The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-02-04 00:00:00

branch, and they had all agreed in replying that they feared no-
thing from the rivahy of France hi plain article., though unable to
contend with her in work* of a fancy description ; this latter, how.
ever, was an inconsiderable matter, and no valid objection to a free
trade. lie hoped therefore Ministers would proceed with &ter-
mination in their plans of emancipating commerce from unnatural
restraints, nor be deterred from pushing the application of these
principles even to the corn laws. Ile did not wish to see the land-
ed intermit depressed, but merely desired the abolition of a
pernicious system ; he regretted that constitution of Parlia-
ment which made Ministers afraid to bring forward a mew-
sure, in which he believed the reasons of all acquiesced;
but they dreaded the powerful influence opposed to it, topes.
cially in another house. But let them do their duty. Let
them bring the measure before this House, and if it be afterwards
rejected in another place, then we are exempt from blame. lie
again protested against the truth of the statement mode by !he Hon.
'Baronet respecting the prevailing sentiments of the people on this
measure, or that the manufacturers ever.intimated a wash.to buy
r their bread at a dear rate. The Hon. Gentleman regretted ex-
tremely that so little care had been expended in the speech from
the Throne on the concerns of nearly one million of people. They
had been thought hardly wort notice, yet the manner in which the
liberty of the press had been crushed in India was deserving of the
graves: consideration. The liberty of the press may, perhaps, be
legally restrained in this country, but certainly there is not any
statute for that purpose. Now, the Governors-General of India
are only inipowered to make such alterations in the internal police
of that country as are not inconsistent with the law of England ; in
this instance,•however, they have deviated widely from time laws of
England, for they have crushed the freedom of the press in India,
without the shadow of a legal proceeding. This Instance of op-
pression is iniportant, not merely in •its individual application, but
also as a speethien of thotvranny which galls a hundral millions of
his 31njesty's subjects. Ile had called the war in India unprofit-
able as well as unjust, and lie repeated the term, although some
lion. Gentlemen affected to be blind to the connexion between
war and profit; but Government had always considered the wars
in India in that point of vicir; it was de. m A the lc ettest mu rit of
the Marquis Wel lesky to have added a large revenue to our Indian
dominionv. The Hon. Gentleman said he participated in the ge-
neral mistrust of Lord Amherst's capacity; he would ask the
Right lion. Gentleman opposite whether the Court of Directors did
not unanimously declare their want of confidence in his Lordship ?
Since there is no answer (said the lion. Gentleman, looking at the
Treasury benches), I take the silence as an admission of the fact.
The lion. Gentleman the° proceeded to state that lie had ;most re-
ceived letters from India, wuitten by persons of character and good
sense, all which corroborated the low opinion he entertained of
Lord Amherst, not in his private capacity (for he might be an
amiable or even an able man in domestic life), but solely as arbiter
of the destinies of so many millions. The Hon. Gentleman then
read a few sentences from his letters, which generally comb la ned
of the imbecility of the present Government of India. He then
I proceeded to say these were the opinions of persons the best cal.
ciliated to judge of Indian affairs, and whether Lord Amherst was
capable or not, he was unfit to preside over a great empire, while
Cie unanimous voice of the people was against him. India was
filled with alarm ;• twelve regiments had been despatched to the
,western country, and no one could account for it, while every little
disaster spread a double gloom, from the want of confidence in the
presiding authority.
31r. FREE3IANTLE assured the lion. Gentleman that the
tone of Indian correspondence was not uniformly melancholy.
Every letter he read afforded expectations of a speedy and honour.
able termination to the war; with respect to the degree of confi-
dence which the Court of Directors reposed in Lord Amherst, the
Hun. Gentleman ought to know that, if the Court of Directors were
dissatisfied with his 'Lordship, they had it in their power to recall
him ; therefore that point was also replied to. Put what could be
more unbecoming than to attack the character of Lord Amherst
with scraps from anonymous leturs.
(Mr. HOME denied that they were anonymous.)
The lion. Gentleman proceeded—Would the House believe—
would the country believe that Lord Amherst was to be decided on
by this sort of evidence. It did not become the Hon. Gentleman
to endeavour to raise an odium against an individual by vague and
sweeping declarations. Let him not rely on letters penned, per-
haps, by ignorance or malice; but if he has any precise point for
any specific cause of disatisfaction let him bring it forward in a
deliuite shape, and he had no doubti his Right Hon. Friend (Mr.
Wynne) would lend him his aid in its investigation.

The report was then brought up. On the motion that it be'read
a third time,
Sir C. FORBES said a few words in explanation.
Mr. WYNNE thought that nothing could be more unfair then
to judge of the conduct of the Governor General from the innumer-
able letters of idle gossip of which India was so prolific, and which
seemed as if written for amusement, merely to try how far the cre-
dulity of those who read them would go.

Mr. 11U311: said they were good letters, and as much to be de-
pended on as any read by the flight Honourable Gentleman, but
facts that were viewed with cold indifference here made a deep
impression on those who were near the scene of action. In the un-
fortunate affair at Barrackpore, the native troops had represented to
Government that they were unable to march from the effects of
disease, and no notice whatever was taken of their complaints. If
this report be true, does not some blame attach to Government?
When it took the resolution of dismissing the regiment, did it not
involve indiscriminately the innocent and the guilty. It subjected
to indignities men of high religious caste, an imprudence, the
consequences of which could be only estimated by persons practi-
cally acquainted with the country, If he did not produce docu-
ments to support his allegations, it was only because lie was unable
to procure them, they were refused to him at the India House and
wherever else he sought them. lie was taunted for not producing
papers which the possessors of them were uniformly careful to
withhold.

Mr. FREEMANTLE assured the lion. Gentleman that he
was mistaken when he asserted that the complaints of the troops
in India were not listened to ; on the contrary, no cessation of cor-
respondence between the Government and the troops occurred up
to the fatal moment; but every exertion had been made to prevent
the ripening of the discontent. The Government had even consented
to treat with any person in whom the troops could confide. hut
found all their overtures towards an explanation rejected. With
respect to the health of the native army many mistatements had
gone abroad, of which one fact might serve as an example. In
the course of last year it was reported that in one regiment (the
30th) there was not one soldier capable of doing duty, Now the
fact was that that regiment never had less than 300 men capable of
fiervice. This was one example of the nature of gossiping in-
ormation.

Air. HUME said a few words in explanation.
The Report on the Address was then read a third time, and was
ordered to be presented to his Majesty by such of the Members of
the House as are also Members of the Privy Council.
The House then adjourned at Eight o'clock till Monday.

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