The Sun.
London, England, 1858-05-01 00:00:00

danger of the most serious character to produce upon
the native mind an impression of disunion and di-
vi si ins at home upon this subject. (Hear.) This would
be a fair argument against raising the question at all, but
the question having been once raised, and it being made
known everywhere in India that her Majesty's Govern-
ment had introduced a measure to place the power of
governing that country in the hands of the Crown in-
stead of the company, I think the only safe and wise
course to pursue is to complete the undertaking which
we have begun. (Hear, hear.) The right hon. gentleman
said whatever rzay be the merits of the measure itself
for the future government of India, it willinduce natives
to look for still greater changes in regard to them, that
they may suppose we have no sympathy for them, and
hst we mean to govern India henceforward for the ex-
clusive interests of England, without paying any regard
to their interests or prejudices. I say, sir, if any such
alarm is entertained by the natives of India, the only way
to allay such a feeling is to agree on a measure of legis-
lation as speedily as possible, consistently with the due
consideration of the importance of the subject, and
thereby to show the groundlessness of those apprehen-
sions. Taere is one p ,int more to which I wish to allude.
What is the best time to undertake s) large a work of
legislation ? There is not at present b fore the house any
prif ()sal for making any organic reform of a domestic
character. We are still at a comparatively early
period of the session. Four years ago, the right
honourable gentleman the then President of the Board of
Control introduced his India Bill at a later period of the
session than now. Now, we cannot tell what political
events may occur in the course of the year, which would
make it uncertain that we should have so much time to
give up to the consideration of this question if we delay
t much longer. It ber Majesty's Government had con-
sulted their own ease, and desirM to save themselves
from the treable, the difficulty,and embarrassment which
mu t necessarily attend discussions of this kind, their
obv,ous c arse would have been to accept the resolutions
of the noble lord, and with them the responsibility at-
tending each a proceediog, although they did not ori-
ginally undertake it themselves, but inherited it from
those who had preceded them. (Hear, hear.) Sx, we
did not take that cour,e. We thought we had a duty
to discharge. Toe responsibility was cast upon us, and
from that responsibility it was not, we thought, in our
power to relieve ours?lvev. Having undertaken it, we
ire det rosined to discharge it, with the favour of this

who had spoken in the highest terms of the East India
Company Burchhart, in his work, said, " that the inha-
bitants of Mecca declared that though the Europeans
danced with their friend's wives, drank wine, and ate
pork, yet their Government was a most just and enlight-
ened one." French travellers, M. de Richmont, and others,
also bore testimony to the feelings of the inhabitants with
regard to the Government of India. Sismondi bore similar
testimony. The hon. gentleman here read several articles
from the works of foreign travellers in Persia, Affghanistan,
and other countries, to show the good feeling which was
entertained towards the Government of India. Amongst
ttese travellers were Baron Von Hugel, Jacgremont, Fer-
rier, M. Chevalier, and Malmaison. Complaints had been
made against the Company that they sent out youths to
India instead of grown men. Why nothing could be more
advantageous than sending out youths as apprentices to
learn their business there. There were three great sub-
jects of vilification of the Company. The first was the
administration of justice ; the second, the state of the po-
lice ; the third, the deficiency of public works. With re
gard to the subject of administration of justice, let them
consider the people with whom they bad to deal. The at-
tempt to administer justice upon the English system would
be the wildest possible scheme that could be proposed.
The people of India could only be brought by degrees to
govern themselves. A great outcry had been raised against
what was called the " double government." But he ven-
tured to say that nine out of ten members of the House of
Commons were in favour of an independent council.
( H ear.) Did not that mean a double government? (Hear.)
If India sees to be governed well, there must be such an in-
dependent body to stand as a fender between factions in
the House of Commons and the government of India ; and,
if it was the desire of the house that the Government
shouldcon council
nbi
le
wouldcentred
be
in the
reallyth e Crown,independent. (Hear.) he only hoped that such
a
Sir E. COLE BROOKE opposed the first resolution, on
the ground that before transferring the government of In-
dia into new hands there ought to be a full explanation as
to the nature of the proposed council who were to assist
the Secretary of State, and the character of the assistance
which they would lender him. Taking the first resolution
in connection with the second, the powers of the Lew
council would be nil ; whereas the powers exercised by the
present Board of Directors were of a substantial character.
Those powers derived significancy, because they were exer-
cised by a permanent body acting under a fluctuating go-
vernment, and on account of the independent principle on
which the directors were elected. There was something
definite in the constitution of the East India Board ; but
there was no security contained in the bill that the new
council would not ultimately become unwieldy. (Hear.)
At all events, let security be taken that the new council

_ house, to the best of our power. (Cheer-) should possess the same powere as those me Irisc! by the
The house divided, when the numbers were— present board of directors. This suggestion he should em-
For the amendment
Against it
Majority -- 390 under discussion.
The announcement of the numbers was received with Sir C. LEWIS had hoped that the vote which had been
come to by the house, after much discussion, that the
laughter and cheering. reign of the company should cease, would have been re-
THE INDIAN RESOLUTIONS. garded as conclusive. That vote was so taken, and was
Lord J. RUSSELL said, it bad been suggested to accepted by a majerity of the members of the present Go-
vernment. The Chancellor of the Exchequer had stated
elm that the amendment of which he had given notice that he considered the company as no longer a living body,
open the 6th resolution, that the members of the Conn- and that all they could do with respect to it, was to per-
oil "should be appointed by her Majesty, and, with the form with decency its obsequies; and the President of the
submitted Board o f
to Control,Li e
Court wheno
of
exception of the Secretary of State, should hold theirasked:)ire c
twhether d
thatthe afterbiil htande been
e
offices during good behaviour," would raise two lies- come to by the house, he leoked up'en the directors only as
r ions,—first, that of appointment; and secondly, that so many private individuals. It seemed to him that those
of tenure. As he only wished to raise a simple and direct who had advocated delay in legislating for India had
father advocated a perpetual renewal of the lease of the
question with regard to the mode of appointing the company. Their arguments had commenced by insisting
Coined he would put his amendment in this form : on the necessity of delay; but they had always resolved
Teat it is expedient that the members of Council themselves into an eulogiuin on the merits of the company,
•'
Red into a recommendation to maint An the present system.
shou'd be appointed by her Majesty," and it would This reminded him of as, i • of Lord Bacon, which he
' then rake a question, whether all the members of Ceun • attributed to al ancient wiseynagan. An ancient sage, said
cil should be appointed by her Majesty or not. Lord Bacon, on being asked what was the proper time for
marriage, repli,e,d, " for a young man not yet, for an old
The house went into committee, Mr. FITZROY in the man not at all. (Hear.) Such seemed to be the advice
chair. of those who advocated delay in legislating for the govern-
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, said, meet of India. At present they were told that the disturbed
the first resolution he had to submit to the committee state of India ought to prevent legislation this session. But
embodied a rinciple which he believed would be reco
if they delayed till another session no donut they would
p -
then be told that India had had returned to a state of t ran-
raised by a veer majority of hon. members. It was— g
ttitilli int, and that it wOultl be folly to disturb it. Whatever,
" That as the territories under the government of the therefore, might be the state of India, the advocates of de-
East India Company are by law to remain under such lay would always find a reason, or rather a pretext, for pro-
government only until Parliament shall otherwise provide, longing the power of the company. Regarding the vote of
this house is of opinion that it is expedient that the trans- the house as incisive of the fate of the company, he should
for of such government to the Crown should now take place new cornider what was the best substitute for it, and not
in order that the direct superintendence of the whole em- whether it ought to be maintained. Ho might remark that,
Aire may be placed under one executive authority." wl en he spoke on a former occasion of the weakness of the
He need not remind the committee that by the act of double gee ernmeat, he intended to allude not to the execu-
-1853, the authority if the East India Company was con- tive in India, but to the defective constitution of the home
eoeernment of India. The mutiny bait brought forcibly
tinued under the condition referred to in the resolution, before the members of the Government the elements of
and he had endeavoured to frame the resolution in such pr ,crastination and perplexity which characterised the
a manner as clearly to express its ob home government of India. It was, therefore, upon the
ject. The right hon. defects inherent in the home government of India, and not
gentleman then moved the resolution, upon any Want of vigour in the Governor-General, or in
Mr. ROSS MANGLES said he had to perform a very the commissariat placed at his disposal, that he had rested
ephill and almost hopeless task in attempting to oppose his arguments in favour of a cheogei• Mr.3atriarekteiisenad
the resolutions which he could not but believe had the trelimeecelhefoenuttshoflndiatßill
oaffdMourb.le F
o
xo nm
,
veraweu characterised
The speech
concurrence of the majority of the house. But he should was made befoaresytshamdouble government was established,
not the less, perhaps the more, consider it his duty to state, and before the India Bill of Mr. Fox was introduced, but
to the best of his ability, the character of that company it accurately described the manner in which such a govern-
,v ment would work. Mr. Burke said that the scheme of aith which he had been so long connected as a servant and
council of directors really controlling a :secretary of State
as a member of the court of directors. He had only spoken could only be kept in order for a very short time ; that
on the general question on one occasion, and then at a late either the directors would dwindle down to clerks, or the
hour, being unwisely provoked to do so by a speech of his secretary %meld, often through design and often through
right hon. friend the member for Radnor, who had spoken
110 ;10Ct, leave everything to them, and that procrastina-
Mon, confusion, and delay would ensue. Such was Ur.
with much less than his usual philosophy, and if he might Burke's view of .double government. With regard to
say so without offence, with less than his usual equity and
candour, not giving a fair representation of the character the resolution before the house he hoped the wording of it
would be carefully considered, iaesruuch as it was some-
of that Government. He hoped the facts he should now
bring under the consideration of the holies would be suffi- what ambiguous with regard to the sovereignty of India
ciently strong to induce them to pause before they took asof djhcel a
lir
oe dm?
gboev ve
rens tme de
ni
tn thof e
IC.rdoiria nv,..T. The
note rau e
sovereigntya r character
the government of India out of the han-is of that corpora- vested in the company, for they were only a pro-
tion that had gained the empire for us,
scisntiously believed, had ruled it with wisdom and bsne- punider the Government
of Parliament theirand sittingstlle Crown.
and... he con- - terry 1 olkl. g in Loudon
volence. In the speech referred to, the right home t, able competent to Parliament to sweep away that proprietary
baronet had said that the ludianGovernment, having disco- government at any time, and to place the Crown ' i direct
1• • t • ' • • • • 1!
vered its weakness, it was not a matter of surprise that a, minis ratty° relation with the territory of Lid's. Our
her Majesty's Government came forward to propose its coleeial history aeorde I numerous examples of proprietary
abolition. He joined issue with the right hon, baronet on
go t eru meats like that of the East India Company. The
the question whether the government of ludia had in the majority of the American colonies were at that placed
sea-on of its greatest emergency shown that weakness
trader proprietary governments created by charter, similar
which the right bon. baronet had stated, as the eutfieient to the ch :Aar o' the company, with this difference, that
and almost only reason for Government coming furry urd to the American clartearLaitoluneritnioe'd the guarantees to colonise
propose the abolishing of the company. It was rather a new settlements carryine on trade. These
bold print for a right hon. gentleman to take up, who, proprietarygo•erinaments in. America had been put an end
though not a member of time Administration at the time of to by the progress of free institutions, and the action of
the Crimean war, was connected by office with those who free settlers erected a change ine
sAomuelr:ienaevier'llseroTteot that
t
were, to assert the weakness of the government of India, which they were now about to try to effect in 'lndia by the
He should put it to the house to consider the matter, i ar-
eel by parcel, and see how the company had stood th •
annulled the
shock of this mutiny. Let them look at the siege of Delhi. ow. er ofx th- had t been thel ; 1
alfitri of
Fox's ibalul eolfit.l7FB3o,r one,
wouldh have '
company,no pissed by aegisaa-
At the time of that siege the greatest arsenal of India was tore.il He meretted, a'so, that the power of the company
in the hands of the mutineers. It was not now in eueetion hail not ben'put an end to when their monopoly was ex-
how it fell into their hands, or whether it could have been thesuishen He believed that whatever excellence had
better protected, but if it were, ho should answer that it bear itrapirten into the Government of India had come
was the Commander-in-Chief who was more especially re- from the ruperintendence of parliament and of the Board
sponsible for that and that he wasappointed by the Crown of Contren It was not due to any excellence in its con-
3n,i not by the company. The question was, whether the stitutior as a joint-stock company, for in all probability,
government of the company had shown weakness. The had it been left to its own management it would in
re-
great arsenal of the north-west provinces was in the hands ,:p3ct hwe differed from the direction of other jointi-stock
of the rebels, and there was not a soldier brought there by cornpazies. The time had now arrived for putting an end
the company that had not been in the country before, so to teetsuper'ntendnce, and he trusted committeeeo
that they had uo assistance from without, and he would wouln not hesitate 'to come to a vote by which the
appeal to every man conversant with the history of these plicsned governrneet of India might be simplified, and rabv-
occurn noes whether the operations had been col:Mt:Med. in whicr the last vestiges- of the company's government iglit
be molt shed. (Hear hear. )
a manner indicating weakness on the part of the Govern-
ment or of their military system ? (Hear, hear.) How had
the troops and the munitions of war been provided? The
m Ir. LINDSAY said that differences of opinion existed
tth emoluments, and patronage ; but no attention
troops were not subjected to the incleency of a Crimean
as o the constitution and members of the new council,
winter, but they were subjected to that of the hottest sea - '
r
raga in India. Wit did not hoar of any green coffee—(a
t merl to have been paid to the finances of India. At
laugh)—of cavalry horses eating one another's tails for e pfoper time he should move that instead of the election
c the now seuncil being left open, the council should con-
want of better and more suitable fodder —(leughter)—of
cot of the present members of the Court of Directors. By
injury to the cavalry by sore backs, of men perishing for
olopting this course he believed there would be a greater
want of necessaries--(hear, hear)—of whole regiments of
eboolese men- (hear, hear) -or of any one of those defects chance of ensuring legislation this year.
which had been so lamentably apparent in the Crimea. Mr. HORSMAN contended that the proper time for
(Cheers.) From the beginning to the end though the legislating for In lia would have been when India was at
,
,e-senal was in the hands of the enemy, there was a sum-- peace in 1853; that the inopportune time was the present,
cieecy and superabundance of fold. (Hear, hear.) Dos when India was in flames. It was ungenerous to choose
the period of disas',er for degrading the company. But
that indicate weakness? (Hear, hoar.) Let them Wilk a
the results which followed. Let them remember the I: taking even broader grounds, be maintained that during
penny with which the columns for Delhi after the siee the progress of the mutiny it was impossible to frame a
traversed the country without showing any deficiency ti measure which should meet the full extent of the miler-
means upon the route. (Hear, hear.) Some of the marches noney. Our difficulties in India hal shaken that empire
of Greathed and Showers were the admiration of all min to its foundation, and the authority of the Governor-Gene-
tary men for the r,phlity with which they were carried en. ,el, if he had not been a man of courage and capacity,
(Hear, hear.) Then look at the rapidity with which the ,72uld have trembled between native infidelity on the one
Guides came up, marching forty miles a day—a rate cu- d"'Ll, and that of hie own countrymen who harassed and
the,,ryou2aucuegduihniemthooneritshies
woathseorv.ercHeHare,
washear.) But were
known in military annals, and that under the fearful Rlll
of that country. Did all that show weakness? (Hear,
tlafraid it was
hear.) So much for Delhi. Dire the situation of the Pan- ~' natural consequence that those who were slow to be-
jaub at this moment indicate that degree of weakness on 11e 6 the crisis was coming, had run too rapidly to the
the part of the Government which alone could justify the re°lolusion that it was passed. Ha feared that our
remarks of his right hon. friend ? The Punjaub in the ' nhre tenour in India would bo one long continued
hands of Sir John Lowrance Peshawur in the hands of cri.* unless we learned to know and to govern
Edwards, and L chore in the hands of Montgomery, did not ',114a, better than we had done. Tho Government
appear to indicate to him that the Government was weak, of tudia had bean so conducted that it had excited die-
Pegu had remained in an uninterrupted repose from the t,Pst iu the native mind, and from that cause our
outbreak to the present hour, though it was surrounded by an army had been in a state of smouldering mutiny
wild tribes, and the inhabitants were of cognate tribes, and ftlllini the mutiny of Velureto the late outbreak. The cha,
with the Burmese on their frontier. Did that indicate rioter of Englishmen was not to foresee danger, though
weakness? (Hear.) In the Doab the moment it was re- Coil' courage to moat disaster when it came were more re-
lieved from the aotual presence of the mutineers perfect tarkable than its belief in it and to provide against it.
d order was restored, in proof of which he read an extract
tut if anything could have awakene
red heedless, culpable, and criminal conduct towards the country to its
from a letter of the Chief Commissioner of Works in India
which was the last blue book. He asked whether ,:enia, it should have been the impressive warning they
that indicated weakness? (Cheers.) Ho also called their had received. The British Parliament had, however,
attention to a later letter to the same effect from an officer , assembled, and its benches had been thronged by honour-
of high distinction (Col mei Smythe) in the Bengal ser- able members who had listened to the proposition of the
M
vice. That officer heel the command of a regiment of native Minister for the better government of India. But as yet no
he information had been given on a most material point, viz.,
m artillery, of which almost every man was a Maleome-
whether India, under the Government of the C own;
dan. He was at home on sick leave when the mutiny broke would be able to pay its own expenses. (Hear.) That was
out, but, like a gallant soldier, he hastened back to hs an important question, and he urged the committee to
troop. They remained faithful during,. the whole (deo), press her Majesty's Government for an answer. (Hear.)
though they were deprived of their guns. They went i'Mo
result
belonged
t h e s
we o;pti
would
etbEhhe
el
Hitherto this country had not been liable for the deficien-
cies trenches and served the siege train. They served vith of India, but he was inclined to believe that if they
uninterrupted fi lelity, an-I without the desertion )f a transferred the government of India to her Majesty's Go-
single man. An officer who had exorcised such influence verument, the ratepayers of this country would be liable
over the men, who had so won their affection as this 'lent
officer must have done, deserve,' to be listened toga-with for any deficiencies thst might hereafter arise. (Hear, and
no, no.) He should like to have the question satisfactorily
respect. The hon. member then read the letteg which answered, because he felt convinced that if they transferred
was similar in effect to the former. Now, let Gum take
Bengal proper. What had been the state of tease pro- thegovernisient the English Government would be respells
sable. for the
viuces? Why, where there were no sepoys there iu nu
blislimeuts in India as much as they were for those of
single case had there been insurrection. The nee le hal
Englaud. (hear.)
With the change of government they
rerneinrei faithful to the government. Lest iearPeertein payment of the military and judicial esta-
wohld commence with a deficiency of two millions, with
missionaries represented the state of Bengal as being
perilous. Now, if ever there were cirentnetaices in which
the people could have manifested an evils pint towards the an increasing
reran)©, which has' been anticipated this year by a loan
gevernment, it was during the mutiny. Every sepey ' ''' '
,n9.-(-, with the chance of its being increased next
expenditure and an increasing deficiency of
had mutinied, and there was not a angle European in
me ar, hea
, in India, the two piano There wore three sources of revenue
soldier between Fort William and Patna. There was
land and salt, an one policeman to 20,000 inhabitants, and yet the people d the third that of opium. The land was
things. t ly
p t.
were most faithful. He (Mr. Mangles) had been vie- heavily taxed at sixteen millions, and could not be
attackedin-
.DuffbcyallDedr.hilerouffthofohir
aghhasetioegofsLtaetaeddeuthhaT creased,and, the pal being the revenue derived from
tax on salt fell so heavily on the poor
man that in Bengal it amounted to absolute prohibition,
street, and the pen:state of the banks of the Thames,
itnheen
mutinyt sB sn g aolf ttvhaes
si
enpya mutiny.
i ,nly
and declared that the moment he was melting these state -
opium, they found it of a most -memo-ions character, and
aocoe.t7vPhaenniedt. with great misery—(hear, hear, hear)—
pdraatso,a7allialt%wzLtltiehesrteatehner might be seriousl
they came to the revenue derivable from
a
-bo.7WThrriyieti,l;s,ro.,o':,vi.:ti
taaivisaris4i,burti:ititttiis:nt,
mutiny
1,5-
y affected eitheir by China legalising its
sgerse,wiotibis,, ohriAitm.erica, growing it in some of her Atlantic pus-
n'u a ": no '''-' -P-1 • ,1 i , in aselition to that, the growth of opium
case deserving the name of mutiny in
That was the only weu ~ lie3Ulllo a different chill aetei v,,,,,, Lida ~...',...-ii,""
that district. All the st. tions were kept in perfect peace by was transferred to the Crown, because a State could not
the people of India. Did that justify IL measure like the one ignore certain moral and legal objections and obligations
proposed? In Madras the people, who haebeen represented
as being tyrannised over, had not taken advantage of the that
mu- iny to rise against the Government. Look at the Dec- ficieney of 2 millions, to which must be added 3A millions,
can—look at Hyderabad, with a wild Arab soldiery. They the loss of the revenue on opium, making together s:', that ht ar at
de
they w wouldl' icb a
commencecompany with coulda Chloe '-
were as fierce a race as existed on tae face of the earth lions, which hi the present circumstances of Ineia, if its
The Deccan had been kept in goal order entirely by the rsvennes failed, that deficiency would have to be made up
by the taxpayer of
fidelity of the Nizam to the British). Government. The late
Chan-
Capt. Conolly had stated that any officer of the Company eel;
Ted
the Exchequer in the early part of the session
over the country could always obtain money "
the tight hon. gentleman knew of any mode, should such a,
and ha should liko to know if
travellingngsliaon,uns, (Hear, and no, no.) The
pen Ws mceio-emrpeapurymbnatiatiboenenthsaot
contingency ha
much and unjustly abused, that he trusted these banks °"
hfreo mwatehae nativecem pabnayn,ek bankers
officer.o The
he
transferring the government of India to England was, that
y would be takin on themselves obligations
and habil' •
bean in India, and who had written up:a the subject, but , itte3 they had not yet fully considered, or with.
the opposite silo of the house. Not a singlet officer who had 1)