The Sun.
London, England, 1858-06-07 00:00:00

After weeks wasted in worse than unprofitable
party fights, the House of Commohs is to-night to
resume the discussion of the Resolutions respecting
the fame Government of Indira. We are now
within eight or nine weeks of the date when the
session of Parliament may, in the ordinary course,
be expected to close. There is much important
and indispensable business still to b 3 disposed of,
which, if necessary, must take precedence of all
other legislation. Out of the two months or so re-
maining of the pr. sent time, at least one must be
occupied by these measures and matters of routine.
Yet the House will to-night gravely meet fcr the
purpose of continuing the discussion on the Reso-
lutions, as if it were within the limits of possibility
that they could be disposed of, and a bill founded
upon theta passed throagh the two houses of Par-
liament, before".the close of the present session !
Even supposing that the bill could formally be
passed, by runnings race against time, would such
a course be worthy of the dignity of the British
Parliament, when dealing with a sulject so vast a's
•the future Government of nearly two hundred
millions of people ? It May be urged that we are
virtually pledged to legislite on the question
during the present year—that to stop. short would
be more injurious to our empire in India than even
imperf: et legislation. The supporters of Lord Pal-
merston may argue, that the proposed change in
the Government is really only a matter of form—
that it has nothing to do with the actual administra-
tion of Indian affairs in India itself, but is a mere
affair of official arrangement, to save the waste of
time attending a double jurisdiction and a double
Executive. The people of England have seen
enough of the real working of the system during
the last two months to comprehend the utter fallacy
of so contemptible an argument. Indeed, they are
shrewd enough to ask why, if the proposed change
in the system is so mere a "matter of form," it might
not be altogether postponed till next session, to
that business of real public importance could be
proceeded with? In the necessity for dealing at
all with the question of the future Government of
India at a time when the rebelliou is fa: from being
suppressed, we are paying the penalty of the first
fault committed by the late Administration. In
their eagerness to grasp at a great occasion for dis-
play, they pledged the country to immediate legis-
lation, when every rational and reflective man saw
that the movement was as premature as the motive
was hollow and self-seeking. The subsequent delays
have proceeded from the factious spirit shown by
the same parties since th-ir ejection from office.
By continually menacing the New Adininistratior,
that India would be made a party question,
they
compelled Lard Derby and his friends to think
more of their own safety than of the waste of public
time, and to protect themselves by new arrange-
ments against the consequences of a mere party
struggle.
It proverbial, that "Lookers on see most of
the game." Mr. G!alstone happens to be in this
independent position. Some weeks ag e when the
now defeated faction were in high hopes of success

that Right Hon. Gentleman prophesied that there
would be no legislation for Indic, this Session.
Even at that date, the thing seemed impossible—
bo.w much the more so, then, at the pres( nt hour,
when more time has been wasted, and there is
barely enough left for indispensable business 1 If
the affairs of the c mot y were conducted with a
due regard to the national interests, the suggestion
thrown out by Mr. Gladstone would have been
adopted. But the opposition had not the candour
to admit that they had placed the House of Com-
mons in a false position, and the Government
were afraid to withdraw,- lest they should be made
the subject of unjust taunts or factious motions.
Thus it has arisen, that this nioatimportant quei-
tion has arrived at the po.itiou of a dead-lock, the
Government and the House blindly proceeding
with the appointed work, although conscious that
there is not time fir its effectual performance. The
proposition to transfer the Government of India
from the East India Company to the Crown has
been directly affirmed, The name to be given to
the responsible Minister for India is quite a sec incl-
ary consideration, provided that his functions are
defined. The rernaieing question of importance is
that of the constitution of the Council—a question
of the most vital importance to the future interests
of India, and one that ought not to be finally de-
cided without the most, grave deliberation, and the
most complete knowledge possible of the wants
which such a Council ought to supply.
At this juncture, Mr. Gladstone, acting in the
spirit of his prophetic declaration some weeks since,
steps in with a proposition intended to relieve Par-
liament from a dilemma. The transfer to the
Crown having been voted, and the independent
Government of the East India Company therefore
abo!ihed—always assuming that the otberbranches
of the Leg'slature adopt the views of the Commons
—he is to-night to suggest an arrangement which
at first sight appears just, reasonable and politic.
It is that until the close of the next Session of Par-
liament the existing Court of Directors shall con-
stitute the Council to advise the Minister for India,
who shall have the power to preside at their Board,
at his option, in place of their elected chairman.
The grounds for this proposal are obvious. When
the late Ministry first pledged Parliament to legis-
late for India, the nation laboured under the delu-
sion that the rebellion was virtually at an end.
Now, there is too much reason to believe, that more
time and military strength will be required than we
have yet allotted to the task. At all events, for
the present, India catinot bo considered as
"settled." In such a state of things, what could
be more natural than to look for advice to those
who have so long participated in the administra-
tion of India, who hold, as it were, all the various
threads of the broken net-work of Government
in that mysterious empire ? A man of en-
lightened mind, like Lord Stanley, not un-
acquainted personally with India, and of a firm
but equable temper, could not fail to derive from
a body of men like the Court of Directors of
the East India Cotrpsny the most valuable assist-
ance. As the independent authority of the Com-
pany would be contemporaneously abolished, there
could be no fear of jealousy or obstruction to busi-
ness. On the other hand, in India the effect could
not but be favourable. The good opinion ex-
pressed by the Directors towards the Governor-
General would servo to fortify that nobleman when
he saw those Directors surrounding as a Council
his official superiors, while the natives would see in
the new form of Government not only the fresh
strength supposed to be derived from the assump-
tionby the Crown,
of authoritybtottaplaisoly. Last,
but traditional influence centred In the
Cm
but not least, among the arguments in fayour of
Mr. Gladstone's proposal is its tendency to deprive
the few factious chiefs who lead the Opposition in
the House of Commons, of
even the temptation
again to mike Indian affairs a battle-ground of
patty,
as they are very likely to do if the question
the as proposed in
the resolutions, should come on for discussion. We
do not preteud to know what coqrse her Majesty's
Ministers mean to take with respect to Mr. Glad-
stone's amendment, but we have a very strong
opinion as to what it ought to be. At all events,
we trust that they will fearlessly do their duty,
regardless of taunts and sneers
small fry
ry already forged and
envenomed by the of journalists and
other partisans in the interests of the Opposition.

DESPATCH CF AMERICAN LETTETIEL__
On Saturday the
Europa, royal mail steamer, sailed fromthe Mersey for
Boston, with the American mails and 7g passengers.
THE RED SEA TELEGRAPH ROUTE.--The following
is an txtract from a letter dated .; Hee Majesty's ship
Cyclops, Satz, May 15,'' from Captain Pullen :—" I
shall proceed, and get as many soundings as possible on
lhe line proposed along the eastern shores of the sea to
as far as Jiddah, thence to the Straits of Babel Mandeb
and Aden. From information gained hero I learn that
a route for telegraph wires is practicable and safe along
it e eastern shores of the Gulf of Suez. I mention this
circumstance, as it may possib,:y be of service to the
company, and suggest that in the event of the eastern
route being adopted, they (the wires) Should terminate
at a station in one of the small harbours north and east
of Ras Mahommed, the pilots stating that Sherms Shikh
and Ul Moyah are the best ; thence by cable to Jiddah
1 or any intermediate pert the company may decide on,
by which means, I conceive that the distance through
the deep water is very much shortened."