The Sun.
London, England, 1858-07-31 00:00:00

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May be borrowed on debentures and bonds £6,368,500
Toe disbursements of the Hume Treasury to
the 31st of January 184, in excess of the
present cash balance, anz estimated at £5,172,200
" The means of th'o Home Treasury are theref, re estimated
to be more than adequate to meet the disbursements until
flat session, without including the sums that may be realised

for Court's bills on India, or from the sale of Exchequer bills
and bonds now in hand (1,598,9001.)
,` In this estimate the receipts from railway companies aro
not included."

(FI- a , hear) From a consideration of those figures,
wh•ch de not ineoude the rec-ipt , from railway companies,
I think ie will to found that •he statement which I have
to make in anseer to the right hon. gentleman is satis-
fectory so far as the financial part of tee question is con-
cerned. (Hear, hear.) I now come to the question
which the right hon. gentleman has put to me in refer-
ence to the proclamation which he is of opinion it would
be desirable to issue when the transfer of the govern -
(tient of India to the Crown has been completed. In
reply to the right hon, gentleman's observations upon
that point, I can nely say that, both on account of the
importance of the occasion and also to guard against
runconstruction, I think that th t transf,4 ought to be
in stone manner f virally notified to the people
of India. (Hear, hear.) So far as our interference with
the •el gien of the natives is carmen-red, I shall content
myself with observing that there is in a recent despatch
Lord Edenborough's, dated the 13th of April, a pas-
'age which I shall quote, simply because it expresses in
language clear, r and more forcible than any to which I
could give utterance my own feelings and that of the
Government of which I am a member upon the subject.
(The noble lord then read an extract from the deseateh
in qu etion, stating that the Government would be
gut •ed by a pone% of neutrality and good faith in re-
ference to matters affecting the religion of the natives of
India, and most earnestly calling upon all the authorities
in India not to afford the slightest cause for the suspicion
that that policy had undergone or would undergo any
change.) (Hear, hear.) T. ose are the opinions of her
Majee present advisers. (Hear, hear.) That pas-
sage expresses sentiments in which I fully concur, and I
deem it highly desirable that, whether by proclamation
or by some other means, the fullest assurance should be
elven to the natives of Italia that the change which is
about to take place in the Government of that country is
not intended to involve any change in the policy of the
Government. (Hear, hear) With regard to the man-
ner in which tire announcement in question ought to be
made, I may be permitted to say that I do not think it
is usual to put, as it were, into the mouth of the Gover-
nor-General of India the words in which it should be
couched, without leaving to him any discretion as to the
modification or withholding altogether of any particnlar
form of expression. That is a point which yet remains
under ihe consideration of the Govirament ; but I may
say that my own individual impression is that the most
advisable course to take with respect to it would be to
state in general terms to Lord Canning that which we
wish ti be done, leaving it to his own discretion to use
such language as he may deem expedient. (Hear.) My
ans eer to the question of the right horogentleman on this
point therefore is, that there will be an aunouncemeut of
the transfer of the Government of India from the Company
to the Crown,and that due care will be taken to assure the
people of that country that the change is not meant to in-
terfere with their ideas or habits in regard to matters of
religious belief. (Cheers.)
Mr. SPOONER thought that the answer which the
noble lord bad just given to the question which had been
put to him by the right hon. gentleman opposite in refe-
rence to the issue of a proclamation was one which must
be looked upon as being of considerable importance. The
noble lord stated that neutrality in matters of religion
was the principle upon which her Majesty's Ministers
were prepared to base the future government of India.
i Now, f by the word " neutrality" the noble lord meant
that no attempt would be made to compel the natives of
that country to become converts to Christianity, to such
a policy he could not of jest. But if by the nee of that
term it was intended to be conveyed to the people of
India that it was a matter of indifference to a Christian
Government whether idolatry still continued to prevail
in a larg- portion of her Majesty's dominion or not, then
from the expediency of adopting such a course he must
beg to express his dissent. He had heard the noble lord
the member t r Tiverton on a former occasion give ut-
terance to the conviction that our Indian empire had
been given to us not for the mere gratification of our
ambition, and to enable r ifferent members of the com-
munity to enter upon a field where they might amass
f onunes, but fir higher and nobl r purposes. In that
sentiment be fully concurred, and he should maintain
that we had not acted in accordance with it in manifest-
ing our "neutrality" by paying for the maintenance
and encourageeneut of idolatrous practices—a sin Of
which, be bad been informed, we were not even at the
present moment entirely clear. He was afraid the
speech of the noble lord was calculated to create some
.eisapprebension with respect to a subject beyond 311
ethers the most important, and he could not refrain
Irons stating it to be his opinion that while we declared
that we were prepared to pursue the policy of not cons.
pelting the natives of India to become converts to Chris-
tianity, we should not shrink from p: ocleiraing the Chris-
teen religion to be the right one, and from setting before
them the truth in the best and least offensive manner
in which we coul ! do so—thus taking that course by
which this country might become the honoured instills
met of carrying out Christianity in conjunction with
Christian eiviliz rtion. (Hear.)
Mr. ROEBUCK said that nothing but a sense of
public duty could induce him to enter into such a thorul
subject as that which was involved in religious discus-
sion. The example had, however, been set to him by
the hon. gentleman who had just spoken, and acting oa
the principle which bad been laid down in a despatch of
Lord E lenborough—namely, that as private men we
ought not to do that as public men which as public men
we sOould condemn—he should merely observe that he
felt assured we should secure more beneficial results in
the case of the people of India by conducting our pro-
ceedings in their regard in accordance with the general.
principles of justice, than by resorting to a policy 01
I
iproselytising or missionarising in that country. (Hear.)r
Mr. KINNAIRD also regretted that the despatch c
Lord Ellenborough should have been referred to, as t
might be misunderstood by the country, and it certainly:
did not agree with what had been stated by the noble ear;
at the head of the Government. (Hear.) That noble eat
dis incly stated that he wished to carry out in India the
policy which when at the head of the Colonial-office he
carried out in Ceylon, and entirely to disconnect the,
Government of this ceuetry with the maintenance 01
idolatrous worship in that country. That was quite con,'
trary to what had fallen from the noble lord the Preev
dent of the Board of Control. He (Mr. Kinnaird) quite,
agreed that the authority of the Government ought net
to he brought to bear on matters of religion—(hear)
but the proper course was not neutrality but toleration
of all religions. Cbristian converts were as much eh"
tided to protection and employment as any other person
—(hear)—but the complaint was that in India the
Christians had not that fair and eqoal justice which
was extended to all other sects, and now they were told
there was to be no change in that respect. That
statement would not be very satisfactory to the country'
He regretted that the question had been mooted,
for during the whole of the discussions upon tlie
home government of India he bad carefully abstained
from bringing it before the house, but as it had been
raised he could onl, express his regret that the noble
bird had not made a statement as plain and dietinc% erg
that which had been made by the noble earl at the hem'
of the Government. (Hear, hear )
Mr. BOWYER could not understand what it was the
hon. member for North Warwickshire (Mr. Spooner)
wanted. There wero already three Protestant bishoprlel
in India, but the hon. member thought the Government
influence should be used to propagate Christianity 10
teat country.
Mr. SPOONER—I never said anything of the kind.
Mr. BOWYER thought the hon. gentleman had Bali
the Government ought to show a desire for the spread 0
Christianity—that it should use all its moral influence'
but not force, for that purpose. But there was a preli:
urinary difficulty which the hon. gentleman bad not coot
eidered. What kind of Christianity was to be tanght,o
(Hear, and laughter.) The hon. gentleman no doubt
considered him (11r. Bowyer) to be little better than !
Hide idolater—(laughter)—and the hon. member bie.,
hied him (Mr. Gilpin), although not an idolater,
handy be received by the hon. member for North War.
wicleshire as a Christian. Therefore, before requiring
•
Government to use its influence for the propaeati?n
Christianity it would be better to decide what Christie
pity was meant. (Hear.) There was one point tiOo°,
which he should wish to receive some information.
the Direct dominion of India was to be handed over to
the Crown, he wished so know whether there would 131
he some style or title added to those possessed by the
Crown to show such dominion ? To do so would be
accordance with historical precedents, as in the case °
Wales, which having been added to the royal docniniont
was given in perpetuity as a style to the e dent son 0
the Severaien. When a large portion of France fell
into the hands of the English S ,vereign the style 0,
!
King of France was adopted, and again, when by the
ce mon of James I. to the English throne both coentioed
came under one rub r the King became ruler of the Unite
Kingdom of Great Britain. It might be urged as 011,
objection, that if India were recognised among the style
°
of the Sovereign the colonies world also wish to be 11
recognised. He did not consider that would be a Oh"
objection, as it had never been the eastern to adopt thea
style of a colony unless acquired by conquest. He bore,
some means would be devised of including India alma"
the tWes of Royalty borne by her Majesty.
Col. SYKES raid the declaration of the noble lord
would, he believed, do more to remove the dangerous
i
distrust which now pervaded the minds of the people of
India than the most brilliant and continuous successes
i;
our arms. He congratulated the noble lord upon his _l'6
claration, upon his liberal feelings, his enlarged vie as
and his generous sentiments. (Hear ) From por:ele
experience he could deny the existence of any pretusLer
against COrist'an converts in India lie had on ft,r13:130
occasions given instances of their employment in
rre,cl
pub
lic service and of other advantages being n
• -riahll
upon them. The principle in India had been inv.
_it
to select men for the public service according to the'
capacity for the duties they were required to perfoslVst,
quite irrespective of their religions views or sentimer4
Is boo also been the object t f the Indian Gevernrce'S:e
for many years to separate itself entirety from idolatro tals;
usages and practices, It had given up the Pilgrim-oat
at Altaliabad and had abandoned the lands it held fr"ig
Juggernaut, valued at three lac of rupees. It v'
eventually entirely disconnect itself from the tnatuntseij
nance of idolatrous worship, but it could not do B°l7le
et once. He repeated that the declaration of the 0
lord would do more for us iu India than anything I!:ie.,
tad eeen spoken during the whole progress of the
eussion in that house. (Hear.)
• fact i°ll
Mr. GILPIN expressed his unqualified satis
emaci
With the warmer in which the question bad been tr..* Viva,.
by e noble lord. (Hear, hear ) Those who trulyeti
sired the spread of Christianity in India would v/litieo
see Christianity kept free from tho-e horrible attovivote
which, whether ceinmitted by black men or by 4,d
en, were u terly fmeign to its nature, and only Pools
tor a fair field for those who were disposed o
Christianity lot its own sake. Ho could not iselP '

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