The Sun.
London, England, 1841-07-16 00:00:00

EVENING- SUN.

ment is a party, before a tribunal which must, of neces-..,S rf .Iv
: sity, be composed of its own servants." - f,','S.'-1-- -s-- -
Now he did not know what authority they had to try --i. . ,1: --:-= -.1.5
an acknowledged Prince. He saw great difficulties, there--2 ,7.44-,sy _ ..., ' )
fore, in the way of any such proceeding, for all that hadr.,siiliF4-." ..
' been done had been done according to law. The Act ; \A'-,, -s.C-11,:i-lr..::
s.,_ e
was final, end could not be revised by that Court. lie :=7-,*-'•:":"F:it- - Tir 4.2.4
trusted, therefore, the Gentleman who had brought for< .'•-17Ir -=---_i:-
ward the motion would, consider how far it might bewa ,„,„
judicious to persevere in it, because it was obviously im- ''LL vci-RAtag
practicable, - and could do no good to the cause of the
Raja, whose case had excited so much interest.—(Hear,
hear.) His proposition, although not free from objection,
would be this, and he made it the more reluctantly, be-
cause he felt it would be attended with some public in-
convenience. That the Court strongly recommended to
the Directors that steps be immediately taken to restore
to the ex-Raja of Sattara the jewels, family treasure,
and property arising out of his income, which on his de-
position was unadvisedly made over to his brother, the
present Raja.—(Hear, hear.) Wheu the proposition for
making over that propertywas brought forward, he (Mr.
S.) had not the honour of a seat in the Council, or he
should have concurred most cordially in the protest of
his Hon. Friend. His last proposition was, that the
Court being of opinion that the ex-Raja had been deprived
of his property on insufficient grounds, would earnestly
recommend to the Court of Directors to take into its
favourable consideration the propriety of restoring him
to his rights and dignities, should any suitable occasion
arise either by the death of the present Raja or other-
wise, and, in the event of want of heirs the succession
might be secured to the ex-Raja as the elder branch of
the family and his lawful heirs.(Hear hear.) Some-
thing of that kind was held out by Sir lames Carnac in
his minute, which would be found in page 309:
" Finally, I have been supported in the view I have
taken of this case, by the consideration that if it is deemed
erroneous by the superior authorities who will have to
judge of it., the course of events will, in all human pro-
bability, afford a fair opportunity, in a few years, of rec-
tifying what may be deemed erroneous.. „Neither the
Raja about to be deposed, nor his brother who is to be
substituted in his place, have any children and, at their
advanced period of life, it is not very likely that they
will hereafter have any, and I know of no other party
who can claim the succession by hereditary right. It
follows, therefore, that on the demise of the new Raja,
the Setters state would lapse to the British Govern-
ment ; unless, indeed, it shall be then judged
expedient to allow this line of Princes to be continued
by the Hindoo custom of adoption."
He regretted that Sir James Carnac did not leave the
question of succession open, that instead of elevating to
it the brother of the ex-Raja, lie did not leave it to the
public authorities of that country, who, his treason being
decided upon, would have named his successor. Had
that been done, the authorities in that House and the
Commissioners for the affairs of India would have had it
in their power either to replace the Raja if he were
found innocent, or make some other arrangement, but
unfortunately the door had been shut by the elevation of
the brother of the Raja. He considered the elevation of
the present Raja as a most unfortunate step, and one
which constituted the great difficulty of the case, as in
consequence of that step almost any remedial measure
which the Court might adopt would subject them to the
' charge of inconsistency. His opinion was well known,
he had expressed it before, and it was that the Raja
was deposed on insufficient grounds. On the mode of
remedying that evil, be did not profess himself compe-
tent to decide. He had merely thrown out these pro-
positions as suggestions which had occurred to him as
the least objectionable mode of remedying those incon-
veniences, of setting the honour of the Raja right in
the eyes of his countrymen, and of doing justice to them-
selves.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. WEEDING was not surprised at. the opinion ex-
I pressed by the Hon. Director, because, if he •recollected
right, similar opinions had been expressed by that Hon.
Gentleman in 1840. Hon. Gentlemen had called out for
justice to the Raja. He begged of them to do justice to
those who differed in opinion with them, and to do jus-
tice to the dead.—(Hear, hear.) He called upon theta
to do justice to the connection of that great empire with
England, and to do justice to the beneficial results or.
that connection, the civilization and happiness of ro an
The Hon. Gentleman who had spoken 184 but
one had taunted the Deputy-Chairman with eAtacking
the rights of that Court, because he reminded the Court
that if the Court of Directors and the Board of Control
had decided on any subject the discussion of that subject
afterwards in that Court could lead to no practical. re-
sult, and that as the decision in political affairs, was not
vested in that Court, the agitation of such subjects un-
advisedly might lead to an interference- with their privi-
liges by the Senate of England ; but "what did the Hon.
Gentleman himself say shortly afterwards ? Had, he
not attacked the rights of the Court ? Did he not say
that if he could not get justice there he would go else-
where ? Was not that telling them that their councils.
were of no avail ? It was saying that if the majority-„
however large, did not come to the conclusion in which
the minority, however small, might concur, that minority
would go elsewhere to seek to attain its ends.—(Hear,
hear.) He thought that that was an act of presumption,
which ought to be condemned by the Court. He was
astonished to hear the taunts of the lion. Gentleman to
the Deputy-Chairman. Thelon. Gentleman had brought
accusations against every one who differed in. opinion.
with him. The authorities at house, the Governor-Ge-
neral of India, Lord Auckland, Mr. Wilberforce BirA,
and the Government of Bombay, were all accused oi in-
justice by the Hon. Gentleman ; and all he did to sup-
port these accusations was to refer to authorities, which
authorities he (Mr. Weeding) took the liberty of gain-
saying. The Hon. Gentleman mainly relied on Mr..
Shakespear, Mr. John Forbes, and General Lodwick.
He was sorry to say that General Lodwick, whose letter e
had been read to the Court, and who had hppn ae -bhp. ;
time the Resident at Sattara, had tided in a way which
he hoped no public officer in India would imitate ; and
he trusted that General Lodwick would not act in such a
way again. The Hon. Gentleman referred to the opinion,
of Mr. Shakespear, with respect to the communica-
tions with Goa, to those with the Raja of Nagpoee,,
and to the Soubadars. Had the Honourable Gen-

tleman read the statement of Mr. Shakespear's
opinion on the question of the Soubadars ? Mr.
Shakspear suggested to Lord Auckland the pro-
priety of further inquiry on the subject. If papers were
produced they were objected to, and if the evidence of
accomplices was given, then it was said they were pri-
soners, and gave their evidence to recover their liberty,
so that they would allow no evidence whatever, but
would asperse all the witnesses who came forward against
the Raja. Why should they doubt the evidence of the
Soubadar. He was an unwilling witness, and there
could be no reason to suppose he intended to deceive. Om
the subject of the guilt of the Raja, he would refer to
Sir Robert Grant's minute of the sth of May—a minute
drawn up with the greatest statesmanlike pains ar,d
care by Sir Robert Grant, and after reading whit},, it
was impossible to resist the conviction of the guilt of
the Raja, if the subject was approached without pt•ejudice.
Gentlemen had mixed up a great variety of topics with
this question, but the proper question on which to ask
the judgment of the Court. was, if the Raja were
guilty or not guilty. Two questions had been mixed up
with this, first, if the Commission of Inquiry ought to
have been issued, or were properly constituted and,
secondly, if the amnesty ought to have been offered by
Sir James Carnac. That offer of an amnesty had
been assumed as a ;proof of the Raja's innocence.
But he (Mr. Weeding) thought that a most
mode of reasoning. Let them see what an unjust judg-
ment they were forming of the conduct of Sir James,
Carnac. It is, in fact, stating that while Sir James
Carnac declared the Raja of Sattara to be innocent he
proclaimed him guilty. He could not believe Sir James
Carnac guilty of such conduct, and the offer of the am-
nesty originated in a much higher motive. It had been
said, why, if he believed him guilty did he offer to re-
instate him in power ? He (Mr. Weeding) thought the
offer of the amnesty was wrong. He thought the Raja
ought to have been immediately deposed. But it was
evident that Sir James Canute proposed the amnesty,
because he compassionated the Raja's imbecility. Sir
James Carnac said we have it in our power to fence anal
preserve our own safety, by putting the Raja into lead-
ing-string?, so that he shall have no chance of rest'm.
lag his criminal intrigues, and then mercy may be
ex-
tended to him. Some gentlemen-considered that o,e at-
tempts of the Raja, even if proved, were of so rraerile a
nature as to be totally undeserving of notice. But at-
tempts of this nature, puerile as they might seem, in
India especially were to be feared ; and e'a this subject
he would read them a short passage from.the minute of
Sir lioberi, Grant, page 446 af the printed papers
" The Raja of Sattara is feeble as a statesman, and
his talents for intrigue be contemptible; yet a con-
lectureil may
.hie
his power to injure us would
is possible, in
be great. Let us suppose for example, that one of his;
criminal speculations were realized, and that an army of
continental Europeans were on our northern frontier. It
might, in that case,
maket '
the most serious difference,
whether the compact territory of Sattara, occupying as it
does the heart of the Deccan,- and
between
traversed by some of
the principal lines of communication different;
portions of our territolies, was in our own hands, or ins
those of a secret but determined enemy. I pause not to
consider for what good purpose such an arrangement of
things is to be mrintained, or tfi what extent the object
originally aimed at by the erelt.ion, of this subordinate.
power, which was that of concwating the Mahratta race,
is likely to be answered, when ..the • very instrument, of'
conciliation is our bitter foe; but I may be allowed to
ask, whether, as iulers of India, our means are so great,
our expenses so light, and our task so easy, that we can
afford gratuitously to add to our difficulties, by entruFA-
ing a considerable portion of the resources, on whiell we
ought to be able to rely, to the keeping of confessed trai-
tors, and to comfort ourselves with the reflection that
their treachery is neutralized by their imbecility ?"
There could be no doubt but that, 'ale affair of the
amnesty could not be considered as having been made in
consequence of any doubt as to.. the' Raja's guilt, but
solely out of compassion to the imixollitv of his .mind..
If he were asked if Sir James Ca-mac used good policy
in proposing the amnesty, he should say that he hart
not ; that it was a mistake., and that no amnesty ought
to have been offered, /a his opinion, the territory of
Sattara ought to haw been resumed at once. He agreed
with Mr. MorCo.s-ou on that head, that such a course of
proceedintik would have been less injurious to the people
of Satttars, and better for' our own Government. Bat.
OW was Lot th'jn the question. It had been offered, bur.;
it bad treen offered from motives of clemency merely. It
harl, 'however, been rejected, and the Raja had been re-
moved, and in removing the ex,Raja of Setters he con-
sidered that they had only done that justice to India
which it was their duty to- do. It would be a sad thing
to have another per spring up in the centre of India„
deplorable not only on account of the loss of our owns
subjects which it would naturally entail, but on account;
of the interruption it would give to the civilization of
the East. He would ask the Hon. Gentleman who spoke
last but one, do the papers contain sufficient evidence
of the Raja's guilt ? To that question he (Mr,Weeding)
would say " Yes, uponmy honour?' ,Th d-Ilon. Gentle-
man had said that Burke had appealed elsewhere for
that justice which had been denied him by that Court.