The Sun.
London, England, 1858-05-18 00:00:00

TEIE DERBY DAY.

Capt. VIVIAN gave notice that he should to-morrow
move the adjournment of the house at its rising till
Thursday. (Cheers.)

THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA.

In answer to a question from Mr. LYGON,
Mr. 11. BAILLIE said that the first private letters
received by the present Government from India arrived
by the mail on Saturday. On that day three private
letters from Lord Canning reached Lord Ellenborough,
in which he stated he had received information that Lord
Ellenborough had accepted office. He (Slr. Baillie)
thought that Lord Csaning's sending three private letters
by one mail was a sufficient prof that the noble lord
was in the habit of corresponding by private letters with
the late President of the Bard of Control. (Cheers.)
CONSOLIDATED FUND (11,000,0001.) BILL.
Ibis bill was read a third time and passed.
STAMP DUTY ON PASSPORTS BILL.

This bill, as amended, was considered.
THE VOTE OF CENSURE ON THE GOVERN-

MENr-ADJOURNED DEBATE

On the order being read for the resumptios of the
adjourned debate on the motion of Mr. CARDWELL,
Mr. ROE aUCK. said—Sir, a question of more im-
portance was, perhaps, never submitted for discussion in
ny legislative assembly than that which now occupies
the attention of this house. If we think of the number
of persons likely to be affected by it, and of the time at
which the proposition is brought forward, all these con-
siderations indicate the importance of the subject now
under discussion. Sir, Gibbon, in his History of the
Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," enters into a
discussion on the probable capacity of that empire, and
in that magnificent resume which he gives of the power
and importance of the empire of Rome he says that the
Italians and provincials together amounted in round
numbers to about 120,000,000, and he adds that that
was the largest community of men ever subject to any
system of domination. But, sir, our Indian empire
leaves this far behind. There are not only 120,000,000,
but I think the persons who are influenced by our domi-
nion in India amount to nearly 200,000,000, and there
is now submitted to our consideration a question in-
volving the happiness of this large section of the human
race ; for we have now to determine whether this domi-
nion is to be guided by the great principles of honesty
and virtue—(cheers)—or whether the power which we
exercise is to be the only guide of our conduct, and that
the object
of England.bject which we
A has an Englishman, I veinviewisthesoleagg
meet cannotrandhissiep.
feeling strongly for the dominion, the happiness, and the
power of my country ; still, there are things which in
my mind are even greater than England's importance,
and one of these is that mankind should learn to re-
cognise and practise the great principles of honour and
i
virtue. At the present moment there is nvolved in our
discussion this important question—shall we, i▪ n the
furtherance of our dominion, for objects purely .selfish,
forget the great principles of virtue and justice.
Shall we, in order to establish oar dominion over what I
may call the defenceless people of India, utterly re-
gardless of that which civilisation ought to teach us
ito regard—shall we, I say, pursue our own objects
without any consideration of the principles which ougbt
to govern us as a people The motion made by the right
hon. gentleman the other night is, I think, one of the
most transparent of party manouvres I have ever seen
—(loud cheers)—and I have seen many transacti▪
ons of
that sort. At this very moment we, the House of Com-
mons, are vindicating to ourselves the government of
India—for it is idle to talk of the Crown. The Crown
means the House of Commons. (A. laugh.) That ap-
pears to excite in the minds of some a feeling something
like surprise ; but I would ask any man who under-
stands the practical working of our system of govern-
ment to answer me this question—is not all the power
said to be centred in the Crown really exercised by this
house Shall we say, when we transfer the government
of India from the East India Company to the Crown,
that we do not give it to the Ministers of the Crown who
act under the control of this house I Therefore I say
that when we talk about transferring the government of
India from the East India Company to the Crown, we
really declare that the House of C immens is to govern
India. And at the very time when we aro so discussing
I this matter of the government of India there comes
before us a mere matter of party politics. (Cheers.) We
forget the happiness of 200,000,000 of men, and we re-
I duce the question to the consideration of this bench and
that. (Renewed cheers, and Ne, no.) No, no I is there
any man so utterly void of consideration of what is going
ergtqsyheu
ieatnesssaot—thtai
country.eotai
ssnht
e et
ta
pase)
prra
aeatpffy:
pcceanypechni
to
.eeri
on around him and of what is being enacted before his
politics—let e
tahnatsowihikaet awbelinadrepfiugpliptyin—Pfolraungobw)
rstgis
c.o)st
—fh
eul e
aht India,
happiness
sir,
rbiniue
lettsws
et
us, if
2ngi
bfooevv:ooe
nerosnoci md,aoenetinotf
thisa oor ff.
human beings. Now, what is the question before us
dtCd
heearsnrepdw t
saotpfceahl
til
h)ai
entpsrßaofnoopsarowrudenrod
tfa a
consideration.o ct resolution
hoen trol
proclamation
as
First,which
he reallysa
says
The right hon. gentleman the member for Oxford (Mr.
w ronogf Lordiwritingny
Canning any
;
thienvporlevseis.
then he says he wrote the wrong despatch ; and then
I he says he was wrongin the publication of that despatch.
Now, lam prepared to meet him on all these points. I
say, first, he was bound to write that despatch ' - I say,
secondly, he wrote the right answer to that despatch •
and, thirdly, I say he was not answerable for the pro:
duction of that despatch. (Cheers.) I have no doubt that
may astonish some gentlemen in this house, but before I
have done I hope I shall be able to satisfy them of its
justice. Was he or was he not bound to write an answer
to that proclamation ? I will not now enter into any dis•
cussion of the mannar in which we have acquired do-
' minion in India ; I will only say this—that having en-
I tered it as a body of mere merchants we in course of time
i acquired the dominion of that vast country, but that we
' I did not do so without sacrificing on almost every ocoa-
' sion every principle which ought to guide the justice of
a nation—(cheers)--that we have been rapaoious, that
we have been cruel, that we have been unjust, but that
we have acquired dominion. (Cheers.) We have done it
by the great power and capacity of the men we have sent
there—by the wonderful valour of our troops, than
which nothing can be more wonderful, bat notwithstand-
ing, we have sacrificed troth, honour, and justice. (Hear,
hear.) I know these are to many gentlemen unpalatable
truths, but they are truths nevertheless. (Hear.) There
is only one justification of dominion, and that is, that it
is such as to promote the happiness of the people over
whim it is exercised, but in order to produce that hap-