The Sun.
London, England, 1858-07-09 00:00:00

THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA BILL.

Oa the motion for the third reading of this bill,
Mr. 11 ANKEY rose to ask the President of the
Board of Control what would be the position of the East
India Chmp.by as a chartered body after this measure
should have passed. He believed the company would
still be pusseesed of the same charter under which they
Lad always acted, and he uuderstood, also, that in hand-
log over the property of the company to the Crown the
riobts of the proprietors of India stock had been spa-
re.sereed. What he wanted to know was, would
the proprietary continue to have the power of electing a
board of directors as they had hitherto done, and what
would be their means of obtaining redress, should they
le quire any as a chartered body ? He would suggest
that when the bill went to the House of Lords a clause
should be introduced putting an end • entirely to the
charter of the company, and so avoiding all those diffi-
cult questions a hick might otherwise arise in future. It
was not desirable that a great aerociation like the Ea.t
India Comp.ny should drag on a nominal existence
without any real power or vitality.
Sir K PERRY could not allow the bill to pass with-
out saying a few words upon it. The first three clauses
contained a pribciple of such importance, and one preg-
fleet with so much probable future advantage to India,
that they bad ju,tly received the support of those who
sat on his own side of the house. In six of the 12 .divi-
si,,ns which had taken place on the bill in committee the
bulk of the Liberal party bad voted with the Govern-
ment. Such had not been the case, however, with regard
to the constitution of the council, The President of the.
Board of Cor.trol was entitled to every credit for the
candour and ability he had displayed, but he had fore-
gone the noblest opportunity ever offered to se young
a statesman E hicks the days of Pitt for coupling his
'tame with an important measure of legislation. The
noble lord had undervalued the iefiuence be possessed in
that house, as well as in the country at large, in failing
to carry out what were, no doubt, his own deliberate
opinions. (Hear, hear.) The Council of India should
consist of the ablest and moat experienced men who
could he found, but what the noble 1 rd proposed iia his
bill was nothing more than a refacciamento of the old
Court of Directors. * We were not able to form a'very
good government for India, nor was India able to go-
vern herself; but it was our duty to do the beet we Could
and he regretted that the noble lord had not surrounded
himself with a more competent body of advisers. His
firm persuasion was that the bill would not last more
than tour or five years. It was singular that it did not
contain a single allusion to the native interests of India,
which he thought was an omission great'y to be deplored
as in every previous act the people of India had been as-
sured that their religion would not be disturbed.

Mr. GREGSON—entorced the prayer of a petition
which he presented some time ago from Singapore, to
the effect that that settlement should be placed in im-
mediate connection with the home Government of India,
and expressed the hope that during the recess the Presi-
dent of the Board of Control would consider the point.
He regarded it as a great advantage that the noble. lord
wool,; be the first Indian Minister, inasmuch as be bad
visited the c-,untry and seen the natives, and possessed
other advantages which no other man enjoyed. He
truted the noble lord would do everything in hie power
promote commerce, civilisation, and Christianity in
Itetia. He was glad to think that the noble lord, who
knew something of India, would preside over this new
goner: meet with the desire to improve the po,ition and
prospects of India, both phyeically and socially. (I-fear.)
.L.rci PA LMERSTON said that it had fallen to his lot
to obj'.ct to many parts of the bill relating to the arrange.
ments of the council, and be thought it right to say that,
though he maintained ,his object!oTi on those points, yet
as the bill embodied a great principle of infinite value
and
grudging i importance, n rutuatn ca or
ecdial and hearty assent. , he gave to the third reading not a
(Cheers.)
The SOLICITOR•GENERAL, in answer to the title/.
tins put by the bon. member tor Peterborough (Mr.
Haukey), observed that hitherto the East India Com-
pany bad bad two capacities perfectly distinct. In one
.0 dividends guaranteed to them,
v,ew it was a company possessing
aanjdo it'not
astsoeccku,rietnytfitulnedd
for the payment of those dividends. It was also entitled,
in certain contingencies, to require the redemption of the
dividends. In its other character it was the governing
body of India, subject, of course, to the control of the
Indian Commissioners. The present bill.propoled to deal