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

TUESDAY EVENING,

~,
but which I trust are as the smallest sum compared to
what she must yet derives.—(gent.) Well, we have done
this teittiout interfering Witn tho religisus feelitige of the
~. oplf,, We have t-aken. care that those who belong to
the European rice should likewi-e have spiritual instruc-
tion and eilligli4otment.—(ti.e r, hear.) Vie have &me
much, whatever may be tee origin of Our power,. to jus•
tat ours4ves in ralitntlihing our rule over India. If I
w re to compare thy. rule with that which exists :n other
E astern nations, if I were to conspire that rulewith that
which exists in 'Farley, with that which is adinicistered
in Persia, it is impossible not to baseness in the ad-
ministration, corrup!ion in the effices of Government,
civil war and rebellion, from which the people of India
have in a great degree been. saved by the rule which we
have established. And as. regards the Act of 1833, al-
though suggestions way be made for improvemeat is
particular provisisna, I will-not say that no advantages
are to be derived from certain changes, yet I believe, in
its great outlines. that Aet will be. preserved in the
Bill a bich her Majesty's Ministers will submit to this
Nauss. There is another remark, closely connected
with the other, and that is upon the construction of
the government of India.
Upon this subject, like-
wise, I contend that although such a form of gsvern-
ment--ihe converting 4 .trading company intro the
administration of an
.empiro of fifteen millions,
awl having that control by. a Minister of the Sovereign
at home—is a form of government which theoretically is
liable to much criticism .under adverse circumstauce4;
m yet I ust s iay, II spite of that, the benefit of expe-
rience shows us that it is a.government useful to the
people of India.—(Elear, • hear.) Ily Hon. Friend, the
Membsr for Montrose, speaking with the experience and
with the weight which properly belongs to him, entirely
approves of the mode of . government established in this
country foe the affairs of India, though he says he is
disposed to wish for some anaendasent with respect to
the power of declaring peace or war. Now, . with re-
spect to that subject, I. must say, without reverting to
any particular • instance, whether that discretion has
been wisely used in that particular instance, I think a
great subject of that kind is not to be considered entirely
as an Indian question, but Must be viewed with regard
to our interests in Europe; and it is far better, when a
question of that kind is to be solved, that it should be
solved by the advice of the Ministers of the Crown, than
that the ultimate discretion should be left with the East
India Company.—(Hear.) . But when I say this, I am
quite .
of opinion that the generaletidministraticn of the
ufftirs of India should emanate, not as the President
of the Board of Control seems to me to represent it,
from the. Mioistsref the Crown, but from the directors
of the East India Company—that, with regard to all
matters of finance, all matters of legislation,
all matters
of justice, they should give their suggestions and frame
their instructions, and that
_only the poWer of approba-
tion or objheien should rest with the Minister,-(Hear,
hear.) It le evident, it such is the Coe, in most iestauces
the opinion of the directors will he that which the Bard
A
..,0 ...ars,
of Control will be glad to approve, and practically the
directors will be left unburiened by thous considerations.
—(Hear, hear.) With this question, too, is connected
the q isetionof. patronage; and
we c.unot but perceive that a problem bas to be solved
which affects not merely the. gevernment of India, but
the constitution of this country.—(Hear, hear.) I quite
agree with the Hon. Member for the University of Ox-
ford, who spoke last, that if it so happened that the
Ministers of the Crown should have the entire disposal
of all the revenues of India, ,so far as government and
patronage are
concerned, it would be a. very serious
perhaps, a fatal
danger--sit might have been,
the constitution of this country.—(Hear, hear.) I
think it most fortunate that a medium should have
been found,
,by which rule over India is well pro-
vided, and there is, at the same time, safety to the
constitution of this country, and safety to that vast
empire under the sovereignty of the empire of the
United KingdArn, with6ut. injury to the working of
our cenititutionul and Parliamentary ietereet._(Cheers.)
I th- refute, s.•ei,g, all
much lament if I thought that the Right Hon. Gentle_
m,n opposite was about, richer himself, or by the, means
led agencies of a Select Committee, to propose any great
of India. lem cenviliced
change in the Government•
myself that although you might change, you might alter
without any serious evils, you would not be able to alter
the principal outline of . that Government for the better.
—( Hear, hear.) I deed, I was happy to celleat from the
Right Hon.' Gentleman the President of the Board of
Centro' such in general were his views, and that good
and beneficial eff cts had flowed from the Government
of India as thus administezed.--(Ucars hear.) I am
convinced, under the present mode of government with
respect to that most important of all points. namely, the
selection of the Governor-General, tab° must have such
vast power, and must decide many questions before in-
structions can reach him--4 am psrsuaded, both from
experience and trona the nature of things' we have settled
that question in such a manner, that we do get to India
men of the greatest eminence and ability—(Hear,
hear.) The present G.overnoreGeneral has shown the
greatest talents in the administration of Indian affairs--
(Hear, hear)—and the speech of an flon. Gentlemen to-
night cannot but remind us that a near relation of his
cenducted the government during trials as severe and
'itec'ess as great as . ever occurred in India.—(Hear,
bear.) Seeing that, I rejoice to thick the appointment
of this Committee, while it affords materials of legisla-
tion to Parliament, while it may elicit many valuable
suggestions, is not likely to change the fundamental
principles of government in that country.—(Cheers.)
Mr. GOULBURN said if the motion was in any way
to fetter the House as to its future determination, he
would not suoport it. But his Right Hon. Friend had
clearly laid down the principle in his motion: first, as
to what was the operatipp oil the Act, and next what the
House were to deduce from. the, information thus ob•
mined to guide them to their judgment as to the new
measure which Government would propose for the ea-
ceptanca!of the HOUse. With that view he should give
his cordial support to the -appointment of a Committee.
He should not have said a word on the question if he
had not noticed in the course of the debate a studied
omission of mention of 'one branch of the inquiry which
he considered'was essential
.to the main subject. The
matter had been altogether pa's',;ed over by some Hon.
Members, and had only.been touched upon by his Hon.
Friend (Sir Robsrt Inglis).
One
great breech of the
inquiry_ he conceived ought tube to ascertain how fir
the Act of 1833 had carried out proper means of reli•
ghillie instruction for the people of India. The inquiry
ought to ascertain if those means had led to the f:vour-
able results calculated upon when the Act was first intro-
duced, and whether thq.. had been commensurate to
the extenshm of the Christian religion throughout the
Large peculation of Indies The Noble Lord had told the
House we 'had conferredgreat advantages on India by
having a superi it judicial system, and by extending the
benefits of education. But the Noble Lord, with a cau-
ion he thought it necessary to assume, but which was
not the feeling of his own naiad, forebore to allude to
one subject which be considered it was the duty of the
House to keep constantly is sight Ha referred to the
means of giving the people of India religious instruction.
He knew that 'lt grel
alarm was felt on the subject of the
Christianity
introduction of into India. It was supp had
that excite meth and insurrection would tolloW if Chris-
tianity were attempted. to be ititroducsd. but ciretun-
4tanr, s had sii•cecome to light which had dispelled tnat
opinion fa nue of the oldest charters. that of 1698 it
was specifically enjoined on the Company, that wherev,r
they seated or extended their away they should not
nsecely introduce a Caristian minister, approved of by
the Archbishop of n
aanterbury, but that these ministers
should learn the native languages in order the better to
convert the Gentoos and taller inhabitantie and convert
them to le purer faith, The, great question was alter-
wards put out of sight in conelhence of events at home,
but they had seen the importune° of extending the bless-
sings we enjoyed, to India, and he hoped, therefore, one
of the of of the Committee woull be to . suggest
means of extending Christianity en India. It appeared
to him. that if there existed any difficulty on the subject,
that inquiry would expel it..eamear.,.
e As• far as inquiry
i was concerned, they had nOw men in this country corns
' peteut to give the Cetnah
—st,oo the very beA infornia-
branch Of the tion on every subject. It had been urged
on former occasions that the prejudices of the natives
were ouch that any attempt to disseminate the principles
of Christianity amongst them would be attended with
nothing short of insurrection.
But in the recent go-
vernment of -India it had been discovered that, without
the aid of religion, many of those prejudices had been
overcome; and one of the most meritorious of Indian
officers 'hed been enabled to ihduce the natives to forego
the revoltiug rite of suttere—(Elear, hear.) He (Hr.
Goulburn) conceived India was net given te this country
for the exercise of its vaPitys not to increase its wealth,
or exhibit the valour of its arms; he believed there
was
a duty imposed upon this country—the high,. moral duty
of taking such meniutes as prudence, combined with
zeal, would justify, for the purpose of extending over
that heathen country the knowledge
.and the truth of
the Christian religion.—(Heir, hear.) Sir Thomas
Munro said, " There is one great question to which we
should look in all our arrangements—namely, what is to
be the final result :of our Government on the character
of the people, and whether_that_. character will be raised
or-Towered ?"—(Hear, hear) Ha (h 1 a
.fulfil the ..oulburn) as-
serted this country could not .hliolehe wishes and oh-
jects of that great statesmen 00ierwlgikt•han by disserni-
mating the truth of religion; and he
ttrusted the labours
of the present inquiry would prevehat exertions were
increased without any of the decgars being incurred
which Were heretofore anticipated (Hear, hear.)
Sir H. WILLOUGHBY thought they were very de-
ficient in their information of whetpa:seil in India, II„.
finance. They
for instance, would' select
oliewed in Iknew very
well' that a greet revenue
Was
4°,000,0001. , h'dia —sua2e-
thing from 18,000,0001. to 2 had increased
it wee a
melancholy fact that the expenses in a
still greater proPortion.--(Hear.) There with no autho-
hafermetion
need officer, unfortunately, whe could give
to the House on the subject. ,
Therefore he
l should thought the
President of the Beard of Centro .annually make
an Indian budget, as was:orte
' inally intended; and
who
should also be able to
‘'xPliinvbatever
of changesdispatches might
take place.--(Hear.) Toe. mutilation
and which Prehe4 wag
another 1 matter that should b' abolished,
h
Hailed until they had a r„pou.
could not be well aceomp
Bible officer to deal ssithe—(4.esr') •
Mr. MANGLES could not isencutrwinm the observe-
ti ens of the Right U9""d'n'alllthor' n)etruhabter f"r
the
University of Cateladilgii (
-la'. dG°tatike part in he
reli-
gions of this watery eh ,ul
f their doing the
effairs, as-hery feat of their .en would
ottlabuffl? the object the}' had in view,
'the Liti-oness of
scales evettly, to allow
fair Government was to hold. the ,
fair play. to the dissemination of the' Gospel, to protect
the missionary, and allow truth to have its,nway.—( Hear.)
He thought the present mode of etectio , deterred able
and experienced men on their return from India from
f Directors, It ,
seeking a place on the Board so would be
a great improvement if .snmo Wes" were devised by
whsch gentlemen could -be.: all mitred members of: tee;
-bottia without: the degradatieh -of- a personal (+Anvils,
i'af'htingst a mishellanaous body. of individuals.(tiear.). ,
The SET AKFR then question, and the motion
WAS s put the
WAS agreed to.