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

but, with regard to persons leaving, the examinations are
conducted only by the professors of the college. A great
deal of time, it is loOlie ved, is needlessly wasted at that in-
stitution in the study of the Oriental languages, which, it
would appear, from all the evidence taken before the com-
mittee, could be much more easily and speedily acquired
in India. It is obvious that the time devoted to the acqui-
sition of those languages is necessarily taken away from
subjects which we believe to be of far greater importance
for the education of persons intended for the civil service.
(Hear.) We propose that the examinations at the entrance
of students at Haileybury shall be such as to establish
that, wherever they have been educated—whether at Lon-
don, Dublin, or Edinburgh—they have received a good
education. We propose, also, that there should be a con-
siderable addition made to the legal education at present
given at Haileybury. It was recommended by some of the
witnesses that there should be a distinction made at the
outset between the legal, and what I may call the revenue,
branch of the civil service. One witness proposed that
the judges of India should be chosen at once from the
English bar ; but all the other witnesses were unani-
mous that that was impossible. It clearly appeared
from the evidence of the most competent witnesses that
there was great advantage gained on the subsequent career
of a judge by his having commenced his services in the col.
lector's department, because he was there enabled to ac-
quire that knowledge of the manners, and habits, and dis-
positions of the people of India without which he was
unable adequately to discharge his duty as a judge ; and,
indeed, the fact was, that no inconsiderable part of the
duties of a collector were of a judicial character. Most of
the suits connected with land, for instance, were decided
by the collectors. We propose, then, that at Haileybury
the students shall receive a sound legal education—l do
not mean in the mere technicalities of the profession, but
in the principles of jurisprudence—which will enable them
to administer any law, whether English, Mahomedan, or
Hindoo. (Hear, hear.) We propose that an improved
education of this kind should be conferred upon every
person going to 11.aileybury. lam in hopes at ;present
that the term of two years will be found sufficient for this
purpose—at least, such is the opinion of the heads of the
college; but if upon experience that period should be found
to be too short, it will be, extehded, so that no person
going thence out to India shall go without a thorough legal
education. We propose to insure the utmost fairness in
all the examinations—and that the examinations on coming
out of Haileybury, as well as on going in, should be con-
ducted by independent examiners. Ido not mean to say
that any undue favour has hitherto been shown in the
examinations on coming out of the college ; but, at the
same time, I think it only fair that the examinations
should be conducted by independent examiners rather
than by members of the college. I may mention that there
is at present a most severe examination of the civil ser-
vants in India before they are appointed to important
situations. This examination has onlx been recently intro-
duced, and is of a very stringent character, as the follow-
ing document will phow :—" After this apprenticeship of
several years, the assistant to a collector and magistrate is
regarded as a candidate for promotion. He is then
subjected to a further examination, with a view of
testing his knowledge of the languages and the laws
of the country, and his promotion is made dependent
on the success with which he passes the test. Of
twenty civilians who came up in 1852 seven only
were passed. A successful candidate is then deemed
qualified for the office of collector or magistrate," I hope
that the result of these examinations will be, that
all future members of tire civil and judicial services will
be found duly qualified for the execution of their duties.
We propose that, after a time, they shall be allowed to
select which branch I hey will follow ; and that, if they
select the judicial branch, they shall not afterwards be re-
moved into the collecting department. (Hear, hear.) We
propose, also, an improvement of the Superior Court of
India. At present there is the Queen's Court in each of
the presidency towns for the administration of justice to
the English inhabitants ; and there is also the highest
court of the company's officers, called the " Sudder
A dawlut," being substantially the same court for civil and
criminal justice, under different names. We propose to
consolidate'these two courts. (Hear, hear.) We believe
that the constitution of both will be improved by the
amalgamation; we believe that the addition of the Queen's
judges will introduce the improved law and knowledge
which they carry from this country into the company's
service, and that the addition of the company's judges
sitting with lawyers from this country will give those
English lawyers what they want,—an acquaintance with
the manners, and habits, and laws of India. (Hear.) We
propose that this court shall be the ultimate court of appeal
in each of the presidencies from all the others, and that
minor courts shall be instituted in each of the towns of the
presidencies, subject to an appeal to the Court of Amal-
gamated Judges. We propose also that in certain cases
this court shall have original jurisdiction, and that the
judges shall be occasionally employed as a special commis-
sion to try causes in any part of the country. We believe
that these reforms will be the means of introducing an
improved practice and tone into all the courts of the
country ; and in every part of the coun try there will be.
the advantage of trials before judges of the highest court
of judicature. I was exceedingly anxious that this im-
provement should have been embodied in the bill which
I mean to ask leave to introduce, but, after consulting
with members of the late Law Commission of India,
I found that in consequence of the necessary arrange-
meats
connected with the forms of procedure it would
be necessary to postpone it till we shall have received
the report of the commission which we propose to '
institute, and whose first duty will be to prepare forms of
procedure applicable to the new court. With respect to
the native judges, I do not know that much more can be
done but to continue the progress we have begun. They
are at present subjected to severe examination at every
step of their promotion. We propose, however, that the
salaries of the lower class of judges shall be raised. It
appears from the evidence which we have received that in
every rank above the lowest the salaries of the judges are
quite adequate ; but probably there can be no better mode
of removing the temptation with regard to the old practice
of administering justice by means of indirect influence
than by first improving the moral tone of the judges, and
then increasing their salaries. (Hear, hear.) There are
other topics of VaSi importance which I might refer to, and
perhaps there is none of more importance than that of na-
tive education ; but, as we have not entered upon any
inquiry with respect to that subject yet, it would be pre-
mature to address many observations to you upon it. But
I may say that there has been a great improvement in re-
spect to this-matter in the course of the last 20 years. We
used to spend considerable sums and to take considerable
trouble in educating a large body of the natives in Oriental
literature, which was of little value to them ; but chiefly
owing, I believe, to the exertions of the right hon. gentle-
man the member for Edinburgh (Mr. Macaulay), European
literature has been substituted for antiquated Sanscrit ;
and if hon. members will take the trouble to refer to the
appendix of the Lords' report they will see abundant
proofs of the proficiency to which the natives have attained
in this respect. The natives have also made great progress
in the science and practice of medicine. They have been
induced to forego their old national prejudice against
touching a dead body ; and the skill with which they use
the scalpel is equal to that of many Europeans. (Hear.) I
won't at present say anything of the Government schools
for the education of the natives, which are hereafter to be
the subject of inquiry. But I may mention that we have
satisfactory accounts of the missionary schools in which
the Bible is ordinarily used with the full knowledge of the
Brahmins. I believe that no great number of the natives
ultimately become Christians ; but we hay(' strong, testi-
mony in favour of the improved moral habits which have
followed from their attendance at the schools, and from the
Christian education they receive there. (Hear, hear.)
There is strong testimony, moreover, to this fact, that the
spread of Christianity among the more educated and en-
lightened class of natives is fast sapping the foundations of
their debasing faith. It is notorious that the Government
interfere in no respect with the religion of the natives, and
no person is more convinced than I am that it is a wise and
beneficial course, because I believe that if we attempted to
do otherwise we should only impede the progress which it
is so desirable to promote. I may not be uninteresting to
the house to know that by the last mail we have accounts
of the baptism of Dhuleep Singh, a descendant of Runjeet
Singh, a prince of high rank, which ceremony, it appears,
took place, not ostentatiously, but privately, and without
the slightest parade. (Hear.) I say that we interfere not,
and I think rightly, in the propagation of our religion
among the natives ; but, on the other hand, I am bound
to express my opinion that I think we have been per-
fectly right in taking care that the professors of Christianity
shallincur no loss in consequence. (Hear.) Strong opin-
ions have lately been expressed against the passing of the
act which prevents the forfeiture of the property of Hin-
doos on their becoming Christians ; but I think that that
act was perfectly right, and that no religion professed in
any part of the Queen's dominions should entail the for-
feiture of property. I quite agree therefore, in the pro-
priety of passing that act. So far, I think that we were
perfectly justified. I think the Government are perfectly
right in abstaining from proselytising among the Hindoos
in favour of Christianity, though, at the same time, I
think we ought to give them eery advantage when they
do embrace that faith. I hope and trust that the educa-
tion they are receiving will gradually lead to the reception
of that faith in India ; but that result we must leave in
the hands of Him who will, in His good time, bring about
that which He desires to come to pass. (Hear,
hear.) But I am anxious to say that I differ from
the opinion which was expressed in evidence by a
noble lord, to the effect that the education of the
natives is to be avoided, as tending to diminish our
hold on them. I should be sorry to think that such was
the case. No doubt our-empire of India is an anomalous
empire .; but I do not believe that we shall endanger that
empire by educating the natives of India. (Hear, hear.)
I believe, on the contrary, that if the great body of the
natives were educated and enlightened, and not only edu-
cated and enlightened, but bound to us by the ties of a
common faith, we should increase rather than relax our
hold upon the Indian, empire. (Hear, hear.) Bus, be that
as it may, it seems to me that it is our plain duty to im-
prove the condition and to increase the enlightenment of
the people. I believe, as I have said, that by so doing, we
shall strengthen our empire there ; but, even if the reverse
should be the case, it seems to me that our path of duty
is equally clear—that, even if the result should be the loss
of that empire, we should occupy a far higher and prouder
position in the history of the world, if, by our agency, we
should succeed in establishing a civilised and Christian
empire in India, than if we continued to rule over a people
debased by ignorance and degraded by superstition. (The
right hon. gentleman resumed his seat about half -past -pas 10,
having spoken exactly five hours.)

Mr. BRIGHT felt considerable difficUltY in rising to ad-
dress the house, after having sat five hours in listening. to the
speech of the right hon. gentleman. But the question being
one of very first-rate importance, and one. to which he had
paid great attention, as well as formed strong opinions about,
he therefore felt unwilling that the bill should be suffered to
be brought in, or that this opportunity should pass, without
briefly commenting on the legislative plan just offered to the
consideration of the house. (Hear, hear.) In his opinion,
there existed great inconsistency in what the right hon. gen-
tleman had said, and what he proposed to do—(hea.r, hear)—
because if. one were to take his speech as a faithful represen-
tation of the condition of India and the past proceedings of
the government, ,(Mr. Bright) should say that he had
greatly failed in his 'plan as regarded the change in the go-
vernment of that country. But if the speech was not a faith-
ful portrait of India, what the right liOn. gentleman proposed
to do with regard to the home administration was altogether
insufficient for the present occasion. (Hear, hear.) He (Mr.
Bright) intended to apply his observations mainly to the or-
ganisation of the home administration. He was not sur-
prised that her Majesty's Government should have taken an
unsatisfactory course with regard to this measure, because
they did not seen to know what to do from the outset when
this question was brought before them. He did not allude
to all the right hon. gentlemen on the Treasury bench in this
icatement, but particularly to the noble lord J. Russell), be-
cause it was when that noble lord was at the head of the Go-
vernment that the question was first proposed. It was well