The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-20 00:00:00

themselves stiited, for the express purpose of laying
their grievances before Parliereent. But observe, these
uttee:len did not ask that a Reeed Coaimiesien should
'o fe sent out—so far from that, they said they were per-
ietlY wilting and 'sale to lay their grieveucce before this
• °file, and in order that the Heuze might see the mode
la which proposed todo they - no, be would le ad a short
extract from the programme they had issued, setting
tone
paeithe grounds upon which they intended going to
,1911 - They styled themselves the British Indian
ee- ~;oeiation;•aad. they. stated that the society should
formed for to period of not less than three years;
that
ts groat-and object should be to promote
"IQ provetnent and efficiency of the British Indian
eetavernment neay, ',every legitimate means in its
Power, and thereby to advance the common interests
of Great Britain and India, and ameliorate the condition
of
„the native inhabitants .01 the .latter country; and that
ti-h3O ani object -of primary importance the association
tlftl make such urgent. representatiuns the Impeeial,
vssrfieraent of-Great Britain in the ensuing discussions
~"e East India Charter as might be calcul7elt,eild;,,,srheomtw,oeeed.er,
"efects in the law- and civil admiuis:retioo, and promote
tat,
thin,a welf.ro ot British ludia.
p that these gentlsmen had as.ociated bring n
tece!sati.ces before Parliament, and that they would avail
totonie elves of the opportunity
on the E stridia
which would be presented
.e m for doing so by these discussions
Charter- There was, however, a stronger proof still
that
these gentlemen did not wish a Reyal Commission should
ea sent to India; for it so happened that they had addressed
e •
in rotation to the Executive Government of lucks, and
the petition they actually stated that they did not
%lst such a•Comtnission to be sent cut. That pstitiun
'was addressed to the Deputy-Governor of Bengal; and
it stated distinctly that " it was necessary to call such a
llaohinery into existence." It was clear, therefore, they
did not seem to think that their grievances required any
"lich Commission as this to be sent out. As ho (Mr.
taillie) had before observed, ho had no doubt that the
lehibd-tax would be one of the great grievances, and the
Gentleman also talked of the salt duties and the
opium monopoly—in short, of all the standing grievances
of India; but however much these taxes might be com-
plained of, he very much doubted if the Hon. Gentlemen,
Cr any -
of the learned natives who were included in the
new association, would be able to devise a schema of
taxation in India by which nearly 5,000,000 of revenue
Could be raised there annually hi a manner less obnoxi-
ous or injurious to the great body of the people than
the system 'which was now in force in that country.—
(Hear.) In discussing the question it was necessary
that the House should bear in mind and clearly an-
tlertend what was the object and the intention of the
Government in prOpoSing the appointment of this Com-
mittee, The House was aware, as his Right Hon.
bod (Mr. Herries) had already stated in his very
1.11, speech, that the present form of our Indian govern-
tent was established by the Act of 1833. Previous to
the passing of that Act a Committee was appointed to
,ru investigate every branch and department of the Indian
badministration. That Committee was composed, he
h,"ed, of seventy Members, and in order to face-
tizat-e their inquirie a they were sub-divided into
Committees, each Sub-Committee undertaking to in-
th'ttgate one of the six branches of the administration
Which the business of the India House and the Board
of
sControl was classified and arranged. Each of these
Committees made a report, and the whole of the
ii?akrts were comprised in not less than eight large blue
1)0°,9: He mentioned this merely that the House might
iDiin mind that, previous to the Act of 1633, the ail-
ot°lstration of the affairs of India underwent a full,
oeTiPletei and searching investigation. It must be
toter% therefore, that the Gsvernment had no in-
c)a, nor indeed was it necessary, that such an
ieltltrY should take place now.- They were already
thitt Portnession of the information which was procured by
eternittee, and which was contained in the blue
bat'sk;ea to which he had referred. The question which
dititubtaitted to that Committee in 1832 was a very
pat Tait one from that which must now be submitted to
tiot'olltuent.. for its decision. Ia 1832 the question was
seevnlY whether the Government of India should be
faued its the hands of the East India Company, but
tt'citaer those exclusive privileges which the Company
liteeB° loon enjoyed under their charter should be con-
e k0..a,0r abolished. The question for decision now was
tegtv'eb tnore simple one. The question was one which
lodio'ued the principles upon which the Government of
law_ °rag for the future to be carried on; whether the
Lttcrs which, by the Act of 1833, were entrusted to the
ssi,!of the East India-Company, and which they had
flaSs
)ecl'ince that period, should be continued, and if con-
fe dte, whether those powers should be in any way cur-
to tem Or restricted? These were the questions which were
to de B,nberritted to inquiry, and it was for Periiement now
roitte‘icle the important question whether or Rot a Cons-
tileasti?oild be appointed as. the . best mode of obtain-
14K Id information—a Committee select' d from the lead-
aleirrabere of all parties in this House, without any
that eurlar party view—in fact, with no other view than
possible,
ilesopit restsbene ti.
ot fu g and promotinn, as much as
the people of India as well es of the
Ike 4 it el;ef (igland; and it was the opinion of the late,
Oietrea was of the present Government, that tbe ap-
of ob 01 such a Committee would be the best mode
ennui; the •
,13 (Mr, Balt. requisite information. Oa that occasion
"Pere those ittiavetawQcuutild not enter into any discussion
IVlth
'e' Peet tO which had bee❑. made. elsewhere
of India, 0 e existing administration of the affairs
age had beernadai
toper subjects n'garded the mode in which the patron-
etributed. These were all very fit and
somtwe for discussion, but he thought it would
.t thtt, umc premature to enter upon such a discussion
Listraetm:ottl.,,erft- He was of opinion, however, that Par-
me h `aaLt find it exceedingly difficult to devise a
us dist , Y vshich such a vast amount of patronage could
jest. nuted, that
lone it would not be liable to abuses and.ob-
_s e, td 4. it were in the hands of Government it might
party phlur Party purposes; and it might be used for
all
._ rposes now, But if it were so, it was, at
the'vel". spread Over all parties in the House and
nt!lee,chlthtittrya, whereas, if it were in the hands of Go-
Zbiee th_lt would be used for the benefit of the party
I:otigeat anted to be in power. The Hon. Member for
Akre Anstey) had occupied considerable time
13 .I•"'nu •
slake g into the case of Colonel Outram. He (Mr.
details) not follow the Hon. Member into all his
Yet ,1,1 that subject, because the papers were not
osier "afore the Board of Control, and he was not,
Otitee'°e•ret ill possession of the facts of the case. Colonel
able Was, no doubt, a very distinguished and a very
tn; but as ho was not in possession of all the facts
IL° feet eaBr' he should only observe on this occasion, that,
17,1.4 had was acquainted with it, he thought the Hon.
There
touad been labouring under some great error in
Ore many palls of the statement he had made.
'tabe was another question upon which the Hon.
6
t pri -ad also rather misunderstood his Right
5 alth end (Mr. Herries). The Hon. Member seemed
aitherPose that h.
is Right Hon. Friend contemplated
Of 4r4Win
reettu, g from the East ludis Directors the right
:ell es irg the Governor-General of India But, as
f° opioieeererflembered, his Right Hon. Friend expressed
:nett
oestee upon r the subject—but deterred it to a
hgretia with the
Upon one point his Right Hon. Friend
eo,;_,Ln t.he Hon. Member for Yougbal—namely, in
itt(n., t`t'tPating that the labours of the Committee were
Net; I;4' be brought to a close during the present ses-
tfley• shut he did not think that that was a reason why
e theire,. not appoint the Committee now, and leave
farie%4et Y to be carried on and completed in a future
the meantime
if a future Parliament should so think fit.
the eion,e_statierie he thought he might venture to assure
onwisr° that the existence or non-existence of this
le A ttee
neciei'hwould not weigh one feather in the balance
Silt de! the Government as to the course which they
orteghiev,ro it their duty to pursue with reference to
assure tVhe Present Parliament to a close; and he could
the. ()" their censo, on. Gentlemen who were anxious to meet
Of this "bents at an early date, that the appointment
!Lin s'lutt.tteittee would not stand in the way of their
Ing ihov e
hat
Hon. Gentleman concluded by express-
the Hon. Member for Youghal would not
Dress hjameantdment to a divieion.
4t Sir E. COLEBROOKE had heard with satisfaction the
lifitalnent made by the Right Hon. Gentleman orries)ewith reference to the Patentw to w)fecehics in the ad-
h the na-
i
(Ma-
pesas of India had been intrusted
h
a'tistratien; but he should have listenedto it with still
Feavniined with some
!reater satisfaction had it been accomp
,lore of the progress made iri ins
to the
subordinate
condi
the
amendment
na-
-4,1 and giving greater efficiency
stoeetned to hinsx'Stirt
ef %servants in India. With regzr
that it
that the
kt," lion, Member for Yougha
to e;i olebrooke) to involve this material defect,
len" only be carried upon the supposition
Wats disposed to convey a wholesale censure on
oar Government of India.--(Hear') It could not be
101 l", indeed, without setting up an authority i,
Cant of
Which would be independent of the Govern.
of that country; and before the House came
taoto strong a resolution as that, h e thought it
it might not take
Ise,e° • consider well whether
ibis measure for- improving the machinery. and ed-
Itto 4t ration of the government or India. As to the
!)f cltt.hiolas of tho Committee proposed by the President„
he—e, Board of Control, he tnoight they would
pot4ll'; able to discharge those functions if theyto
thel
detail in a long investagatiou with regard
toteet-iliorlf the
.administration of lodic. A House of Com-.
t'ffert `'bramittee could never discharge the duty of
tlist;)°,sttegestyins with regard. to these details, and
7,st, nen' tO which their attention ought to be directed
'.'rtre..7. tar they could improve the machinery o. f go-
toil °f he
for India, as well as improve the spirit and
.the !service in that country, remembering that the
mrsoverntneat of India mast be in India itself.
kaiestalaßDlNGE expressed his satisfaction that her
great Y's Government had determined to deal with this
t'eNtreritsttion in a spirit of fair inquiry, because he had
nt the
directors courted an inquiry, and he was
h'tted th e result would prove that they had not ne-
-erge, e interests et the people committed to their
Totiott--(Hear, hear.) He would willingly vote for the
tstntty \bf, the Honourable Member for Youghal (Mr.
e:Jirse
.he could bring himself to believe that the
arrehleh be proposed would really attain .the
tit 11, "'nett this country ought to have in view.
,ee to_Sereed with the Honourable Gentleman who
`tst,oriatit'il7, spoken (Mr. Baillie) in thinking that a
s,lq pite„o")fl sent out to- India would hardly answer
"0004 We even of the Honourable Member himself.
9nirethe questions of taxation and land tenure re-
orfrTure consideration, as well as the legal eon-
"tde, vitetnfia, and the House would shortly have to
e
terse
tt ntiether the law commission was to be abolished
Name, at ft future day. The Hon. Member for
:ltieet,t,
_ied laid great stress on the hardship and ine-
i,ll,4t trait the land tax; but it must be remembered
en waft a tax to which the natives of India had
tl' benst-
lode° °tried from time immemorial under both
lwhich.l_l.ll,(l Mahnmedan sovereigns. It was a tax, too,
ard:) 'hen fairly assessed, did not
vertu the, people of India. With regard to the
eeietoe Siystern of India he (Mr. Hardinge) was of
rsti:d 60,t_htlat though the permanent settlement made by
see wereease..llits might not have answered all the pur-
144:dh Tt.its benevolent founder had in view, yet be
" 1114 °Porlf4Oll as omit tr 4?