The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-03 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS, April 2.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool-
sack at Five o'clock.
The Mutiny Bill and the Marine Mutiny Bill were
read a first time.
THE EAST INDIA COMPANY'S CHARTER.

The Earl of DERBY spoke to the following effect :—My
Lords, I rise, according to the notice placed upon the paper,
for the:purpose of moving the appointment of a Select Com-
mittee to inquire into the operation of the Act 3d and 4th of
William IT., chap. 85, for the better government of her Ma-
jesty's Indian territories, and to report their observations
thereon. 'The motion which I have now to submit to your
Lordships is for a Committee to inquire into what, in com-
mon parlance, is called the renewal of the East India Com-
pany's Charter. I say "in common parlance," because, m
only does that phrase riot correctly express the factsrFal of
the case, but because, is reality, it expresses what Imay
almost say is the reverse of the fact. Up to a comparatively
recent perd, the East India Company wtahae a commercial
of
besides being a politieal body, and in
certain rights and privileges as a commercial
. body.. The
Act of however, materially modified
.those privileges,
and a subeequent Act, that of 1833, went still further, and,
as I shall have occasion to show, did not only diminish.
but altogether took away from the Company the right of
exclusive trading, and indeed of.
_trading at all. lam not
whether, political powers and authority
Ewuire, so long as the
eh-eh the Company was invested by the Act of 183:3
cokint-Uedh, the trading power was not put in abeyance.
If, however, your Lerdships should now think fit to withdraw
the political power, their commercial charter would not be
treeestablished ; and if your Lordships decided to continue to
the Company the political power which they now enjoy,
Stir from that being a renewal of the charter, it would
te°e but a renewal of the condition under which that charter
remained'in abeyance. In bringing forward this motion
it is not my intention to weary your Lordships by tracing
the rise and progress of this great Company—a career
to which I will venture to say history presents no pa-
rallel, when we look to its humble origin, and when
we look to the comparatively short period during which it
has established one of the mightest empires under the sun.
It is now little more than 200 years since the leaders of this
then infant commercial community thought it advisable to
refrain from landing's Single battalion or from acquiring a
single fort on the shores of India, from the fear of exciting the
jealousy of the neighbouring sovereigns. I will not attempt
to trace the various steps through which this Company,
from such an humble beginning, has gradually extended its
power, by its negotiations, by its arms, and by the wisdom
also of its councillors; and if, under some of the early cir-
cumstances of its progress, any signal instances of a large ra-
pacity and lust for wealth eccurred among its servants, in
later times it has been by a wise government and a feeling
of enlightened humanity that it has achieved a dominion
absolute and uncontrolled, whether by the direct exercise of
its authority or by.an influence not less absolute than actual
authority, over a district of country extending from Cape
Comorin on the south to the borders of Burmab, of Cash-
mere, Caubul, and Affghanistan on the north, and embracing,
I think, something liks 28 degrees of latitude—(Cheers)—a
vast district inhabited by a population which I believe I am
within the mark when I set it down at 150,000,000—exer-
cising its authority over a population of various races, and of
various religions, who have been often in hostility to each
otber,but who now, conquerors and eonquered, agree to submit
to the jurisdiction of a comparatively small body of •Euro-
peans—a Company which has secured its power, not so much
by the sword as by the wisdom of its councillors, which has
seen succumb to it, one after another, the mightiest mo-
narchs of India, and which, withoilt any attempt at con-
quest, without any lust of powern-nay, contrary to its wish—
has seen the populations of those monarchies gradually forc-
ing thetnielves rather than placing themselves under the
protection of its authority.—(Cb4es.) With this giganiic
dominion it is not less extraordinary that although for the
maintenance of this vast empire this company possesses an
army of 283,000 men, that imrhensti 'army you find com-
posed mainly of natives, and Mahominedans and Hindoos ;
every variety of religion and of grade alike vie in loyalty
and attachment to their conquercirs, and in their service ex-
hibit as much of interest and devotion as that small but
noble army belonging to the mother country with which
it is their tot to act.—(hear.) My Lords, when you look
to tle`e vast extent and to the greet resources of this em-
pire, it ls-no light and unimportant task to which I am
now aboht tb call your serious consideration.—(Hear.)
You .atte carnilv and deliberately to investigate the machinery
by Which 'the iffeire of this great empire'is conducted—a ma-
chinery which, formed for far different purposes, has gradually
been aiite4.ed front its original intentions, and applied and
adapted to the change of circurnitances in which it is now
plaeed, alt institution, and a machinery wnich would seem at the
outset to be almost anomalous, but which has yet operated,
I think, incst benefiCially to the interests of humanity and
to the advancement and progress of'that mighty empire
which it snperintende.—(Hear.) I stated that, since 1832
the Committee of the East India Company had ceased alto-
gether to be a commercial ' body. In 1813 they possessed,
as you are aware, not only the right of trading to India,
but the exclusive rights of trading with India and of trading
with China. By the Act of 1813, for the first time, a
modification was effected in this Company's commercial mo-
nopoly. Under certain limitations British subjects were
permitted to settle in India, and the Indian trade was
thrown open to other than the servants of the Company, at
the same time not depriving the Company of a participa.
Lion in that trade. In 1833 we went a step further, and not
only took away the exclusive privileges of the Company
with regard to India, but .took from them altogether the
right of trading with India, and also threw open to the
public in general the trade with China, which had been up
to that time in a close monopoly in the hands of the Com-
pany. The question of the settlement of Europeans in
India, and of their right to occupy land, was also adjusted;
but, with regard to commercial affairs, these were the ma•
terial alterations. Now, by the law of 185.3, the Court of
Proprietors, the foundation of the: whole machine, ceased
in point of fact, to have any interest whatever or any control
in the management of the affairs of India; because, by the
arrangement then made, the East India Company were de-
prived of all their commercial property—not only of the
right of trading, but deprived of all their commercial pro-
perty whatever, which was made over to the Crown, there
being at the sans time a nrevision made, :by which the
stock of the Company, to the amount of 6,000,C00/., or the
dividend upon that stock, which was a primary charge,
upon the revenue of India; and a sum of 2,000,0001. was
set aside for the purpose of accumulating, in order, under
certain conditions, to buy up, if it were found necessary, that
amount of stock. I will here mention, en peasant, that the
Act of 1833 appears to have contemplated—though the Act
expired at the end of twenty years, but it appears certainly
to have contemplated a continuance to the Company of
its political powers for a period, not of twenty but of forty
years ; inasmuch as the Company, if the political rights
which were accorded to them should be taken away at the
end of 20 years, were then entitled to demand the repay-
ment of their stock at the rate of 2001. sterling for every
1001. of stock—they had a right to require that upon the
political power being taken from them their stock should be
bought at that amount, and this within a period of three
years. Now, undoubtedly it is not very probable that, even if
its political powers were taken away, it would make such a
demand for the repayment of its stock, for as it is worth,
believe, about 2k1., it would evidently not be their interest
to demand that purchase. - (Hear, hear.) On the other
hand, however, you have no power, by the Act of 1833, to
pay oil that stock at present until 1874—that is, until the
expiration of 40 years—to call on the Company to have
that stock paid oit. But if the Company's powers should
continue up to 1874, the Crown bas then the power of in-
sisting upon Peeing elk that stock. upon the terms I have
already thentiozied, upon giving one year's notice, and for the
purpose of payieg
has
of that stock the 2,100,0001. at first set
aside. and widen'
now accumulated to betwe•n 3,800,0001.
and 3,D( o,ooof.
1143 to go on accumulating at compound in-
terest for the purpose
o forming the
expiration of 40 years. Su .11 w necessary fund at the
Act of 1833, which 41,•1 " •
e the arrangements of the
of the que..ition, and of
itrtly contemplated a reconsideration
the end of e 0 years, but- wwiale undoubtedly principle of government, at
the conti,tianceef the political
e powers of with
contemplated
the eme]PanYt
because till the expiration
years, suggested, for a period of 40
extinguahing
verninent • hat no power of of that period the Go-
that Ace 1833 the Court of Pr •
said, to have any c nitro the stock. With
fir
int_oellrietore ceased, as I
fih;Laive
of 1 retie The ivb,,:e business of thest aheaetee:r a
Propriet:es—arts this moment- corisi..ts iii receivile, the tiiv'd
stock, which is now paying, I think loi/ends upon their
Court 1/2 per cent., anti
us-whoaftever to Per-
Us el,cting inerabe.rs of the
Directors.
Further Alessi that tisy Lave no fnnactdi?
ecision or una-
form. lt is truethay may meet an
I not ex-
with reg:ard to the legi'slation of India, ascusad together, but
of the
minions rate of the while Court of ProprientyorLnnez
ercise the sliglitest influence over the
Government.indeed, when you look to the
position of th Ciurt of Proprietors, there is soma
why Pereseuesniti'
why they s'iould not exercise any power oversetheaffairs of Inuits, for they have no interest in it encce t such
derive from ill's payment of dividends, whichl are asthey
first charge upon the revenue. The number of made
er
tors isol think, 1,800, the total number of votes being 2,500,
of which something one•tifth are held by native-'pro-
prietors. The power which devolves upon these proprietors
is in itself a material element Ira the machinery by which
Indian affairs arc conducted, but that is the sole power which
they possess, with the exception, I believe, of a very insig-
nificant, though a very proper power, of putting a check
upon some gratuities, to the amount of not more than 6001.
„,..4 is, • h fesei es. T La,o bean speaking
thronghont of the Court of Proprietors; I now come to thT3
Court of Directors, elected by them. That Court consists of
twenty-tour members, and .1 bejieve the only qualification is
the possession of a certain amount of stock—l forget pre-
cisely to what amount; I believe 1,000/.—and persons are
dietualitied it' directors of the Bank of England or of the
South Sea-house. The directors, generally speaking, are
the great majority of them, men whose lives have been spent
and Whose teen:lee have been accumulated in India, and who
must therefore be familiarly acquainted with the working of
the system, with the country, and the character of the inha-
bitants, and who are practically, I believe, well qualified to
undertake the goternment. One.fourth of the 24 directors
go'out of office every four years,- but, as they are generally
re-elected, the whille body of directors may practically be
said to sit for life. Most of these details will probably be
verY. fainiliar to some of your Lordships, bntl did not think
upon such an occasion that it was unfitting in me to state, aa
shortly as I °mild, what is the nature of the system, and how
far its practical working may seem to compensate for some
of the anomalies which may be found in it.—(Hear, hear.)
As to the power of the directors, I am not prepared to say
that it is greater than it ought to be. They divide them-
selves into three committees—oae the finance committee,
soother the political and legislative, and the third the home
and judicial committee; one of these committees has eight,
and the two others seven members each; and these, together
with the chairman and deputy-chairman, form the whole
governing—if that is not a wrong expression—the whole
governing body. In these directors is vested, both nomi-
nally and substantially with regard to most of the offices, the
power of making the appointments in the civil service of
India. The exceptions, which are real, are the Governor.
General, the judges, the bishops, appointments which are
reserved to the Crown,and a small number of the
subordinate appointments,
whether
by
(I do notwhich by custom or by courtesy
of the Board or law) are with. the President
i
Control. The appointments nomi-
nally proceed,
of Directors; taiisild many really, from the Court
which the Ceuet Iet 'shetereal and substantial power
know !slay lead to col7dc—rs possess—a power which I
which ought to arable difference of opinion, and
that of recalling each ana'Yeaad deliberately considered, is
from the Governor-General down servant of the company,
oat
soy communication
or ocoowrilic to the lowest clerk,
every appointment they 'met haveeet with the Crown. For
Crown. (tienie remark which did not the concurrence of the
by a Peer.) I bslieve that is 80
.rth ua was interposed
power of recalling any or every serval°, Crown has the
in India, and the Company have also it‘liiotf the company
calrnes, withOet concert or communieation wei?ower of Ye-
as the Croien has' the power Without conunnx,llthe Crown
the cropany. There may be occasions—tlacreihat". with
211:04",111"ch that auth.:rity_ glay igadticaux I_6P' been..;..
tSk: KAP.