The Sun.
London, England, 1853-06-04 00:00:00

BOROUGH OF BARNSTAPLE.

The issue of a new writ for the borough of Barnstaple was
postponed, upon the motion of Mr. W. 0. STANLEY, until
the 15th of July next.
The house then adjourned at half-past twelve o'clock.

THE NEW INDIA BILL.

(From the Times.)

The new India Bill was introduced last night by Sir
Charles Wood, in a speech of extraordinary length,
which so far corresponds with the unspeakable impor-
tance of the subject, and the long period of growing ex-
pectation since the last renewal of the Charter. Sir
Charles takes the easy, inoffensive, and defensible line
of maintaining that things are not so,bad as they have
been represented. The common picture. of Indian ad-
ministration is harsh and disagreeable ; so the amiable
baronet mellows and tones it down to the softest hues,
besides finishing, rounding, and filling up, wherever a
touch can be applied with advantage. As we follow his
laboured apology for British rule, we are almost com-
pelled, in spite of ourselves, to believe that India has
advanced immensely during the last twenty years ; that
the administration of justice, the public works, the
tenure of land, the collection of the revenue, and the
progress of social improvement have been such as Eng-
land need not be ashamed Of, and only so far short of
theoretical perfection as to leave some opening for mis-
representation. Certainly, Sir Charles is the man to
" make things pleasant " for the great court of public
opinion, though it unfortunately happens that his de-
fence of the Indian Government is generally at the ex-
pense of the natives themselves, who thus become the
single, though important exception, in the picture of
Indian improvement. Such is the flattering introduc-
tion with which Sir Charles paves the way for his mea-
sure. But its relation to that measure, whether it be
meant to disguise its strength, or to palliate its weak-
ness, we really cannot discover. The measure in one
sense is a great one, in another a poor one, and in an-
other no measure at all.

It is proposed to retain the double government. Sir
Charles appears to think it an act of no small courage
that he has ventured to defy public opinion so far, and
apologies are lavished on this part of the plan. But
"discretion is the better part of valour," and Sir Charles,
in proposing to retain both Boards, takes considerable
pains to assimilate the one to the other. Applying the
old Indian recipe to secure a wild elephant by means of
a tame one, Sir Charles proposes to reduce the elected
directors to twelve, and to associate with them six
Government nominees. We are encouraged to hope
that the mixed body thus formed will both contain a
higher amount of Indian talent and experience, and also
act more harmoniously with the Board of Control.
After the preliminary remark, that no change was to be
made in the Government, this sounds like a very great
change ; though, on a little reflection, it is evident that
the Board of Directors may, if it pleases, retain a large
share of its obnoxious identity. What is to hinder the
majority of the body from throwing overboard the
neutrals and dependents, and retaining only the twelve
who are committed to the existing policy of the India-
house ? In that case the twelve old elephants will
soon overpower the six Government cattle, and the
measure will so far prove wholly inoperative. But—
and here comes the provision which renders the measure
no measure at all—the bill is to state no term of
years, but to leave the question of Indian Government
always open. The sword is always to hang over the
Court of Directors, and the Government nominees,
though only six against twelve, are to speak with the
fate of the twelve in their pockets. They have only to
report that they are not listened to or outvoted, and the
Minister forthwith comes down to the house with a pro-
ject for abolishing the court altogether, or reducing it to
a mere nominee council. Thus the spirit of Leaden-
hall-street is to work in chains. A brief respite is
given ; one step between power and anni 'illation. Now,
is this a measure, or no measure ? In a measure we
expect something decisive and durable. Sir Charles
Wood only breaks the fall of the India-house, and com-
pels us involuntarily to look to the abyss towards which
it gravitates. People in general will ask rather impa-
tiently whether it is worth while to spend a month in
constructing and passing such an act for the government
of a hundred and fifty millions—'n act avowedly expe-
rimental, temporary, and insufficient. The excuse for
a measure of this sort is want of information, an over-
whelming sense of responsibility, and a confessed in-
ability for a stronger course. But, when such an excuse
is implied, would it not be urged with greater propriety
in favour of suspending legislation altogether for another
year ?
The other provisions of the measure are much more
positive, and redeem it from the intermediate and con-
ditional character it otherwise wears. Sir Charles pro-
poses to abolish the nominations to Haileybury and to
the scientific military appointments, and make them
open to examination, leaving the common military ap-
pointments as they are. This is so important a change
as to suggest the question whether it be not a singular
practical comment on the previous picture of justice,
prosperity, and progress drawn by Sir Charles. If
India is so well governed, why change the entire nomi-
nation of rulers ? We may also ask, "If the Board of
Directors is to be retained in any form, why is it not to
have its old patronage ?" Others will ask, "What is it
without its patronage ?" But when the foundations of
the system are once moved it is impossible to stop. Take
away the patronage of the directors and you destroy the
interesting relations that exist between them and the
elderly gentlemen and ladies by whose votes they are
returned. Yet Sir Charles leaves the twelve elective
Directors to their existing constituency—the holders of
India Stock. Among changes on which there cannot be
much disagreement Sir Charles proposes to separate the
Governor-Generalship from the Government of Bengal,
by creating a new Lieutenant-Governor for that presi-
dency ; he proposes to empower the Supreme Govern-
ment to create a new presidency for the countries on the
Indus, and to remodel and simplify the courts of appeal.
The great question, however, is the constitution of the
government at home, On that point Sir Charles dis-
turbs without settling, and recommends a change which
he condemns in the very announcement. He fears to
lay a sacrilegious hand on the golden image in Leaden-
hall-street. It is asked—and the question is conclusive
—whether this government by two boards, both work-
ing under the Imperial Legislature, is one that we
should have imagined or dreamt of, bad India been now
for the first time thrown on our hands. Whatever
merits may be discovered or invented for the double
government, we may be sure it would not have been
thought of. It is only a tradition representing the his-
tory of the East India Company. Sir Charles proposes
to retain it, for a while at least, and till a bolder man
comes in his stead, just as the Indian Government has
retained the native princes. For puppet kings and
rajahs he would give us buckram directors, without pa-
tronage, without power, without certainty of tenure,
simply waiting for the signal of their final destruction.
This may do in India, where millions feed on rice, but
we more than doubt its adaptation to the mind of this
country, or to the actual exigencies of the case.

The Cologne Choral Union, consisting of eighty mem-
bers, give their first concert in England, at the Hanover-
square Rooms, on Tuesday morning next, commencing
at half-past three.
[ADVERTISEMENT.]—IMPORTANT SALE OF RICH SILKS,
SHAWLS, AND LACE GOODS.—Bankruptcy of Mr. E.
Blakely, Shawl Manufacturer to the Queen.--Messrs.
Atkinson and Co., Silk and Shawl Warehouses, G 9, 70,
71, 72, 73; 74, and 75, Westminster-bridge-road, Lam-
beth, beg to inform the ladies of the United Kingdom
that they have purchased of the assignees of the estate
of Mr. Edward Blakely, shawl manufacturer, silk
mercer, and laceman, of Norwich, a bankrupt, the
whole of his stock, 'amounting to 9,0711. 16s. 2d., at a
large discount off the cost price. It consists of the
richest selection of shawls, silks, robes, dresses,
mantles, lace goods, &c., to be met with in England ;
all in excellent condition, newly manufactured, and is
now selling off at reduced prices.

FROM THE LONDON GAZETTE of YESTERDAY.

WHITEHALL, JUNE 1.
The Queen has been pleased to appoint the Right Hon-
ourable Thomas Berry Cusack Smith, Master of the Rolls
of the High Court of Chancery in Ireland ; Sir Cresswell
Cresswell, Knight, one of the Justices of the Court of
Common Pleas in England ; John Marshall, Esquire, one of
the Senators of the College of Justice in Scotland ; George
William Wilshere Bramwell, Esquire, one of her Majesty's
Counsel ; James Anderson, Esquire, one of her Majesty's
Counsel ; Kirkman Daniel Hodgson, Esquire ; Thomas
Bazley, Esquire ; and Robert Slater, Esquire, to be her
Majesty's Commissioners for inquiring into the expediency
of assimilating the Mercantile Laws of the United King-
dom.