The Sun.
London, England, 1858-01-21 00:00:00

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• 7:<;=,

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Vf-i;;tomprogress of the relative holdings V"
natives of the public debt. In 1834'1je)e
20,439,8701., and Latises 7,225,3651. ;
last returns, Europeans held 21,931,0001., lid natives ;')
12,000,000/. (Hear, bear.) He then referred to the
public works that had been carried out in India since
the establAment of the Eeet India Company, and urged
that, if the Company was to be abolished to-morrow,
the public would have no more power over the •
Government of India than they have now. (Hear,
bear, hear.) Questions relative to India were
freely and properly considered in that Court, and he
defied them to find a larger amount of Indian experience
in any past of the world, save in India, than was to be
found at that board, and he bad heard that in the pro-
posed change those men were to be called upon to form
the Indian Beard. (Hear, hear.) He was of opinion
that they would discover the antagonism of Eng.
'and if they gave to the holders of 1001. stock
the privileges of voting that were possessed exclusively
by the holders of 1,000/. stock. He extolled the
administration of the Councils which lied produced
the most brilliant warriors and admirable sta!esmene
When they had revolt in Canada, the Cape, Ceylon, and
other places, the Government had selected the civil
officers of the Company to restore order and get the
Government out of their difficulties ; and in the late
Eastern war it was the Company's officer, Lieutenant
Bad, r. that turned hack the Ru miens ; and, at Kars,
there was C-dots 1 Lek teed Captain Thompson, the
Company's officers, who were the Imams of saving the
earri,on when they were neglected by the home
Government. (Hear, hear.) He contrasted such
men wi h Colonel Anson, who was appointed to the
command of the ledian army, through the influence of
Prince Albert, an appointment that was an insult to the
people of this country. (Hear.) He bad no objection .
to Prince Albert generally. In his own department he
did his duty well—(laughter)—but he objected to his
using his power to influence the Government in appoint-
ing incompetent Commanders-in-Chief. (Hear, hear.)
He then criticised Lord Pa.lmereton's conduct
with reference to India, during the time he
hal been in powe-. His appointment of Governors-
General bad been most unfortunate, and his whole aim
had been annexation. He appeared to entertain with
re ;art] Lo India a similar notion to that of Napoleon r.
for bringing the whole of Europe under one rule. (Hear,
hear.) In conclusion, be reviewed the government of the
East India C .mpany, which, as a whole, had been
a 'vantageous to the people of India. (Hear, hear.) In
affirming the resolution he thought all would go home
with the conviction that each man had done his duty.
(Hear, hear.)
--Sir LAWRENCE PEEL (director) said that he bad no
t.oitility to the Government or any other leading party.
The question before the Court was one of great import.
ance. It affected the interest of 100,000,000 of the people
of India, the whole people of England, and the Court of
Proprietors. He denied that the East India Company
were a selfish body ; and those short-sighted men who
made such charges spoke without reason, and in the
language of folly. It was a rash and false opinion to
say that the East Lelia Government had discouraged
the spread of religion in India. It would have been a
wild scheme to have established a Church in India simi-
lar to that in England, where out of 160 millions there
were not more than s nue 10,000 Christians. He had
heard with paler—be might .ay with disgust—the state-
ments that haci been put forth that this revolt was a
ju Iginent frord 'Heaven for the wicked lives of our people
i,l India—(h4r)--iTod he raised his voice in vindication of
their character.- Itkferring to General Anson, he said
that up to thii time of his (Sir L Peel's) leaving India,
General Anson well, cettsidered to have performed his
duties well, and tie a-ice'd the people of England not to
afflict the family of a deceased soldier by making him
the scapegoat for a calamity for which he was not liable.
(fl,ar, hear.) With regard to the political bearing of
the question, he said that he had not signed the
petition that had been read. He had thought
it prudent not to petition against a measure, the
particulars of which he was ignorant. (Cries of
oh ! oh !) If the proposed change in are. way
contemplated interfering with what be considered the
just rights of the East India Company, be should say
that he should object 'o any such change unless he had
a reasonahle assurance that the thing to be substituted
for that which existed would work better than that
he was about to give up. (Hear, hear.) Re
had hot heard yet any scheme proposed that would give
him the reasonable assurance that it would so work. A.
well-considered scheme, that would cause the Board of
Control to work with the Company with more celerity
and sincerity, and give responsibility, would meet with
his support. He thought the present responsibility
was shared between the Company and the Board of Con-
trol, and when the time came for the consideration of
reforms in thin body he hoped they would bring something
like more publicity to bear upon their proceedings—
(hear, hear)—so that all might know how every proprie-
tor voted or acted on every question that came before
him. Some such body as this was necessary, and he
hoped it would be retained in any change that might be
made by the Government. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. 'Amer said that before the Court could come to
a decision on the resolution, it was desirable it should
know what course the Board of Directors meant topuritue
The CUAIRMAN said that it rested with the Court to
eay whether they would proceed with the resolution, or
adopt the petition of the directors.
Mr. CHAMBRAY said he could not consent to withdraw
his resolution. lie thought it would be better to ad-
journ, and have the petition printed for the oonsidera-
tion of the proprietors.

The CHAIRMiN-I think it is too early to adjourn
now.

Several gentlemen rose to order and proposed an
adjournment, in the midst of which Mr. Dickenson,
who had been interrupted in addressing the meeting, said
that if they would hear him he would tell them what
the Government scheme was. He stood on a form to
address the proprietors, with his back to the chairman,
for which he was called to order and informed it was
not a meeting of railway shareholders. He proceeded
to address the meeting, reading extracts from an article
recently published in the Edinburgh Review on India,
which he said might be taken as the view of the Govern.
ment, as the work was edited by the Chancellor of the
Exchequer.
Mr. LEWIN, by way of saving time, informed Mr.
Dickenson that everybody read the Edinburgh Review,
but the hon. proprietor declined to take the hint.
Mr. DICKENSON continued to read on, but in such a
heavy style, and so inaudible, that it was impossible to
und,-rstand him, and a large number of proprietors left
the Court and the hon. proprietor to the enjoyment of
the Edinburgh, Review. He shortly after concluded, and
announced to the Court that he should support the
resolution.

Captain EASTWICIC (a director)—The hon. director a ho
had left the court bad said that they ought to wait until
they had the details of the proposed measure before them
stepy
tyaacgqauianiantteitd.
He
thought
t htehyeyprwoceereedaeldretaodytaskuefaacnieyn
with
the basis of the measure, viz., the abolition of what was
called the double government, which meant the abolition
of all check on the absolute power of the minister in the
Government of India. There was no necessity for wait-
in.,' for further information on that subject.
Mr. LEWrN rose to order, and submitted that as they
were in fact diicuising Mr. Crawshay's motion, it was
out, of order to deal with the subject of the petition.
(" Ob," and cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN having decided that the speaker was
in crder,

Captain EASTWICK resumed—l trust I may be per-
mitted to offer a few observations on the important
subject now under consideration. I am very glad that
this opportunity has been afforded us of expressing oar
sentiments, and I rejoice t i think from the large attend-
ance of the proprietors that the gravity and magnitude
of the question are fully appreciated. There is no doubt
in my mind that if the proprietors have anything to say,
now is the time to make tbern.elves heard throughout
the country. I know it is the opinion of some that we
ought to have waited until the details of the measure
which the ministry intend to propose to Parliament are
before us; but surely we know enough to justify us in
taking our stand. We know that the
el: aosni st t
changeo: the
abiseol
tuhtee
pro-
posed measure is the abolition of what is termed the
double government, which is, in fact, the extinction of
the balance of power, of
eneralearanynticlhoereck
that system under
empiren d
factory aftentuio ry has been con-
vpwweriirlel of
itlsceehdn, t
jansat
tylisentase ministers,
imgmnifaftoacr naginaot:
mercantile
governing
ng
that system which
has for a period of more than 70 years from time to time
undergone the severest scrutiny and investigation, but
still ban been perpetuated by successive parliaments. No
oneob s
observers
rdse
; butn y t h awt
iitth
i s
all a ntages which are likely to beai"B—that it has disadvan-
vantages, it has commended ietxsealgfgteortahteedwibsdyosuperficial
iteuls anymaties, with all its disad-
proval of some of our greatest statesmen, and there must
be counterbalancing advantages, or it never would have
passed untouched through so many searching ordeals.
Four years have not elapsed since it was again renewed,
and again ratified by parliament, after due inquiry and
investigation. It certainly, therefore,doesseem a strong
measure to propose to abolish it without any inquiry,
without any investigation. Let me not be misunder-
stood. Ido not for a moment assert that no improve-
ment can be made in the system. We live in an age of
progress. We must advance, we cannot stand still. All
our institutions must be adapted to an increasing intelli-
gence and enlarged experience. Many of those who have
thought most deeply on the subject feel strongly that our
government in India is still an experimental one. The
late teirible events have demolished many theories and
upset many preconceived ideas, and if they have taught
any lesson, it is more especially a lesson of caution and
prudence in jumping hastily to oonclueione about &noun' ry
and people concerning whose habits, customs, and feel-
ings we have clearly much to learn. There is no dcnbt
that great and radical changes must take place in our
system of administration in India if we wish to preserve
our empire. If it can be proved after proper investigation
that the system of government at home haebeen the cause
of the defects that have been made patent by the la:
troubles in India, or if it could be shown that there:e 4not sufficient vigour, sufficient vitality inrettiFolluay
system to carry out the changes ohi:_hs no beeitation in
required iu Innis, then there ought tw,
ersona,, party Late-
rison
ee in oonapa
rests fail into inaiginfioan I
supposefew
will
vin. sosolemn
so momentous a question. But
if the management of affaire fa
tore to assert that Wren
T 7
remodelling the system. All petty, p
with

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