The Sun.
London, England, 1860-07-28 00:00:00

INDIA.

On the order of the day for resuming the adjourned
debate,

Mr. ROEBUCK said he was of opinion, notwithstanding
what the noble lord had said, that the India Bill had not
been sufficiently discussed. True, the second reading had
been carried by an immense majority, but he believed that
there had been a great change in the opinions of the house,
and that if the question was further discussed the change
would be still greater. (Hear, hear.) Let them recol-
lect that they were discussing a measure which involved
the interests of 200 millions of people. (Hear, hear.)
They were about to pass the management of the army over
to the Imperial Government, and to change the army itself
into mere birds of passage. He need not stop to inquire,
what would be the effects of this upon India, but would
ask what would be its effects in this country? The pa-
tronage would be nominally vested in the Horse Guards,
but really it would be Tested in the Treasury bench.
In our other colonies we had only secured safety by
leaving them to do what he had recommended. 20 years
before, and that was to govern themselves. India was
formerly governed by men in Leadenhall-street, and
partly by the Board of Control. Some men approved of
the double government, and others objected to it; but
the real responsibility was on the Treasury bench, and
now the right hon. gentleman desired to have the whole
government and the whole exercise of power ; and thane
who wished to see the patronage vested in the authorities
in England supported him. Of this he felt sure—the.t so
great a change, so vast au alteration, as proposed by this
bill, should not be hurried through Parliament. (Hear,
hear.) He believed the bill would be injurious to the inte-
rests of England and would be injurious to the interests of
India ; and that being so he should do all he could to op-
pose its being passed into law. (Hear, hear.)
Lord J. RUSSELL said the arguments of the hon. and
learned gentleman were much the same tic, these used when
the India Bill was being carried through the house, and
when he said there ought not to be n double government,
but that there ought to be as much as possible a concen-
trated responsibility. That argument was against the a
coun-
cil.
Now, the hon. and learned gentleman argued in d
very singular manner by stating that his right hon. friend
wished to rid himself of his responsibility by going to then
council ; and in what way had he done so p Why, by
going to his council and stating his opinion and obtaie,
ing their opinions, end knowing that all were against bim
producing them, and then his right hon. friend was accused
of having made the council a screen for himself, and of not
having taken the whole responsibility on himself, as he
ought to have done as a Minister of the Crown. (Hear,
hear.) That was very ingenious, no doubt, but it was con-
trary to the common sense of the question; for if his right
hon. friend wanted to make the council a screen, he would
not have got their opinions, and then, finding-
them the
reverse of his own, have produced them. (Hear, hear.) If
the house was averse to the plan of the Government let
them propose a measure for a local force in India, and carry
it in the present session, and let the army know what they
meant and what were their intentions. Tf the house was
afy. just the whole principle of the measure, let them not
express their opposition by an ambiguous instruction to a
committee. They had better vote against going into COM,:i
mittee at all.
After a few words from Colonel DzwisoN,