The Sun.
London, England, 1858-03-19 00:00:00

'wages, but nothing was done on their report ; in 1326
he (Mr. Blaney) obtained a committee on the wages of
able-bodied labourers ; from the inquiries it appeared
that in 1326 great distress prevailed, and the mode in
which the poor law relief was administered had a great
tendenoy to lower the wages of the able-bodied. The re-
port of the committee was distinctly in favour of some
great change, but the evil continued to increase, until
in some sounties the poor rate amounted to 7s. in the
pound. It was not till 1834 that a remedy was provided.
Since that time there had been a considerable improve-
ment, but children and old people were still subjected to
great hardships in workhouses, and their condition re-
quired constant attention. He now turned from the rural
to the civie population. For a considerable periol great
.misery prevailed among those who were employed in
factories, more especially among children and young per-
sons, and it was not till after the evil had continued for
at least 25 years that a remedy was applied at the in-
stance of a noble lord in another place. He thought it
was the duty of the legislature to see if something more
could not be done to improve the condition of this
useful class of persons. Again, notwithstanding the
♦ast increase of the civic population, it was not till 1830
that any one thought of making proper provision for
the health of the people. In 1340 a committee reported
that there were 30,000 children living in close narrow
courts witn no outlet and no facilities for the admission
of an adequate supply of fresh air, the remedying of this
evil 440 having been delayed for very many years be-
cause there was no council to consider the matter. It
also appeared that there were 50 towns, with a popula-
tion of 3,000,000, 47 of which had a deficient water
supply, while 48 had no proper system of cleansing and
draining. Ultimately the Health of Towns Bill was
passed ; but it had not been universally adopted, and
there were still great evils prevailing which such a tri-
bunal as he proposed to establish might be the means of
removing. There were thousands of persons devoted to
the improvemeet of the working classes who would be
prepared to make the most useful suggestions if they
knew how to do so with effect ; and on behalf of the
working classes, who had done so much to benefit the
rest of the community, he asked for a board—an unpaid
board if the house pleased—to consider suggestions made
from time to time for their benefit. The mode in which
proper amusements and recreations might be provided
would form a very proper subject for consideration.
Fairs having been abolished, the poor were entitled to
some substitute. He felt convinced that if the boon he
asked for the working classes were conceded it would
secure the gratitude of those who by their conduct had
so richly deserved the care of Parliament.
Mr. ESTCOURT said no man could have listened to
the speech of the hon. gentleman without respecting the
motives by which he was actuated, but having listened
very attentively to what had fallen from him, he could
not, he confessed, understand what practical measure he
was desirous of having carriedout. His hon. friend would
perhaps permit him to put this matter at once to a test.
He would propose that the motion was acceded to, that
the commission was issue], and that his hon. friend
himself was, as he very properly would be, placed at the
head of it. He was quite at a loss to conceive what
was likely to be the first step of the commission. Per-
haps his hon, friend would desire to afford facilities, by
means of that commission, to the labouring classes for
ascertaining how they might best lay out their money.
His hon. friend give a nod of assent. If the commission
were appointed its practical business would be to enable
the working classes to improve their income. With this
view it would, he supposed, provide two tables—one set-
ting forth the schemes which the commission recom-
mended, and the other those which it wished to deter
working men from embarking in. The first result of this
would be that all who were connected with the schemes
denounced would band together against the commission,
and, benevolent as were his hon. friend's intentions, per-
haps he would not be able to reach his own office with-
out the assistance of a body of police. (Laughter.) He
would suppose that a working man laid out his 201. in
accordance with the advice given to him. It might hap-
pen, notwithstanding the beet arrangements beforehand,
that the scheme recommended and selected would be
mismanaged and fail.
Mr. SLA.NEY said his hon. friend had misunderstood
him. What he said was in effect that the commission
should report from time to time as to what was most
likely to benefit the working classes.

Mr. S. ESTCOURT feared the effect wonld be to en-
courage speculation, and to Excite expectations not likely
to be realised. (Hear.) Bare advice would as usual prove
unpalatable, After the commission had existed for a year
or two his hon. friend would advise in vain. Besides
being impracticable his hon. friend's plan would, he be-
lieved, be mischievous, inasmuch as it would be made a
aubstitute for the caution and intelligence which every
man was bound to exercise for himself. The commission
being issued on the authority of Parliament, men would
be led to depend upon it rather than upon themselves,
and if it led to no good result the discredit of failure
would fall upon Parliament. His hon. friend need not
come to Parliament in order to carryout his object. Why
should he not himself be the unpaid commissioner ? In
that case the advice given might, like that of some of the
wisest men, prove not to have been the best ; but it
would be the advice of a private individual, and Par-
liament would not be responsible for the result. He
trusted that hie hon. friend would be contented with
having expressed hi 4 views and not press the motion to
a division, and if he did not act upon this suggestion he
should feel bound to divide against the motion.
Mr. SLAM ET said, after what his hon. friend had
said, he should withdraw the motion. He wished, how-
ever, to observe in explanation that he had never con-
templated working people being advised how to lay oat
their money, or prevented from relying on their own
industry, care, and forethought.
The motion was then withdrawn.
TREATMENT OF THE SEPOYS AND INSUR-
GENTS IN INDIA.

Mr. RICH then rose to call the attention of the house
to the treatment of the mutinous sepoys and other in-
surgents in India, and to move for the following papers :
..;;;•Copies of any report or despatch relative to the pro•
tection afforded by Mauin Singh and others to fugitive
Europeans at the outbreak of the sepoy mutiny. Of
any instructions given to officers in command of troops
as to the treatment of mutinous sepoys or deserters.
And as to natives of Oude (not being sepoys) found in
arms within the territory of Oude. The hon. member
said he wished to call the attention of the house to the
treatment which the rebellious sepoys had received, and
were receiving, in India.. In the earlier stages of the
mutiny, and when men's minds were astounded at the
atrocities committed, it was almost impossible to secure
a calm discussion of that subject ; but the time had now
arrived when they might look the Indian calamities
fairly in the face. He hoped that in the observations
he was about to make he should not be misunderstood.
He loathed and detested as strongly as any man could
do the atrocious crimes which had been perpetratel by
the insurgent troops ; bat the very fact that the nation
felt so strongly made him anxious that it should stand
clear of any imputation of retaliation or vengeance. As
regarded the early stages of the rebellion, he would
snake every allowance for the feelings of those who
found themselves beset with treachery and dan-
ger, and for the stern and resolute manner in which
they stood on their defence. But at the same time he
must pay his tribute of gratitude to Lord Canning for
the manly fortitude with which he held the scales of jus-
tice, unmoved by the cruelties on one side and retalia-
tions on the other. The most extravagant tales had been
told in this country, and had run through it like wild.
fire. Some of those tales were such as made one's blood
run cold. They heard cf swarms of mutilated women and
children coming to this country. Well, those most com-
petent to form a correct opinion—the committee of the
society fornfed for the relief of those who were suffering
through the outbreak in India—stated that after the
moat diligent inquiries, tectending over six weeks or two
months, they had been unable to ascertain a single case
of mutilation inflicted on any one who had landed in this
country. The committee very properly remarked that
such cages might exist, but they declared that they were
themselves totally unable to verify one. He thought it
was but right that this statement should be repeated in
that house ; for while they detested and abhorred the
atrocities committed it was their duty to see that these
were not exaggerated. On the other hand, he believed a
very large proportion of the acts of retaliation attributed
to our soldiers were not committed, and that the burning
of this and that village rested only on the statement of
newspapers, who meant thus to glorly our army, while
in reality they were inflicting upon it injury. In order
to understand this question they must consider the ori-
gin cf the mutiny. No one could read the correspon-
dence of Sir Charles Napier without perceiving that a
factious and mutinous spirit pervaded the Benga army
at the period when it was under his command, and that
it was attributed by him to a want of discipline—t Lat
discipline which was dependent on the existence of tho-
rough confidence between officers and men. From the
report of the committee of 1852 it appeared that not
more than half the officers of a regiment were ever
with it at the same time. He believed that the mutiny
would ever have oecnrred had there not been a great
neglect of discipline. But beyond this stood the fact
that the European
diminished. force was most cruelly and And,unjustifi-
ably
moreover, what there was of it
was so placed as not to hold in check the native forces.
A greater portion of the European troops were in the
North-Western Province in Pegu. In the Cal-
cutta district there was buta anodn regiment This state
of things gave rise to a temptation,
well the natives might have behaved,gto which,eerheyne however
eowneeeveere
to have been exposed. It shouldb
about this time the Russian campaign was that
Now, Lord Dalhousie had stated that the PruegTsanng w on.
r
caused the worst effects in India ; indeed, his lordship had most urgently, and it might be said particularly,
alluded to the matter in:connection with the smallness
o
f number of British troops which he had at call.
Things being in this state, there occurred the annexe-
ti on of ()ude. Thus all Was ripe for revolt, all was re-
p_vieveesine.dtadlee,oni,twee.t andg. The last blow was
uLi","Zy.tet pliaced to the train, by the wicked
be that tlieie Oartri'd tie greased cartrid,,es. It might
poled ; but w,;uld ittr::tw,tre not what the natives vu
mistaken, and to hparvee
judices which were honesutatZl:en well
to re'Pect P.
withdrawn the obnoxious armlsh
was done, even though the eltterthing of
ztml:eteltdinadt
issue no niers cartridges. D,facutZ:t decided to
Meerut which were inefficiently and, at th:e
intemperately met. He would not go into theeette4
which had followed (" hear, hear," and ,4
they were all fresh in the minds of the house. (Divide.)
But he would venture to say, that the whole of these
troubles n3ight, by due °lire on the part
now
wthceamoeffi,cheorws,
have been put an end to. The question
were these revolted subjects tobeatnrdeat
justed. punishment
yahomugenhtt
no doubt to be punished—a due
shou'd be meted out to them. Bat he trustedinthlnatdtiahe
indiscriminate cry for blood which had arisen
and which had, to4sis surprise, been echoed in this
country, would not be listened to. He hoped that the
Government would see that the sepoy who slew his
officer, and who burnt down cantonments, was a vet?