The Sun.
London, England, 1841-05-22 00:00:00

EAST INDIA.

Copy of a Despatch, dated the 31st day of March, .1641,
from the -- Court of Directors of the East .India
Company to the Goveinor-Generrl of India in
Council, on, the subject of further separating the
Government of India from all connection with the
Idolatry and Superstition of their Hindoo and Maho-
medan Subjects.
RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES OF THE NATIVES.

In our despatch under date the 3d of March, in
the Revenue Department (No. 2. of 1841), we expressed
our satisfaction at the progress made, under the presi-
dencies of Bengal and Bombay, for effecting a final and
complete separation of Government from all share in
the management of, the affairs of native temples ; and
we observed that the same principles were equally ap-
plicable to the presidency of Madras, and desired that
they might be acted upon at that presidency accordingly.
2. We-now advert to the attendance of troops or of
military bands at native festivals or ceremonies, and to
the firing of salutes on occasions of that nature, which
practices, though not expressly mentioned in that de-
spatch, are to be dealt with so as to promote the same
object, viz., that of separating the Government and its
officers, as far as possible, from all connection with the
ceremonies of the Hindoo and Mahomedan

3. With that view, we refer you to our instructions
conveyed in the political despatch to Bombay, under date
3d of March, 1841 (No. 3), para. 9, in which we de-
sired, with respect to certain festivals greatly respected
by his Higl".eio4 the Guicowar, " that the attendance of
British functionaries or troops at the processions them-
selves, or on the spot when any of the religious cere-
monies are performed, shall not be resumed ; but that
the attendance shall be given, and the marks of respect
paid to his Highness at his Palace, on the occasion of his
going forth and returning." Our wish is that this rule
should be made general, and accordingly applied to on
all occasions upon which it has been usual to appoint
escorts to native rank on their way to places of religious
wOrsbip. - • JA
"4. We further desire that no troops or military bands
of music be called out, and no salutes ffred, in honour
of the festivals,themselves.
5. With--respect to the decoration of idols and
images, or the presentation of offerings to them, these
are practices in which no one, in his capacity of an
officer of our Government, can with propriety be re-
quired to take part ; they are practices which oh-
- vionsly belong to those only by whom the religious cere-
monies are celebrated ; and if they have not already
been every where discontinued, in the case of our own
functionaries, they must be entirely put an end to.
6. In conclusion, we need scarcely impress upon you
the. importance of your carrying these instructions into
effect in such a manner as to assure the natives that our
Government will never fail to protect them in the exer-
cise of their privileges, and to manifest a liberal regard
for their feelings.

Signed by the Directors.

THE MINISTRY AND THEIR OPPONENTS.—
The course adopted by Ministers is
The public, at the
siwhat the actual state
of public affairs demands from tbe
present moment, would not be satisfied with their re-
linquishing (Owe; according to Parliamentary precedent,
When in arconsiderable minority. There is too much at
stake to permit party compliments_..Y The
their Whig
party Mi-
nistry have relinquished substantially
de-
signation. They may now more correctly be styled the
Ministry of the People. They are, therefore, bound to
o
suffer defeat after defeat until the whole course f ti-,
policy is fully developed and understood, until the, Tories
shall
.have negatived distinctly every reforix, refused
every relief, and recorded their factious d
I:cerraination to
endanger the stability and welfare of*l_.e- empire in order
to uphold their own fraud and or
general distress. It may b- cession at the price of
conjecture on what pret:en- . ‘l.lcurious speculataon to
the timber duties will
b 2 opposed. Slay.er;
and philanthropy have been
Party watch w°l. Js on sugar, and no doubt some
other equally p...iirtine
nt alliance will be discovered for
timber- Tl'..riughout the whole debate, it was admitted
that the ',cal object had little reference to the nominal
one, t,' te real aim being to force a resignation, and there-
&l.:6, without any inconsistency, some principle, beyond
Chat of mere monopoly, may be called to the rescue of
rotten pine and Canada interests. Perhaps we shall be
called on in the sacred name of Liberty not to encourage
Prussian despotism and Prussian education—infidelity,
by buying cheap Timber in the Baltic. Some Dionysius
Lardner, of the Legislature, will, perhaps, implore the
House to pause before it discourages science, and renders
Ryan's Patent useless, and our shipping sea-worthy, by
the eradication of Dry Rot Tory Grand Juries will re-
present that they will be deprived of the pleasure of per-
petually mending their Court Houses, and we should not
be at all surprised if the affairs of America, and the
Boundary -Question wound up the Second Act of the
debate. Some think that Ministers will be permitted to
carry-t=nt, we respectfully doubt it. After what
• 'l4i.ioc4 it 'would be ridiculous of the Tories to
koev24slonistration a shadow of success.—Southern
-4'4(frto'-').'9,'" 4,\
The(qtery, ar, monic Society intend performing
m.'.„:31*,--!- e g next, a Selection of the finest Eng-
: 4 , in. Deter Hall, with a Cipir Of
~.,.
.or,..at 11 yoloee, . .

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S

EDINBURGH.

TOWN-COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS.
The Council met on Tuesday—the Lord Pro-
vost in the Chair. _

On the minutes being read,
Treasurer DRYSDALE objected to that part of
them containing the resolution to petition Parlia-
ment in favour of the proposed modification of
the Corn-laws and Import duties.
Mr. LOTHIAN reminded the Treasurer that the
minute had been executed, and the petition
dispatched; and asked what was the use of dis-
approving of a thing which had already been
done ? _ _ _

The TREASURER, however persevered, and read
numerous extracts from speeches and letters of
the late Mr. Huskisson, whom he greatly eulo-
gised as an authority on this subject, against
the abolition of the Corn-laws; and from
the evidence of various . corn-dealers before
a Parliamentary Committee, against a fixed
duty, and in favour of a sliding scale. He de-
clared that Mr. Deacon liume and Mr.
M'Gregor, whose evidence before the Import
Duties Committee has been so much referred to,
knew nothing at all of the matter. After draw-
ing a fearful picture of the effects likely to be
produced by the Ministerial measure for the
modification of the Corn-laws, he concluded by
moving the disapproval of that part of the
minutes to which he had referred.
Sir JOHN DALVELL seconded the motion.

Mr. BLACK briefly replied to the various asser-
tions of the Treasurer; and remarked, that while
he believed Mr. Huskisson had himself a
thorough knowledge of the Corn-law question,
vet knowing that he was addressing babes, he
had given them milk such as they could bear.
—(Laughter.) But if opinion was to regulate the
matter, he could refer Mr. Drysdale to
the opinions of Ricardo, Malthus, M'Cul-
loch, Merrivale (of Oxford University),
and others who stood high in the
ranks of political economists, and who were as
great authorities on this question as Mr. Huskis-
son. Mr. Black concluded by declaring his ob-
jections to all monopolies whatever, and asserting
that, with a free trade, this country had nothing
to fear from competition from any quarter.

On the motion of Mr. LOTHIAN; the debate was
adjourned until the other business was finished.
A letter was read from Mr. Macaulay, stating
that it was not the intention of Government to in-
terfere with the system of Scottish banking at
present.
Some other business having been gone through,
the Council adjourned for want of a quorum.

SOLDIERS' CHILDREN.

In the year 1837, two battalions of Guards—
one of the Coldstream and one of the Grenadiers
—were ordered for Canada. In the latter was a
soldier, who had a motherless infant, a child
about three years of age. Destitute and friend-
less, without a solitary commisserating individual
(who had the means) to take charge of his help-
less offspring (which was not permitted, by the
regulations of the army, to accompany its only
surviving parent, when ordered into foreign ser.
vice), the soldier knew not what to do. No asy-
lum was open,—no friend was near, to take
charge of a child so young; but his comrades,
who were to remain at home, proffered to keep
the child in the regiment amongst them; but-
it being of so helpless an age, the father was
riot satisfied with so general a care. The
morning arrived, at which a separation was to
take place—when he was to be severed from his
little child, and still no asylum had been found
for the comparatively orphan infant, although
the parent had applied to every quarter for that
purpose. No establishment for motherless or
orphan infants of soldiers or sailors existed.
The order was given to form into companies, and
the wretched man, driven almost to desperation,
torn from his little child; (ye that are parents,
think and feel what he must have felt !) the
word " March" was given, and he sunk, and was
dragged (for walk he could not) to follow his
battalion, leaving his forlorn and helpless infant
to the mercy of that God who seeth not a spar-
row fall without notice. It was taken in charge
by a sentinel, and afterwards placed in St. Mar-
tin's workhouse, where, if it lives, 'Us likely it
I still remains.—Philanthropist.