The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-26 00:00:00

EAST INDIA HOUSE. , COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.
A quarterly general court of the tihectors and proprietors ye, te roe.). aCo eia a :toe held lei' tee diepeteh of
of this company was held yesterday in the theatre of the East business.
India House, Leadenhall-street. 'The Court was also made CITY OF LONDON CORPORATION REFORM.
special for the following reason, namely, "to call the atten- Deputy PEACOCK brought up the report of the Ccm-
tion of the proprietors to the fact of the existence of a recent
mitten of Privileges of the whole Court " for power to
corresendence between e Home ities add the Go-
vernor-p General of Indiath relating to theauthor case of the deposed prepare a Bill ntr effecting certain reforms in the Corpo-
Raja of Sattara, and to the circumstance of the exclusion ration of the City of London."
of this correspor•ence from the return dated India House, The report stated as follows:—" We again proceeded
Ist of July, 1847, made pursuant to an order of the House of in the further consideration of the matter referred to us,
Commons. dated August 28th, 1816, in order that the pro- and this Court having on the 16th of March been
prietors may take the proper steps to have the corre- pleased to agree with our re port then presented, in
spondeece in question laid before them without further . which we stated we were of (Onion the Corporation
delay." required soar ref; orm, which could only be effected by
At twelve o'clock precisely, the Governor, Sir James Weir the aid of Parliament ; and being now of opinion that a
Hogg, iogg, the Deputy-Governor, and a full attendance of direc- B ,ll should be forthwith prepare :a for effecting certain
tors, entered the Court, and the minutes of last meeting
having been read, and some ordinary business transacted. , reforms ; accordingly we recommend' that we may be
RAJA OF SATTARA. empowered to prepare the same Bill."
Mr. JAMES ARTHUR LEWIS proceeded to call attention to : Upon the motion that the Court agree with the report
the case of the ex-Raja of Sattara, and said, that on one and that it be referred back to the committee to prepare
subject, that Court (whatever opinion they might have en- . the Bill
tertained upon the justice of his claims) had always agreed, Sir PETER LAURIE said he considered the proposition
namely, that all the papers connected with the circumstance to prepare a Bill for Parliament most extraordinary
of his deposition and present retiremeut should be placed and injudicious in the present position of the Court.—
before the proprietors, and they held that the suppression of (Hear, hear, and No, no.) They had submitted a
such papers would leave the directors open to charges which series of propositioos to the law officers, with a view of
were 'bett r avoided. It would be remembered that at a asc rtaining the riii-hts and p
Thompson had read a communication showing that .owers of the Court, and the
Court held on the 18th March, 1846, Mr. George
oninion of thee- 0 officers as to the course best calculated
to promote the weltare of the corporation, and without
the Government of a former day had offered
terms to the present ex-Raja, terms involving a w
ooin e eor the advice considered so necessary they were
'
retirement, and an annual revenue suited to his for stet! , tug at once into Parliament. Be called that a
station, if be would peaceably vacate his throne. The Goo- periodical tit.—( Loud cries of "Itis no fit," and " hear,
vernor of that Company seemed taken by surprise that this hear.") There were three parties in this Court ; one a
conversation existed, and he expressed his entire ignorance very smadl one, which supported the hazardous course
that such terms ha, been offered. What was the duty of the which the Lord Mayor had been advieted to adept ; an-
Governor and or (he Court under these circuit-is( ances ? other, also, he thought a small section, which desired,
What, but to make inquiry into the truth or falsehood of the under any circumstances, to go to Parliament ; and a
document, and to report to the Cour,. of Proprietors upon ek
third, to white he belonged, and which cnsered that
the subject. Why wi:hhold these papers ? Did the fact that
the corporation possessed powers by which all reform
these papers passed throughnhe •-cretCommittee, make them
,that. was necessary could be easily accomplished.—
contidentiel ?—( Hear, hear.) But why should such a docu-
ment at all have passed through the secret Committee ? ' (Cries of " Hear," and " No, no.") At the same time
But it was said that these paper,: were surreptitiously ob- i he would say, that if the motion, unreasonable as it was,
tamed. But supposing that to be true,— assuming it to be - were passed, he should not think it worth while to oppose
true—how did it affect the right of the proprietors to the it, but reserve his opposition, when the advocates
knowledge of those papers. How did it affect the case of the of an application to Parliament should agree upon the
Rsj i? But he denied that they were so obtained. The pa- form of a Bill. Many were anxious to go to Parliament,
pers were ordered by the command of the House of Commons. but very few of that number knew what they were
But did this objection come with a good grace from the to ask Parliament to give them, and he believed that in
Court of Directors? Was it not the Beinbay Government the, attempt to
to pieces from internalfra
disagreement. In 1835, cameme their Bill, the Committee would
that employed Balajee Punt Nator, when a Prime Minister
of the Raja, to watch over and act the spy upon the conduct ran
of his master? Was it not that Government that hired their on the first attack of that fit, when the Court tried to
own servants to make out a case against the Raja? He render the Aldermen subject to periodical election, but
would not refer (although he might well do so) to more was defeated by a majority of 63 to 38. In 1838, upon a
of these atrocious actions, but he thought it ill became the similar experiment, the application to Parliament was
Governor of Bombay, in this matter, to throw the negatived by 59 to 45; and in 1843, the orators who
first stone. He trusted, therefore, that no further looked upon the victory as secure, found they were again
objectioiseof this kind would be offered to the production of mistaken, although they wished to go to Parliament for
these papers. The Hon. Proprietor then read a letter from ' o -
exactly the same thing which they at the present mo-
Mr. Hume, ALP , one of the requisitionists for calling this
merit seemed disposed to apply for. Indeed, all the
Ineeti, excusin. his absence, and also a copyobhous of thee, letter
writte ngn
by that gentleman to Sir John Cam Hobhouse, with Committee would have to do in applying to Parliament
respect to the case of the ex-Raja. The Hon. Proprietor was to get up an old report and alter its date, lid
het
concluded by moving the following resolutions : result would be just what it was in 1843, when the prc-
" That, inasmuch as all pipers relating to the ex-Raja of posed bill was negatived by. a majority of 185 to 54. He
Sattara, and hitherto recorded in the secret department, snould strenuously oppose the proposition to submit
have been produced and laid before the Court of Proprietors, their privileges to Parliament, and he knew he
this Court resolves that the Court of Directors be respect- could reckon on the support of a very large majority of
fully requested to obtain the sanction of the Board of the Court of Common Council, who agreed with him
Control for the secret Committee of the Court, to lay before that it would be madness to ask Parliament to interfere
the Committee of the Court of Proprietors all corres-
with them, especially when by the charter of Edward
pondence which has passed between the home authorities
the Third they had the power of ordaining new laws
and the Government of India, in relation to or concerning
and customs to meet the wants and exigencies of the
the ex-Raja of Sattara, which arose in consequence of a com-
munication, publicly made to the Court of Proprietors at the times.—(Hear, hear.)
Quarterly General ourt, held on the 18th of March, 1846, Mr. ASHURST—AII was smothered by the Aldermen
and which has not yet been communicated to this Court." upon the occasions to which you refer, Sir Peter.
General BRIGGS seconded the resolution. Sir PETER LAURIE said there was no doubt as to in-
Mr. GEORGE THOMPSON supported the resolution. The herent power in these charters, if these charters were
Hon. Proprietor proceeded to read certain extracts from the ' understood.—(Cries of " Oh, oh," and " Hear, hear.")
letters of the ett-Raja to his agent Rungo Bapojee, stating If he was not mistaken, the Court would understand
his determination to accept nothing less than full justice,
them in less than one month, and it would be seen that
although terms (the terms which he (Mr. Thompson) had
laid before the Court) had been offered to him by Major the opinion he had given so frequently was based upon
Carpenter, agent of the Government, in an interview held the most substantial grounds.
with him at Benares, in September, 1345. Another letter, Mr. KING said the state of the Corporation at the
specifying the terms (the particulars of which had been period quoted by Sir Peter Laurie was very different
stated in the Raja's communication) was received from the from its present condition. At the several periods
secretary of the deposed monarch, who added that the alluded to, there was a rabid faction in the Court, dis-
Governor-General was himself expected at Benares, and pased to destroy the Corporation, root and branch.
that he would endeavour to enter into arrangements in The present movement was an effusion, not of a party,
a personal interview with the Raja. The secretary's but of the whole of the representatives of the Wards.—
own impression was that an endeavour was being made to
(Hear, hear, and applause.) They either were, or
entrap the Raja into some admission which should have the
authority of his hand and seal. He (Mr. Thompson) had they were not, a deliberative body, and if they claimed
afterwards received a letter (the only one of the kind he had to be such, were they to submit to the dictation of one
ever received) from the Raja, expressing his regret that his man, and to be told by him that they should not discuss
friends in E ..;land should have thought proper to take steps any subject which he did not think meet for their con-
which compromised him with Major Carpenter, who had sideration ?—(Hear, hear.) Was it to be said that the
stated his annoyance that the conversation he had had with time was never to come at which some change should
the Ilaja should have been made public. He (Mr. Thompson) be made in the constituency ? that the great majority
and his friend Rung° Bapojee wrote, in answer, that theywere of the respectable men in the wards should be excluded
accountable for the act, and that he was freed from an from the power of voting ? He did not think the Court
implication in it. Mr. Thompson then detailed at great lengt
would any longer endure the exercise of such authority
the manner in which he had obtained possession of the secret
papers referred to. They had been left unsought for at his as the present. Lord Mayor had shown so e rest an in-
,ehambers. He had not thmented rebellion in their courts, clination to wield, and for the purpose of chucking the
c".„11t who could blame him it' he had taken advantage of it?— continuance of such evils -as they had all lately wit-
(Hear hear.) But he did not run about the streets and nessed, he should adopt Parliament as the only medium
babble to all the persons he met that he had possession of through which their constituency could obtain that to
these secret papers, but he did this: he framed a motion for which they were entitled.
returns for the House of Commons, which Air. Villiers had Doctor LYNCH said they had affirmed the principle
the kindness to make just before the rising of the last. session that Parliament must be applied to in order that some
of parliament, but Sir John Cam Hobhouse had taken the reform might be effected from a source hostile to the
tit: ray of making a slight alteration in the terms of that no- corrupt influence of the Corporation itself —(Hear,
byt"hand the consequence was, that when the papers ordered
hear and expressions of disapprobation.) It was a gross
of p.°,lsiouse were laid before the House, on the re-assembling.
o)under, and it was excessive fully to believe that the
• Parliament, the very documents that were particularly m-
atured
ir jo,vfere not among them. Mr. Villiers subsequently
.saw Court of Aldermen would for a moment consent to rte
athnadttteenraCin. Hdobthhontse; and in answer to the representations form itself, or that any improveineet could be accona-
these retuniasdt etch of the 24th August, 1845, plished in such a body without application to Parlia-
should issue tale
eurtacea milling thereto, were not included in inept. Whatever powers were inherent in the Corpora-
these
him that •
Right Hon. Baronet assured him lie lion as to the accomplishment of changes fir the benefi-
'an order to the East India House to furnish of
the citizens of London, it would be absurd to expect
them; but on the evening of the -15 h February the Hon.
Stephen Byng,any. advantage from the co-operation of the Court of
the clerks undetr the Board of Control,
met Mr. Villiere in the lobby, and told him that he could not Aldermen, that monster evil to which it was most
get the papers, that the East India Company would not give necessary to apply an immediate remedy. There were
them up. Subsequently the matter was brought before the other evils for which the application of tho Parliamen- I
House by Mr. Hume, and the result was known to them all. tary medicine would be necessary, but the Court of
It was for the proprietors to accede to the motion of his lion. Aldermen stood at the head of all that was bad in
Friend to have Sir John C. Hobhouse's sanction to have the Corporation of London. (No, no, and Yes,
these papers before them, as the only bar to their production yes.) It was said that a reconciliation was
existed in that house. about to take place between the two Courts. That was
The CHAIRMAN said that he gave the Hon. Proprietor exactly what the constituency apprehended most.—(A
Who had last spoken credit for having made no immediate laugh.) He feared that event himself, for he knew that
Use of the papers which had come into his possession. But such a reform as would spring:from such a reconciliation
that silence was imposed upon him by the consciousness that
would be delusive and ridiculous.
hey were obtained in a treacherous, clandestine, and sur-
;hiest of thLAIhRE. ose who formed the committee for the
NCE said that Mr. King, in denying the
reptitious manner. A great deal had been said about the al-
terations that had been made in the notice of motion which sincerity
had been placed in the hands of Mr. Villiers, but the usual consideration of former measures of reform, exhibited
course had only been adopted; for it was never intended, and his own insincerity on the present occasion, for as to the
the House rarely ordered, that the papers of the secret office past, that gentleman had proved himself to be the
should be given to the world. But Mr. Hume, in the after decided enemy to any proposition calculated to benefit
session of Parliament, had moved for, not general papers, his fellow citizens.—(Hear. hear, and laughter.) What-
but documents of a specific date, which he had ever the feelings of the majority had been as to the pro-
seen fit afterwards to withdraw without a division,
priety of applying to Parliament, from the apprehension
because he saw that the sentiments of the House
Were in accordance with the opinion of Sir John of an interference injurious to the corporation, they
Cam Hobhouse, whose opposition was founded upon a deter-
,were now determined to peril all rather than submit to
urination not to be coerced into the production of certain endure, what they had in the present Mayorahwtyasbseseind
papers merely because they were in possession of some other subjected to, any longer.—(Loud cheers.). It
Person. He (the Chairman) resisted this motion on the same the Corporation had the power to reform itself. Why,
ground, and he prayed the proprietors not to sanction a then, had they not made the effort ? In fact,
it would
motion which contained an incentive to the production of be absurd to hope for the co-operation of the Court of
secret information originally obtained in a base, and treacher- Aldermen when they had a Lord Mayor acting in such
Otis, and surreptitious manner. a manner.—(Hear, hear.) The Lord Mayor was car-
Mr. Tocitatt (Deputy Chairman) supported the motion. rying out the wishes of the Court-of Aldermen in riding
Much as he had admired the eloquence and ingennity of his 1 ough-shod over the Court of Common Council.—
Hon. Friend, he thought he had not, on the present (Hear, hear, and No, no.) Was there any man of spirit
occasion, met the question ; which was, whether
among the Court of Common Council who would bear
such papers were, or were not, in existence. If
y such degradation ?—(Cheers, and loud cries of " No.")
they were in existence, he could tee no public reason wh
they should not be produced for the satisfaction of the pro- It was s'aid "But look at what; you will lose if you go
prietors. He should therefore vote for the motion. t o Parliament ? "—(Hear, hear.) But he would ask—
Sir R. CAMPBELL (a director) was also in favour of pro- Will the Aldermen lose nothing ? Will they not be
ducing these papers. clipped ?—(Cheers.) They knew it. Did they
Mr. SULLIVAN was proceeding to support the motion, really object to the Qualification Bill? They cared
When he was obliged to sit down from it:,:. a., sition. nothing about it until they learned that it would be
Mr. WIGRAM (a director) opposed the til.rii on. He thought f diowed by the more important measure of checking
that the Court should not sanction the production of parti- their owls expenditure of the City cash. Without ap-
cuter papers which had been obtained in a surreptitious
plicatiou to Parliament, the Court had nothing to ex-
manner
Mr. CLARKE denied that the motion specified any parti- Peet but a repetition of a hat had already occurred ; but
cular documents. It was a resolution commanding the pro- if an application to Parliament would cause the screw
ductions of papers having reference to a particular matter, to be put upon the Court oof Common Co until, Parlia-
and as such he should support the motion. ment would see the necessity of screwing up the Court
Major OLIPIIANT (a director) thought that they had had of' Aldermen proportionately.--(Cheers.)
quite sufficient grounds submitted to them to warrant the Mr. R. TAYLOR advocated the report vigorously. He
production of these papers. They had, it he might be al- ot,h,t:jedy.ciht,ea•eddtf(uoitleh,elbar,gfourhmt.,ett ofy Sir P. Laurie that because
lowed to misuse a word—they had tricd, condemned, and
were always to be traetreteo,
dethroned the Beta, upon the evidence of certain papers, and ,
fifteen
ftteeenmwoef
uthherga
01 eifetehmeacn
Court
rtthoef. dAaslseor-t
George 1., remindedwhen be (Major Oliphant), as one of the judges to the condentna-
men had gone to Parleano•nt, and succeeded in obtain •
tion of the Raja, demanded, and he had the right to demand,
ngi an Act which cemprehended the most &gran,
other papers, if such evidence would set the innocence of the
deposed Prince in a clear and satisfactory light. With these
opinions he would support the motion of the Horn Proprietor. v o atum of the rights and privileges of the Court of
Sir Jastas LAW LUSHINGTON (a director) said that he C .ninon Council —(Hear, hear.) Why should not th
could not consent to the motion. He would not attempt to Court of Common Council apply to the pre- e,,t Parlia-
deny that those papers were in existence, and he would be mint for the n-peal of that obvious measure ? Would
Most happy when the time came that they should he made any on- say that the evils which had been forced upon
public, if they proved the innocence of the Raja. He (Sir t,,..iin by Parliament, could be removed without the aid
a. L. Lushington) would be the last man, in such a case, to of Parliaments—(Fl,llr, hear.) The difficulties in which
support an injustice. 'hey were placed, hail been aggravated toy the decision
Captain SHEPHERD (a director) supported the motion.
against them in the court of law, with respect to the
The papers were refuse o because they hod been obtained in a
wlielesale dealers, end en appeal to Parham, nt was the
surreptitious tnanner. It showed the weakness of their opi-
onl means which which appeared to him to be likely to render
nions that this was the ohly plea advenced. It was mon- y
strous, it was almost incredible, that justice • hould be refused silly'''''''`ie •
to this unfortunate Prince, because one of their own servants S(r C. MARSHALL had thought that all angry feeling
had been guilty of a gross misdemeanour betwesn the Courts was dying away.—(Laud cries of
Mr. D. SALMONS was of opinion that no time was better "Ni, no.") He was confident that this Court would be
than the present for re-opening the question of the innocence I,ughed at if they determined upon going to Parliament
or guilt of the Raja of Sattara, and he should therefore la fore they received the report of th•• seven gentlemen
suggest to some of his friends, who held a strong opinion on thet had do potted to con', with the Court of Aldermen.
this matter, that the question should be left inns its present no- ,-; '
cation, until examined into by the Governor- ral of India isesputy STEVENSb eaid the object was to propose a bill
Mr. MILLS (a director) did not think that this motion, if for hirli.on, tit. but i:ot to go to Parliament without the
carried, would benefit the Raja; and he trusted, therefore. consent of the Cent t.
that it would not be persevered in. Mr. Astir:tea' said the
forming the
tAhledecrominenaus)hnowdthe
Colonel SYKES (a direetor) would divide with the proposer greatest premptitude in . Council,
Of the motion.
Mr, PLOWDEN (a director), on the ground that he was sentatives there, or to cause any other essential alters -
when it proposed to -diminish the number of the repre-
desirous of ascertaining the truth, would vote for the motion. lion in that body • but the moment a word was uttered
General ROBERTSON said that the Raja was condemned ateout making a ' charges in their own powers, nothing
unheard, and the case could not be therefore deemed a closed could be more iucunsistent.
cnie• But this was not the place to decide the question. It t:o. with much force upon the necessity of going to
ny Mr. Ashurst then proceeded
should be adjudicated on by Viscount, Pa
Hardinge, who had
in the case ot a Prince in the Pun sub (lately evinced his de- s, gue
rliament.
sire to do even-handed justice The case ti. the Raja was a Alderman COPELAND said he should support the
similar one, and he should vote for the motion. motion, having always been of opinion that the
coffer
-
Mr. WEEDING (a proprietor) opposed the motion. !flees between the two Courts could not be settled with-
Mr. GORDON supported the motion. out the aid of the Legislature.
Mr. LEWIS replied. Several other members spoke in favour of the report,
The Court then divided, when there appeared— amongst whom were Mr. Anderton, Mr. T. H. Hall,
For the motion 4O Mr. Cash, and Deputy Peacock. It was opposed by
Against it 3B Mr. Godson. To the arguments used the public have
Majority
ttliltenereape
ocrutsttovraaseda.greed to by a very great
A considerable majority of the directors were against the
Motion, while the bulk of the proprietary were in its favour. majority. The proceedings of the day certainly gave
very little hope of the reconciliation spoken of at the
The result was received with much cheering.
commencement or the discussion; of the determination of
Mr. D. SALOMONS postponed 114 motion relative to Lieut.
the
tti f) n
liCjn les 7.em(rs
sane
b eCtohu en
businesscs
li
il g
oht
fot e
smgt oi
question.
u,
)t
eor Parliament,
Waghorn's claims upon the East Media Company.
The Court then separated.
stiiionnPortAanfcteer,
t'heetrteracna
e Court adjourned.

SIR GEORGE SIMPSON, the Governor-in-Chief of
the Hudson's Bay Company's territories in North
America, has just returned to England after a long
absence. We understand that he is about to publish the
narrative of hi, journey round the world, which was per-
formed chiefly overland in the years 1841 and 1842;
the various important occupations in which he has since
been constantly engaged having precluded him from
bestowing his earlier attention to the subject.
i 2 ADVANCE IN THE PRICE OF WHlSKY.—Several
"ceased victuallers have, during the last few days, raised the
Prica of whisky three-pence a bottle.

LOSS OF A VRENcit GovEniimErri STEAMER.—
We learn from Captain Guird, of the French brig Irma and
Thomas, arrived at this port yesterday from Senegal, that
the French Government steamer Charade was wrecked off
that port on the day he left, and from 25 to 30 other crew
were lost.—Charlton Courier, Feb. 25.
THE LATE ACCIDENT TO CAPTAIN VYSE, M.P.—
We have much pleasure in stating that Captain Vyse, who
met with a serious accident while riding with Baron Rothe-
child's hounds on Thursday last, is steadily recovering, and
that all danger is past