The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-14 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS-(YzATERDA.y).

The LORD CHANORLLOR took his seat on the Wool.
eaek at five o'clock.
TORTURE 'IN INDIA.
The Earl of ALBEMARLE gave notice that on
Monday, the 14th April, he should present a petition
from certain inhabitants of Madras, complaining of the
infliction of torture by the officers of the Government,
attributing the practice to the weight of the assessment
required for the Government revenue, and praying for
protection. The noble lord said it was afterward his
intention to resolve, "That, by the report laid on the •
table of the house, it 'is proved to our conviction that
torture, or the infliction of pain by way of punishment,
or to induce confession, or for the purposes of extortion,
has been practised and continues to be practised by native
oflicera for the realisation of the public revenues, or in
the administration of the criminal law, to a greater or
less extent throughout the presidency of Madras. That
the aforesaid torture, although clandestinely practised,
has been known to the constituted authorities in India,
as shown by public documents. That this house
views the practice of torture, extending ever many
millions of her Majesty's Government, whether as an
instrument for the realisation of the public revenue, or
in the administration of the criminal law, as repugnant
- to the principles of natioral justice, abhorrent to
humanity, and highly disgraceful to the c'aaeacter of
the nation. That this house pledges itself to
adopt the most speedy and effectual means in its power
for the utter annihilatioe of the odious and barbarous
practice of torture within the above-mentioned
Government and Presidency of Madras." The
noble lord gave notice that it was his int-n-
-tion, immediately after the Easter recess, to inquire
of her Majesty's Ministers whether they bad received
any account from the Government of Madras respecting
14 asses of torture within the presidency in a particular
district, inflicted at as recent a date as July, 1855, by a
Government collector, in order to realise some Govern•
meat dues, and in relation to a certain tar. The noble

-lord then gave notice of his intention to move for a
series of other papers, relating to the practice of tor-
ture in Madras.

THE FALL OF KARS.

The Earl of ELLENBO ROUGH, pursuant to notice,
asked the noble lord the Under-Secretary for Foreign
Affairs whether the omissions in the oapers produced
upon the subject of the capitulation of Kars, to which ho
had called attention on a previous evening, would be
supplied ?
Lord WODEHOUSE was understood to say it was
unusual for the Government to comply with such a

req nest.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGII expressed his Ru r•
prise that the Secretary for War had not given the ex-
planation on this subject. It wag perfectly well
known that before the investment of Kars
nothing whatever was done by the allies for the
defence of the place, and now he wished to know what
bad been done by them after the fortress had been in-
vet.ted. During the last war the Government never
'matte the slightest objvcton to hay the a•nplest informa-
tion',.with respect to military affairs before Parliament.
' In reply•to the Elrl of MALDIESBURY,
Lord WODEII.O USE stated that a correspondence
-bad'taken place between her Majesty's Government and
.the Turkish Government with respect to General Wil-
liams. • , •____