The Sun.
London, England, 1858-09-30 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 30, 1858.

BANQUET AT FISHMONGERS HALL

Last night the usual Mic.haelmas banquet took place in
the hall of the Fishmongers' Company at London-bridge.
Invitations had been sent to the members of the new
Council for India, and the presence of several members of
that body, including Lord Stanley, the President, Lieut.-
Colonel Sir 11. Rawlinson, K.C.8., Sir li. Montgomery,
Captain Eastwick, Mr. R. Mangles, M.P., and Mr. A. Ar-
buthnot, gave unusal eclat to the assembly. Among. the
general visitors were the Count de Montebello, Lieutenant-
Colonel Donnelly, Captain Bedford Pim, R.N., Captain
Collinson, R.N., Mr. George Mathew (late her Britannic
Majesty's Consul-General at Odessa), Mr. J. R. Crowe,
Professor Cape, Dr. King, Me4srs. James Murray, Joseph
Leschir, Edward Welch, G. Frederick, F. Hodges, Her-
bert L. Smith, and Travers. An excellent dinner was pro-
vided by Messrs. Ring and Brymer, and the arrangements,
under the direction of Mr. W. B. Towse, the clerk to the
company, were in every respect admirable. The Prime
Warden (Mr. T. Boddington) occupied the chair.

After the cloth was drawnthe PRIME WARDEN gave the
usual loyal toasts, which were honoured with the utmost
enthusiasm.

The PRIME WARDEN then proposed " the Army and
Navy," and in doing so paid a just tribute to the valour,
intrepidity, and forbearance displayed by our troops in
India. He coupled with the army the name of Sir H.
RaWlinson, whose services in India, as he observed, were
well known ; and with the navy the names of Captains
Collinson and Pim, both of whom had distinguished them-
selves in the search for Sir J. Franklin, during which ex-
pedition the young Frenchman? Lieutenant Bellot—upon
whom the Prime Warden pronounced a well-deserved
eulogy—unfortunately lost his life. Captain Pim, as the
Prime Warden observed, had also been severely wounded
at the capture of Canton.
Sir 11. Itawi.msorr, in returning thanks for the army,
expressed his satisfaction that the distinction which was
formerly maintained between the army of the East India
Company and that of the English Crown no longer existed.
Thanks in a great measure to the exertions of the noble
lord the President of the Council for India (Lord Stanley)
every officer who wore a red coat, whether serving in India,
in England, or in any other part of the world, now enjoyed
the privilege of belonging to her Majesty's army. He as.;
sured the company that, although the services of the army
were warmly and deservedly appreciated, they were by no
means covetous of active service ; and that by no class of
men than soldiers were the advantages and blessings of
peace more highly appreciated. (Cheers.) -
Captain COLLINSON, in returning thanks for the navy,
paid a tribute of respect to the skill and undaunted courage
displayed by the late Sir W. Peel in the organisation and
command of the naval brigade, which had rendered such
valuable services in the Crimea and in India. He also
eulogised the services of Captain Thornton Bate, who had
assisted him in the survey of the Chinese waters, and who
was recently killed at Canton.
The PRIME WARDEN said, the toast he had now the
honour to propose related to a subject of all others of the
greatest interest and importance at the present time—our
position and our prospects in India. We were honoured
with the presence of several members of that Council
which had been appointed for the administration of our
affairs in that empire. When they considered the talent,
the local knowledge, the practical experience possessed by
the members of the various sections into which it was
divided, they could not but feel every confidence and assur-
ance that the result would be propitious to our safety and to
our success. They were particularly gratified in being
honoured with the presence of the noble President of that
Council, Lord Stanley—(cheers)—a nobleman whose bril-
liant talents, unabating energy, broad and comprehensive
views, and devotion to the interests of the people were
so well known, that he would only say he considered
that the aristocracy of this country ought to be proud
in possessing a member so distinguished, who by early
and constant study, by great experience acquired in exten-
sive foreign travel, and by a determination to devote his
mind to his country, had gained a reputation which gave
true brilliancy to the peerage, and would add to the solidity
of that House so admirably instituted by our constitution
to connect the Commons with the Throne. (Cheers.) He
would not refer to a rebellion as barbarous and as bloody
as it had nigh proved fatal to our footing in India—a re-
bellion resulting from the over confidence placed in native
troops. He would not dilate upon what it had cost this
country in sacrifices, in anguish, and in blood. A retribu-
tion was called for; a just retribution had been inflicted—
and they could only hope that a successful issue might re-
sult from such a struggle, and that they might profit by
the lesson. (Hear, hear.) He hoped he might be per-
mitted to express a hope that the Government as well as
the country at large would be penetrated with the belief
that such a dreadful crisis had not been brought on with-
out the intervention of a merciful Providence to avert a
more

disastrous catastrs"
ware '4.4

lions of souls _ not entrusted to the keepineWt,
country to be dealt with with impunity, but that it was our
bounden duty to introduce among them the saving truths
of Christian faith, before which alone we could expect the
atrocious machinations of fanaticism, idolatry, and super-
stition to disappear, and that we were bound to disseminate
in that distant country the broad open light of Gospel reve-
lation which we boasted of possessing at home, and which
must be the beginning, as it was the end, of all real and
lasting success. (Hear, hear.) The Prime Warden con-
cluded by giving "the health of Lord Stanley and the
Members of the Council for India."

Lord STANLEY, who was loudly cheered, said,—l believe
it would be impossible.for any public man to receive—l am
sure I cannot receive—such marks of courtesy and kindness
as you have manifested, without regretting my inability
adequately to express that gratitude which it is impossible
not to feel. Much as I should at any time have felt the
compliment you have paid me, I have peculiar reasons for
appreciating it at the present moment, because I have now
the privilege of addressing you. not merely as an acquain-
tance, but as a near neighbour. It is here, in this city of
London, and very near to this spot, that the greater part of
my time, and of that of several of the gentlemen by whom
I am surrounded, is now passed ; and I think I may say
for my colleagues in the Indian Council, as well as for my-
self, that as we met with such a reception in the east we
shall not be in any particular haste to migrate westwards.
(Laughter and cheers.) Your chairman has been pleased
to connect my name with the government of India. I do
not wish to revive, or even to allude to past controversies
but this I may be permitted to say—that throughout those
Parliamentary discussions which ended in the transfer of
the Indian government from the East India Company to
the Executive of this country, that change was uniformly
represented by me and by those colleagues with whom I
acted as not being in the nature of a penal proceeding—as
not involving any sentence of condemnation against the
administration of that great Company whose century of
empire has come to an end. (Cheers.) We regarded it—and
I think rightly—as a change which was a natural, and
even a necessary result of the lapse of time and the progress
of events. I believe that that change will be productive of
benefit to India. I hope it may lead to the larger introduc-
tion into that country of European energy, enterprise, and
thought. (Cheers.) But I cannot conceal from myself,
and I do not conceal from you, that if that change of rule
has increased the opportunities possessed by the Govern-
ment of this country, it has also augmented, in a similar
degree, the responsibilities which attach to us. (Hear.)
We have to guard against a double danger. We have to
protect India from the fluctuations of Parliamentary poli-
tics, and to protect England from the more indirect and
remote, but perhaps not less real, risk which may arise
from the connection of its Executive with an executive
which is necessarily despotic. (Hear, hear.) I believe
—and rejoice to believe—that as the insurrection of the last
15 months is gradually dying out, so also the exasperation
of feeling which prevailed in this country against the
natives of India—and which, under all the circumstances,
bne can hardly regard with astonishment, though it may be
a matter of regret—is in course of gradual extinction
with the cause to which it owed its origin, and will at no
distant period—if it has not already done so—give plate
to a better and habitual frame of mind. I think, however,
we should remember that it is not only from ill will or ill
feelings on our part, but also from uninformed and mis-
directed efforts for doing good, that our influence and
Government in India have been exposed to danger. (Hear,
hear.) We do, I believe, regard—and undoubtedly we
ought to regard—the natives of India as persons towards
whom it is our dutytto feel good will, and for whose welfare
it is our duty to labour ; but that is not enough.
It is not enough to regard them as objects upon
whom our benevolence may be exercised, or as persons upon
whom it is in our power to operate important changes for
good. We must look upon them also as men with whom,
and not against whom, we have to work—as men with feel-
ings of their own—(hear, hear)—as men who, although
politically subject to us, have a sense of their own rights
and a respect for their own independence—(hear, hear)—and
as men who will be apt to be all the more tenacious of their
intellectual independence and national customs because
of the political subjection in which they aro held. (Hear.)
There can be no doubt that the position of a conquering
and governing race confers many advantages as regards
the influence which may be exercised over a conquered
people ; but that position carries with it this disadvantage
—that a conquering race almost inevitably displays a
certain sense of superiority—a certain arrogance, if that be
not too harsh a word to use—a certain disregard of the
feelings of others, which, not being placed under such
circumstances, it is hardly possible for us to under-
stand. I do not hesitate to say that, unless we keep
within proper bounds our feeling of national superiority,
unless we remember carefully, and even jealously, to
respect the feelings, and even the prejudices of those
with whom we have to deal—above all, if we attempt

to introduce the force ana influence of Government
into that which ought to be matter of private conviction
between man and his owrr conscience, or if we are even sus-
pected, upon plausible grounds, of attempting or intending
it, our endeavours at improvement will be thrown back in
our face as insults, and we shall end by doing more harm
than good. (Hear, hear.) lam sure that in this hall there
is no need of such words of warning and caution as I have
uttered, but in some quarters out of this room such \\lulling
may not be superfluous. I have been called upon to return
thanks for my colleagues the members of the Indian Coun-
cil, and, considering the alMoSt*ornal relation in which
the Government of which I am a member stands with re-
gard to about one-half of that Coir.eil, I feel, that I am not
the person to speak in their praise. This I may say, how-
ever, for I can say it with truth, that in selecting those who
are to assist us in the administration of Indian affairs we
looked not to Parliamentary connections, not to agreement
in English politics, not to personal friendships, but solely
to administrative efficiency and acquaintance with the
various branches of the Indian service. (Cheers.) lam also
bound to say—because criticisms have appeared in a con-
trary sense—that I think we have no less reason to be satisfied
with that election which was the last governmental act per-
formed by the East India Company. (Hear, hear.) To any
one who considers what the position of India is it must be
obvious that upon us there devolves a labour which is not
light. We have an army to reorganise and an empire to
pacify. I confess that when I think of the amount of respon-
sibility which at this time and in this position devolves
upon us—although, perhaps, fortunately for myself, I have
not much leisure to reflect upon it—(cheers)—l ant inclined
to feel appalled at the weight of the task we hive under-
taken. This consolation. at least we have—l believe we
ale surrounded by those who are competent to give advice
as good and as honest As was ever afforded to an Eng-
lish Minister—(cheers)--z-wkkbelieve the Evtglish public
is just, and will look at least \fith forbearanceupon an ear-
nest effort to do it service, although the success of that
effort may not be commensurate with its object. (Loud
cheers.) The noble lord concluded by proposing the health
of the Prime Warden, which was drunk with the usual
honours.

The PRIME WARDEN returned thanks, and gave " The
House of Commons."

Mr. R. D. MANGLES briefly acknowledged the toast, and
regretting that his acceptance of a seat at the Board of the
Indian Council would necessarily sever his connection with
a constituency whom he had long represented in the House
of Commons, expressed his earnest hope that the new sys-
tem of administration for India would work satisfactorily,
and bore testimony to the knowledge, ability, and assiduity
displayed by Lord Stanley since his acceptance of the office
of President of the Indian Council.

The PRIME WARDEN said they were honoured with the
presence of a distinguished representative of that great and
noble nation with which it was our happiness to be on
terms not only of peace but of friendship. They had the
pleasure of seeing, as a guest, the Count de Montebello,
whose name, so renowned and so popular in France, was as
well known as that of the illustrious Marshal Lannes, his
father--that great warrior of the empire whom Napoleon
was said most to have consulted, minded, and most to have
loved. But as men of peace and citizens they particularly
welcomed Count Montebello, as a forcible example of the
improved state of the friendly relations between his coun-
try and our own—(cheers)—and this welcome must be the
warmer when it was recollected that his great warrior
parent brought up his children in all the spirit of in-
ternational hatred and prejudice, and when they saw
that the Duke de Montebello and the Count, his bro-
ther, were now united to us, not only by sympathy, of
opinions, not only by consideration of our national charac-
teristics, but united to us by marriage. (Cheers.) Such
was the union all Englishmen wished to see ; not an union
for the extension of dominion, but for the protection of peace
—an union under the auspices of which might be carried
out those wonderful schemes, discoveries, and inventions
which were the boast of the present age—those vast pro-
mises of moral light and intellectual power which the mere
whisperings of warfare would completely crush, and the
glory of which would be transmitted to another generation
instead of immertaliiing our own. (Cheers.)
Count MONTEBELLO, in acknowledging the toast, said—
Laissez-moi, Messieurs, von temoigner toute ma gratitude
pour le toast qui vient de vous etre propose et pour l'accueil
que vous avez bien voulu lui faire. Je suis heureux de pou-
voir vous assurer que les idees que vous venez d'entendre si
bien et si noblement rendues sont partagees dana mon pays
par tout ce renferme de eceurs genereux et d'esprits
&lakes. Quant a moi incljpendamment du plaisir quo
j'eprouve de me trouver en ce moment en aussi honorable
corapagnie, je me felicite de l'occasion qui m'est offerte
d'exprimer hautement mes rsentimens au sujet de l'alliance
qui, dans l'interet de la pivilization et du bonheur des
peuples, unit les deux puissantes voisines qui portent les
beaux noms d'Angleterre et de France. (Cheers.) Ces
deux voisines, Messieurs, out tent de raisons d'etre fieres

rirellos-ineme qu'il efotmant qu'elles-' Inontrent
quelquefoii un peu jalous'es`rtme de ratan ; mais, si elles
ne sont pas toujours parfaitement d'accord, nous devons
nous en consoler en pensant que c'est ce qui pent arriver
entre les meilleurs amis. (Cheers.) L' essentiel est qu'elles
ne se brouillent point, et je forme les vceux les plus ardents
pour que jamais nous se soyons eprouves par un pareil nakl-
heur. Votre honorable Prime Warden vient de vous dire
que j'ai eu le bonheur de trouver la compagne de ma vie
parmi vos compatriotes, ces femmes belles, douces et graci-
euses, qui ont servi de types aux creations les plus ravis-
santes de votre immortel et incomparable Shakespeare.
Etant attache a votre patrie par des liens aussi doux et
aussi sacres, et songeant d'ailleurs aux relations de toute
-sorte qui se sont etablies entre les deux pays, je crois vrai-
ment qu'une guerre entre la France et l'Angleterre me ferait
prceque l'effet d'une guerre civile. L'expression dont Jo
viens de me servir pout paraitre un peu forte, et je ne pre-
tends pas que tout le monde portage a cet egard la vivacite
do mes sentimens. Mais ce qu'il-y ade sew, Messieurs, et
ce qu'on ne peut meconnaitre, c'est que notre cordiale en-
tente a ete jusqu'ici fertile en prodiges. Je n'en citerai
qu'un que je choisis entre tons, d'abord parcequ'il est le
plus recent, et ensuite parcequ'il est pout-titre le plus extra-
ordinairo et que pent-titre aussi it sera le plus fecond en re-
sultats incalculables pour l'avenir de rhumanite. Je veux
parler de ce fait immense, que l'Angleterre et la France,
reunies aux extremites du monde, viennent de reduire en
six mois a leur volonte un empire qui compte 360 millions
d'habitants et qui se vante d'avoir une armee de 800,000
hommes. C'est la une nouvelle preuve, Messieurs, des
belles et grander choses quo nous pourrons accomplir en
restant unis. Ne nous separons done, jamais. C'est mon
plus sincere et mon plus ardent desir. (Loud cheers.)
The toasts of " the Visitors" and " the Ladies" were
subsequenity given, and the company soon afterwards
separated. . _ . _

A selection of vocal music was performed during the
evening by a choir, under the direction or Mr. W. Dorrell,
consisting of Mesdames Winn, Beale, and Dixon, Misses
Banks, Whyte, Jackson, and E. Jackson, Messrs. CUmming,
Shoubridge, Young, Winn, Beale, and Hannaford. Mr.
Harker and Mr. Higgs officiated as toastmasters.

DEER STALKING.—Among the sporting incidents
of the month we are enabled to mention that in the island of
Mull, the woods of Scalastle, on the estate of Lochbuy, were
driven for deer on the 22d instant, by Maclaine of Lochbuv
and party. Capt. Campbell, of Ards, had right and lett
shots at two stags, killing one and wounding the other.
Lochbuy also shot as largo a stag as has been killed in Mull
for many years. It had a very fine head, and weighed 24
stones imperial. This is the first he has fired at since his
return from the East, and we trust it is an omen of his
taking a place among the deer stalkers of his native land.
Others of the
_party had fair shots.—North British Mail.
STEALING METAL COFFINS FROM CHURCH VAULTS.
—For some days past a rumour has been current at Strat-
ford that a copper coffin had been stolen from a vault
under St. John's Church, and on Thursday evening Mr.
John Bromley, one of the churchwardens, accompanied by
the clerk of the church Mr. William Biggs, Mr. George
Craddock, the sexton, Sergeant King, and one or two other
officers belonging to the K division of the metropolitan
police, visited the :vault for the purpose of ascertaining
the truth of the report. A portion of the brickwork having
been removed sufficiently large to admit a person to enter
it was discovered that the copper coffin in which, with
a shell and open coffin, were the remains of Mr. John
Taylor, deposited in the year 181:,, was missing ; and
two men, named James 'List, aged 35, and William
Saville, aged 32, natives of Stratford, who had been employed
as gravediggers at St. John's, were apprehended the
same evening by Sergeant 'King, on suspicion of being the
parties implicated in the robbery. On the following
morning they underwent an examination before Mr. Joseph
Soames, when the further hearing of the case was ad-
journed till Wednesday next. On Friday Mr. Biggs, the
clerk, and Mr. William Gore, a plumber and glazier, of
Stratford, made a further examination of the vault in
which Mr. Taylor's remains were deposited, and those of
i• his brother, Mr. Samuel Taylor, whose death took place
' four years subsequently, in 1850, and who was in-
closed in a leaden coffin. This, it was then discovered for
the first time, had also been stolen. The copper coffin
weighed nearly or quite 2 cwt., being as thick as an old
penny-piece. It was made under the superintendence of
Mr. Taylor, several years prior to his death, and deposited
with Messrs. Martin and Son, of Stratford, his undertakers,
as noticed in this paper at the time of his demise. The
shells, as well as the two out-oaken coffins, were slightly
damaged, but the brass inscription plate and the massive
gilt handles were left untouched, The entrance to the
vault was made by. removing a portion of the brickwork,
which was replaced and whitewashed over, with the view
of preventing detection. The incumbent and churchwardens
will no doubt order the other vaults under the church to
be examined, more especially as they would be warranted
in doing so from information obtained since the apprehen-
sion of the parties supposed to be implicated in one of the
most daring cases of sacrilege which has occurred for some
time past. Ono of the accused persons has admitted his
complicity in the crime, but accused his coadjutors of
having taken the lion's share of the spoil. The police of
the district are now busily engaged in obtaining additional
evidence ; at present it has not transpired when the coffins
were stolen, although a rumour is current that the copper
one was sold to some marine-store dealer in the neighbour
hood, whose name, for obvious reasons, for the present we
withhold.—Essex herald.

1114. BUCHANAN, 11.1. P., AND 318.
DALGLISH.-

On Monday night the two members for the city
met their constituents in the City-hall, Glasgow.
There-was a numerous attendance.
Mr BUCHANAN, after alluding to various matters
of local interest, said—Gentlemen, I voted for Mr.
Gibson's amendment, and because I regret having
done so I come forward to 3'-ou, my constituents,
and express my feelings on this subject, Well, the
Government of Lord Palmerston was defeated, and
the administration of Lord Derby came into their
places. I could not do justice to my convictions,
did I riot most freely admit that many of the gen-
tlemen
,who occupy the treasury benches do honour
to their places. There are many men among them
of experience—men of polished manners and high
character ; but having said so much, lam done.
(A laugh.) Their position is one which I cannot
look upon as consistent with their dignity, and is
not one I would • willingly occupy. Not oily were
they in a false position, but they are, night after
night, called upon to forget their former professions
and all their former
.opinions ; but what is worse,
they are plated in a position where they carry out
no definite policy, and adhere to no definite course
of action. Whenever a subject comes to be dis-
cussed, what is the course of those on the Treasury
benches ? They wait till they see what support
they are likely to obtain from the gentlemen below
the gangway on the opposte side, but do nothing
• at all till they see the amount of support they may
depend on. Is that a position for honourable men
to occupy ? Is that the way to govern this great
country—on the principle that 20 or 30 men on
certain benches were found ready to give support
on certain conditions ? (Cheers.) I look upon this
state of affairs as of a most disastrous kind, preg-
nant with the greatest evils. So long as I have
the honour of a seat in Parliament as your repre-
sentative, I shall endeavour, with any title abilities
I may have, to assist in raising up again a strong
and powerful Liberal party, whether Lord Palmer-
ston or Lord John Russell, one -or both, shall be
members of that party, (Cheers.) As yet Ido not
know, and perhaps as yet I do not care much -about
the matter. This-I do know, they will never want
worthy successors to carry out great principles in
this country. (A Voice : " Seller. of Poland.")
One of the great evils of the present course of
affairs is that it is impossible to tell what is
impending. October is coining on. We will
have Cabinet councils, many discussions and
hints thrown out to test public opinion. What
human being can predict what kind of Reform Bill
we will get from Lord Derby ? Will it be an at-
tempt to add more to the influence of the Tories by
adding to the county constituencies ? or, will it be
the bolder game, announced by many of that party,
as their intention to give universal suffrage, trust-
ing to their playing a Tory game ? I mistake the
opinion of the great majority of the masses of this
country if they have any taste for a retrogressive
policy. They love equal rights and laws greatly ;
but I much mistake indeed if Parliament was
elected by universal suffrage, if it would extend
aristocratic rights. I think, if they proceed to this,
our friends the Tories will find out the mis-
take for themselves. I pass on to make a
few remarks upon other matters. I was glad to
give my support to Mr. Locke King's bill for in-
troducing a £lO county franchise to England.
That was thrown out in the Lords, but will be
again introduced. A bill was introduced by a
Scotchman, Mr. Caird, the member for Dartmouth,
to extend the 40s. freehold franchise to Scotland.
Now, gentlemen, I did not approve of the principle
of that bill, but I voted for its being read a first
time. I think the franchise so low as 405., without
residence, would not be good; but that it would be
better to have a £lO or even £5 county franchise,
with residence. I think Mr. Caird was scarcely
fairly used by the Scotch lawyers, who argued as if
freeholds could not by any possibility exist in Scot- •
land. Such was the argument of the present Lord
Justice-Clerk and the late Lord Advocate, Mr. Mon-
creiff. No doubt, in the present state of Scotch law,
difficulties of such a kind exist as gives a colouring
to their argument; but when we have £lO free-
holds or feuholds, we could have them at £2, and
therefore I could not see the force of the arguments
of the learned lords. I have, therefore, to explain
that if Mr. Caird's bill had come to a vote upon
the merits, before I could have given it my support
it must have been modified. He then glanced at
the bill brought in under Lord Derby's Government,
called the Transfer of Land Bill. The measure
was a very important one, and he trusted it would
prove of much benefit. The question of expenses
was liot-b-rmigiit-roiVairrn the discU§sion upon its
merits. The lawyers generally took care of that
question. Regarding the Confirmation of Electors'
Bill, he saw no reason why such a measure had
been delayed so long, as there seemed to be a de-
sire for such a measure very generally in the
country. He then referred to the bill brought in
by Sir E. Colebrooke anent the registration of
county voters, but which had been thrown out.
He ridiculed the manner in which Lord Derby's
Government had treated the measure, delaying to
oppose it until they had information from their
country factors regarding the likely effects it would
have upon their interests. They allowed the bill
to pass a second reading, while their information
was maturing, and they opposed it in the third
reading. As the hon. baronet was not easily cast
down, he was in hopes that it would be again
brought forward next year, as such a measure
would prove of much benefit. (Cheers.) He had
always been favourable to a reform of our universi-
ties, and it had given him great pleasure, therefore,
that the Lord Advocate had succeeded in passing a
measure for that purpose. While the Legislature
had been devising means for the education of the
rich, he regretted to say that nothing had been
done for the eduCation of the poor. (Hear, hear.)
It was highly desirable that there should be a bill
brought in for this purpose. The Privy Council's
grants for education amounted to £7,000 or £B,OOO
a-year—grants to which he objected. They were
for the most part sectarian in their character. They
were made to the Free Church, the Established
Church, and the Roman Catholic Church. It was
his desire to see them done away with, because he
wished to see education imparted in such a way as
to make men not better Free Churchmen, but better
citizens. (Loud cheers.) He regretted to say that
nothing had been done in this direction, but hoped
that some measure would soon be brought forward.
It was one of many difficulties, but the more reason
therefore should it be taken up with spirit.
Mr. DALGLISH was received with all the enthu-
siasm awarded to his colleague. He said—My ex-
cellent colleague has gone so very fully into all the
important questions of last session, that it will not
be necessary on my part to detain you long. I
have, however, a few remarks, and after I am done,
I have no doubt that it will be agreeable to myself
and colleague to hear the opinions of our consti-
tuency on any prominent question likely to come
before Parliament during next session. (Cheers.)
When Parliament met in February last, on the
papers of the house were several motions, entered
by the officer whose duty it is to do so, and who is
responsible therefor. But after the attempt on the
life of the Emperor of the French, the meetings of
the French colonels, and their addresses to the Em-
peror, as they appeared in the Moniteur newspaper,
changed the state of matters. Following them,
there was brought into the House of Commons, by
the former Ministry, a bill for the amendment of
an important law of the country. had this amend-
ment been proposed by others than those who did
it, I dare say it would quietly have passed unob-
served. It was the way in which it was brought
forward that damaged it ; for when it was first
brought forward only a small minority of Liberals,
headed by Lord J. Russell, voted against it. We
were told that if that bill were not passed, we
should have immediate war with France. I had
no such fear, but if I had had, it should not have
deterred me from voting against it. (Loud cheers.)
Because I believe that if we had pas ;ed that bill
under threats from one party or another, there
would have been larger measures required under
other threats. (Hear, hear.) I believe that with the
passing ' 0. of that bill the liberties of England would
have fallen to a great extent. (Thundaring ap-
plause.) Ido not regret so much as my excellent
colleague that the Conservatives, even against their
principles, should have supported the amendment
of Mr. Milner Gibson. (Hear, hear.) I believe
that the Ministry of Lord Palmerston had become
so much convinced of their popularity with the
country, that they thought they could treat the
Liberal party as they liked. (Cheers.) I was glad
indeed to see a change of Ministry—(che:?rs)—
and I confess that the Liberals have had a
;good
deal more of their own way under the present A-
dministration than ever they had under that of Lord
Palmerston. (Cheers and laughter.) One of the
first acts of the present Ministry was to take a
great deal of credit in a matter in which they had
little hand—(laughter)—they sent Mr. Barber to
Naples to superintend the notorious Cagliari affair,
and though no doubt he had brought the matter
very nearly to a close, I do not see that he had all
the merit in doing so Neither de I say he had no
merit. Far from that. But I believe that the public

PRTCE 4D• STAMPED, 5D

meetings held in GlasA ow and other large towns,
coupled with the manly and independent expres-
sions of our Scottish press, did more to liberate our
two countrymen from the dungeons of Naples than
either the Government of Palmerston or Derby.
(Loud applause.) Shortly afterwards there was an
attempt made by the late party to overturn the
Government through a motion brought in by Mr.
Cardwell. That motion, as you are aware, was in
relation to Lord Ellenborough's despatch. No doubt
you have all read that despatch, and the numerous
speeches connected with it and the motion, but per-
haps you will not be aware that there was a large
party of the Liberals, who would have returned had
they not pledged themselves to the measure.
(Cheers.) The best was done to carry the motion,
and after two or three nights' discussion it came to
a point. The night that decided its fate was one
of the most amusing scenes which I have seen in
the House of Commons during the last session. The
amount of byeplay was most extraordinary. The
Conservatives, as well as the Liberals, seemed to
be quite ignorant as to what would be the result.
They could not guess. One party calculated on_ a
majority of 20 or 30 ; while the other party thought
they might have a majority of five or ten.
(Laughter.) Under peculiar circumstances, some
gentlemen got up and urged the withdrawal of the
motion altogether. Cardwell was appealed to, but
he pled that he was in the hands of the house, and
could do nothing. Palmerston was appealed to.
He consulted with his friends, and after much by-
talk Mr. Cardwell withdrew his motion and the
house was saved from an awkward division. With re-
gard to India, my colleague has given you a full
description of the state of affairs. I must say that
I have no great faith in the present bill, as a work-
ing, practical measure. I question whether " the
House of Commons did right in deputing the go-
vernment of India, or at least the control of the
Government of India, to the Crown. India must
beruled in India, and not in England. All that we
have got to do at home is to -see that it is well
ruled. (Cheers.) I felt, and still feel, that when
the Hous, of Commons came to the resolution they
were bound to look after the proper government of
'lndia. I doubt whether they have done well in
giving the power to 15 irresponsible persons. I
should have much preferred it being given to secre-
taries, who would be responsible to the House of
Commons directly. In respect to refoim, that
will be one of the principal objects which will en-
gage the attention of Parliament in the early part
of the session. I don't know what views the Con-
servative party may have on the subject, but if they
bring forward measures to meet the wishes of the
Liberal party, I am certain their supporters will
turn round on them. (Laughter.) We need scarcely
calculate on anything from them. They will take
the franchise from many of the burghs, and God
knows there are many burghs that deserve to be
disfranchised—(hisses)—but instead of throwing
them into the county, it is possible they will
remain in groups. I can only assure you, if you
wish to secure good reform measures, the men of
Glasgow and other large towns must move in the
matter. (Hear, hear.) Let them give some indi-
cation of what the country wants, and let Govern-
ment know that the country must have it, and be
assured we will get on much better.

THE CHINESE POLL-TAX AT SYDNEY.

The following letter, supposed to be written by a
Chinaman, on this subject, will be found amus-
ing :
" To the Respected Chin Fum, one of the Elders of
the Literati, dwelling in the Street of Celestial
Bliss, in the City of Shanghai.
"My ever honoured Progenitor,-!=!-I send this
writing to let you know of my health and my
doings in thiS land of the outside barbarians, where
I have now been a dweller for more than 30 moons,
.and where I arrived in a barbarian ship after sailing
over the mighty waters for three moons. My heart
was sad on leaving the Central Flowery Land, and
I fully resolved, if Heaven prospered my under-
taking, that I would soon return to pay due hon-
ours to the shades of my ancestors, and eventually
lay my bones with theirs in the fields of happy re-
pose. Shortly do I hope to see you again, my re-:
spected parent. May length of days be your por-
tion and eternal felicity your reward. I will now
tell you about the things of the barbarians in this
outside wilderness, that you may tell it to those
of my countrymen who wish to come here to dig
for gold. I have applied myself diligently, in obe-
dience to your command, to acquire the knowledge
of the barbarians, and to their learned men and re-
ligious teachers I have not boon &of. T think
their words very good, and that if they would
themselves practise only a little of what they are
so anxious to teach others, I could find no fault
with them. Many of their maxims and precepts
are worthy of being treasured up and held in re-
membrance equally with those of the great Confu-
cius himself. This is one of their principal precepts,
the excellence of which moved me to inquire fur-
ther into their doctrines—' Do as you would that
others should do unto you.' Another is, Thou
shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.' Their sacred
books teach that all mankind are brothers—of one
flesh ; and the Great Teacher whom they profess to
follow, and from whom the name of their religion
is derived, is said to have left as one of his greatest
commandments the injunction, ' Love one another.'
I was highly delighted with this, and thought that
the people who followed such teaching must be
worthy examples to others, particularly when I
learnt that they spared no trouble or expense in
sending their Bonzes (priests) to distant parts of the
world to teach these excellent things to the most
miserable and degraded of mankind ; and I foolishly
thought they would hail the coming of my coun-
trymen among them with great joy, in order that
they might impart to them the benevolent doctrines
of their own religion. But now, alas ! when I know
these people better, I see plainly that they wish to
make up by their zeal in teaching others for their
remissness and neglect in practising these golden
rules themselves.

" I must inform you, my honoured, sir, that the
mandarins and lawgivers among these: barbarians
pretend (in order to replenish their empty treasury,
and at the same time to please the vulgar sort,
whose goodwill they are desirous to secure,) that
there is great danger to the public morals and wel-
fare because of so many Celestials coming to dwell
in their country—that we shall corrupt them, for-
sooth! and degrade their race ! and a great outcry
has been raised against us. This is pleasing to the
ignorant and brutal among them, who call us all
manner of hard names and ill •treat us—and when I
reply to them in the words, of their own sacred
book, Do as you would be ii,one unto,' they only
mock and abuse me the more ; and if I venture to
mention another of their aphorisms, that With
what measure men mete unto others it shall be
measured to them again,' they reply with blows.
The mandarins and wise men, in order to please
these people, have decreed that all my country-
men, when they arrive here, must pay the great
amount of 40 ounces of silver. This is the
price at which these people value their moral
welfare and the purity of their race ! We are
to be at liberty to corrupt and degrade
them to any extent if we will only pay them the
40 ounces of silver. One of their mandarins stated,
in their hail of assembly, that he objected to our
coming here because we smuggled opium in our
bamboo sticks. If this worthy mandarin had called
to mind that passage from their sacred book which
says, First take the beam from thine own eye, and
then thou shalt sec clearly to pull out the mote
which is in thy brother's eye,' the blush of shame
must have overspread his countenance when he
uttered it, seeing that his own countrymen have
been engaged for many years in smuggling opium
into our country, not in bamboo sticks, but in ship-
loads. Another of these wise mandarins said that
he objected to our coming because one of the Celes-
tials whom he employed. although an excellent
servant, had turned Christian, and it seems he con-
tinues a good servant still, in spite of having
changed his religion, evidently much to the worthy
mandarin's surprise, who apparently wishes to pre-
vent the chance of such a change, by making them
pay heavily for it. Another of these lawmakers
said that, if we were allowed to come here, this
country would soon become a province of the Celes-
tial Empire, but it seems he is quite willing we
should come if we paid for i+. Verily, these people
would allow us to defile their fathers' tombs if we
paid them for it. Surely, if we are so bad as they
say, they ought to exclude us altogether. I be-
lieve' notwithstanding all the precepts of tly:ir
holy. books, their professions are all a sham, al);:i the
principal object of their adoration is a irw and
grovelling, but powerful thmon, called
nammon,'
whose slaves they are.

"To show, also, the arrogance QV these barba-
rians, I wish to inform YOU th,' ~, they arc only
strangers in this land themse.)-,,es_many of them
have only. been here a few
more than one or two gut 'lnoons, and none for
erations ; and they are
only a very small num.)ier—not more than the
people of a single city it
the Central Flowery Land;
that their evil examp), e and conduct, and the fire-
waters which ther,take, have already almost de-

~~~

N U.: \V S PAT Elk -
--_,).. -1,-,1i...:...--,s 1... ~.,.;. •Q. ,-.0.1.
I, .".• l' '''''
,:Y4:t.s,b 1,A.\t,./
,•' L,:_ ,' ,- ~.tk.,:. f! k.2e:".!;:,,,N. i:-;),*-4
stroyed the original inhabitants{ of this ftne'mitufi... 14
try ; and this handful of barb4rian strangers,.araß4
about to place a tax on my countqfnen who nwitbetz-,A,
one-third of the human race ! This- fact.',-,4:,, - -)/
more absurd and ridiculous when it is,icomVereG
that they have no manufactures, and scarcely any
handicrafts among them ; they can neither grow
silk nor spin it; they do not even spin the fin©
wool which the country produces in abundance.
They do not grow sugar, or tea, or rice, or even.
catch the fish with which their coasts and harbours
swarm. They have not a single canal in the, 0 ~.. -
try, and scarcely a road; and everything they u... 1
and wear has to be brought from other parts of the
world. Almost the only thing they make is the,
fire-water called rum, which many of them drink
until they end their miserable lives ; so true 14
their saving that ' Whoever is doomed by Heaven:
is infatuated.'

" The precepts for the regulation of their coin-
nic Wel and their
statestate of, opposition to each other.
The teaching of one of their wisest men, an old
mandarin called Adam Smith, whose injunctions
the most enlightened among them profess to follow,
may be summed up in these words, The most
effective way of advancing the wealth and great-
ness of a nation is for the Legislature to allow every
man to dispose of his industry and capital to the
best advantage he can, without favouring him on
the one hand by protection, or imposing restraints
upon him on the other, and when universal justice
triumphs this principle will regulate -tile commer-
cial policy of the world.' How different is their
practice from this, and yet they profess to be guided
by such precepts.
" The political creed of these people is also
equally opposed to their practice, for they profess
to believe that all men are equal, but their acts
completely give the lie to their words.
" When, in addition to all this, it is considered
that this nation is at the present time sending their
fireships and great numbers of their Braves to our
country to fight us, because we do not wish to trade
with them on the terms which they choose to dic-
tate, and that they have already taken forcible pos-
session of one of our chief cities, I think it must be
allowed that this attempt to tax us is very wicked
as well as unreasonable and unwise.
" But let me no longer waste time in speaking of
the follies and vices of these people, whom Heaven,
no doubt for some wise but inscrutable purpose,
has permitted for a time to occupy a land which
they know not how to till or enjoy in a rational
manner, and whose arrogance and conceit prevent
them from learning of others who are able to teach
them.

* *

" Surely, if this tax is to be imposed on my
countrymen on their arrival here, the barbarians, in
common honesty, will either spend it for their
bnefit or return it them when they leave, if they
do so without having offended against the laws of
the land. Apart from the reasonableness of this
supposition, I am the more inclined to indulge this
hope, because when I mentioned it to one of their
mandarins he very civilly told me he thought we
should get the money returned, ' with a hook'
What this latter expression means I do not exactly
know, perhaps some small ornament or reward for
our good conduct during our sojourn in the
country.

* *

" That your shadow, my venerated parent, may
never grow less is the fervent wish of dutiful
" JAN CHIN."

THE _HI3IALAYA MOUNTAINS.

The brothers Schlagintweit, Hermann, Robert,
and Adolphe, were sent on a mission by the East
India Company to explore the Himalaya Moun-
tains, Tibet, and Central Asia. This journey was
originally suggested by Baron Humboldt and sup-
ported by the King of Prussia. Adolphe has not
returned. to Europe, and it is feared that he has
perished in his travels. His surviving brothers have
given evidence before the committee appointed to
inquire into the facilities for the colonisation and
settlement of India, and, as the result of personal
observation, their opinion is very valuable. Their
researches extended from 5 deg. to 37 deg. north
latitude, and from 68 deg. to 98 deg. longitude east
of Greenwich. The total length of the lines along
which the inquiries were carried on amounts, by
an approximate calculation, to 18,000 English miles.
Meteorological researches were among the special
objects of their mission, and these led them to in-
quire into the salubrity of the Himalaya range, par-
ticularly in reference to the health of Europeans
there permanently settled. In its eastern divisions
they pronounce it humid, and at Darjeeling it ap-
pears that the quantity of rain fall exceeds 120
inches, but both in the centre and at the western
termination dampness is considerably reduced.
The only valleys of considerable extent through-
out the Himalaya range are in Nepaul
and Cashmere, and are described as the beds of
former lakes. The mountains are penetrated by
various passes ; the lowest, leading to Tibet, and
called the Niti Pass, is at an elevation of 16,000 ft.
For the sctticmcnt of Europeans in this part of India
Cashmere is recommended as the most eligible loca-
lity, but it does not form a part of the British pos-
sessions. The climate of Sikkim is mild and tempo-
rate, but has the disadvantage of great moisture,
the rainfall exceeding 120 inches, in consequence of
which Europeans are exposed to dyspepsia, who
get cured by removing to Tibet, chiefly owing to the
dryness of the atmosphere in that country. In Tibet
some villages are inhabited at a height of 14,000 ft..
—in the Himalayas the range is from 11,000 to
11,500 feet.

To carry trade into Central Asia has for a long
period been desired by our Indian authorities. It
was contemplated by Warren Hastings, who, in
178.3, sent Mr. Turner to Tibet to accomplish that
object, and that gentleman reported that in the al-
luvial district gold was abundant, and readily to be
obtained ; and even in 1775, Mr. Bogle, employed
by the company on a similar mission, considered that
British woollen manufactures would find a ready
market among the Tibetans. On a former occasion
we had occasion to remark that Mr. Hooker, who
made a botanical excursion to India in 1848, pointed
out the great capabilities for cultivating teaafforded
by the Himalaya range, and this is fully confirmed
by the observations of the Messrs. Schlagintweit,
who state that plantations at an elevation of even
5,000 feet have proved remunerating though the
best localities are considerably lower. However,
they are of opinion that tea might be grown with
advantage along the whole range, and in unlimited
quantity, and consider it a most important article of
trade to be introduced into Tibet, where it is largely
consumed, though the quality is coarse ; moreover,
as it comes from China, the cost of carriage, owing
to the distance, must be great. It is more used by
the hill tribes than by the people inhabiting the
plains. Dr. Jameson thinks that we could produce
it at 6d. per pound, and of a better description.
Another article of trade, which would readily find a
market, is coarse woollen cloth, now, to a certain
ext ent, supplied by Russia, but, if good roads were
made, the travellers corroborate the view taken by
Mr. Moorcroft, who states " it is at our option
whether Central Asia shall be supplied with goods
from Russia or from England." We could obtain
in exchange from Central Asia raw and manufac-
tured silks, shawls and velvets, hemp, sugar-candy,
and ponies, borax (much used in India for technical
purposes), and a stone called " jade stone," exclu-
sively used for ornamental work. In its chemical
composition it is " a silicate of magnesia and alu-
mina, containing small quantities of iron and chrom
colouring matter ; its mineralogical name is
nephrite ; it a little resembles some kinds of agate,
and cuts or scratches glass very deeply after it is
hardened." Copper and zinc ores are found in the
eastern parts of the Himalaya, and greatly used by
the natives in making their basins and idols.
That commerce offers bright prospects in these
regions is certain ; but there appear to be many
obstacles to free exchange. Some tribes are so
savage that all intercourse with them is impossible.
Europeans could not gain access into Bhutan, the
government of which is under Buddhists, the rajahs
being both secular and ecclesiastical princes. The
rulers at Sikkim are not friendly to the Indian Go-
vernment ; but it would be well to adjust any differ-
ences that may exist, as it affords the shortest
mountain passage across the Himalayas into Tibet,
and is on the direct route from Calcutta to Lassa,
the capital of Eastern Tibet. In this district
smuggling is active, proving a demand for trade.
Salt is thus illegally taken from Tibet into Sikkim,
and tobacco from Sikkim into Tibet. The great
obstruction to trade with Tibet arises from the
Chinese authorities, and not from the Tibetians.
" When Major Cunningham and Captain Strachey
were in Tibet, charged with the regulation of the
frontier, the efforts that were made to get official
relations with the Chinese were absolut.ely.useless."
Ree'ent negotiations, however, may assist in the re-
moval of these impediments, for though access t 9
T in
ibet may not be a specific clause the late treaty
ldecisive blow has been struck agai▪
nst
the a very
emanaarin system of exclusiveness, and" the
whole must fall before proper and repeated efforts.
The Chinese themselves, when once the novelty of
European intercourse has passed away, will soon be
reconciled to the outerbarbarians by the love of gain,
and they will learn to respect the strangers they
have despised or hated. Though, as already re-
marked, the Rajah of Sikkim is not friendly to us,
the people are, and are hostile to the Chinese
rulers, and of this fact a skilful diplomatist mi▪
ght
take advantage. The truth is that, with the excep-
tion of savages, all rude tribes are eager to barter,
and are only roused to anger or distrust when they
detect inju-tice and ovcr-reich nj. We have, Low-