The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-01 00:00:00

TORTURE IN INDIA..

The Earl of ALBEVIA.RLE moved that there he
laid before their lordships a report by the acting second
judge of circuit of the centre division of the Madras
Presidency, addressed to the Court of Fonjlaree Adayr-
lut, dated bept. 25, 1840, together, with the proceedings
of the court held thereon, also the minute of the council
of the Madras Government.founded on the report of
the - circuit judge and on the proceedings of the
Foujdaree Adawlut ; with returns of the number of
native officers employed in the police, and the
collection of revenue, the number of the officers dis-
missed for employing torture, or other misconduct,' in
the years 1813, 1833, and 1835 ; a return of the revenues
Of the Presidency in 1803, 1813,
.1823, 1833, and 1853,
and several other returns relating to the courts of cir-
cuit, land tax, &c., and despatches respecting taxation
and torture. The noblelord said that he intended the
returns he now moved fir to -serve for the further
illustration of the return that had recently been
made upon the torture employed in Madras. The tor-
ture, it appeared, had been practised by the Government
for Government purposes—torture inflicted for the pur-
pose of raising revenue, and torture inflicted for compul-
sory labour upon the Government works. He did not
mean to harrow up their feelines on the present occa-
Ithp by reciting the truly horrible details that were con-
tained in the volume, but he would take a more favour-
able opportunity of entering more fully in;cothe subject,
The chief evidence of the commission of these cruelties
vas given by Mr. Malcolm Lewin, who had served a= a
judge for many years with great fidelity in the East
India Company, and had sub=equently become a judge
connected with the Cuurt. of Foujdaree Adawlut. The
last report was dated 1855, and it bore strong re-
semblance to the report of 1840, as far as the
most appalling details of torture were concerned.
The noble earl concluded by moving for the returns.
'Earl GRANVILLE said three years ago the question
bad been settled by Parliament after full inquiry. The
Government declared itself responsiole lor the admini-
stratinn of Indian affairs. The returns would cause
great inconvenience, but he should not object to them,
because the Government felt the great importance of
the subject.
After a few words from several of the noble lords the
returns were ordered.
COMMONS ENCLOSURE BILL.
This bill was read a second time.

JOINT-STOCK BANKS (SCOTLAND) BILL.

This bill was read a third time and passed.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YEsTEEDIT.)

The SPRAKER took the chair shortly after f.ur o'clock
LONDON DIOCESAN CHURCH BUILDING
SOCIETY BILL..

On the motion of Mr. BROTEIERtON f,,r the second
reading of this bill,
Mr. HADFIELD moved, as an amendment, that it
be read a second time that day six months. He looked
,Upon this bill as a public measure, and that it should
nave been introduced by the Governm-nt instead of by a
private member. It was one way of getting an
obnoxious measure quietly through the house.
Sir W. CLAY seconded the amendment.

Lord R. GROSVENOR supported the bill. It dealt
only with private property.
After a few words from other h in. members,
The house divided, when the numbers were--
For the second reading ' 135
Against it 2O
Majority for second reading --115 •
The bill wa4 then ready a second tine.
RAILWAY, &c., BILLS.
Mr. STRITTT moved that "the B iard of Trade do
Present to this house a report upon the Railway and
Canal Bills of this session, in conformity with the recom-
Ineudation contained in the fifth report of the select
sOmmittee on railway and c anal bills of the cession
of 1853 ; and, that the Board of Trade do
Present to this house. a report upon the
Private Bills for Harbours, Docks, Navigations, in
eo:nforruity with the practice in force with reT,ict to
441.ilway Bills"—Agreed to.

which he.then made. I must at ones say that I myself
cane down to this house fully impressed with a belief
that our army was suffering unheard-of misery, and I
went away with my mind desabused of the impression
whiett had been made upon it by the reports from abroad.
I believed that "the right bon. gentleman had made
out a case that the army was not suffiring —that they
hart everything at their command— that they were, in
fact, as an English army ought t. be, properly cared for
by their ceuntre. Such wee the impression left on my
. mind by the speech of the right hoc, gentleman. But,
sir, very shortly after this, more stories of suffering and
misery were told (rein !ley to -day, the same harrowing
disclosures occurred, and very speedily the impression
inede on the house and the calvary by the speech of the
right hon. gentleman was at au end. Anxiety and a'arin
possessed the public mini'. Such was the hret act of this
horrible drama. When Parliament again met I gave no-
tice tha,. I should move for a cemmittee,to inquire into
the state of the army before Sebastopol. The house must
he aware of the effect produced by the notice then given.
One effect was the di-,appearance from the ranks of the
Gee/eminent of the noble lord the member for London
(Lord J. Rueeeli). He, like a timid fisherman who bears
the storm threatening and notes the advancing clouds,
turned his boat to the shore and ran howling on the
laud. Many objections were taken to the !notion ;it was
said that the investigation would do injury to the army;
that we were a body 3,000 miles off ; that we could not
bra- with our own ears, see with our own eyes, that into
which we were to inquire. It was stated that a commit.
tee of this house was a means of investigation totally in-
adequate ; in spite of these statements, in spite of the
dangers of the step, the house supported me in my mo-
tion. It it well known with what consequences. The
first consequence was the utter disruption of Lord Aber-
deen's Ministry. The danger at that time was great. We
were at war. We were waging a terrible war with a
powerful adversary, and yet notwithstanding the danger
which would result, the houeeldid not hesitate in its sup-
port. What was the result of our inquiry ? That every
statement made by the press was verified to the letter; that
every story of miscondimt, and every harrowing detail of
suffering was proved before Um cemmittee. Thus, then,
before two tribunals—the press the first, that house the
second, was the matter investigate'', and the same result
in each case followed ; it was shown that our army was
melting away, that we had sent abroad a body of valiant
men to undertake our defence, who were negl« cted, and
left to die of cold, hunger, and disease • that the powers
of England were exhausted in the hands of the imbeciles
who then ruled, and were no longer able to protect her
sons whom she had sent to fight her battles in a distant
' land. Such was the result of the two Inquiries. But at
this tine, at the very time when the hove appointed a
committee to inquire into the state of the army before
Sebastopol, the Government which had succeeded Lord
Atterdeen issued a cotniniesion to inquire into the state
of the sa tee army. The gentlemen appointed to this pur-
pose were Sir J. M`Neill acd Colonel Telloch. New, I
am told that both these gentlemen were reluctant to
undertake the (lace, that they knew the inquiry that
they were about to make would he a disagreeable Nene,
and they were unveiling to put themselves in a position
which would subject them to objectionable conse-
quences. But it was pressed upon them as a matter
ei public duty. They yielded, sir ; they went to the
Crimea ; they inquired and they reverted. Their first
report was made in the mereh of June, 1855. What was
the result of this inquiry ? I dare say`it dieappeinted
those who appointed the commissioners. Tne result of
the inquiry was to justify every as-ertion that bad been
made by the press, as they hal been alreadt justified by
he eommi tee of this h use. Certaiu persons were espe-
cially in, ulpated by the report. These were Loris Lucen
and Cardigan, General Airey, Colonel Gordon, teed
Commissary-General Filder. I beg to state unreservedly
to the house that I do not intend to take upon ins self the
task of justifying the accusations of the commie, i iners ;
i. is not the obje a. which I have in view. These pereet a
were inc I spate ', and this was ;.he'next act of the ,Irama.
When that report was laid before.the Government, what
was the course which ought to have been pursued ? I
think that course a plain and clear one, and, had it been
full .wed, I think it would have been sati-faccory to all
parties. Tr..,Government should have considered the
rep at as tee indictment of a gra le jury. It might
be censidered a, an ex parte statement, if they
pleettel, not ma le up .n oath, but still confirmatory
of arid confirmed by previous inquiries. Government
would have been jestified open t .at report, not in 4i.