The Sun.
London, England, 1841-07-20 00:00:00

MORNING SUN.

-
therefore, liberally considered, does not require his I be doubtful, and that we 11/jg h t infer that the letters
destruction. On the other hand, it cannot be pretended 1 written in his name might, ffit, iAtve been authorised on
that our own safety requires it ; and on no, other his part.
,ground can mere policy be allowed to dictate so severe Would the most paltry Court in this kingdom have re-
a sentence.
ceived such testimony ? The case was utterly unten-
" The consideration, that his Highness owes his eleva- able. How could the Raja be found guilty on such evie
tion to British favour, should, in some views at least, deuce ? What had the Commission, who sat to inves-
prevent us from proceeding against him too vigorously. tigate the charges, and of which General Lodwick had
However we may have erred in setting up this dependent been a member, reported as to the witnesses ?
power, it is not desirable, without absolute necessity, to Why, it had reported that the first witness
expose that error to others. Consistency requires that examined was a cheat and a thief.— (Hear.)
we should adhere, if possible, to an arrangement adopted The Commission declared that he had pre-
on much consideration ; and if we court the praise of varicated throughout his evidence, and had con-
generosity, the very fact that his Highness is the crea- eluded by declaring himself the sole author of the
ture of our breath, and the spoiled child of our patron- plot—that all that he had declared respecting the native
officers was false, and that all that he had stated respect-
age, should plead, to some extent, in his favour,
" Farther, it is an argument on the same side of the ing the Raja, and all that he had stated respecting the
question, that the Raja has governed the dominions Dewan was also false.—(Hear, hear.) It also appeared
which he received from us tolerably well. The history that the other witnesses were perjured. Would the
, of the British connection with India records the names Hon. Court sanction such proceed n;s ? He had
of many chiefs and princes whom we began with ad- a firm belief in the high-mindedness and purity of the
vancine to honour, or at least supporting with our pro- motives actuating the Court of Directors—(" Oh, oh")
tection, and ended with deposing, destroying, depriving and he hoped they would not do so.—(Hear, hear.)
of a great part of their territories, or reducing to polite- Another of these witnesses was Ballajee Punt. He be-
cal annihilation. In almost all these cases, however, the gun by selling his master. He began his career of ini-
parties so treated were charged, and justly charged, with quity by betraying the Peishwa. Why, they knew
gross misgovernment ; and however severely it might that Ballajee Punt had some time before falsely accused
be felt by themselves) it was an undoubted boon to the his master of treason, and he had been plotttng treason
great body of their subjects. The administration of the against him ever since that time.—(Hear, hear.) He
Raja of Sattara, on the other hand, although, like every would not detain them further on that point. He could
thing else about him, it has been overpraised, has, to say not but repeat that the Bengal Government had taken
the least, been respectable, and in some views, even me- such a step totally in opposition to the wishes of the
ritorious. General Government. That was proved by the minutes of
"I do not mean that he is not occasionally guilty of the Governor-General. The General Government plainly
oppression, or that he dispenses justice with impar- told the Bombay Government, it was their duty to put a
tiality, for he is a native and a Mahratta ; but he at- stop to these proceedings. This was proved by the
tends to business. His revenue management is efficient. letter of Sir W. M`Naughten, and while Sir W.
If he quarrels with all his Jagheerdars, yet the lower M‘Naughten remained with Lord Auckland the Govern-
classes of his subjects are content ; and, at Sattara, ment seemed to maintain that opinion, but when Sir W.
where his revenues arc spent freely, he is popular. I M‘Naughten left for Affghanistan then a change took
- should be sorry, therefore, if we destroyed one of the place in the opinions of the General Government. The
very few among our native allies whose administration Court of Directors also concurred in the opinion that a
our alliance has not rendered a curse to his people. stop ought to be put to these proceedings against the
"I am aware that it is the probable course, or, if I Raja of Sattara. This appeared from the letter dated
may so speak, the natural history, of such an empire as June 13, No. 31, p. 58 :--
ours in India, that it gradually absorbs all the petty and "In a letter dated 6th January (No. 1) 1838, the Go-
dependent States attached to it ; nor is there any reason vernor-General informs us, that lie has ' witnessed with
to suppose that Sattara will not at length share the coin- considerable pain the protracted and extended investi-
mon fate. But Ido not conceive that such a growth of gations into which the Government of Bombay has
our rule and dominions is to be regarded as an unmixed thought it necessary to enter, in connection with the
good, or that means should be used to accelerate its rate original charges against the Raja of Sattara, and that he
of advancement. On the contrary, I deem it our sacred has required that the proceedings be terminated, and
duty to keep down the expansion within the slowly pro- brought under the review of the Supreme Government at
nreseive boundary prescribed by actual and irresistible the earliest possible period.'
necessity. We ought not to snatch with eagerness at "It is our particular desire to receive, as soon as pos-
sible, your review of these proceedings ; and, in the
. occasions of aggrandizing our power or extending our
territory, still ess to seek or create them, as we shall confidence that it will be transmitted without any avoid-
almost unavoidably be hurried into acts of injustice and able delay,. we shall suspend our own review of the case
cruelty." . till we are in possession of yours. At the same time, we
-Now, under these circumstances, he could not admit have no hesitation in giving it as our decided opinion,
that any injustice had been done him. He thought the that it would be not only a waste of time, but seriously
motion was called for, and he hoped the meeting would detrimental to the character of our Government, to carry
concur in the amendment that had been proposed by the on any further inquiry in the matter.
Depety Chairman. Hear hear.) "We are, &c.,
Mr. MONTGOMERY Maname could see nothing in their (Signed) "J. L. LUSHINGTONe .
Act of Incorporation which was contradictory of the "R. JENKINS,
motion, which was merely a recommendation to the Court • , " W. ASTELL,
of Directors to take the case of the Raja into their con- ' " W. S. CLARKE,
sideration. Having disposed of that point, and shown "J. LOCH,
that they were not infringing on the power of the Direc- " W. B. BAYLEY,
tors, he thought they must admit further, that they had . J. R. CARNAC,
in some respects authorized the present investigation by " P. VANS AGNEW,
hat ing submitted, on two several occasions, to the Court, " F. WARDEN,
all the documents which would enable them to come to " J. P. MUSPRATT,
a full and fair investigation of the case.—(Hear, hear.) " H. SHANK,
It was mach to be regretted that in February, 1840, " J. THORNHILL,
when intelligence of the deposition of the Raja reached " H. ALEXANDER,
that country, and where a special Court had been called " J. MASTERMAN."
to take the case into its consideration, that it had not "London, 13th June, 1838."
taken the case into its consideration previously to any Now, to that despatch he found attached the name
final decision of the question. In the course of the pre- of the Gallant Officer who was now the Deputy Chairman,
sent debate, which was unexampled for its duration, he Sir James Law Lushington.(Cheers.) This was fur-
• was gratified at the highly honourable and manly senti- ther confirmed by the letter, of 22d Jan., 1839, p. 59 :
ments that had been displayed by many of the speakers. "As Sir James Carnac, the Governor of Bombay, has
He was therefore the more reluctant to allude to the been in communication with us on the subject of your
personality that had been introduced into the debate. Proceedings regarding the Raja of Sattara, we are par-
The question was one, not of persons, but of principles. titularly desirous that you should suspend any final deci-
-(Cheers.) He had looked into the case, not with re- sion on the case until you have had an opportunity of
ference to the Raja of Sattara or the persons connected taking into your consideration such observations and
with the Government, but as it regarded the great and suggestions as may be made to you by Sir James Car-
immutable principles of justice—(Cheers)—and in nac on a review of those proceedings.
coming to the conclusion ho had, he had done so with "In the meantime, it may be as well for us to state to
the strongest feelings of respect and esteem for many of you, that we see no reason to dissent from the opinion
those who were connected with the question, and solely expressed by the Court of Directors in their letter of the
with reference to the greet and important interests involved 13th June (No. 39), 1838.
in it. In February it was said that that Court was not in a "A copy of this letter will be communicated to the
position to entertain the question. It was admitted that Governor in Council at Bombay, with a request that he
the question was a grave and an important one, and re- will suspend the transmission of any decision to the Raja
quired much thought and deliberation before coming to of Sattara until you shall have had an opportunity of
a final decision ; and the more 'he saw or it the more he issuing such further direction as you may think proper,
regretted it had ever been brought under the considera- in reference to this despatch.
tion of the present tribunal.—(Hear, hear.) But having "We are, &c.
been brought before them, they were bound, as stewards (Signed) " J. L. LUSHINGTON.
and trustees of good government in India, to entertain " R. JENKINS,
and discuss it with impartiality and calmness. He was "W. ASTELL.
proud, therefore, to hear the manly and honourable sen- " East India House, 22d Jan., lnee."
timents of their Deputy-Chairman, who had stated that Nothing had occurred since which should alter their
full and free and impartial discussion was important to opinion. No fresh evidence had been given. They
the good government of India.—(Hear, hear.) What were acquainted with nothing now with which they
were the facts of the case ? Not that the Raja had been had not been acquainted then, and he should
raised from a prison to a throne by the British Govern- like to know the reason of such inconsistency. It was
ment, and that he had forfeited its good opinion, as had due to the Proprietors and the public that they should
been stated by one Hon. Gentleman.—(Hear, hear.) The be made acquainted with the grounds of this change of
Deputy-Chairman had characterized the war against opinion. The despatch to Sir James Carnac did not
Bajee Row as a just one, and he believed justly. But give any reason for this change of opinion.—(Hear, hear.)
when he said they had raised him to the throne from It merely negatived their former deliberate and re-
motives of pure generosity, he begged to deny the state- corded opinion.—(Hear, hear.) It was a duty they owed
ment, and he would refer them to the third volume of to themselves, that a statement should be made to the
Mr. Grant Duff's " History of the Mabrattas," page 439, Court of the reasons which had induced the Court of
in which the object of the elevation of the Raja was fully Directors to alter theiropinions in this manner.—(Hear.)
detail( d. He contended that they had no right to state The Hon. Baronet had said that the Government of India
that they had raised him to the throne from pure gene- were on their trial, so, if he thought so, he was right to
rosity, unmixed with any considerations of personal ad- go on, but he (Mr. Montgomery Martin) did not say so.
vantage. If there was any doubt in that part he would The Government of Bombay were on their trial, but
refer to the evideace of Mr. Mountsteivart Elphinstone. they brought no charge against the Government of India.
—(Hear, hear.) In
,1822 the Raja had conducted himself He knew nothing of the Raja of Sattara. He had taken
so well that he was considered able to stand alone, and taken this up solely as a question of justice. He made.
was invested with all the functions of sovereignty. He no charge. He simply said that the Raja of Sattara
could not but allude here to the free and honourable had been unjustly charged, and -had not had
feeling evinced by the British Government in supporting a fair trial. The Governor, Sir Robert Grant, in
that Prince, and he regretted it had not been met in a his minute of the 25th of October, page 65, said:—
corresponding spirit by the Bombay Government. After " The proposition of Colonel Lodwick turns on viewe
he had been seven years exercising that sovereignty they which I consider as totally inapplicable to the case.
had recorded their deliberate opinion of the manner in "In ordinary trials for crimes, the question
which he had conducted himself. That opinion would being whether a positive law has been violated, the deci-
be found recorded in the despatch dated 19th August, sion may turn on nice points of legal construction, or on
1829. He did not think the Court of Directors would have an accurate examination of precedents. If the case on
deliberately put their names to any documents without either side is, either by accident or design, imperfectly
having been convinced of its truth. Sir R. Grant represented, the Judge, knowing nothing of it but
in a similar manner, although with some degree of cau- what appears at the trial, has very limited means of sup-
tion, tion, stated his good opinion of the Raja ; and, plying the defect. Professional aid is, therefore, neces-
althoughD-
his testimony was guardedly given, it sary on both sides ; and, indeed, it must be evident that,
was very striking and important. He regretted that if allowed to the accuser, it cannot be denied to the
Sir Robert Grant had so far forgotten the dignity of a accused.
Governor as to descend to the pettifogging of an attor-
" The present case is wholly different. The question
ney. Why it would be almost better for them to have a is not one of law, nor admits of any legal refinements. It
strong-minded and wicked Governor than a weak and is an inquiry, not set on foot by a prosecutor, but con-
vacillating man, who did not know his own mind, ducted by the Government itself, which has no bias
although his intentions might be the most upright and against the Raja, but, on the contrary, the sincerest wiih
honourable.—(Hear.) What did Sir James Carnac, a honour, indeed,
to see his innocence established. The of
man who went to India with the best and purest inten-
the British Government, and also its credit for con-
tions, say of the Raja ?
sistency, are deeply concerned in not admitting, except on
"Without intending to offer any apology for the con- the most irresistible evidence, the guilt of a Prince hona
uct of the Raja, it is but just to observe, that he appears the Government raised from a prison
frien
dt ol y a
etahrrer
aen,
dwli
fromom
o have been regarded by that numerous class of men it has ever since fostered with
•
who are continually watching for an opportunity to en-
whom it has uniformlytacoe 12
received all the observances of at-
rich themselves at the expense of others, as one whose
position offered a very favourable opportunity for their „ himbenetin andve investigation confidence.
position
immediately conducted: ;uric
experiments. He has manifested great weakness and British officers of high character, who know chat the sole
no inconsiderable portion of ingratitude ; but it would object of Government is the discovery of truth, who
not accord with the magnanimity of the British Govern- cannot possibly have any feeline of interest adverse to
,ment to visit those offences on a Prince,uthe 16.* and who, being ur
He situated as is
altoto dispossess
e as
st and technicalities,ja' have -emarrassed by legal forms
the Raja, with tee. great severity.'sne fullest means and facilities of
our mercy, and the execution of an orderseeki.nvgeroutall ie -information attainable.
iebse amore difficult
him of his territories would scarcely
representa-v e the '-='ebaja to be attended by his counsel, it
work than to sign such an order.
tive of a house distinguished in the histor the represents-
India, and ought, oa similar principles, to be held that Government
can afford to
associated in the minds of the people with must appear on the occasion by the Advocate-General.
much of in- But I see not the slightest reason for adopting, in the
present ease, a course utterly unknown, and, indeed, so
tercet. We have nothing to fear, and We
act with generosity. ,
p Ipabl
" Under these circumstances, I must admit fil ' yinapplicable to proceedings of this nature. The
the highest respect as well for the motives that, with aja may be attended by one of his own ministers or
of those who have taken a different fur the confidential' friends. No intention exists of warping
arguments . view, I doubtful circumstances to his disadvantage ; and, if he
decidedly prefer the milder ceurse of proceeding of ' be
, the innocent tip, conviction is, that his cause will find a
three which I have pointed out as before us.
SOT
" I propose, therefore, either that the Resident he i surer support in the intelligence and consciences of the
n- Commissioners, than it could 'derive from the dexterous
strutted to assure the Raja of the desire of the British tactics '
Government to maintain the relations of friendship
with whor• P:ad ingebions pleading of the ablest advocate
him, to point oat the necessity of restraining his sea_ u.
~:. h&could hire' for his defence.
rants from entering into any measures which may sub_
the
,„,,11,1th regard to the •manner of communicating with
ject his Highness to the imputation of disregarding 11;.a I as'N\-R,e.iii. , I have thought it right, as the most effectual,
engagements, and from retaining iu.his llighness's nieene, letter fromas the most conciliatory proceeding, to address a
myself' tci' his 1-lighness, in which I stated—
or otherwise, the political services of any persons keey„d That circumstances
Go-
the limits of his dominion ; or that I should, '.ii person, Term:tient to appoint
having rendered it necessary for Go-
communicate with the riaja ; which latter, T am inclined the purpose aPpoint a
.Secr.et Commission at Sattara, for
of •neuirme. ' •
0• into certain circumstances of
- to think, would be a preferable
course." , great in-Torte/lel, '
Nbw. General Robinson,than wii representing hto the Country, this Commission, as
. , 'in no man under- g-t Government,e would be entitled to every
stood question better, said tne consideration from . whole of this matter
quiry, some „Li his Highness ; that during the in-
originated in the jegheers, an
- he hoped that would be es
ions had arisen which involved the in-
g lesson to the succeedir- terests of hi;
&Government in In . dia He nighness .
, and that, as the Commission
treated with ridicule V- • , could not meet in his e paltry attempt to charge tne
whichs palace without occasioning a dis-
Raja with attemptin- - play of publicity
of India by his c- ito -seduce the 200,000 British troops with my own hand, inviteit was desirable to avoid, I wrote
hear.) He r ectinennication with two Sepoys.—(Hear, sioners at the Resident
to •
him to visit the. Commis-
himself to • 4reAted that Sir Robert Grant had allowed "In the concluding in. when all should be made plain.
had be see Lod away by all the absurd rumours that desired that this letter should ti
to the Commission I
the r 'en communicated to him. It was said that . . r should be delivered h '
to t e Ra by
the Political Secretary, as the •
..4oa. conspiracy had been clearly established, but v_who would, e immediate oreof G
Don Manoel ernmenn
Castro, a hieh • , -minded and honour- introduced by the
able Nobleman, had 9 Resident : that if the Raja declined et
to England and
testify
expressed his readiness to go sidency, he should be requested to o attend at the
"Hear.")re-
to the entire innocence of the his highness
out any other
'Raja.—(Loud cries fymode, by which a meeting between
Now, was it to be said and the
that Don Manoel hade asserted Commissioners could be effected, without
what was false, and that
the most absurd and improbable the dignity of one party, or the duty ofthe other.
stories must be credited ? other.
He remembered a case in Should the Raja refuse to do so, or should h'
Ben
Bengal of a on the_llls proposal
eal Bank, and so well had all forgery be deemed inadmissible, I instructed .
the names of the Di- NI, i oughby to
rencors of that Bank been forged, that after an i • sti inform his Highness of the charges against him, and of
1.,-ation, which lasted several days, and in whichnl ethe the evidence on which they rested, aad to point out,
Government lent also their assistance or its power, and clearly and forcibly, the bad impression the Government
notwithstanding all the exertions of the Bank, it, was must entertain by his declining to meet these accuse-
impossible to determine which names had been forged tions.
and which had not; and yet here the Government of "Even should this appeal be unavailing, I represented
Bombay took upon itself to declare that the paper im- to the Commissioners that I did not think they should
P puted to Don Manoel was genuine because it was v T close their proceedings, without giving the Raja the op-
much like his signature. He would refer the Court 1 tion of either delivering a written statement ot' his con-
to 138th paragraph of Sir Robert Grant's Minute of # duct, or of answering, in writing, whatever interrogato.
the sth of May, p. 148 : ries the Commission might consider it advisable to
" With regard to the letters purporting to have been propose.
addressed by the Raja to Don Manuel, it is proved in I "I.isof so great importance that the Commission
evidence that these were not invariably submitted for '
should close their proceedings, to allow Mr.-Willoughby
his Highness's approval, but that. Nago 'prepared such I and Colonel Ovens to return to their duties, that I trust
drafts as he thought proper, sealed them, and delivered the Board will approve of my having answered the refe-
them as •
proceeding from his master. There rence, without previously submitting it to Bombay. We
single instance was not a , to deliberate on the
proved of any letter h • eying actually been shall now shortly be called upon
written at Sattara with Raja of
the cognizance of the Raja, and I mode of treating this delicate case, should the
• we are left lNzeweexi,
piers doe to conjecture what
~was the nature of the I Sattara have really proved faithless to his engagements
(....„..,2 el t, i _
abundant evidence
to Nago ; were it not, therefore, for ! with the British Government ; and I request that my
. ••- s --- 1•- \ex d between ritit
evidence obtained of the connection which 1 colleagues will give the subject their most serious atten-
een the 11 •
4.y.-; —,, ' •e Raja and IsT, 0 are f i tion, as it will probably be the first on which we shall
..
:i
.., il proved., that the Ita* '% , . for the fact,
oes' e 'es ,!. _ .____ eslaa,_ . alluding to lett s ja.reeeived letters from Don have to consult when we meet at the Presidency.
re. . .
...
.. ng to proceed front which the latter had received,
~:.:.
i: t , ,
espolidenee
0_ rota the Baja I 1 ld " 25th October, 1836. (Signed) "'R. GRANT."
With respect to the mode of trial, alaiough opinions
, s 011.,, say that
c- . 1 ' ,:"/*Z-
k5„..4.......-!, '... l vt - t the Raja with Don Manuel would n iL;ht differ, yet Sir R. Grant, himself, admitted that the

•
•'•

Raja ought to have an opportunity of offering evidence,
and of answering the charges made against him. This
appeared from the 55th and 56th paragraphs of the
minutes of the 31st of May, 1838, page 248 :
" It would be more agreeable to ordinary practice, and
would at the same time satisfy the ends of justice, if the
Raja, were supplied, in writing, with the nature of the
facts brought forward in evidence against him, and were
called to meet them with any defensive or explanatory
statement which he might think fit to offer. In the letter
of Lieutenant-Colonel Ovens of the 17th January last,
to which I have already alluded, there is a summary of
the evidence to be submitted to the Raja, as constituting
the charges against him ; whether such evidence should
be communicated to his Highness in full, or in an
abridged or abstracted form, may be a question for
consideration. Mr. Anderson, as I collect from his
minute of the 22d instant, would hold the latter plan
to be 'sufficient, and his authority on such a point is
high ; but the determination must rest with the Govern-
ment of India.

when we went to war with one.diird of the human race, I
because they would not: suffer us to poison them for
►old.—(hear.) All they asked them to do was to
inquire. In fact, the motion did not even go so far—it
did not ask, it merely recommended them to inquire.
Now, nothing could be more mild, considering the jus-
tice of the case.—(Cheers.) They should recollect the
mature of the Government in India. It was a despotic
Government.; but there was, whether right or wrong
he would not then say, there was a free press—there
was a public tribunal for the discussion of affairs. Every
act of theirs must undergo a scrutiny.—(Hear, hear.)
Therefore he would recommend the India Government
to meet every question.—(Hear, hear.) It would be
well that there should be amongst the people of India a
growing feeling that they could appeal, un ler any feeling
of injustice, to this Court for redress.—(Hear, hear.)
Instead of acting like the President of the Board of Con-
trol, who would fain prevent those " turbaned fellows"
from coming to this Court with their complaints, instead
of treating the Vakeels from the native Princes with
ignominy and contempt, they ought rather to encourage
them to bring their complaints before that Court—
(Hear, hear)—to make them feel that they had but to
appeal to that Court to ensure redress.--(Hear, hear.)
They should afford them every possible opportunity of
appealing to the Court of Directors on any alleged
grievance.—(Hear, hear.) Before he sat down, he must
express a hope that some less offensive amendment would
be proposed than the one which had been proposed from
the Chair. He did not think it met the case fully. He
did not say it was insulting, because he believed it had
not been proposed in that spirit, but it certainly did not
meet the case fully, freely, and fairly. It merely left
the Court where it was in February, 1840, before the
Directors had decided on the case. The proceedings of
that Court were declared to be utterly useless by
that amendment. The Deputy-Chairman had not
been content to rest the case on the amendment.
He had gone into the merits of the case, and had put, the
question on its issue.—(Hear, hear.) He begged them,
not only as a matter of justice but as a matter of expe-
diency, not to persevere in the amendment which had
been proposed from the chair, which to speak of it in the
mildest terms was curt and short, and was treating the
Court in a manner in which it ought not to he treated.
—(Hear, hear.) They would not have sat there day
after day since Wednesday if this had been a question
which it was highly inexpedient to discuss.—(Cheers.)
He hoped that some amendment would be proposed if
the original question was negatived, which would at
least vindicate the necessity for investigation—(Cheers)
—and which would be compatible with the serious
nature of the subject, and with the honour and dignity
of the Court.

" There is, however, a very material observation to be
offered in this place. Whatever be the mode of trial or
inquiry we adopt, yet if the Raja is to have the oppor-
tunity of offering evidence (and I conceive that he ought),
it is essential that he be placed in the same situation
with any other accused person, and enjoy the same ad-
vantages, but no more. Pending the trial or
other proceeding, therefore, his functions of
sovereignty should be suspended. His ample wealth
and despotic power furnish him with almost unlimited
means of procuring favourable evidence by corruption,
and of deterring by violence or intimidation all evidence
of another character ; and of these means, if left in his
hands, he is likely to avail himself without scruple. Such
a perversion of justice it is essential to prevent; and this
may, I conceive, be done in the manner I have proposed.
Let the accused be allowed the widest latitude and the
utmost facility of defence ; but let him be disarmed, for
the time, of the ability to defeat justice, by introducing
falsehood and excluding truth."
The 52d paragraph of the same minute, pp. 246 and
1 247, was most remarkable :

" I perfectly agree with Lieutenant-Colonel Ovans
when he argues, that this is not a case that can be dis-
posed of by admonition or reprimand, or by attempting
to attach, or re-attach, the Raja to the British connec-
tion by measures of lenity and forgiveness. His High-
ness, it will be observed, exhibits no symptoms of con-
trition. At one time it was believed that he meditated
a confession of his fault ; but from this, perhaps his most
sensible course, he is said to have been directed by his
Bombay advisers. Whatever may be the counsels that
sway him, he has assumed the position, not of repentant
guilt, but of traduced and oppressed innocence. He
loudly demands redress for the suspicions and humilia-
tions that he has undergone, and vengeance against the
accusers who have caused his wrongs. Not only so, but
he has seized, as I before observed, this occasion to mar-
shal in array what he alleges to have been the grievances
originally sustained by him at our hands, and he calls for
reparation and indemnity. Under these circumstances,
what ground does the case present on which an amicable
adjustment can be made ? To talk of showing him
mercy will, on his principle, be to add gross insult to
grievous injury. He will say, have done nothing -to
call for lenity ! I am unjustly accused, 'and even pro-
nounced guilty, of crimes which never entered my ima-
gination : make compensation to me for this unheard-of
prosecution. I want redress, not pardon. Declare me
innocent by proclamation. Confess that I have been
cruelly wronged. Cede me territory ; cede me my just
claims over the Jagheerdars. Deliver up to me my false
and base accusers, that I may deal with them according
to their deserts.' Such would, undoubtedly, be the lan-
guage of his Highness ; and I own that, if we lay our-
selves open to it, I see not how it can possibly be an-
swered. There is but one course that we can consis-
tently pursue, if we deny him to be innocent ; it is to
deal with him as a criminal."

Mr. NORRIS said it was the duty of every one con-
nected with the Court to come forward and state his opi-
nions frankly and manfully on the present occasion, and
more particularly the ditty of those who, like himself,
had from a long residence in India an opportunity of
becoming acquainted with the bearings of the case. In
his opinion the Raja was the victim of the intrigue; of
the Brahmins. He did not state this upon his own judg-
ment alone, for the Court would recollect that in 1831
upwards of 3,000 of this caste had made the strongest
and most virulent representations against the Raja to
Lord Auckland. If the evidence in the volume which
he then held in his hand (" Official Papers concerning
the Case of the Raja of Sattara") were to be believed, it
would appear that the Raja put his liberty and posses-
sions in the hands of those whom he knew to be hostile
to him. Was it to be believed that any one in his senses
would have acted in that manner ? If the Government
believed him to be guilty, they should have watched him
closely, and the more especially were they bound to do
so when it was well known that those accusing him
were his bitterest enemies ; but these conside-
rations were not attended to, and the Raja was
the victim. It was admitted that the hand-
writing of the Raja was not produced in support of
any of the numerous charges made against him, and.it
was also pretty well known that his accusers were not
likely to speak the truth: A great deal had been said
of the mo&eal actuating the Gentlemen whose names
were h63ociated with this question. Upon this head he
Could only say that he was sure all were influenced by
feelings most pure and honourable.—(Hear, hear, and
cheers.) Still he dissented most strongly from the pro-
ceedings of the Bombay Government, and expressed his
belief in the innocence of the Raja. No men had a right
to ask him to assert distinctly that the Raja was inno-
cent, however strong the moral conviction might be
within his own breast on the subject ; for even if he
were asked to affirm that the Hon. Deputy Chairman
was not a housebreaker, he could not positively nega-
tive the assertion, however ridiculous and preposterous
it might appear,—(Laughter.) No man had a right to
have a heavy charge brought against him without a trial
being afforded to him at the same time ; but who could
say that there was a fair trial given to the Raja to prove
his innocence of the charges of intrigue that were
brought against him. He never had an opportunity of
defending himself , and, as Englishmen, a stain had
been put upon their character, and a wrong inflicted, for
which it was their bounden duty to afford a remedy. He
saw no course adopted in the present case which would
act as a caution to prevent the recurrence of the same
injustice at a future period. With respect to the charge
of the Raja's endeavour to seduce the Sepoys, he (Mr.
Norris) did not consider it to be established in a man-
ner at all satisfactory. Honourable Gentlemen had
dwelt on the assertions that the Raja was to
give notice to the Sepoys, in case of any dis-
turbances at Bombay in consequence of the communica-
tions with the Governor of Goa ; but the fact was that
the Sepoys were strictly cautioned to take no notice
whatever of any outbreaks that might occur throughout
the country. It was well known, as he before asserted,
that those upon whose testimony the accusations against
the Raja of Sattara rested were Brahmins,• who were
united not only by caste, but were also united in blood
and rascality.—(Hear, hear, and laughter.), lie (Mr. N.)
thought that, considering it hits St/ satisfactorily proved
that the Raja WM at variance with the whole Brahmin
caste, it was impossible to attach the slightest credence
to their testimony. If the Raja carried on those intri-
gues at Goa, how was it possible that they could have
escaped the cognizance of the Resident ? In several let-
ters from Sir R. Grant, it was asserted that the Raja was
most strongly attached to the British Government. He
(Mr. N.) had been in company with the Raja about half
a dozen times, and his demeanour towards the English
was frank, friendly, and joyous ; and he would appeal
to those present who had a similar opportunity, for the
truth of his assertions. • Such was his conduct
until the unfortunate circumstances connected
with the Jagheerdars, when a very marked
difference was perceptible ; and he would ask if there
was one iota of truth in the accusation of his being a
dissembler, why he did not adopt a different line of con-
duct, and turn the more obsequious and fawning ?
(Hear, hear)—instead of which he became morose, and
even uncourteous, with the Resident and Governor. He
would again ask if this proved him to be versed in the
arts of dissimulation. No one who had opportunities of
observing his demeanour, could for a moment suppose
that he was supporting for any length of time the cha-
racter of a regal gambler, or mixed up with intrigues to
gain the aid of Portugal, or other Foreign Powers. If
the opinions of the Residents were stated, it would be
found that his Mind' was solely occupied with the inter-
nal policy of his province, and all his energies directed to
the erection of schools,, Construction of roads, and such
local improvements, .and that he was the most indus-
trious of the Ilindoo Princes of India. How was that
consistent with the character of a man intriguing for the
accumulation of vast territory and influence ? The
seat of all those intriguer, which the Raja was accused
of carrying on, were petty Courts in India, where
there were no British Residents, and where no possible
service could arise to him, and therefore there was ample
grounds for supposing these were sham intrigues.—
(Hear, hear.) What those who advocated the cause
of the Raja wanted, was not any particular form of trial
but a fair hearing.—(Hear, hear.) It was ridiculous on
the part of those who said that the Raja should be tried
by a jury of his Peers. Such assertions were used in
Order to defeat the ends of justice.—(Hear, hear.) The
Gdvernment of India was carried on under regulations
passed by the Governor-General in Council, which be-
came the law of the land, and not like the administra-
. time of justice in this country. Was it fair, if a trial,
according to the strict legal punctilios, could not be
granted, that there should be no trial at all 2—(Hear,
hear.) He agreed with the gentleman who last
sat down that the ,amendment was merely preparatory.
Those who were appointed to high official offices ought
to be persons of high character and tact, and able to con-
quer the difficulties incident to our Indian possessions.
Much as he admired the character of Sir James Carnac,
yet he thought that when the Raja said he would not con-
sent to sign the paper, a different course should have
been pursued. The Raja ought to have had a fair hear-
,, ing, but instead of such being
preparedngtheca b
se,3trhteheevßideesnidceentto,
.be adduced against him was
but was never shown to the Raja previous to his, being
called upon to sign the document. He (Mr. N.) was not
able to call Sir ames Carnac his friend, yet, he owed
Sir James a debt of gratitude for appointing him to a high
situation shortly after his return to the colonies. The
Raja being conscious of his innocence refused to sign a do-
cument declaring himself guilty, and the subsequent
treatment he received could be characterised in no other
terms than harsh in the extreme ; and he (Mr. Norris)
was surprised at the manly and consistent conduct of the
Raja, under the injustice with which he had been treated.
He had tried repeatedly to open a communication with
the Bombay Government and the Honourable Court of
Directors, but in vain. There might have been an in-
flemity of temper manifested by the Raja, but this was
tie proof of his intriaming against the interests of the
British empire. His Hon. Friend (Mr. Warden) who
had previously addressed the Court, had drawn an infe-
rence unfavourable to the Raja, in consequence of his
giving up. his Minister, Govind Row (as it was stated),
to his enemies. , But the fact was quite the reverse of
this, for Govind Row was delivered up to the Bri-
tish Resident,. from whom he was sure to expe-
rience justice. Mr. Elphinstone had expressed his
assent with the majority of the Directors of that Court,
and given his reasons at length for doing so, and al-
-1 thOughl that gentleman was a man of the highest cha-
raCter., and ►etost splendid talents, and he put forward
.! all thWg,4denti upon this occasion, yet his observations
were not everth the paper they covered, either as assist-
ing thteltentlemen at the other side of the bar out of
,!-their dilemma, or affording any difficulty to their oppo-
nents is considering them If the Raja made himself a
disgrace t 6 the:British alliance, by tyranny or otherwise,
it might be said to him that the treaty and its beneficial
F ovisions • shpuld be annulled ; but, to all other pur-
p'Aes he was quite an independent sovereign, and, as
such, was entitled to be treated ; but he contended
that he had not acted in any way in the slightest degree
inconsistent with the treaty. The Hon. Gentleman here
read a long extract from the " Sattara papers," extend-
ing from page 373 to page 379, so rapidly and in such
an indistinct voice as to,render it impossible to catch its
purport; and proceeded to say that the letter he had just
read:Was meant to silence everything that had been ad-
vanced-against the Raja, and that such a letter would
never have been written if there were not the strongest

That was a most remarkable passage, and convinced
him of the honesty of Sir Robert Grant's mind. He had
fully entered into the feelings of the Raja as an innocent
man, and had traced out most accurately the line which
the Raja had pursued—(Hear, hear)—and that opinion
of Sir Robert Grant's appeared to be equally entertained
by the Governor-General, as appeared from the minute
of the 23d of December, 1838, p. 335 :-
" We are called upon, I feel, by very strong conside-
rations of propriety and expediency, to b&ing the guilt
of the Raja to the test of a final or3of, by the best and
most just process which can be ZieVised ; and then, if he
should have been unable t( exculpate himself, to remove
him from a throne of -which he will have shown himself
to be eminently undeserving."
Some ParAfeS had treated this as merely a judicial
questior, ; others had been inclined to treat it more as a
poli*.,;eal question. The Court of Directors seemed to
t.,reat it rather as a judicial question. At p. 336 in the
minute of 23d of December, 1838, the Governor-General
said—

" It is not neecessary to establish it as a fixed rule,
that the British Government cannot depose any Prince
not taken flagrante hello, except through the medium
of a formal trial.' But in this instance, if the Raja
should eventually demand to be confronted with the wit-
nesses against him, and to be placed on his trial, or
even if he should not himself make that demand, but
the written explanation or defence, which I would pro-
pose in the first instance to require from him, should
seem, as it very possibly may, to leave a necessity for
some further proceeding, there may perhaps be no al-
ternative to such a mode of final examination and dis.-
posal of the case, however cumbrous, dilatory, mid in-
convenient it must be felt to be. Commisohmers of high
rank and character from the other Presidencies, if ne-
cessary, might be assembled for the purpose. Detailed
orders would, in such a case, if we are forced to the
measure, be necessary on the precise mode of trial, and
all the other circumstances attending the procedure, to
which allusion is made in the letters from Bombay. But
it would be premature to enter at all upon those points
at present.

"As the first step, I would, as suggested by Sir Ro-
bert Grant, request that the Raja should be furnished
with a written statement, embodying a full and clear de-
tail of the factS conne'L'ied with the several charges, and
of the names (w;:a1 any reservations which may be abso-
lutely required for the safety of the party) of the wit-
tTss2S oy whom they are proved, with a notice of the
P-Ircumstanets under which the evidence was obtained,
and call for from him, within a certain reasonable time
to be fixed, a similar written statement of whatever he
may desire to urge in his own behalf. The Acting Re-
sident will, of course, take care, by every means in his
power, to see that his guarantees to witnesses are, in let-
ter and spirit, fully maintained.
" I should think the above measure, as a preliminary
one, preferable to the course of giving to the Raja a
memorandum of each diStinct portion of oral or written
evidence against him, the result of which might be much
confused, and unnecessary prolixity in the reply. When
that reply shall have reached me, I would judge from
the tenor of it, whether it would be advisable to go on
at once to any further proceeding, or to await a further
communication from the Honourable Court ; to whom,
of course, as well as to the Supreme Government in In-
dia, the reply would be immediately communicated."
at
hnayt rtehpelyy
st to
ettihil.at. h
elairehopecl
whether„ o
ae
tfloyr eo
ptihnei
6cal e bhaatde
He did not know if the Hon. Clourt of Directors had
nl
ottsdeecd
been given by till" Court of Directors on that subject.
He had already stated that the Board of Directors had
agreed Witt the General Government ; but he had yet to
leFm."‘vbat right the Bengal Government had to :deter-
"'...ne upon the case without waiting for the directions of
the Board of Directors.—(Hear, hear.) He thought that
in so doing the Bengal Government had not paid that
deference and attention to the Court of Directors which
they ought to have done.--(Hear, hear.) The distin-
guished'Nobleman who had been the predecessor of Sir
Robert Grant in the Government of Bombay, had not
been ashamed to confess that in the proceedings which
he had adopted towards the Raja of Sattara he had been
wrong. Why should they be ashamed to retrace their
steps ? Why should they be ashamed to acknowledge
that they were wiser to-day than they had been yester-
day ?—(Cheers.) The proper course to have pursued in
the case of the Raja of Sattara would have been
the one which had been pursued in the case of the Raja
of Mysore, who had been suspected of plotting against
the British Government. They had not taken upon
themselves to decide the cause ; but Commissioners had
been appOinted, to whom the administration of the do=
minions of the Raja had been' confided, so that, if the
Raja was found guilty, he might eventually be deposed,
but if he should prove his innocence, in that case his,
dominions would be restored to him=-and such ought to
have been the course pursued towards 'the Raja of, Sat-
tara.—(Hear, hear.) They ought not to have decided
on the question of his guilt or innocence at once, bit they
should have waited the result of an investigation.--(Hear.),
Instead of that they had rushed at once 'to., a decision
without inquiry. Sir Robert Grant had"it:go txliressed
his opinion that there ought to be no comvroinise—so
did they say.
.If the Raja were guilty he ought to he
deposed ; he had justly forfeited his throne ; and he did
think if the Raja were proved guilty that no one there
would hold up their hands against his deposition ; but
he could not be declared guilty until he should
have had a fair trial, and as he had not had
a fair trial he was, at that moment, although a
prisoner, by right, the Raja of Sattara.—(Hear, hear.)
He had been seized in his own palace at the dead of night,
and deposed, notwithstanding his protestations of inno-
cence. Who had been the witnesses against him ? Liars,
suborners, perjurers, criminals of the deepest dye ; and
could they believe him guilty upon such testimony, not 7
withstanding his protestation that he was not guilty,
while the most distinguished Proprietors who had been
Residents at his Court had solemnly declared that they
believed the Raja was incapable of giving utterance
to a falsehood—(Hear, hear,)—and he had authority for
stating, that the only other gentleman who had been
a Resident at the Court of Sattara (Captain Grant
Duff) entertained and had expressed similar opinions.
Could they believe him guilty upon such evidence ?
Would they allow vice to be thus triumphant, and virtue
to be abandoned ?—(Hear, hear.) This was a question
regarding not merely the Raja of Sattara. The pro-
ceedings in this case would be circulated throughout
India, and they should not hesitate to do that which was
manly and just, and, he would add, which was also ex-
pedient.—(llear, hear.) It was their duty to afford the
fullest, freest, and fairest investigation into the case.--1"I
(Rear, hear.) Our dominion in India was not held by
the sword alone,—it depended upon the faith which the
native had in the justice of our Government, and the
native Princes or others might argue that what had hap-
pened to the Raja of Sattara might happen to themselves.
They had deposed the Raja of Sattara, and appointed his
hrother in his place. A
ruffian whose life had beerrex-
tended over nearly half a century, and who, it could iiot
be supposed, would be a long lived man. At his death
.abfe Europe
ep thea viewed
this
.ed wasw with
hOjneoa jealousy g
the e
the teritory would lapse to the Indian Government.
t‘hVebunladtiitonnsot
exten-
sion' of our
dominions beyond the Indus. Would they
not taunt us with accusing the Raja of Sattara ofatri4i-
ton at the very time when we were extending'ottr-
tldlY 4ten All
-
selves over central Asia ? Would they not taunt its
with accusing the Baja of Sattara of grasping at wealth

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDIY, JULY 20 1844.

THE ELECTIONS.

WEXFORD COUNTY.—FIRST DAY.
Power • • 175
Morgan
Hat ton • 176
Hall 0

proof of his innocence. He (Mr. W.) would ask what
was th'e intrigue which produced the caution from
General Lodvvick ? It was an intrigue with
their Chairman. As for the caution of the Resident to
the native Princes, it was never • intended to be taken in
a literal sense—it was intended more in the light of a
parental adnionition. He could not help remarking on
the want of courtesy and feeling shown .by the Court,
touching the applications of the Raja, who had sent let-
ters upwards of 15,000 miles, which were actually re-
turned to him again. Surely this was not the way in
which the Court should have acted. The members of the
Court of Directors said they were compelled to drive the
Raja from the throne, but it had not been proved that he was
guilty of tyranny, or conduct that was at all disgraceful
to our alliance. Sir R. Grant, and even the Court of
Directors themselves, admitted that he was fit to be a
pattern for all the Hindoo Princes, and one whom it
was the duty of the British Government to keep on the
throne. The Hon. Gentleman concluded an able and
eloquent speech amidst cheers, and saying he should
most cordially support the motion.
After a short conversation between Mr. George
Thompson, Mr. Salomons, and another Proprietor,
The Court, on the motion of Sir Robert Campbell,
was adjourned till to-morrow.