The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-21 00:00:00

some energetic supporter, or pay the stipulated
price for the electioneering services of a wealthy
proprietor with a large family, one of whom, the
blockhead of the family, might be devoted to
India—his writership being the reward for his
father's vote and interest.

Is this a system to be tolerated, much less sup-
ported ? Will the nation look tamely on while
Lord ABERDEEN and Lord JOHN RUSSELL compli-
ment the Honourable Court, and continue in its
hands for ten or twenty years longer the undue
patronage, which has led to so many untoward re-
sults. Surely the cry of " Justice to India " will
elicit some response from English hearts. We
hold our Eastern Empire not merely for the
benefit of the proprietors of 6,000,0001. of East
India Stock, on which 10i per cent. per annum
is guaranteed by the British nation—which
must be paid to the last farthing, although
every British subject had been expelled from
Hindostan—which must be redeemed at the
rate of 200 per cent., although there was no
prospect of another rupee finding its way to the
national Exchequer. No—our first duty is to
nearly 150,000,000 of Hindoos, who owe alle-
giance to Queen VICTORIA, to remove the just
causes of complaints that have been so temperately
put forward on their hehalf—to do all in our
power to promote their welfare, and render them
prosperous and contented, giving them reason to
bless and not to curse the British supremacy.
Our next is, to 27,000,000 of tax-payers of the
United Kingdom, whom we should endeavour
to protect against the cousequences of the im-
provident guarantees entered into on their behalf.
As it is, it would be cheaper and more benefi-
cial to bestow another 630,0001. per annum, re-
deemable in 1874 by another 12,000,0001. ster-
ling, on the proprietors of India Stock—purchasing
up the privileges so unwisely and injudiciously
conferred upon them, than to persevere in. the
impolitic course on which we had entered, one
moment longer than necessary. There is no
longer any use for an East India Company,
except to receive the dividends to which
they are entitled until 1874, and then to be paid
off. The Crown can find more competent and
better-qualified advisers at a much cheaper rate
than the surrender of the entire Indian patronage.
More efficient Judges can be obtained from the
precincts of Westminster Hall, the Four Courts,
or the Courts of Session, than from among the
assistant collectors of " Chingleput" or " Cudda-
pah." Nor should the Judicial Bench, more par-
ticularly where a power of life and death is inci-
dent to a seat thereon, be regarded as " a refuge
for the destitute." " All those persons who are
too incompetent for the revenue department being
transferred into Judges and dispensers of the cri-
minal and civil law of the Mofussil.t

The Judges should also hold their offices during
good behaviour as in this country, and be rendered
incapable of displacement at the mere will and
pleasure of the local Government. A dependent
Judge cannot be perfectly impartial, even if com-
petent to the discharge of his duties. Judicial
independence is essential to judicial impartiality,
more especially where the local Governments are
parties to the suits about to be adjudicated.