The Sun.
London, England, 1858-03-17 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON WEDNESDAY

though not his own, Mr. Disraeli had chival-
rously defended, Lord Palmerston thought
proper to take advantage of the embarrassment,
which his own act had brought upon his succes-
sors. To the astonishment of all those who were
acquainted with the circumstances, including, as
we believe, some of his lordship's late colleagues,
Lord Palmerston rose and said that new facts
having come to the knowledge of his Cabinet
before they left office, the Cagliari question was at
that period once more the subject of their
deliberations. On Monday last Mr. Disraeli,
returning to this matter, announced that
after a " painful and laborious" exami-
nation of the archives of the Foreign Office,
her Majesty's Ministers had failed to discover
what were the new facts to which Lord Palmerston
had referred, or by whom the question was being
reconsidered at the time of his Lordship's resigna-
tion.

Lord Palmerston, evidently confused by this
startling refutation of the statement which he had
made on the previous Friday, declared in a hesi-
tating voice that he had alluded to some papers
which had been expected by Lord Clarendon from
Turin, when the dissolution of the late Govern-
ment took place !

The Chancellor of the Exchequer was too cour-
teons and adroit to do more than throw a pungent
doubt on his adversary's veracity, which was well
understood ' by the House ; and we are glad to
find that her Majesty's Government, accepting
Lord Palmerston's statement as correct, and con-
cluding, probably, that the new documents which
the late Cabinet was considering, were, like its
answers to the insults of the lionitetir, "private"
—have resolved to submit the case afresh to the
law officers of the Crown, and are prepared to act
upon their decision with prudence and energy,
whether they be called upon, as Mr. Disraeli said,
to "acknowledge the jurisdiction of a Sovereign,
or to vindicate the right of a subject."
We regret to learn that the Correspondence
about the Foreign Refugees has produced a bad
impression upon the English in Paris ; and is
looked upon by the French as constituting a
triumph for Louis Napoleon. This impression has
evidently been caused by the emission in the
Moniteur of the first despatch of the series. It
is Waleweki's apology sent through the Earl
Cowley on the 23d of February, and published
in our journal yesterday.

The foreign policy of the Government has
hitherto proved highly satisfactory to the com-
munity at large. " The painful misconceptions"
with France have been terminated, and tke na-
tional honour properly vindicated. Lord
MALMISBURY wrote temperately, but firmly. He
pointed out the mistake into which Count WA-
LEASIEI had fallen—and showed that anything
' susceptible even of a double meaning could not be
tolerated. If Count WALENikaI did not intend
an insult, his expressions were very unfortunately
selected, and the despatch forwarded to Switzer-
land on the very same day respecting the same
subject, and under the influence of the same ex-
citement certainly seamed to indicate a very dif-
ferent meaning from that which has more re-
cently been attributed thereto. Whatever might
have been the case, however, the difficulty has
been completely removed, and there is nothing
remaining to occasion reasonable apprehensions
even in the most timid mind.

Another dcamnosa hereditas bequeathed by the
late Government was the affair of Mr. HODGE. An
English subject had been arrested at Genoa. on
the demand of the French Government, who
claimed him under an extradition treaty as
amenable to a charge of murder. Fortunately,
however, there was a clause in that treaty which
prevented the surrender of a foreigner without
the assent of his own Government. If a fair
prima facie case could be established, if it were
clearly and distinctly proved that our fellow-sub-
ject was guilty of the atrocious crime laid to his
charge—we venture to say that there would be
no desire or wish to shelter him from the conse-
quences of his offence. But the Government very
properly determined to investigate the accusation,
and to ascertain whether it had real and
tangible foundation. Having done so, it was
perceived that the evidence was not sufficient to
induce an English magistrate to send the case for
trial, and the demand was politely, but steadily
refused. Nor was this all. Instructions were
forwarded t) the British Minister at Turin, to
place himself in communication with Mr.
!Jonas, and do all that could be done for
his security and comfort. It is greatly
to the honour of Sir JAMES Hussoar to say that
he had anticipated these instructions---atthat he
hid taken care that every becoming comfort was
at the command of Mr.HODOE, and had demanded
that his imprisonment should cease as soon as the
forms of law would permit.
Th's is as it should be. This is, indeed, the
course which should be pursued in reference to
every English subject who can justly shelter him-
self under the protection of the British Flag.
That glorious and all-powerful Vis should be
extended over every person who could properly
claim its salutary influence, and proudly
insist on the rights and privileges of a British
citizen. It would have been well if a
similar course had been adopted in reference
to the English engineers who had been so long
languishing in Neapolitan dungeons, and one of
whom has become insane through the hardships
and privations which he sustained during that
fearful ordeal. In one respect we do not blame
the late Government. They were not acquainted
wits the facts, and had erroneously supposed that
WATT and his companion had been properly
and legally brought under the jurisdiction of
King 80XL13116 tribunals. But surely that very im-
portant point might and ought to have been
discovered during the nine or ten months of
their detention, and the vindication of the
national honour, and the inalienable rights of
Englishmen should not have been bequeathed as
a perplexing legacy to the new Administration.
They, however, do not shrink from the responsi-
bility, and we may reasonably contemplate that
the result will be in every respect satisfactory,
and that ample compensation will be required for
the wrongs under which they have groaned for so
protracted a period.
It wax the foreign policy of Lord PALMERSTON
that gained him the popularity which he enjoyed,
and which placed him at the head of one of the
most powerful majorities in the representative
branch of the Legislature ever wielded by an
English minister. The sayings and doings
their beat das. y
of the present Administration can bear
comparison with those of their predecessors in
been directed to The Honourable
d a
t oe to Naples
La
pYloelds
enecial miaaion, and t"e
suffering eompatriot3:3 insist
on the Mediterrasea.o stabe sou
con-
vince even the most obstinate
perverse Bourbons. sonhaas
on lattice for our
of the Admiral
on will be able to of the p
The British guns of-trhe ovgrbiall 5'
be perceptible in the distance, palpably c,_ooe.t 7iu
1 min g
in the future," The paper pellets of the diplomatist
will indicate the more formidable ones that would
attend the booming of the British cannon, should
cient peacemakers
,he assistance of these very efli

unfortunately become necessary. We trust, how-
ever, that not merely liberation, but a hand-
some indemnification for th• prisoners will be
required.

The conduct of the new Government has certainly
more than justified the hopes entertained by Lord
J. RUSSELL, and to which he gave candid expres-
sion on Friday evening. This is another and a
very conclusive argument in favour of the fair
play, which is all that has been required on their
behalf. Hitherto the interests of England or the
English have not been deteriorated by their advent
to dice, and it will surely be time enough to
complain when any grave mistake may be disco-
vered that shall afford jest ground of complaint
against the foreign or domestic policy of the
DERBY Cabinet.

Our readers will remember the "Memorandum"
we introduced to their notice not long ago, of " ire.
provements in the administration of India during
the last thirty years." With comfortable self-
complacency it reviewed the progress made in
almost all departments, and assumed that all re-
dounded to the praise and glory of the East India
Company—of that company which the ungrateful
Sepoys have sought to overthrow, and to which
an equally ungrateful English people are deter-
mined to administer, by PALMERSTON or ELLEN-
ROROLT4I3 it matters little to them which, the
final and fatal blow. Anticipating the stroke, it
folded its "Memorandum" gracefully like a robe
around itself, and prepared to fall as became in-
jured innocence.
One or two alarming errars, or oversights, we
pointed out at the time, besides others of less im-
portance. It was, especially, obvious, at first
sight, that the period referred to was that during
which the attention of this country had been
growingly directed to the condition and wants of
India, and that the influence of public opinion at
home had been more powerful ou the Court of
Direotors, and on the Board of Control too. This
notorious fact, without going into details, sub-
tracted sadly from the value of the memorandum,
as a substitite for fig-leaves. It seemed to hide
the shame, indeed, of the Campany, now that
somewhat tells them they are naked, but, alas,
the clothing was hardly honestly acquired ; such
as it is, it really belongs to the British public, and
was picked up and patched together in a fright,
as the only possible shift.
Nor is that all. It has been shown to be sadly
ragged. We have now before us a pamphlet, by
one who tells us what he has seen and known in
the territories and administration of the dying
Company, and the unfortunate memorandum cuts
a rather sorry figure beside the plain facts fur-
nished us by the indigo planter. The writer speaks,
Jai:), from experience gained by a twenty-
five years' residence on his own
extensive estates in India, and his memorandum
is not anonymous. We refer to " A Reply to the
Memorandum of the East India Company ; or, an
Insight into British India. By JOHN FREEMAN,
Esq., twenty-five years a resident in Bengal, a
landed proprietor, and extensive indigo planter
in Bhaugulpore and various other districts."
Mr. FRREMA.N frankly admits all that has been
meritorious : the introduction of the cheap postage
system and of the electric telegraph. " I eagerly
and gladly," he says, " bear testimony to one
good work completed by the Indian Government.
The promptitude, perseverance, and energy dis-
played by Dr. USILLIJORNISST in establishing the
electric telegraph is deserving of all praise." It is
but another proof, however, that if the East India
Company had really ;possessed earnestness of pur-
pose, difficulties would have been speedily
overcome. Mr. FREEMAN takes the " memoran-
dum" from the beginning. He denies that the
permanent settlement by Lord ConNwiLus was
" a mistake." He asserts that better courts of
justice under the settlement district are all that is
wanted. He denounces the Ryot war, and the
north-west systems, and shows that they are only
attempts to squeeze the poor cotter more and
more tightly, till in numerous instances the Go-
vernment have been obliged to forego its exorbi-
tant demand 4, because they literally could
not be enforced. " Incessant squeezing" is, in the
Company's vocabulary, termed " revision." The
Company attempts to show that the opium
revenue is entirely a tax on foreigners. Two facts
are rather awkward, however. Ist. The poor
ryots are compelled by the Government peons to
accept advances from the Government, and perse-
cuted by all kinds of false charges to extort money.
2d. The ryot receives from the Government but
three rupees for what it sells at its auction rooms
for fifteen rupees t Another tax, the salt mono-
poly, has the praiseworthy results that the Com-
pany sells for 10s. what cost it is. lOid., or
makes a profit of Ba. lid. per cwt.—that it costs
a great part of the natives 15s. before they get
it—and, that then, having been four times adul-
terated, it in reality costs them not less than 20s.
per cwt.

With regard to the customs, trade, and general
prosperity, the trade is not one tithe of what it
ought to be ; but the only advance of importance
is since 1834, when the Company were pro-
hibited from carrying on trade any longer.
The trade was opened in 181.7, but no
one could compete with a company which
made good its losses out of patronage and revenue
-Agnes then, but certainly no thanks to the com-
pany, the advance has been considerable, and
would have been immense, but for two things,
the Company's disgraceful discouragement of inde-
pendent Europeans, and their alea3st entire
neglect of canals, railroads, and roads generally,
to open India to the eJuxuaorce of England.
evident truth is that the company wished for
anything rather than a large influx of indepen-
dent merchants, manufacturers, and c3lonists. A.
civil service enriched by the taxation of heathens,
not a commercial community enriching and indi-
rectly Christianising the country, WAS their real
object.
The Memorandum account of roads and rail-
roads is perhaps the most misleading part of that
document. After showing the vast commercial
importance of Bengal, where in the dry
season the Company says roads are not re-
quired, Mr. FEEEMIS says they are just as in-
dispensable as they are in England,—he then add.,,

. _
'The only made road in Bengal is that part of the
' trunk-road,' 420 miles from Calcutta to Bewares, so
purely a strategical one to answer the purposes of Go-
vernment, and no more, that for more than half the
distance it runs through a wild rocky jungle, and al-
most uninhabited country. There may be other smaller
roads round the civil stations, but they are merely to
afford the civil servants a drive in their carriages and
buggies. There is also one, and it is one of the finest
in the world, to the Governor-General's residence at
Barrackpore. But all this time there is no road from
Calcutta to DaCCl—the Manchester of Bengal-150
miles from Calcutta, in the midst of a densely-populated
and highly-cultivated country. Nor yet is a road to be
found to the great commercial manufacturing town of
Aloorahedabad, not 100 miles from Calcutta, seated in
the very heart of the silk districts, indigo plantation.
and factories, and possessing a population of 300,000
souls. Nor does Moorshedabad either possess any water
communication for nearly eight months in the year.
These are facts which cannot be gainsaid ; a fortiori,
F REE3,IAN travelled then, if such. things be in the most ♦aluable and pros-
t_toatteobt44e:gpwrosocvneidpate?irecrauilal "twlhihnndegnise,swamay we not be excused for
eidrteoadhainvethbeeen`
b done, in the poorer, less fertile, and ivdiolencuss;
theiredlarfgreontstanedaiineguatrtmaietso."
provinces, with
I everywhere
iseincles this which proaornpdauubi
onlo
uu
st
needs no comment, Mr.
Bombay,
noticing carefully the state of the