The Sun.
London, England, 1830-06-21 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, SATURDAY.
MADRAS REGISTRAR BILL.
(Concluded from our Paper of Saturday.)
Mr. CUTLAR FERGUSSON resisted the
rlaitn that this Bill made on the people of India.
He. felt very much for Mr. O'Reilly, but he thought
it due to justice to resist this mode of compensating
him. Adverting to the particular fund on which it
,was wished to fix this charge, he denied that the
territorial revenue of India ought to be subject to a
loss which was occasioned by the enactments of the
English Parliament. He did not contend that Mr.
O'Reilly ought not to be indemnified, but he ought
to be indemnified by the country, which imposed
upon the Supreme Judicature of India the officer to
whose conduct the injury he had sustained was at-
tributable. As to the precedents quoted by his Hon.
and Learned Friend, they did not appear to him to
be applicable to the present case. If the claim could
be satisfied out of any tax connected with the admi-
nistration of justice in India, he had no objection
,o it; but he must oppose a proposition which tend-
ed to defraud those creditors of the India Company
who had lent their money on the security of the
territorial revenue, a revenue at preserps inadequate
to its purposes.
Mr. BROUGHAM wished to ask whether it
was decorous in no fewer than seven of the Direetost
of the East India Company to be present at tif/,
discussion, the Company having already been heard
by their Counsel ? Was it proper that they should
sit as judges in their own cause?

Mr. FERGUSSON inquired what would have
been thought of the Court of Directors had none of ^,
them been present ?

Colonel LUSHINGTON contended that the
malversation of the Registrar was in a great measure
to be ascribed to the inefficient regulaCona of the
Supreme Court of Judicature. It would be tether
hard to saddle the East India Company with the
loss thereby occasioned. He would have no objec-
tion that that loss should be defrayed by some tax
on law proceedings in India.
Mr. WYNN felt a deep interest in the question.
He had himself, when in office, delayed bringing the
case before Parliament, because he was anxious pre-'
viously to ascertain whether it would not be practi-
cable to -relieve the umfortunate sufferers by some
other proceeding. He was perfectly free from bias
on-the subject, not knowing one of the claimants,
although he was strongly impressed with the strength
of their clai-ns. There were two questions—were
these individuals entitled to compensation; if so,
from what fund were they to be compensated ? On
the first point there seemed to be no difference of
opinion. With respect to the second point, he
maintained that the Legislature, by which the officer
in question had been appointed, ought to taketjeare
that the loss occasioned by his conduct
paired. He was a public officer, and tlt: `j hbli~s
were responsible for his conduct. The experxe,
however, could not fall upon the people of Eng-
land; it ought to fall, as all expences of the same
nature ought to do, upon the territorial revenue of
India. He should certainly give his support to
the Bill.

Mr. ASTELL declared, that although a Diretter
of the East India Company, he had no personal in.
terest in the question. He allowed that the Ella
ferers were entitled to commiseration, but could not
understand on what pretence the people of- India
were to be taxed for their relief. He thought that
originally there had been some neglect upon the
part of the Judge. He did not consider, however,
the petitioners were entitled to compensation. In
conclusion, he expressed his hope, that if, contrary
to his wish and opinion, the House should agree to
have the Bill committed, that it would be subject to
several alterations and additions in its progress
through that Committee.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
said, that the question divided itself under two headi
—First, whether this petitioner was entitled to 3 tom.,
pensation ; secondly, if he were, who were the
parties bound to afford it to him. Now, there co
only by possibility be three parties to whom told
any re,'
sponsibility could attach—the general Government of
the country—the Government of India, and the
officers through whose misconduct the defalcation had
taken place. He was clearly of opinion that the pap-
( loner was entitled to compensation, and he thought it
was for the credit of Government thatinall—even
doubtful cases—there should be no disposition evinced
upon their part to avail themselves of technicalities to
evade a claim. He was equally clearly convinced tha-
the party from which the compensation should corn.:
was the Indian Government, because even es ti
matter of account, such a sum should be charged
to the territorial revenue. He was of opinion that
the Directors were entitled to vote, as their interests
were not immediately concerned in the affair. He
did not believe that there was any blame to be im-
puted to the Company; and he concluded by sup-
porting the Bill. _ _

Mr. TRANT was alto in favour of the Bill. He
put it to the Hon. Director, whether it would not be
better for him to withdraw his opposition, as the
sense of the House was against him ?
Mr. S. WORTLEY expressed his entire concur-
rence in the views of the Right Hon. the Chancellor
of the Exchequer. He thought, however, the Bil I
ought to be improved in the Committee.
Mr. LOCH opposed the Bill. He contended
that it was founded on an erroneous principle, an
might be productive of much future embarrassment.
Mr. ASTELL withdrew his opposition, and the
Bill was then read a second time, and ordered to b.:
committed on Thursday next.
Adjourned at Twenty Minutes to Four.

It is understood that his MAJESTY has ex-

pressed some inclination that a prayer of thanksgiving
should be read on Sunday next, in solemnization of hi..
recovery. The nature and uncertainty of his 111A.nrry's
disease appear, however, to render this measure somewhat
premature.—Court Journal.

A Norwegian, of the name of ERNEST, who
styles himself the first runner in Europe, is to run next
Monday, from the Place Louis Quinn to the Barrier de
L'Etoile, and is to do that distance three times, both ou
and back again, in 44 minutes. He offers to wager to go
_ _

from Paris to Calais in twelve hours. He recommends
himself to the generosity of the eurious.—French Paper
AN ENORMOUS EEL.—A fresh-water eel o
the following enormous dimensions and weight, was caugh t
in the fishery at Braystones, near Egrernent, viz. length
six feet three inches ; weight thirty-one pounds and a half.
It is supposed to have attained this extraordinary size in
Ennerdale Lake, whence it had made its way into then,
►here it was captured by Mr. RUSSELL only a Few days
ago.— Doncaster Gazette.

MARCH 07 INTELLECT.—A Scotchman was
held to bail, a few days since, for " impignorating" a pair
of small-clothes. What an excellent thing learning is.
ACCELERATION 01 THE MAIL.—The Ma-
gistrates and Town Council of this burgh resolved on
Monday last to petition Parliament in favour of the Bil I
for improving the roads and accelerating the mails between
London and Edinburgh, a measure in whish the northern
counties and burghs are deeply interested. The petition to
the House of Peers tobepresentedby his Grace the Duke of
GOLDON, and that to the House of Commonsby R. GRANT,
Esq., the Member for the burgh.—lnverness Courier.

A blade of v►heat, in full ear, grown at
Mountpleasant, the seat of W. SHIPPARD, Esq., near thid
city, was shown at our office on Thur4day last. It was a
remarkably fine specimen, and, we understand, there are
three acres on the ground in the same forward state.—
Waterford Paper.

All the meadow hay near Peterborough has
been completely destroyed by the flood of the river Nene.
The meadows there are particularly liable to such a visit.
tion ; but many parishes not generally subject to inundation
are at present suffering from a similar calamity. The loss
of hay, and the injury to corn crops, is very severe.
SILK HOSE TRADE.--It gives us pleasure
to say, that with very few exemptions, the whole of the
hands are at work : and that it is the determination of the
respectable manufacturers, to render to their workmen
every possible means whereby they may maintain their
present price, as the fluctuations are equally injuriotis to
the manufacturers and the operatives. —Nottingham Rev.