The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-03 00:00:00

SECOND READINGS.

dispatches hc.d been received from Lieut. Shiel, giving
reason to believe that he was then in prison. Dr.
Wolff, who had recently left that country, had, how-
ever, heard that this unfortunate officer had been inhu-
manly murdered. So many incongruities existed, that
no dependence could be placed upon this information,
and the petitioners therefore intreated the House to
take measures to ascertain the fate of Lieutenant Wyberg.
He should to-morrow put a question, founded on the
petition, to the First Lord of the Treasury.
THE TEN HOURS' BILL.

Mr. WILSON PATTEN presented apetition in favour
of a restriction on factory labour to ten hours a day.
THE CHARTIST CONVICTS. . .

Mr. SHARMAN CRA WFORD presented a petition
from a place in Lancashire, praying for the liberation of
Frost, Williams, and Jones.

RECLAIMING OF WASTE LANDS.

Mr. VCIONIEI7I.; presented a petition from a
place in the county of Galway respecting the propriety
of reclaiming the waste lands of that county as a means
of employing the people.
THE GOVERNMENT MEASURES.

Mr. WALKER presented several petitions in favour
of the commercial measures proposed by the Govern-
ment.

ENROLMENT OF THE MILITIA.

An Hoti. MEMBER presented a petition from Saffron
Walden against the enrolment of the militia.
Mr. T. DUNCOM BE presented a petition from
Edinburgh to the same effect; also one in favour of a
total and immediate repeal of the corn laws; and another
from Hertfordshire in favour of the Ten Hours' Bill.

Lord J. RUSSELL presented a petition, sig..ed by
the shipowners of the city of London, the petitioners
stating that they did not concur in the views expressed
in a petition of the shipowners of the north of Englawd
against any alteration of the timber duties. They there-
fore prayed the House to reduce the present duties on
timber. The Noble Lord moved that the petition should
be printed with the votes.—Ordered to lie oa the table.
THE ANDOVER UNION.

An Hos. MEMBER presented a petition from the
medical officer of the Andover union, Mr. Westlake,
complaining that the guardians are about to dismiss him
for having exposed abuses existing in the union, and
praying the House to insitute an inquiry into the matter.
THE CORN-LAWS.

Mr. M. GIBSON presented a petition from Ipswich in
Favour of the Government measure.

Mr. COBDEN pres..nted a petition from Goatacre,
signed by 2,500 persons, praying fur an immediate re-
peal of the corn•laws.
NOTICE OF MOTION.

Mr. EWART gave notice of his intention, on a future
day, to move for a reduction of the duty on the importa-
tion of toreign books.
SIGNATURES TO PETITIONS.

Mr. BERKELEY said that he wished to call the at-
tention of the House to some circumstances connected
with a petition which was presen:ed on Friday last.
He understood that tha petition came from Cheltenham,
but he had ascertained that it did not emanate
from Cheltenham. but from Manchester. He e ,nsidered

that to be a breach of ,the privileges of the House. He
was quite ready to adopt any suggestion that could be
made by the House. He had letters in his
pocket to prove that a great number of
the signatures to that petition were forgeries, and
many of the names would never have been sub,cribed
to the prayer contained in that petition. Under these
circumstances he left it to the It ruse, whether it would
think proper to carry the business any further. It
was a subject worthy of the avention of the
House, as it was a very general complaint that the
petitions of the people did not command any con-
sideration in Parliament, and, indekd, he did not
wonder at it, considering the means used in getting
signatures. He therefore moved that this petition be
referred to a Select Committee, before who the sig-
natures should be examined.
_ _ _

Mr. NEWDEGATE said that he was glad to have
that opportunity of making a few remarks with respect
to the practice of forging sJgnatures to petitions. He
would call the attention of th House to the proceedings
of the agents of the Anti-Corn-law League, with regard
to the petitions that had been presented—(No, and hear)
—as forgeries to a great extent had been proved therein.
—(Hear, hear.) The privileges of that House were in-
fringed when petitions falsely representing th• opinions
of the people were presented, and when wholesale fraud
was adopted to misrepresent the feelings of those who
had a right to vote. He was anxious that a Committee,
should be appointed to inquire into the subject then be-
fore the House, and that the inquiry should not
be confined to that alone, but should inquire
into the far more serious question of undue in-
terference with the registration laws of the country.
The Hon. Gentleman then proceeded to detail a case
where 30,000 notices of objection were posted in one
night in Manchester.
Mr. HUME rose to order. He would be most
happy to hear any statement connected with the regis-
tration of voters, but he submitted that the state-
ments of the Honourable Member had nothing
whatever to no with the question before the House. If
the Honourable Gentleman would make any motion for

an inquiry, he would support him, but at the present time
it was sorely the more proper course to abide by the forms
of the. House. He had no wish to prevent the question
from being brought forward at the proper time.
Mr. NEWDEGATE replied that he would abide by
the decision of the Speaker. He only brought torward
his statement in corroboration of the facts stated by his
Hon. Friend.

The SPEAKER decided that, unless Mr. Newdegate
wished to move an amendment upon the motion, he had
better confine himself to the exact question before the
House.
Mr. NEWDEGATE begged to give Deuce that ne
would move that it be a further instruction to the Com-
mittee to make particular inquiry into the case of each
particular name attached to the petitions.
Mr. BRIGHT, said that o❑ a termer night he offered
to second a motion for a Committee, if moved for by the
Hon. Member for Cheltenham; but, having received an
explanation, he thought it might be well to
submit it to the House before the motion was
disposed of. He held a letter in his hand
from the secretary of the Anti-Corn-law League at Man-
chester, in which it was stated that several sheets of the
petition were sent to Manchester not pasted together,
and the clerk, or party there, found the first sheet without
signatures, and accordingly transfer red five names there-
to. The Member for Cheltenham was reported to have
■aid that a Mr. Barry, a miller, whose name appeared
attached to a petition, had never signed it, nor had he
ever authorised any person to attach his signature
thereto, but Mr. Berkeley was reported in the
Morning Herald to have said that he had a
letter from his agent, in which it was
stated that he (the ag: nt) was present when
Mr. Barry did sign the petition in question.
The individual who had transferred the five names to
another sheet of the petition, did it in order that the
petition might be such as it should be when presented to
the House. That individnal had acknowledged the fact,
and although it was nit one of the most prudent or
regular things to do—(Protectionist cheers)—yet there
could be no eoubt whatever that it might have been done
without the slightest intention of infringiug the rules
of the House, or presenting names to that House
which were not genuine, and had not been affixed to the
petition. He (Mr. Bright) had just to make an ob-
servation by way of explanation, and he should rather
hope that the House might be satisfied with that
explanation—(Cries of " No, no; from the protec-
tiunists)—and not feel itself bound to take any further
steps. If it did, he should be most happy to second the
proposition for a Commits' e to go into the matter in
the most rigid manner possible, for he was quite sure
that neither petitions nor anything else could be done sa-
tisfactorily unless the petitions were the genuine ex-
pressions of those who sent them.
Mr. HINDLEY wished to know whether there was
any other flaw in the petition that had been alluded to?
Mr. BRIGHT said that the letter which he held in
his hand did not refer to any; but he had no doubt,
whatever from the heading of the petition, that it was
the original petition sent from Cheltenham, because the
wording of it was different from that in the circular which
had been issued by the Anti-Corn-law League. He be-
lieved it to be a genuine petition, and that there was no
irregularity in it except what had been referred to.
Mr. FERRAND said he had received a letter front
Sheffield in corroboration of the statements which he
had made the other night in that Howe. He had
also an extract from the Leeds Intelligences to the
same effect. He had also a letter from a
gentleman who resided in London, and referred
him to the engraving which had lately appeared
in the Illustrated London News, as a perfectlt true re-
present ation of the manner in which the Anti. Corn-law
Leaguers procured signatures to their petitions. And
yet the petition, which had been referred to by the
last named paper, had been presented by the Noble
Lord, the Member for London (Lord J. Russell) : it
was in fact signed by mere children, who had signed their
names two ur three times over. He had also a
letter which was only a dozen lines, and he
would therefore trespass upon the time of the House
while he read it. That letter was as follows :—" If any
further information will be of any use to you in your
opposition to the Anti-Corn-law League—(Opposition
cheers and laughter)—l should feel great pleasure in
forwarding to you the name of a man who is engaged by
the League, and has affixed about 14,000 signatures to one
petition from that body. There are twenty persons
similarly employed.—(Loud laughter.) I also know
ano:her case, in which 500 names were affixed to a peti-
tion by one party before he left the room in which they
were written.—(Laughter.) I have no doubt that many
other instances of the same kind might be brought for-
ward." He (Mr. Ferrand) concluded his observations by
stating that be would move, as an amendment, that
a Committee be appointed to inquire generally into the
method adopted by the Anti-Corn-law League, in ob-
taining signatures to petitions to that House ?—(A laugh.)
Lord J. MANNERS wished to say a few words with
respect to the remarks of the Hon. Member for Durham
(Mr. Bright). He happened to be walking down Gros-
venor-place the other day, When he heard a comfortable-
looking baker's:,boy say to one of his companions, "I say,
old boy, have you signed the anti-corn-law peti-
tion ? I have signed it three times."—(Roars of
laughter.) This was an isolated case, as he believed
that parties were in the constant habit of signing these
petitions as often as they happened to pass along
the streets in which they were exhibited.—(Protec-
tionist cheers.) Parties were allowed to put down their
names ea often as they thought proper.
The SPEAKER inquired if Mr. Ferrand intended
to include the case he had referred to in the motion he
had submitted to the House, in order that it might be
investigated by the same Committee to which the peti-
tion from Cheltenham had been referred.
Mr. FERRAND replied in the affirmative.
Mr. C. BERKELEY was anxious to say a few words

The following Bills were read a second time, and
ordered to be committed, viz.:—
Colchester, Stour Valley, Sudbury, and Halstead Rail-
way.
Burnley Improvement and Waterworks.
Newcastle and Darlington Junction Railway and Tyne

Dock.
Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Carlisle Branch Railway.
Kennington-lar.e, &c., Lighting, kc.
Mitcham and South-Western Railway.
Derby, Gainsborough, and Great Grimsby Railway.
Shrewsbury, Oswestry, and Chester Junction Railway
(Crickheath and Wem Lines).
Shrewsbury, Oswestry, and Cheater Junction Railways
(Extensions and Deviations).
North Wales Mineral Railway (Deviation and Branches).
Monkland Canal.
Great North of Scotland Railway.
Bromsgrove Improvement and Small Tenements.
Rochester Bridge.
Electric Telegraph Company.
Salford Hundred Court.
City of London Coal Market and Improvement.
Billingsgate Market.
Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne, and Manchester Rail-
way (Peak Forest and Macclesfield Canal Purchases).
Huddersfield and Manchester Railway and Canal (Old-

ham Branch).
lluddersfield and Manchester Railway and Canal (Hud-
dersfield Diversion and Cooper Bridge Branch).
Wishaw and Coltness Railway (Greenhill Branch).
Glasgow, Paisley, and Greenock Railway (Harbour
Branch),
Glasgow, Paisley, and Greenock Railway (Polloc and
Govan Branch).
Scottish Midland Junction Railway (South Inch of
Perth Branch).
Scottish Midland Junction Railway Branches.
Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ardrossan Railway.
Aston Rates.
Eastern Union and Harwich Railway and Pier.
London, Newbury, and Bath Direct Railway.
Great Western and Uxbridge Railway.
East Lancashire Railway (Deviations and Branches).
Great Western and Wycombe Railway.
THE CASE OF LIEUTENANT WYBERG.

Dr. BOWRING presented a petition from the sisters
of Lieutenant Wyberg, praying the attention of the
'louse to the circumstances attending his captivity
in Bukhara, and praying the Government to take
some measures, with the view of ascertaining
whether he is alive or dead ; and if the former,
of demanding his liberation from the Ameer of Bokhara.
The facts of the case seemed to be that Lieutenant
Wyberg was, in the year 1835, sent by the East India
Company on a mission to Shiva, but in proceed-
ing through Bokhara, he was detained by the
Ameer, and, it was believed, thrown into prison.
Wale inquiries were ihstitated by his family, and

on the subject before the House. He was bound to say
that ho viewed with very great suspicion any petition
from Cheltenham which came from Manchester. lie had
represented Cheltenham for 14 jisars ; and ho Nino of

opinion that if his constituents had any great grievance line and to military habits by European officers
to complain of, they might place it in the form of-s peti- of great skill and ability. The wish of my lion. and Gallen
tion, and transmit it to him to his residence in Wigrnore- Friend was, that a Seikh Government should be established in
street. There was t:o necessity to send it first to Man- the Punjaub, by the establishment of a Mussulman or soy
Chester. He had received a cornmun;catien from Mr. Hen. other form of Government. At the same time, although DI
13
nessey, a person residing at Cheltenham, who, he believed,
Regression, and although Le refused to entertain every aro'
was an Irishman, and like the generality of his country- Gallant Friend was determined to resist every attempt
posal'
that was made to him to interfere in the domestic affairs
men, was liable to commit great blunders.—(Great of the Punjaub—and it must be remembered that a word front
laughter.) This person stated that his name was at- him would have incited rising of the Mussulman inhabitants of
tached to the petition, and that it followed that of a per- the Punjaub against the Seikh Governmant—.my Hon- and,
son named Poring, or that Pering's name followed his. Gallant Friend up to the last moment continued steadily 110"
Now he (Mr. Berkeley) had searched the petition with determinedly to adhere tie his resolution of abstaining frost
great care yet he could not discover Mr. Hennessey's all interference in the domestic affairs of the Punjaub. WI
name.—(Protectionist cheers.), my Gallant Friend had to defend, against a licentious an
After a few words from Mr. ENTWISLE. abandoned army, a territory extending over a distance of one
hundred miles. It was not the intention of my friend to for. ota
Mr. P. BORT HW IC K. deprt cated the practice of copy- anything lke a connexion of fores, which would justitit:
ing the names of parties to a petition, even although remonstrance on
they had voluntarily signed it, because the practice was the part the. Lahore Government. "I
Gallant Friend took that step which he thought most necessary
liable to be abused. The Anti-Corn-law League might fur the interests of this country. At Ferozepore is stationed 1
consider the practice perfectly legitimate, but force of about 8,000 men ; at Loodianah is stations..
he considered that it interferred with the European regiment, seven regiments of native infantry's" e,
rights of the people, and was liable to destroy two regiments of native cavalry. There are twenty-four Da'"
the efficacy of the petitions to that House—(ileac, hear) guns, and mounted in position at Ferozepore are thirtysive
In his opinion the Committee would do much to effect guns. My Friend intended that this should. bet:ll
an alteration. advanced post of the British army, and it was so °celery'
as to be _ capable
.of resisting any attack. At a dist_.sasa_ce„!
Mr. BRIGHT then rose and stated, that in looking
over a petition which he held in his hand he discovered easterly, of seeenty-six miles higher up the Sutlej, at Loodt a''
was collected a force of 5,000 men. My Gallant Prieto;
the names of five petitioners, which were pasted over. object was that these two divisions of the army, staticul.
These names were transposed and placed in another part severity-six miles from each other, should act on the illanb,'°-
of the petition; he contended that, although this might any army from the Punjaub, which might be intended toes-
be irregular, it was clearly nu fraud. wade the British territory. At a distance, more in the Weill
Mr. FERRAND rose amid loud cries of " Spoke, at Umbal!ah, was stationed another force of expo men, or at
Order." . least 7,500. The impression of my Gallant Friend was, tlia
erOY
The SPEAKER having put the original resolution, it was improbable that any attack should be made by an el 0
Mr. FERRAND moved, as an amendment, " Thet it. from the Punjaub on the British forces. He knew the:4,
conduct on his part would justify such an attack, and b tee
should be an instruction to the Committee teinquire into
the manner in which the Anti•Corn-lew League had every assurladrastaenwth.icehtchoeuld inference,
felt that neither justice nth,
obtained signatures to the petitions." He believed reason
bownould sanction
etomad enough
re seek that aeri army
conflict from
with the
that the petition purporting to be presented from Chel- Britishl troops at Loodianah, or at Forozepure. There Well
tenham was not signed by any person in that town, but good reasons why my Gallant Friend did not for the last tt
that it emanated from Manchester. or three years .raise an immense British and native arieffr;
Mr. HUME said, if the amendment of the Hon. the Sutlej. Seeing within a few miles of him an array s° „a
Member for Knaresborough were agreed to as it at from all restraint, my Gallant Friend did not consider it,"er
present stood, it might he inferred that the Anti-Coin- that his troops should have constantly before ...el4
law League had been guilty of malpractices eyes the bad examples of discipline which they
.o_cvnialf
in getting up petitions. No 4', he had no ob- But there were military reasons for not
.te1ir.).....
. the main body of the army on tbe left-0,1e,./to
jection to the amendment, it' it were made general,
bank of the Sutlej as well as olitical. It as impess"-
and if the inquiry should extend to the protection so-
cieties, and all societies. in general ? say to what point. an attack, if aggressionw were- intenclideill
would be directed. On the left bank of the Sutlej are n?
Sir ROBERT PEEL had not the slightest objet- States which belong to the Punjaub protected by the P1:1,,,.
tion to any inquiry which the House might think Government—in these dominions, are many forts of COOT.
fit to institute with respect to the practice of get able strength, and between the probable points of attack tYcit
ting up petitions for presentation to that House. were no less than twenty fords which were constantly cbaugiae,i
Would it not be better to give notice for another day of their position, from the nature of the river. My Hot, to
a motion for a Committee to inquire into those abuses? Gallant Friend therefore chose to place two strong 1)470.0
Several inquiries might arise en the facts that might be guard the Sutlej. The one at Feroz-ore, and the ~u_re.
Y ieo
roe
serve. His whole force for the purpose of resisting arm a
stated to the House, and it would be snore in conformity
Loodianah, and to keep the main body of the
s"-
with the usual practice of the House to decide the attack amounted to thirty regiments of native infantry;
site,subject, so as to give one question to each Committee. regiments of European infantry ; twelve regiments of ler
Sir R. H. INGLIS said that he entirely concurred in cavalry. and three regiments of European cavalry. I tot
the suggestion of his Right lion. Friend, but he thought fore think that the House will consider that the Goverfeeeta
that there ought to be a distinction between the took every measure that possibly couldhe taken te secure seottes
two cases. The Hon. Member for Montrose had At an early period of the year, the Governor-Genre
th tall
proposed to include in the inquiry all petiti,ne presented miffed to the Council his opinion, that our relations ,rii. tab'
from the protectionists, and he placed himself in the Court of Lahore became exceedingly precarious.
,r_i.oee to
same position as the lion. Members who had already mitted his opinion that it would be advisable, with referee to
spoken. The Honourable Member had made out no tlhnedialenftinhtaeerkes,t,sf, that tbe Governor-General. should p.l.7:torroa
the Sutlej, to give the oecessary.sl.7o,
case for including the three subjects in one which, at the distance of a thousand miles, might net u` 000'
q and it must, therefore, be some other Member pria e.The unanimous opinion of the members " t
that he
to state similar abuses on the part of the protectionists. cil was, that it was necessary for the public interests ,opt'
It would be better to refer to one Committee the para. should proceed to the army, and, in conformity with °so sa
cular charge which involved a breach of the privilege of nion, he proceeded in October to join the army. 1.40.0„
the House, as the remaining questions might be made early period in December, the opinion of Sir Henry t toe
matters of inquiry before a court of law, there being a was, that there would not be an irruption from the rif:oath;
penalty provided by the Act. The labour of the Corn- of the Sutlej; and so certain did he feel, that he chce te Wee
miitest might, if this course were adopted, he confined to xcutotiohn that no such thing could take place Laa,ret pa!:
two (Sr three days ; but if the suegestion of the Hon• het u ld e guid. ed by experience, my Hon. and G.': Labo7;
was perfectly right. In 1843 the Lahore army 'what sra
Member for Knaresborough were adopted, they might and went towards the Sutlej, and in 1844 returned, The
Mr. continued for two or three months.boot, ce
departed. In 1844, the army, eager for prey or IV setal
Mr. NEWDEG ATE said that he had no wish to instigated by the chiefs, contemplated an irruption• the
extend the labt.urs of the Committee. It was not his counts reached my lion. and Galland Friend towards aerie°
wish to be otherwise than guided by the opinions of November, which led him to look on the rumour as frees!
of the Right Hon. Baronet; but he must say that You will find in the papers recently presented to thierested
to
the two casee, as put forward by the Gallant Member foe that a letter was written by Major Broadfoot, and ea.:4_4f;
Cheltenham and the Hon. Member for Durham (a well- the Commander-in-Chief and the Governor-Gene,' het.
known supporter of the League), affected one ape- contained the following passage :—" Str,—Sinee,eliters :ki7i
cific party. Their plan of operatten on the registration honouri of waiting on you, I have received Lahore the the leo
laws showed an extensive system of forgery and deceit. elfBtthha"tnst., which state that on the night of the Wu
does V'ilea
army agreed on the following elan of opera f 0
He should move on the next day that the case of the army has been divided into seven 'divisions, four ° tit°
Warwickshire election should be inquired into. • '3ll ter
sto/
are to be employed in an attack on the British b
to
Mr. CHRISTIE did not conceive that it was very It was then determined that four divis ons of tphoeetSioebots
potato,.
conCucive to the purposes of justice that each pro- should make four separate attacks in various
tectionist Member should rise to make statements territory. The Durbar considered that they euege eagbee,
to the House, always assuming that a forgery had make an united and concentrated attack, but tufg dieit;ad
been committed. cross the Sutlej at four different places, andes4eres_yth
Mr. FERRAND—Why, it is admitted—(Cries of consisting of 8,000 or 12,000 men, to make four f.-oodloit
simultaneous attacks on the British possessions. itsw_ejehas ewe
" No, no")—the Hen. Member for Durham admits that
a forgery had been comtnittecl.— (t :ries of " No, no.") hail ctohbeeere(
print d,
they
the
willll House referhe difficult
teheeltdlirlso
reto)• 1
Well, there is no difference between transferril,g, a sit,-
7-, foreseen the' ultim'ateleYdecsiosn see how
thwe posers at,l'a.,lbsilra
nature and committing a forget y.—(Cries of " Order.") will observe in the account which was -written att'-ero,et,
Colonel SIBTHORP had been accused of being e sultation at Lahore, in a letter written by major
.teres.efa
member of a certain society for the protection of home that of the 21st November, to the Ranee, or feu: ;eriogatt
grown corn, and he had been pestered for the last three one of the chiefs, declared, while the t.ooes were to bbl
years with a number of anonymous letters by members their villages, that if something was not done . :to y t Rig
of the Anti-Corn-law i.eague, especially by a person his way to Ferozepore. Many of the Seikh ' f tb.o •-tbs
of the name of Rawlings, in order to obtains from him that these proceedings would come to nothing.-51,0017ere..)
the number of renters on his estates—a sort of low fellow, Hon. Baronet then referred to other docurneeent:weigotter
00
not worthy of notice perhaps, but he only wished that Proceedings before
Decemberthe battlesthe B
tios
ht Iteleododnkaet i a 0 k
native trn 00: the
these gentlemen would call at his house, for he felt very
march from Umballak to the banks of the butiej....l 10,,4,14
much inclined to apply to them the argament bacu- whole proceedings of the Governor-Getu"eherset'-tbs
linunt. One gentleman had very obligingly r quested Commander-in-Chief on that day were bed o 0 ee,
him to become a member of the Anti- Menopely by the greatest prudence. They niarcto fer°s:oo
Association, and had particular begged for his assist- 11 th from Umballah, with 7,500
since in that most sacred cause.—(Laughter, and cries where they found, through the providentt' froffeeted ajr tbaf
of " Order, order.") But, without any further re- Governor-General, abundant supplies, and . _
it hette_e risk.
fere, ce to the Members for North Cheshire, South with the troops at Loodianah. They thougutit to soutiwe tir.
Lancashire, South Cheshire, and the West Rs ding of concentrate their forces and expose Lootneasurad theeso,ooooori
Yorkshire, he begged to ask wisest the Noble Lord, the rather than to divide the army. They h t , ,
amounting t°„000- °raw
late Member tem South Nottineehemehire, the present.v_ehale of the arm > of the a. a ,
,"p ult. .-bill
bO,OOO, men Iran crossed the Sutlej. ch. ro
_A
Chief Secretary for Ireland, was like's to be in his place ? Hole and Gallant Friend were justified by the They b 7 Oh
Perhaps it might be that he was rather hasty in snaking was a force of 7,500 men in Ferozepore. .„„tosepoic; tbs
the inquiry, but he wished the House and the country to thirty-five heavy gusts in their possession at r` t tb
, that wsof -il
he put in possession of the information as soon as pus. the addition of twenty-four smaller pieces,' means ..4 st
Bible.--(Cries of "Question.") DY 110'0
amount of the Ferozepore army, and it was sedt ,oact Is
After a few words from Mr. COLLETT, in which he small army that Ferozepore was saved.
.I was satteoo,
was understood to withdraw a motion, notice of which Loodianah hearing that the directGovernor-Genel its a seids;
he had previously given, with a term from Umballah, determined to ea the eV,
sudden attack uP" erebereoreo
Mr. BRIGHT- presented a petition, signed by 650 to Ferozepore, and made a
.„,, of oec „ i
_op
inhabitants of the town or Reading (as we understood and native forces at Moodkee ..n the i?'a: miles
of (once;
te?,e,
the Hon. Gentleman), praying that the House would marches, suffering
beenx
rmarcihingfrLi" waot Ithet.nt.
not record'a vote of thanks to the troops engaged in the elicit, however,'s was the e dtiseerpelinYe and gallaittrYbl of 11:1:4 is
late affair in India, which was ordered to lie on the though inferior in number, they repelled the we snere'ssib'
ber au" noedi noll
table. taclung force of at least treble the num ._„ .t .00 ,
'Thretbougb!,o4o
THE INDIAN ARMY. capturing seventy odd guns. The Send) ?irieteite froeseheie
thus repulsed by a civisien of our army . b
:table iut.re:lolol° of
from Umbaliah, retired into very Wray f a pare. e fe
the glacis of which extended in true farm e.. pip Mee Rork'i
a mile in leng.h and half a mile in breadtb°, 00.3110,11.101 t.
that great army, supported by 150 guns. the Lo
..wette.,
manship. his Hon. and Gallant Friend and triatte an et Pia
in-Chiet, Sir Hugh Gough, determined t.°_,. oesitre iefttsot
They advanced to within three miles of. ht
slot ttil;eo :ie,ei
enemy, and after nnanceuvring to the u,_ ee
rhiglcia en-deist, .iref,
consequence of a previous notice
to till sele/ isll to Sir John Littler in the course?' of we - .r
'O
obtained an addition of 7,500 men nt Frie°-'d, 'l'b.iir
The Commander-in-Chief and my Galla
.otossa_eaer
.„
previously offered his services as second itllhreoeorthe pee,
services had been cheerfully accepted bY , farce 0 oefer'af
thAtecgrorces:llo,4- s
iCahu thc,f,
haefitde r
ee effect
enrge
ht
ehei s, jauandc t itohne withresult
n_ee
1.
was a resolution at once to attack the epentiaiao vote gi.,
that attack proved the velour of the Brit"
._°..owieelgeroe. , She
paramount degree, and the warmest acalat ocea'oo of
due to them for their great exertions onear is
her 'l IVA, 04
I believe the night of the 2lst of De.c country., rtittee,ro
most memorable in the recores of this
h great '°,.01 Os!'
lery of the enemy was maintained with British „ psym tes
energy. The right wing of the the left.
.I.'.;' toad they
led on by the Commander-in-Chief, and ' d lOvi bat oil
lent Friend, who was second in contnaindaylight_' efterttas
attack during the three retraining hours o..t.ieh was_..o33,
la
had not time to complete the victoryenTer"of the are plot
so successfully obtained when the remal *he detelit'oreetitish
Lahore came u to their assistanee•
a,..'eiraele.c:sooa."ers
by both Commanders-in-Chief with admit the ',fettles
there have been private letters received I.,,nerjay_7oo,ooa to
speak of the action with less formality, an," r. id 1
the - ut fe.ePoill'
force than the &patches. Perhaps, Occur, Gallowo f%,ber
give me for reading a letter written bybeej 0( hist)/ Pecc li.d°
Governor-General of India to a luem,he 21st weiter'oes-,
The letter commenced by stating ibset ilf- of tbe. h gameye h
,i, e hie par hst
was the most extraordinary day 10 •ment vi• •tish v, t t
found himself in company with a regl.f. the NO
so ses.4s
for itself immortal fame in the annals ' 0 every reieoroe,..er
in th usher,' vss his °Getlersebt 4
mweeamnatahtefigBhUtthitreegettm; regiment.
melisitseatntastevi;rl‘l::lit! eriettil?firie....9:llo,lr.ol
daybreak, or die honourably
sary for me to read the letter, as it
,! ot old the ". get
tire. ( Hear, hear.) The Gal,la Dow
~ers tO. oefe
commanded with him says:
British e°lal close 0; it i°
occasionally called to the
he carne
tnGe
rlentfro°ol
up anti punish the Seikhs when t Y
Morning lit a 131.3 wetera
impudent.—(Laughter.) In the e withan -sesagesed as ,
true English style, and we drove 01 mi... our Paces, . P.O lops
extremity of the camp to the other°.
us
meireaetel, is.t oot;:u
about 40 guns, which were fired 01 u e
trrtht
eor-e tejoeceasgulre :pass:
awelemhiarvaheisyusstearieneedd.
in T
officers,h e m
erfnwf
killed. The fire was very heavy, 4 French , went 1 ota!
The Seikhs were trained by the uri my frieueotted!ooo,_;
°trona I°° Pefficerli'sreell . e
most warlike men.—( Hear, hear..),..., ou theitaeed 1111. ea%
giment to regiment as they weret.lYeTa. fie le).1000111;00
oPL.
thiepythlBeirysepariraitesf
age,and iaenifmreaettinel
thug
drive had 01° err
lshgeoesll:o o°-0
that they might not fire, but mightere friend
re_eoae o th
ere s
guns by the force of the bayonet .
~_i' the p
vseyej t; barite
of them was a civilian. He saihdintlo'
whe c°°aficer,6det a 0
disturbed him, and he ordered
_.„.. eras :alio wore fief 0
while the presence of the other,o°..l7
to give rito awed—boo
military duty to perform, servedr
...„s over, o°.d 000, oho mop
resolution. When the clang: we
the battle, aeneoerirthet wtets
al?sraeirt-r7tha efeelfelf•tbeleiseiltesiiii;
took the son, who hadmbeigehnti
the Sepoys, that they
lost a hand, and his the
wh° had
as well
aloceetiotoh sir sive
casualties occurred to the highestbefore, the e 0 Itosot 1. of
ranks. Sir, as I have statedith
so
touch [learnsure theigarebeboo
tary operations are give° °Lief, ant I auft,„ ever/. h thelestir
Gough and Sir Henry Har e
statement sploits " oat ear tioePeeo
produced by further
allant e
all ° t di° r ut- t
faction derived from these g.
_hick, we les offee eel
counterbalanced by the regret wrose of th.e6 lot.
th, illosi
reading of the loss of so manyt° en ~a,
latheeentireeuasde,wrihthatmlucwhir
niv::e;satihis,fefamectitinhoeen..egkebtevnellietbortaitooree:ol
whom on many former occa i
closed a if for 000 in so
Robert Sale has hiosse of a it .0
praise. Sir
n which he ht wort"..i ItrCsjee o°lo
We have had the misfortune
ao°l::htaTiea-ribgesetrreseeectroo! Itiols;
glory in a manner. i
, peeinentilneef 100,ertast add
We have also to deploeif
the ID°' ---eividua's "r 009 ries 'As
Major Broadfoot, two of
net refer to in e their Etta
0111°( else
of the country. I will .
that his gallant ex
I can assure
to tbesebe 0°
do Asteling
plods steiatllhbee
Itorgf Geol.- 0 iptprao,,s..,
at L of thisos
it might appear invidiou"sin
hear. d ID° eible et. es
testify tliet:orp: tho et bout etbile7ollo°,l
will be conveyed to every
r were eicca3l° seeciallY itoosree tb
--(Hear, hear.) If there
_ieht he re the
..„, 0,
..tore
House and the courwitirlyl
egnnent
an.
n 9
so.
refer.rep e
ethmeiinreavtalmouere,.
onside by in ve"ater
of some particular for, c •ed .il is .1.
is not one s ostain insoo tent to
feel the present
evere losse er °cc 00 of es'
tation, and the a
on form stogie ,iiavel riiee§* 0
re iments on this as. 5, of a he VD er se wens
g ht a deficiency .ohe t ._ (several,
rd ,ia
to say t a
f recollectio of Leer the,' os
(;ether put out e
and the glory
tubs, tbe 004 a. that wad
former achievements, certain • due re e_eand see°. e.
Sir, lam • e their eror ( aid
( Hear, hear.)
men.—(Hear,
dilreeagrintents in 6,
of their country— (every man its he vs WI
House will give t° cyto-T tilers will
.-
cheering.) sir, I do. ra
engaged in this aff ai(riar,rehceealar,
azdnipcgitettils4.......oo
.......,..4

Sir R. PEEL—I am about, Sir, to propose that one
of the highest rewards that can be bestowed on suc-
ceesful gallantry be conterred by this House. I
am about to propose that the thanks of' the
Commons House of Parliament of this great
empire shall be offered to the officers, and
men under their comman t, who have recently, on
the banks of the Sutlej, under very trying circuinsta• ces,
by their discipline and valour sustained the reputa-
tion of their country, and proved themselves
worthy of the service to which they belonged.
Sir, I was not prepared, until interrupted by the Hon. Member for
Durham, to believe that it could be possible that Enelishrnen,
who, seeing the circumstances of unprovoked aggression which
called for the exertions of these men, who, seeing what th• it
just cause was amid their devotion to the interests of their
country, could sign a petition such as that which now lies on
the table of this House.—(Loud cries of „Hear, hear.") I say,
I believe it hardly possible that in this country any body of
men could be found to sign a petition grudging such a vote of
thanks to the Indian army as that I am about to propose.—
( Hear, hear. ) Sir, the resolution which I intend to propose
will not touch upon any matter of merely a political nature.
In conformity with established usage—an usage which we
have become accustomed to in this country ; the preposition
which I have to submit will be confined t the acknowledgment
of military skill, ability, and valour; and those who may be disposed
(if any there be) to question the policy of the Governor-
General of India will not be in the slightest
degree compromised by the vote of thanks I mean
to propose. Sir, however I may be convinced of the justice
and moderation, and wisdom which has characterised the con-
duct of my Gallant and Right Hon. Friend, the Governor-
General of India, yet 1 shall studiously abstain, even in the
observations which 1 shall make, from any reference to his po-
litical policy, except such as may be necessary to elucidate the
military operations in which our arms in India have been
latterly engaged.—( Hear, hear.) Sir, with that country
which is immeiiiately concerned in these military operations,
with its position, with its government, with its
population, we have become internally acquainted by the
events of the last five year,. The Punjaub, and the history
of the Punjaub, is probably well known to every one whom 1
am addressing, from the connexion and relation with the
neighbouring country of Caubul. The House .s well aware
that by the ability and energy of Runjeet Singh peace was
established in that country, and that for many years, through
his energy and ability, he ruled the destinies of that 'great
country in a powerful and beneficial mariner. But from his
death, which took place in 1839, great. changes have ensued.
Since that year there has bees a series of acts of cruelty and
intrigue, in consequence of the murder of his predecessor by
Runjeet Singh. That Government has presented a picture of
licentiousness and debauch ry so extravagant, that it might be
calculated to cause a smile were it not for those instinctive
feelings of horror which the contemplation of such acts would
produce when considered in relation to the welfare ef so many
millions under the control of such a Government. The acts of
this Government have been mainly directed and controlled by
the soldiers, by whom Runjeet Singh had established himself
by means of his great victory. That power has, since his
death, been constantly controlling the civil and military power
of the Punjaub. It is difficult to speculate upon any of the
stets that may have been committed by a Government in s•_ ch
a state; but it appears clear that the chief objects
•f the Government of that country, and the prin-
cipal landed proprietors and chiefs in that country, has
been to provoke a collision with the British army, in
order, not to sustain their military reputation or their
fame, but as a means of saving themselves horn subjection
to that licentious army, by sacrificing it in a conflict with the
British. That appears to have been the main object which has
been kept in view, and which has guided the decisions of the
councils of the Pursjaub. I well know, however, what was the
object of my Hon. and Gallant Friend, Sir H. Hardinge, in
undertaking the Government of India. He made great sacri•
flees to a sense of public duty. He held a prominent place in
the councils of thit country. Ho was beloved, without re.
ference to party division, and he was held in general esteem—
( Hear, hear)—as well by his political opponents as by his
colleagues in office. He was regarded by the army as its
friend, because he was a friend of justice to all ranks. It
was proposed to him at a period of life when ambition offer
less of a stimulus than at an earlier period ; it was proposed to
him to leave his place in the councils of his Sovereign, to
forego the satisfaction which he had in seeing that he was the
object of general respect, to separate himself from that family
of which he was the chief, to perform a public duty, which
he thought he owed his Sovereign and his country, and un-
dertake the arduous duties of Governor-General of India.
He went there with a high military reputation. Ile went not to
establish his fame by obtaining victories on the Indian continent;
his object was to gain a name in the annals of England as be-
ing the friend of peace and promoter of civil welfare in India
—( Hear hear). Sir, I believe it was in a great part
the military character and reputation of my Gallant Friend
that enabled him to kesp in cheque and subjection the enemies I,
of India. He thought the dominions of the British crown in
India were already sufficiently extensive, and while he was. op-
posed to making forcible additions to them, he was e'etermirred
to resist every attempt at aggression on the part of neighbouring
powers. His desire was to see a native government established
in the Punjaub, capable of maintaining its
. institutions, and res-
toring discipline and subordination in the greatr army of the
Lahore. The Lahore army was composed en of gretat
natural valour and great rbys:cal itreogth, trained to silavr.