The Sun.
London, England, 1847-07-07 00:00:00

RAJA OP SATTARA.

On the order of the day being read for resuming the
adjourned debate on this subject,
Mr. EWART put it to the Government, as the sub-
ject was creating a deep impression in the public mind,
whether it would not be advisable and politic to insti-
tute an inquiry into the claims of the Raja? As the
Hon. Member, however, was proceeding to deliver a
speech, he was called to order by
The SPEAKER, who said that the Hon. Member
must confine himself to the question he had risen to put.
Mr. EWART then simply asked the question.
Sir J. C. HOBE-MUSE assured the Hon. Gentleman
who brought forward the motion and the Hon. Gentle-
man who had asked the question that if the Raja of
Sattara had been unjustly deposed that he ought to be
reinstated. He should be the last man to object to an
inquiry. He felt, however, that he could not consistently
with his duty accede to the motion. The question of his
claims had been fully discussed on a motion of the Hon.
Member in 1845 ; it would be, therefore, sufficient for
him now to state briefly the nature of the whole ques-
tion. Ile denied that the Raja was an independent
Prince, and that this country was bound to him by a
sacred treaty to sustain hire on the throne. It was true
he was the son of Sevige ; but this man, and
those connected with him were the mere puppets
of the dominant powers—the governors of the Mahratta
empire. He was born in Persia, and both he and his
relatives were utterly powerless. Captain Grant stated
that he was sly, and given to dissimulation and intrigue,
and General Briggs gave a most prophetic account of
him. After mentioning his good qualities, he stated
that the Raja appeared disposed to remove himself from
the control of this nation, under whose control he was
stated to have been placed, and that his passion for in-
trigue, and inordinate notion of power, would even-
tually lead to his ruin. He admitted that General
Briggs had stated that he had found reason to change
his opinion since he made this statement ; but he (Sir
John C. Hobhouse) contended that the etatement first
made by him was more worthy of credence, from the
circumstances under which it was made. General Lod-
wick—and a change had also come over his dream—
stated that the Raja acted entirely without control, and
as if he were not bound by the treaty with this country,
by which the British Government put him upon the
throne, and pledged itself to keep him there, on his ob-
serving certain conditions, which he had broken. This
he thought was sufficient to condemn him, and to jus-
tify the Government in calling upon him either to ob-
serve the treaty, or to retire from the throne. He
was bound to put himself under the control of
the British resident, but he refused to do so.
He might also quote the opinion of General Robertson
to the same effect. It was true, in 1836, the Court of
Directors felt so pleased with the conduct of the Raj s,
that they presented him with a sword; it was also true
that he signed the dispatch which accompanied it; but
they had since had reason to alter their opinion. In the
same year, Lieutenant-General Lodwick reported that
the Raja had violated the treaty—that be had shown
himself faithless—and that his conduct presented no
" extenuating circumstances." It was on the receipt of
these reports by the Government of Bombay, that a com-
mission, consisting of three competent and impartial
gentlemen, was appointed in October, 1836, to inquire
into the charges which had been made, and they were
made by the most competent person to do so; namely,
the British resident. The gentlemen were General
Lodwick, Mr. Willoughby, and Colonel Ovens, whose
character was unimpeachable, and they were re-
quested to inquire into the alleged infraction of the
treaty. They sat 24 days, examined all parties
brought before them on oath, and they came to a deci-
sion with which every one would agree. His Hon.
Friend said that the Raja was not heard in his defence ;
but he attended on the 13th day with his brother and
others, when his servants were examined with respect
to the conspiracy at Bellapore, Hydrabad, and other
places. Mr. Willoughby told him it' he was guilty of
the charges imputed to him, that it would be well for
him to confess his guilt ; adding, at the same time, that
they were ready to hear him. Both on that day and
the 16th, and on other days depositions were received
from him, and witnesses sent by him were examined.
No man could say that he did not receive all the advan-
tages which an accused had a right to demand.—(Hear.)
The Commissioners sent all their proceedings to the
Government of Bombay, anti they were ultimately
transmitted to the home Government. Sir Ro-
bert Grant had been stated to have had
an interest in injuring the case of the Raja; but there
was no man more fair or more consistent than that
lamented gentleman.—(Hear, hear.) tie stated that no
one would deplore the departure of the Raja, and that
no one would think that he had been the victim of the
oppression and tyranny of this country, but of his own
over-reaching ambition. Did they think that Sir
Robert Grant would have hazarded this record of his
opinion, if he had not sincerely believed that he was
honestly justified in expressing it?—(Hear, hear.) And
Mr. Farish and Mr. Anderson, two of the council of
Sir Robert Grant, agreed in stating that the Reja had
throughout shown a disposition to break away from the
terms of the treaty. He also stated that the views of the
Raja were to seduce the native officers of the British
army from their allegiance, and though they were gene-
rally futile—(Hear, hear, prom Mr. Hume)—still they
were of a character to justify the course that was taken
against him. The opinions of these men having been
communicated to Lord Auckland, that nobleman stated
that he freely concurred in the unanimous opinion of
the Government of Bombay that the it .ja was guilty of
the treason which was Lid to his charge, and that he
was unworthy, from his ambition and malignity, to fill
the position which he held. He would now read the
opinion of General Morrison, who was then in In-
dia, who was fully acquainted with the particulars
of the case. That gentleman was of opinion that
there were the strongest proofs of his disaffection and
hostility, but he was of opinion that it would be wrong
to send him to trial, but at once to depose him, and to
declare the reasons for such a step. He would now
come to the opinion of another gentleman, Mr. Wil-
berforce Bird. That gentleman was also of opinion that
the stipulations of the treaty had been violated, and that
the Raja should be set aside. Mr. Robertson,
who was for a long time intrusted with the go-
vernment of the north-eastern provinces, con-
firmed the testimony of the gentleman whose
opinions had just been quoted, that the Raja deserved
the treatment which he had received. He now came to
the proceedings of the Board of Control. When Sir
James Carnac went out to India, the last words
which he (Sir J. C. Hobhouse) said to him at his
departure were, to deal with the greatest le-
niency with the Reja. In the negotiations of that
Baronet with the Raja, the latter objected not to the
preamble of the treaty, as had been stated, but to the
second article, which he believed would reduce him to
the condition of a mere steward or serf under the British
Government. Now he (Sir J. C. Hobhouee) contended
that this objection involved a disinclination to the treaty
itself, and confirmed the opinions which were
entertained of the Raja's conduct. Sir James
Carnac, however, gave the Rejah every op-
portunity to re-consider his determination, and it
was not till the Raja refused for the third time to sign
the stipulation, that he was deposed. The Right Hun.
Baronet then proceeded to defend Colonel Ovens from
the misrepresentation which had been made against
him in a petition presented to the Ileuse
of Commons, from Mr. Forbes, in 1839,
and also the other charges that had been
made against that officer by the Hon. Member for
Montrose. That Gallant 3fficer had behaved with the
greatest leniency towards the Raja, when in the act
of deposing him, and with regard to the charge
of forgery he (Sir C. Hohhouse) stated that Colonel
Ovens was the first who suggested doubts as to the
authenticity or the forged seals.—(Hear, hear.) There
never was an officer so maligned. It was his (Sir J. C.
Hobheuse) opinion that the Rajah would never
been
influenced adopted the course he did, had he not
influenced by bad advice from Bombay—to the effect
that no such steps would be taken against him. After
reading the opinions of Mr. Edmonston, who took the
same views as the others whose opinions he had quoted,
the Right Hon. Baronet pi oceeded to detail the course
adopted by the Court of Proprietors of the East India
Company, when the charges were brought against
Colonel Ovens by Mr. George Thompson, and
when not a single individual of that body
.eaeo his vote in favour of the truth of these charges.
It appeared to him, in conclusion, that it would be
fatal to the Government of India to take the power from
them which they at present exercised, except upon a
case of the greatest necessity ; and if the House showed
a distrust in the authorities there, they would be strik-
ing a blow at the svereienty of India from which it
would never recover.—(Cheers.)

Au Hog. MEMBER said it was considered by
all parties that the Raja, would be treated with a second
trial, and it would be seen from the debates which had
occurred upon tnis subject that Sir Robert Peel was of
opinion that a second trial ought to be granted. The
Raja had fully proved that he was totally ignorant of
the offences which had been attributed to la:m, while the
evidence of the Ministers of Spain and Portugal fully
proved that the declaration of innocence on the part of
the Raja was sincere ; and yet, in the teeth of
all this testimony, a second hearing had been refused.
to the Raja. There could be no doubt that the Raja did
not have justice done to him on his first trial, and it
was no less certain that the Raja had been treated with
nothing but cruelty since the first inquiries into his
alleged offence, when the Right Hon. Gentleman at the
head of the Board of Control had told the House
that Lord Auckland was convinced of the guilt
of the Raja of Satara.—(llear, hear.) He would
not do the Noble Lord the injustice to suppose
that the Noble Lord was sincere in that opinion,
but this he would say, that the Noble Lord had never
denied the right of the Baja to claim and to have con-
ceded to him a fair trial. lie contended that the
facts and statements of his Honourable Friend the
Member for Montrose remained not only uncon-
troverted but uncontradicted. True, it had been shown
that he was in error in some of his details, but never
theless, he trusted the special pleading of the Right lion.
Gentleman the President of the Board of Control would
not prevent further inquiry being instituted into this
painful and distressing case. The Right Honourable
Gentleman might object to inquire into the merits of the
case through the medium of a Committee of that House;
but the Raja and his agents were disposed to submit to
any other species of inquiry, and he for one, as a Mem-
ber of the independent section of the Legislature of this
country, trusted that justice would not be refused to the
Raja by the British House of Commons.—(Hear.)
Mr. PETER BORTHWICK said he would not
detain the House at any great length upon
this question, but be really must confess that having
listened attentively to the details of the case of the
Raja of Sattara, he could not help thinking that a
second inquiry ought to be instituted' into it. No doubt
the Raja was a person of sly habits. He acquired
those habits through being trained in a gaol, but bear-
ing in mind the fact that after twenty years' expe-
rience the Indian Government bad found the Raja
more "hidtothe &Weil 041titUtiNt tnd British

authorities than any other Prince of a similar ohs'
racter, it was clear that the charges against
the Raja, if not without foundation, were grossly
exaggerated, and ke thought an inquiry could not be re-
fused. But a Member of that House had stood up in
his place and told them that if they would grant him an
inquiry into this case, he would prove that an offer of
indemnity and reward were made by the British
Goverament to the Raja of Sattara if be would
only confess his guilt, and he, for one,
thought that after such a statement as this, the inquiry
asked for could not be refused. If the Raja were A
hypocrite, as was represented by the Right Hon. Geneve
man the President of the Board of Control, he would, in
preference to getting up an agitation through the medium of
his agents on his own behalf, have rested satisfied with
his allowance of 12,0001. a-year, but ho (Mr. Borthwick)
felt that injustice had been done to the Raja, and it was
on that account that the Raja was induced to agitate
this question. He must, therefore, give his vote
in favour of the motion of the Honourable Member
for Montrose if her Majesty's Government declined 07
give a pledge that some further inquiry should be in-
stituted into this painful and distressing case.—(Hear.)
Dr. BOWRING thought the Right Hon. Baronet
at the head of the Board of Control had treated
the Raja of Sattara with gross injustice. The
Court of Directors of the East India Company
and the British residents at Sattara, before these
charges which had lead to the deposition of the Raja
were preferred, pronounced the Raja to be one of the
staunchest supporters of the British Government ; and
it was not, till it was found convenient to make these
unjust charges against the Raja, that they felt them-
selves called upon to change their opinions in that re-
spect. lie thought, therefore, that some further inquiry
ought to be instituted into the case of the Raja.
Mr. B. ESCOTT said the case made out for the de-
cision of the House remained without any answer on
the part of those who should support the sentence
against the Raja of Sattara, and if it were on that
ground alone, he thought the further inquiry asked for
ought to be conceded by the House.—(Hear, hear.)
Sir E. COLEBROOKE thought the lion. Member for
Montrose had made out a strong case for inquiry, and
he should certainly give the motion of the Hon. Gentle-
man his support.—(Hear, hear.)
Sir J. W. HOGG said, whatever might be said to the
contrary, there could be no doubt that the
statement of the Right Honourable Gentleman
the President of the Board of Control was a sufficient
answer to the charges of the Honourable Gentleman, the
Member for Montrose. The Raja had been fairly
tried, he had had every opportunity of defending him-
self against the charges which had been preferred against
him, and let them institute as many inquiries as they
liked, it was quite impossible that any other result could
be come to than that which had already been arrived at.
—(Hear, hear.) The Hon. Gentleman the Member for
Montrose had asked for a Commission of Inquiry to be
sent out to Bombay. Why, that Commission had
already been sent out, and after the conclusion
that Commission had come to upon the case of the
Raja, there could be no possible advantage
derived from any further inquiry into the matter, no
person could read through the evidence adduced on the
trial of the Raja, admitting as he did the absurdity
of the schemes which it was said the Baja
had in view, without being convinced that the
Raja was guilty of the charges preferred against him.
What use could there be in any further inquiry? No-
thing whatever, and he hoped, therefore, the House
would not agree to the motion of the Hon. Gentleman-
opposite.—(Hear, hear.)
Lord JOHN MANNERS supported the motion for
an inquiry into the case of the Raja.
After a few words from Mr. HUME,
The House divided, when there appeared—
For the inquiry 23
Against it
Majority —2l
The House then went into Committee pro forma.
The remaining orders of the day were then disposed
of, and the House adjourned at Half.past One o'clock.

PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES

IN SCOTLAND.

We find the following list of candidates for the coun-
ties and burghs in Scotland, in a Scotch paper of Mon.
day :—The Conservative county candidates are—Hork
Admiral Gordon for Aberdeen ; the Dean of Facultf
for Argyle ; Mr. A. Oswald for Ayr ; Lord Reidhaven
for Banff ; Hon. Francis Scott for Berwick ; Mr. J
Stuart Wortley for Bute ; Mr. Mackenzie, of Apple"
cross, for Cromarty and Ross ; Mr. Stnollett for Dum-
barton ; Mr. Hope Johnson for Dumfries ; Sir John
Elope for Edinburgh ; Major Cumming Bruce for Elgin
and Nairn ; Sir Coutts Lindsay for Fife ; Hon. Mr.
Charteris for Haddington ; Mr. H. T. Baillie for
Inverness ; General Arbuthnot for Kincardine ; Aft'
Lockhart for Lanark; Mr. Baillie, jun., of PolkeMilleS
for Linlithgow; Mr. W. F. M'Kenzie for Peebles; Mr.
Home Drummond for Perth; Colonel Mure for Renfrew;
Mr. A. Lockhart, for Selkirk; Mr. Forbes of Callender
for Stirling; and Colonel Blair for Wigton. The
Liberal county candidates are—Mr. James Duff for
Banff; Mr. Trail' for Caithness; General Morison for
Clackmannan and Kinross; Mr. Matheson of Achani
for Ross and Cromarty; Captain Wemyss for Fife; Hon-
Douglas Gordon Hallyburton for Forfar; Sir David
Baird for Haddington; the Solicitor-General for Kir-
eudbright; Mr. F. Dundas and Mr. Anderson for Orkney
and Shetland ; Hcn. J. E. Elliot for Roxburgh; Sir David
Dundas for Sutherland; and Captain
Dalrymple for
Wigton—BanfT, Gromarty, Fife, Haddington, Orkney, and
Wigton, are therefore the contested counties. In Aber-
deen, Argyle, Ayr, Berwick, Bute, Caithness, Clack-
mannan, Dumbarton, Dumfries, Edinburgh, Elgia
Forfar, Inverness, Kincardine, Kircudbright, Lanark
Linlithgow, Peebles, Perth, Renfrew, Roxburgh, Selkirk
Stirling, and Sutherland, no contest is as yet apparent-
The Liberal burgh candidates are— Mr. Bannerman f°r
Aberdeen ; Lord James Stuart for Ayr District;
Mr. Ewart for Dumfries ; Mr. Duncan for Dundee ;
Mr. Macaulay and Mr. Gibson Craig for Edinburgh
(who by the bye are certain of being opposed
—we have heard the names of Lord Ashley,
Lord John Manners, &c., mentioned as likelf
to be put forward) ; Sir Andrew Leith Hay and
Mr. Duff for Elgin ; Mr. Wilson, of Dundyvan, for
Falkirk district; Mr. Denistoun, the Lord Provost, Mr'
Macgregor, and Mr. Dixon, for Glasgow; Mr. DunloP
and Lord Melgund for Greenock; Colonel Henry Fer-
guson Davie for Haddington District; Hon. P. Bouverie
for Kilmarnock District; Colonel Ferguson for Kirkaldf ;
the Lord Advocate for Leith District (an opposition
resolved upon, and it is thought Mr. Wallace of KAI
may be prevailed upon to stand); Mr. Hume for the
Montrose District; Mr. 1-lastie for Paisley; Mr.
Manic for Perth; Mr. Edward Ellice, jun., for St'
Andrew's District; Mr. Allison, Mr. J. B. Smith'
and Mr. A. C. Maitland Gibson for Stirling District;
Mr. Loch for Wick District; and Sir John M,Teiggart
for Wigton District. The two burgh Conservative candy
dates are Lord Lincoln in Falkirk District, and Sir S.
W. Drummond, of llawthornden, in Haddington
trict. Edinburgh, and we may say Leith, Elgin, Fel-
kirk District, Glasgow, Greenock, Haddington District,
and Stirling are, therefore, to be the scenes of election
contests. Aberdeen, Ayr District, Dumfries, Dundee,
Kilmarnock District (perhaps), Kirkaldy, Montrose
District, Paisley, Perth, St. Andrew's District, Wick
District, and Wigton District, exhibit no symptoms of *
contest. It is said, however, that Mr. Loch is to be or
posed in the Wick District ; and the starting of Sir
Coutts Lindsay, Colonel Blair, of Blair, and Lord Reid'
haven for the counties of Fife, Wigton, and Banff bag,
in the meantime, no better foundation than rumour.

The Observer of Sunday gave a folio column of
particulars connected with the splendid preparations ill
progress at Cambridge up to 8 o'clock on Saturdsl
evening; four folio columns of literary notices, includiDg
the Edinburgh, Quarterly, and Westminster Reviewa,
also Blackwood, Fraser, and Bentley's Magazines, Sce4
summary of the quarter's revenue; second critique of
ll
the exhibition of the works of art at Westminster lb;
to the extent of three folio columns; a folio column
Niarylebone election, 100 miscellaneous advertisements.
and twenty. six folio columns of foreign and &mesa°
news, chiefly original. Price of the observer, sixpence-
Published at 170, Strand, by Mr. Clement, junior.
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BIIiTHS.
On the 2d inst., at the Manor House, Lech lade, Glen-
eetershire, the lady of George =ward, Esq., of a son.
On the 3d inst., at Manor-street, Old Kent-road, Mrs. E.
Hurding, of a daughter.
On the 4th inst., at Kew-green, the wife of T. S. Watson,
Esq., of a daughter.
On the 4th inst., in the Strand, Mrs. Cuthbert Britton Slee,
of a daughter.
On the 4th inst., at Southampton, the lady of William
Wake, Esq., of a daughter.
On the 4th inst., at Amwell-terrace, Pentonville, Mrs. 1•
M. Wilkin, of a son.

On the 4th inst., at Brixton, Mrs. H. Bicknell, of a son.
On the sth inst., at Mottingham House, Eltham, Kent, the
wife of the Rev. Paul Ashmore, of a daughter.
On the sth inst., in Upper Harley-street, the wife of Henri
L. Holland, Esq., of a daughter. . _