The Sun.
London, England, 1860-05-16 00:00:00

HORSE RACING BILL.

Lord REDESDALE stated that he had received a
communication from the noble lord connected with the
Jockey Club, and should therefore fix the second reading
of his bill, regulating the weight to be carried by race
horses, for the 7th of June.
The Bankrupt Law (Scotland) Amendment Bill, the
Public Improvements Bill, and the Common Lodging-
houses (Ireland) Bill were reported without amendments.
CIVIL SERVICE IN INDIA.

The Marquis of CLANRICARDE moved for a despatch
from Mr. E. H. Lushington to the Commissioner of the
Nuddea district, dated the 23d of October, 1859, re-
lating to the treatment of natives by European planters
in India, and also for a report of Mr. Reed,
to the Lieutenant-Governor referred to therein. The
noble marquis also presented a petition from certain natives
of India praying for their admission into higher offices of
Government than are now open to them. The noble mar-
quis, in referring to the grievances of the petitioners, said
it was the general wish in India that a Royal Commission
might be sent out to inquire into the staterrent , set forth
in the petition. Taking into consideration the fearful events
which had occurred in India during the last few years, no
one either here or in India could doubt the fact that timely
information had been neglected, and hence the formidable
character of the insurrection. He much regretted that the
rules of their lordships' house prevented their printing the
petition he had presented, because otherwise one part of the
grievance would be remedied, for the petitioners considered
that their wishes had not proper regard paid to them; the
petitioners now humbly prayed for a reduction of public ex-
penditure in order to a corresponding reductionof taxation ;
they earnestly wished that a more enlarged and improved
system of education might be introduced throughout the
various presidencies ; self-elected councils and a Royal Com-
mission, as he had already mentioned, to be sent out to India
for inquiry. They wished their council to be represented
by individuals not altogether connected with the Govern-
ment, but that one member at least for each presidency
should be returned unconnected with Government afairs.
The noble marquis called upon their lordships to give at-
tention to the statements of the petitioners to avert a recur-
rence of former evils. He ventured to say that there never
had been a greater system of oppression and tyranny than
that which was exercised over th-3 natives by the Euro-
peans ; and in now bringing their case under the considera-
tion of their lordships, he hoped their lordships would de-
mand for them the protection to which they were entitled.
In matters of trade they were subjected by the factors to the
greatest injustice, and in no distriets were acts of injustice
exercised against them more than in the indigo districts.
They had not the advantage of courts of hot there to seek
redress of the wrongs to which they were subjected. Now, it
could not be denied that those poor peasants were entitled
to protection and redress. The nonfulfilment of contracts
by those poor people was punished not only with flogging,
but with the forfeiture of their lands, which were seized
and taken possession of by their tyrannical employers. The
noble lord here read a communication, stating that a factor
had actually had recourse to flogging those poor peasants
in his factory, and a native magistrate hearing of the out-
rage, caused an inquiry, and upon proof of the injustice,
sentenced the offenders to fine and imprisonment. Well,
but what did a higher European authority do in that case ?
Why he set the men who inflicted the gross injuries com-
plained of at liberty, thus encouraging brutal outrage and
gross injustice. The poor ryots refused to enter into con-
tracts to cultivate the land, as they had a right to do, if
they felt the remuneration to be insufficient, and one of
them was flogged by a European contractor, from factory
to factory, until he was actually flogged to death; and
what did their lordships suppose was the punishment in-
flicted upon the Englishman who was guilty of the murder
of that poor man ? Why, no more than a fine of £3O.
There was one Englishman there, Mr. Furlong, who had
no less than 1,900 of those contracts which were pregnant
with so much injustice and oppression. Thesystem of
tyranny practised by the English Europeans over the pea-
sants in India was in as full operation' now as it had ever
been. It was true that a riot had taken place there by the
natives, who made a descent upon and destroyed a village ;
but although that could not be justified, it should not be
forgotten that the natives despaired of obtaining redress
by appeal to tke courts of law. Their appeals for redress
to the authorities were not successful ; and the Govern
went were charged not only with conniving at the wrongs
complained of, but actually with suppressing documents
the production of which was necessary to the further-
ance of justice. The petition which he presented from
certain natives, praying for a reform of the law courts, was
one of great importance, and prayed their lordships to take
the case of those poor ryots into their consideration, and
obtain for them a redress of the wrongs inflicted upon them.
They were bound to know what were the opinions of the
Council of India, and of the Secretary of State for India, in
relation to the grave offences committed against those poor
peasants. He was not new going to say anything prejudi-
cial to Sir C. Trevelyan, in reference to the very able paper
he had published in relation to Mr. Wilson's financial state-
ment, and proposal to levy new taxes upon the native popu-
lation of India; but he must regret that the Government,
after the publication of that paper, had no other course and
no other alternative than to recal him from his government.
Mr. Wilson in his speech rejoiced that there' was a public
press in India. Then why should Sir C. Trevelyan be
blamed for commenting on Mr. Wilson's speech ? He was
acting merely as a European gentleman there, and freely
expressing his opinion about Mr. Wilson's plan, a plan
which Sir C. Trevelyan thought would interfere with im-
Portant designs of his own. To recal this gentleman for
doing so was monstrous, and an occurrence that could only
_lure* in India. As to the principle on which the legis-
latave pia
was formed, it seemed as if India, a place of
such vast extent and variety of races, was regarded as a place
that might be legislated for as you would legislate for the
Isle of Man. It was a great mistake to exclude the natives
from admission to the higher offices of the State. He anti-
cipated that there would be no objection to receive the peti-
tion,

The petition was then ordered to lie on the table.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH said the legislative
eounCn if India consisted of the Governor-General of India,
a few gentlemen nominated by the Governor-General, an
ney
Attor-General and two other lawyers. If their lordships'
house had the same Proportion of lawyers they would have 100
noble:and learned lords. He could not conceive that this
anal' 1)04 of men could enjoy the public confidence of the
people of India. Various propositions had been made for
extending the council. He thought tkere were two prin-
ciples which should be adopted; first, that the Governor-
General should have the power of passing instanter any
act of Parliament which might be necessary for the time ;
and, secondly, that tho Governor-General in council should
have consultative council to whom he should refer for dis-
cussion all measures affecting the laws, customs, and reli-
gion of the people. The members of the council would be
of course members of that consultative council, and it should
comprise 10 01 12 European gentlemen of distinction and
character in India, and an equal number of native gentle..
men. (Hear.) Now, when a great measure of taxation affect-
ing 120,000,000 of people was about to be enacted, he thought
it but just that the natives should have some voice in .the
matter. As to the differences betweep the plauters and the

.. ~-:~

ryots he believed extreme views had been taken by news-
paper writers and others on both sides. He did not wish to
follow their example. There was as much variety among
planters as among other classes. Some of them were gentle-
men of property, others were speculators carryir g out their
projects on money borrowed at high interest, or the agents
of such persons. Of course, under those parsons the ryots
were great sufferers. He would say let th. re be justice to
both parties. That was the first thing re l,; red, and next to
that was confidence. These could be obtained by the ap-
pointment of circuit judges, in whose decisions, as they had
no local connections, the people would have confidence. He
also thought protectors should be appointed, under the con-
trol of the Government, and that their business would be
to watch over the interests of the ryots, and, as far as pos-
sible, reconcile differences. With respect to Sir C. Tre-
velyan it was impossible to overvalue his services. No
man was ever sent to India so qualified by his ante-
cedents to perform the duties assigned to him. He
went out at that period of life when a man is likely
to farm attachments with the people ; and from his
knowledge of the country and regard for the people, no
man was more qualified to perform the functions of go-
vernor. He first distinguished himself by investigating im-
portant matters for the information of the Government.
Without regard to his own interest he risked everything
for the public service, and seeing a great danger coming
upon the people committed to his charge, he, at every
risk to himself, endeavoured to stay the pestilence. What-
ever we might think of official irregularity, it was impos-
sible not to honour the feelings of the man. (Hear, hear.)
To the last moment of his life he had reason to be satisfied
with the great personal sacrifices he had made, and the
danger was in not taking his advice. Had Sir Charles in-
structed the representative of his presidency at the Legis-
lative Council to have read to the Council his minutes, they
could then have been published in every newspaper in Cal-
cutta, according to law, and he would have avoided falling
into the error which had been imputed to him. He had no
personal acquaintance with Sir C. Trevelyan, but from his
knowledge of him in his official capacity, he entertained a
high opinion of his abilities, and had the highest respect for
his talents, and this last act of his had raised him still
higher in his (the Earl of Ellenborough's) opinion.
The Duke of ARGYLL said the difficulty as regarded
the ryots was, that when advances were made to them they
rarely escaped from the consequences. The subject had at
present seriously engaged the attention of the Indian Go-
vernment, and a commission had been appointed to inquire
into and report upon all matters connected with the culti-
vation of indigo in Bengal. He trusted that when the re-
port of the commission was received, they would be able in
this country and in India to see how the difficulty could be
met. As regarded the Legislative Councils, he admitted
they had proved a failure, and that their constitutions re-
quired to be revised. The time had not arrived for giving
representative assemblies to India; but he thought the in-
troduction of a few natives into the Legislative Councils
would give great satisfaction, and that before any measure
was passed by the Supreme Council, they should give the
natives an opportunity of expressing their opinions upon it
(Hear.) With reference to Sir C. Trevelyan, he (the Duke
of Argyll) had a great respect for him, but he differed with
the noble earl opposite in the opinion he expressed as to his
last act being one which entitled him to approbation. There
was an absolute necessity for upholding the Government
of India, and of looking to due suborlination in all the offi-
cials to the acts of the Supreme Government. (Mar.)
Lord LYVEDEN said as they had not as yet received
copies of the bills presented to the Supreme Legislative
Council, they were not in a condition to be able to form an
opinion regarding them. As to the recal of Sir C. Tre-
velyan, he could only express his regret that it had been
deemed necessary; but he did not see how the Government
could have avoided that step.
After a few words in explanation from the Earl of
ELLENBOROUGH, the motion was agreed to.
Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY presented a petition
from the merchants, traders, and other inhabitants of Cal-
cutta, agreed to at a public meeting, presided over by the
sheriff. The petition expressed the regret of the meeting at
the state of the finances in India, and it prayed, among
other things, a revision of the constitution of the legislative
councils, and that the attention of the Government should
be directed to the further construction of railroads as an
importantmeans of developing the vast resources of India.
If the members of the Madras Council had only communi-
cated their views on those subjects to Sir C. Trevelyan, and
if he had with them discussed the matters to which he had
referred in the very minute which he had published, the
embarrassments that resulted might have been avoided.
The noble lord concluded by presenting the petition, in the
prayer of which he concurred.

The Marquis of CLANRICARDE said a few words in
reply, and the subject dropped.
PARLIAMENTARY CITIES AND BOROUGHS IN