power to control him.
Place the active power of initiation in the hands of
the Council, and the practice u well as the power
of control in the hands of the Secretary of State;
and you will revert to the natural order of things.
We may be sure that any introversion of this order
can be only a costly and a calamitous failure.