The Sun.
London, England, 1841-07-15 00:00:00

MORNING SUN.

charge.—(Hear, hear.) He hoped, however, he would
be allowed to take his own course. He would now read
to the Court the three propositions of Sir James Carnac
and his propositions thereupon :--
" The differences between the Raja of Sattara and
the British Government have been fully investigated,
and the facts connected with them so fully brought to
notice by my predecessor in office and my present col-
leagues, that it is quite unnecessary now to enter into
any minute review of them. I think it has been clearly
established, that the Raja has for years carried on an ir-
regular and unwarranted intercourse with the Portu-
guese authorities at Goa ; that he has intrigued with
Appa Sahib. the ex-Raja of Nagpore; and tt he has
countenanced and supported attempts to seduce from
their allegiance certain native soldiers in the service of
the British Government. - -

" The first and second only of these are clear breaches
of the treaty by which the Raja of Sattara is bound, for
he is restrained from any intercourse with foreign
powers, and with all persons whatever, who are not by
the treaty subjected to his Highness's authority. The
third is an equally clear violation of the duty which
states professing relations of amity owe to each other.
" No doubt existing as to the factsior to the disposition
which they, indicate, the question arises, how are we to
deal with the case ? There are apparently but three
modes of meeting it :
" Ist. By subjecting theßaja to a formal trial, and after
inquiry made and' sentence passed, visiting him with ap-
propriate punishment.
" 2dly. By proceeding in the mode by which national
wrongs are ordinarily redressed, by at once commencing
hostil operations, taking possession of the Raja's terri-
tories, and acting as circumstances may justify under the
right of conquest.
3dly. By addressing to the Raja such remonstrance as
may appear expedient, and passing over his past of-
fences, in the hope that the exercise of clemency may
give. rise to better feelings.

"The•
difficulties in the wayof the course first referred
to appear to me very great. There is no ordinary tri-
bunal to which the Raja could be made amenable, and
a special one must be organised, for the purpose of in-
vestigating the charges against him, if they are to be in-
vestigated. -
" A Commission has been proposed, and the expediency
has been suggested, of selecting its Members from the
other Presidencies, excluding altogether • persons serving
under this Government. I think that, proceeding to
subject the Raja to trial by a Commission would be a
com se very much open to suspicion and misrepresenta-
tion, however that Commission might be constituted. I
know that, from the civil and military services of India,
there would be no difficulty whatever in selecting Com-
missioners who would perform their duty without regard
to anything but justice ; but I-need not add, that in the
conduct of States, as of individuals, it is most important
not only to avoid wrong, but to make this avoidance ap-
parent, and to place the character of the State for inte-
grity and good faith beyond the possibility of question.
" For this reason I should desire, if practicable, to
avoide the trial of an issue, in which the British GoVern-
ment is a party, before p tribunal which must, of neces-
sity, be composed of its own servants."
And then he added—" The Raja of Sattara cannot be
regarded as a very formidable foe to the British Eirpire,
and those with whom he has been connected are as little
formidable as himself." On the 20th of June, 1839, the
Governor writes :

" In continuation of my minute of yesterday's date, I
now beg to submit to the Board my views regarding the
mode in which I think our intentions towards the Raja
of Sattara should be carried into effect.

" It will not be consistent with our proposed amnesty
for the past, to make any demand which can justly be
nTarded as a punishment ; and, under this impression,
I at once abandon the measure which appears to have
been thought of by the Government of the late Sir Ro-
bert Grant, of requiring the Raja to maintain a contin-
gent of horse .for the service of the British Government.
" Our demands should be limited as much as possible,
and should be confined only to those which will again place
the Raja in the precise situation intended by the treaty
of September, 1819, and will ensure the most efficient
protection to all persons who have been obnoxious to
him, in consequence.of the part they have taken in re-
cent proceedings.
" Before proceeding to Sattarn, I shall cause a letter
to be prepared to the Raja's address, embodying the sen-
timents which Government entertain of his conduct, and
the requisitions which we deem it essential to make, in
order to ensure his future adherence to his engagements,
and to promote peace and concord between the two Go-
vernments. The latter may ultimately be embodied in
a formal engagement to be required from the Raja.
" The following is what I conceive should be the sub-
stance of my address to his Highness the Raja :
" Ist. That after a careful and attentive perusal and
consideration of the evidence, it is my painful duty to
inform him, that I entertain no doubt whatever that his
irregular and unwarrantable communications with the
Goa authorities during a series of years, his intrigues
with Appa. Sahib, the ex-Raja of Nag-pore, and the coun-
tenance and supvort which ho gave to the attempt to
seduce from their allegiance certain Native officers in
the service of the British Government, have been fully
proved.
" 2d. That these proceedings indicate that his High-
ness, unmindful of the great benefits which he has de-
rived from the Hon. Company, has entertained hostile
designs towards their Government, at a time when he
was openly professing to be on the n most intimate
terms of friendship and alliance.
" 3d. That by these acts he has most justly incurred
the penalty prescribed in his treaty with Govern-
ment, namely, the forfeiture of all the rights and posses-
sions which that conferred upon him.
" 4th. That, nevertheless, the British Government has
resolved to overlook his past misconduct, and to grant
an amnesty on the following'conditions."
He should not trouble the Court with reading them at
length.
"I believe the above to contain all the stipulations
which, on the principles we are resolved to pursue, are
essentially necessary ; but I shall be happy to consider
any others which my colleagues may desire to propose.
" I find that there are various subjects of discussion
on minor points between the two Governments, the con-
sideration of which has been postponed pending the final
disposal of the Raja's case ; such, for instance, as the
transit duty question, the admission of the Company's
rupee into the Raja's territories, and some claims affect-
ing individuals.

." It appears to me, however, inexpedient to mix up
these questions in the present discussion. When I
proceed to Sattara I can take these proceedings with
me, and I shall probably be able to adjust these minor
matters, either in direct communications with the Raja
or through the Resident.

" In conclusion, I deem it necessary to refer to a
possible,
,though I hope not probable, issue to the at-
tempt we are about to make, to re-establish our relations
at Sattara on a friendly footing. The Raja, either from
misappreciating our motives, or from relying on the in-
fluence which he may fancy he has established, by
means of the numerous agents he has employed, both
in England and in India, may refuse to accept our
proffered clemency, boldly assert his innocence, and
challenge inquiry.—(llear, hear.) lam not prepared,
at this moment, to state the precise course which
should be followed under such a contingency ; but, in
order to avoid the delay of another reference to the Go-
vernor-General of India, I think the possibility of its
occurrence should be pointed out, and his Lordship's
sentiments solicited, as to the course we should then

pursue.
" In carrying into effect these measures, I shall do
all in my power to convince his Highness of the serious
errors into which he has beet], betrayed, in friendly and
considerate language—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear)
—but, on the other hand, I shall be firm in my endea-
vours to convince his Highness, that nothing can induce
Government to recede from the very lenient terms on
which we ar;,, willing to cast an oblivion over the past.
"In my former minute I referred to the necessity of
secresy, as perhaps essential to the success of our
plans ; and, to ensure this, I would now propose that
these proceedings may not be formally recorded until
the Governor-General has replied to the reference to be
zu.ade to him.

(Signed) "J. R CARNAC."
N'ow for the reply of the Governor-General. It was
dated 'Simla, July-11, 1839, and was in the form of a
letter from Mr. Torrens, the Deputy Secretary to the
Government of India with the Governor
olmi
relt of
Generali Bombay.
3,
ay.
Ir.
Willoughby, the Secretary to the
(The on. Proprietor here read the 'lci*.titer referred to as
follows.) :
li
R, to Secretary to the Govern-
". To J. P. Willoughby,
rent of Bombay.
" Sir,—l have the hononr to acknowledge the receipt of
your letter of the 24th ult. with enclosures, and am
directed to state that the Governor-General has studied
with much interest the minutes recorded by the Hon.
the Gthe Members 'of Council of Bum-
bav, Lordship assents to the general amnesty
it owahiC aovdehrn that or
this 3 and b
it is proposed to extend to the Raja of Sattara and
to the conditions under which it is suggested that this
amnesty should be granted, and that his Lordship also
entirely approves of the intention of the Hon. Sir J. It
carnac s himself proceeding to Sattara for the purpose
of endeavouring to carry his views into effect, and again
to place our relations with the Raja on a fPiendly footing,
His Lordship feels it unnecessary to enter into any re-
view of this case. He . has already avowed his opinion
that, whether led by malignity or folly, or a weak sub-
serviency to bad advisers, the Raja has committed acts
which might justly forfeit for him all the favour of the
l3ritish Government, and justify a sentence of 'severe re-
tribution. lie sees all the embarrassments which might
arise out of a formal trial. He feels the strong objec-
tions which would be urged in quarters of the highest
authority against a summary act of extreme severity,
and he is compelled to acknowledge the expediency of
the milder course proposed, and would indulge the hope
that the exercise of clemency may give rise, if not to
better feelings, at least. to more guarded conduct. With
regard to the precise course of proceedings which is to
be pursued, his Lordship concurs with the Hon. the
Governor and Council of Bombay in opinion, that the
measures of amnesty being agreed upon, it should not be
accompanied with any demands which might justly' be
regarded as a punishment; but there may be, as suggested
by Mr. Anderson, warning for the future : principles may
be laid down for the more strict observance of the treaty,
and, above all things, effectual protection must be se-
cured to those who, in the course of the late inquiry,
may. by having afforded information, be assumed to have
given offence to the Raja. With this expression of his
views, his Lordship cordially assents to the propositions
laid down by the Hon. the Governor of Bombay, in his
minutes of June 20th, and adopted by his colleague.
He would only suggest, that great care be taken in fram-
ing the letter to the Raja; so guardedly, and yet so de-
cidedly, to express the views held by Government in his
case, as that if possible discussion shall not be provoked
or admitted upon his own guilt or innocence, and it may
be doubted, whether it has not been proposed to distinctly
assert the, proof of personal criminality, and whether the
assertions may not appear in too great a degree to be
inconsistent with the leniency which follows. Perhaps