The Sun.
London, England, 1858-05-12 00:00:00

THE TOTE OF CENSURE.

Lad SHAFTESBURY laid on the table the terms of
Itis motion of which he bad given notice yesterday :
" 1. That it appears from papers laid upon the table
of this house that a despatch has been addressed by the
Secret Committee of the Court of Directors to the Go-
vernor-General of India, disapproving a proclamation
which the Governor-General had informed the Court be
intended to issue after the fall of Lncknow.
"2. That it is known only from intelligence that hag
reached this country by correspondence published in
newspapers that the intended proclamation has been
a
issued, and with an important modification, no o.vecid 1.
account of this proceeding having yet been recetat. ,
that this house is therefore still without fullinf
hoarsm acted, lo
to
ass to the grounds upon which Lord Canning
and his answer to the objections made ohis intended
proclamation in the despatch of the Secret
Committee
cantiot be received for several weeks.
is $. That under these circumstances this
.house is
unable to form a judgment on the proclamation issued by
Lord canning, but thinks it right to express its dis
probation of th® premature publication by her Majesty's
of the despatch addressed to the Governer-
l'jeini
neset aelr,saince this public condemnation of bis conduct
is calculated to weaken the authority of the Governor-
General in India, and to encourage those now in arms
against this country.
LORD CANNING AND THE GOVERNMENT.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE (who was most in-
distinctly heard) was understood to claim their lordships'
indulgence for a few minutes while he endeavoured to
correct an error, whether material or immaterial, into
which circumstances very easily explained might last
evening have led him. When he came down to the house
yesterday be was not at all aware that there was likely
to be any conversation on the subject which was then
alluded to. In the course of the discussion which then
arose, however, he bad been induced to communicate
to his noble friend (Earl Granville) that which, sub-
stantially, was perfectly correct, respecting a com-
munication received by Mr. Vernon Smith from
Lord Canning. Prom a conversation which he happened
to hold in the morning with that tight hon. gentleman,
he understood that a letter had reached him in which
Lord Canning expressed great anxiety to furnish an ex-
planation of the grounds upon which the proolamatior,
lately the subject of so much public attention, had been
issued. He certainly was under the impression, in the
course of the casual conversation which took place, that
that letter had only been received at the time when the
communication of the proclamation and of the censure
sent out respecting it had been made to both Houses of
raxliament simultaneously. He found that, however, to
be inaccurate, but was led naturally into the error, be-
cause he had understood his right hon. friend to inform
him that it was of no use after that announcement had
been made to communicate the note. But what he found
was said by his right hon. friend was, that it was of no
use to produce that note after the censure of the Go-
vernment had been sent out. He (the Marquis of Lans-
downe) did not see any material difference between the
statements ; but he had been led to make this one in-
stead of the other from the manner in which it had been
made to him. In anticipation of any question which
might naturally be asked on the subject, he wished to
aid that no private communication whatever on public
question had been received from Lord Canning by Mr.
V. Smith since the period when he left office—nothing
but a single sentence, embodied in some references to
private subjects, which could hardly be called a letter,
but in which Lord Canning expressed his regret that the
extreme pressure of business had prevented him from
giving what he should have been desirous of giv-
ing—namely, a full, clear, and ample explanation of the
grounds upon which the proclamation was issued. Mr.
V. Smith, owing to the change of Government which
had taken place, received that note without the procla-
'nation.

The Earl of DERBY—Nobody in this house or else-
where would suspect the noble marquis of making a state-
ment which he did not believe to be entirely correct, and
he has now cleared up the a mount of inaccuracy into
which he fell last night. I naust take the liberty of remark-
ing, however, that the difference between the two
statesmen is a considerable one ; because, according to
isis statement last night, the private note
future explanations on cue part 01 Lin U c..anning Was
not received until after the communication to Parlia-
ment of the disapproval of the proclamation. Tho noble
marquis now admits he was in error on the point, but he
has stopped short in his revelations, far he has not told
us what was the precise date at which that private note
was received by Mr, V. Smith.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE—I stated that it had
not been received until after the censure was sent out,
on April 19, when consequently it could have bad no
effect on the sending out of that censure.
The Earl of DERBY—I am very glad the noble mar-
quis has given us the precise date, because if on April
19 the note had been communicated to my noble friend
(Lord Ellenborongh), it was in ample time to have pro-
duced in his mind all the effect which might result from
a knowledge that such a letter was in existence, for this
reason,—because, ',although the censure, as the noble
marquis has called it, and it certainly was, of the tencur
of the proclamation dated April 19, it was not sent
out until the mail of April 26, and consequently, if Mr.
V. Smith, at the time he received that private note, had
given my noble friend the President of the Board of Con-
trol an intimation that the Governor-General intended
to forward an explanation of the proclamation—(cheers)
—Lord Canning having written that private note to Mr.

V. Smith under the impression that he was the person
who would receive it at the same time with the procla-
mation,—the object contemplated by Lord Canning
would have been achieved, and my noble friend (Lord
Edenborougb) would not have been led to pronounce a
premature condemnation of a proclamation which the
Governor. General, in a private letter, asked time to
explain. (Some ories of "No, no.") As I under-
stood, certainly, Lord Canning stated in that note
that be would take an opportunity of forwarding
an explanation by the next mail. (No ! and hear,
Lear.) My noble friend near me (Lord Malmes-
bury) remarked last night, with great truth, that
the conduct of the late Secretary f ,r Foreign Affairs af•
forded a very marked contrast to the course pursued by
the late President of the Board of Control. My noble
friend the late Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Lord Cla-
rendon) knows well that persons i❑ the confidence of the
Government employed abroad frequently send over pri-
vate letters, accompanying public despatches, which re-
ate to matters of great importance, and that those let-
ters are most valuable a explaining the real meaning and
intent of the despatches. My noble friend opposite re-
ceived many such letters, and I venture to say that there
was not one connected with public business which he did
not in the frankest and fairest manner communicate to

my noble friend (Lord Malmesbury) who succeeded him.
I am unwilling to impute to Mr. V. Smith any other
reason for his conduct than that he was not aware of the
ordinary course of proceeding ; but I may be permitted
to say that such a departure from the usual course is
neither fair to the Government at home nor to those who
are employed in the service of her Maj,:sty's Govern-
ment abroad. (Hear.) I say that it was the bounden duty
of Mr. V. Smith, if he received a private 'Ater addressed
to him on the supposition that he still held the office cf
President of the Board of Control, and such private let-
ter contained a statement on the part of the Governor-
General of his regret that he was unable by that mail to
send an explanation of his proclamation, not to have per-
mitted his successor, the President of the Board of Con-

trol, to remain in ignorance of that letter. I say, also,
upon the statement of the noble marquis himself, that if
that letter had been communicated one week would hate

been afforded her Majesty's Government for considering
the
reply which was sent out to the Governor-General.
Earl GUA.N'VILLE—I am not g.,ing to argue in the
iatligihatest
lf,t important--especially degree against the principle laid down that
puortant----especially when changes of
government take
In"IY the place
a" ffi
14"
more rapidly than was fur-
hould
one who has quitted ocs
s communicate to h successor
publiccessor
ialnl
tftrhaea
t. info;
I-
mation he can afford
affecting b
am aware that my noble
friend
Cl the late Secretary
for Foreign Affairs (Lord
mayarendon) has
tlipeal to my noble
o
that course ; and I think I pur,ued
friend opposite whether such infornaaai
•n much less important subjects has notnasblecould give
as was in my power. lam bound to
saa['forded
as fully zt,baltsbo,
that no one acted more fairly in this respect t
noble earl the President of the Board of Control (Lord
°
Ellen borough), who afforded the late Government valu-
able information upon matters of great public import-
ance. I was quite prepared to follow that course in
his instance, although I did not do so as completely as