The Sun.
London, England, 1858-05-26 00:00:00

These are sentiments worthyindeed of being printed
in letters of gold, or, better still, in accordance
with Oriental practice, of being engraved on mono-
laths, rocks, and temples. Justice is the cheapest
and most effective of all pacificators ; and the in-
stincts of all races of men render them susceptive of
its influence and obedient to its decrees. Such is de-
clared to be our future policy in the rule of British
India, and it entitles the Conservative. party to the
confidence of the people. It should be remembered,
though the fact is too frequently forgotten or ig-
nored, that British arms alone did not effect our
earlier conquests in Hindostan. We first aspired to
be territorial proprietors after the dismemberment
of the Mogul empire, when various competitors
disputed for the fragments at the point of the
sword. On entering upon the political stage we
found that empire parcelled out into several inde-
pendent states, each of which was eager to grasp
at the territories of its neighbour, and the conse-
quences wereia normal state of internecine war and
anarchy, in which neither life nor property were
secure from day to day. To protect themselves
against the savagery of their own countrymen the
weaker rajahs and native princes sought the pro-
tection of the British, whose superior military or-
ganisation they recognised and appreciated ; be-
tween us and them an alliance was formed offensive
and defensive, with a view to protect the rights of
the contracting parties ; and when peaCe was per-
manently established those rights were confirmed
by treaties. For some time these were olaerved
with honourable fidelity, but when the doctrine
was broached that the East India Company consti-
tuted the paramount state excuses were framed for
annexation and justice disappeared. At length
Lerd Dalhousie gravely propounded a principle
which reversed our ancient policy of friendship to
the native princes and exhibited us in the character
of American filibusters, while we were reproving
Russia for its seizure of Poland and Finland, the
Crimea and Circassia. When Settara was confis-
cated Lord Dalhousie said :—" I take this fitting
opportunity of recording my strong and delibera.e
opinion, that in the exercise of a wise and sound
policy the British Government is bound not to put
aside or to neglect such rightful opportunities of ac-
quiring territory or revenue as may from time to
time present themselves."
We are not now about to inquire what were the
remote or proximate causes of the present rebellion
but he must be sinfully blind or stupidly credulous
who excludes from view the modern policy of an-
nexation, involving the spoilation of the native
princes and extinction of the native aristocracy.
With the sagacity and foresight of a true states-
man Lerd Ellenborough predicted what would be
the result of confiscation many years before he
wrote the celebrated dispatch which gave rise to
the late debate ; and considering that he has had
the magnanimity to sacrifice himself rather than
forfeit honour or abandon principle, it becomes our
dutyessand we discharge that duty with pleasure—
to place his opinions more fully before the bar of
public opinion, convinced that they will meet with
unqualified approval by every high-minded lover of
justice. "Our government," said his lordship,
"is at the head of a system composed of native
states, and I would avoid taking what are called
rightful occasions of appropriating the territories of
native states ; on the contrary, I should be disposed
so far as I could, to maintain the native states, and
the giving to the subjects of those states the con-
viction that they were considered permanent parts
of the general government of India, would Ma-
terially strengthen our authority. 1 feel satisfied
that I never stood so strong with my own army as
when I was surrounded by native princes ; they
like to see respect shown to their native princes.
These princes are sovereigns of one-third of the
population of Hindostan ; and with reference to the
future condition of the country it becomes more im-
portant to give them confidence that no systematic
attempt will be made to take advantage of the
failures of heirs to confiscate their property, or to
injure in any respect those sovereigns iu the posi-
tion they at presJnt occupy."
These opinions were carefully formed after a
residence in the country, and their spirit was in-
fused into the dispatch which a hungry and un-
principled coalition sought to inculpate. Lord
Ellenborough stands before the country as the
representative of moral power ; Lord Palmerston
is the turbulent champion of physical force ; the
one respects the rights of private property,
the other advocates confiscation. Now, as-
suming that the expected dissolution had taken
place, which the pseudo-Liberals dreaded, but from
which the Conservatives did not shrink, who can
doubt, on the issue submitted to the constituencies,
that Lord Derby would have secured a triumphant
majority ? On the one hand, the country, is not
enamoured of the increasing pressure of army and
navy estimates, the result of aggressive and unjust
wars ; and it knows full wall that protracted hos-
tilities in India may require a second army of
50,000 men. Even, then, upon the lower grounds
of finance, to say nothing of the higher grounds of
justice and humanity, the Conservatives would
have gained a victory on the electoral hustings.
But they would have appeared with other claims.
They have quieted the angry feelings that were
becoming intensified between France and England,
and procured the release of the British engineers
captured on board the Cagliari ; they kept good
faith in reducing the income tax from 7d. to 5d.,
which good faith Sir C. Lewis would have violated ;
they have not opposed the repeal of the Property
Qualification Act; and Lord Derby has expressed
his readiness, when the state of the Treaeury will
admit of it, to repeal the paper duty. With these
recommendations the Conservatives might have
courted a gsneral election with a certainty of advan-
tage ; but the pseudo-Liberals dreaded the en-
counter.

It has been said that India in the future will
prove the difficulty of Government as Ireland was
in the past. Not so, if the advice of Lord E led-
borough be adopted. When the minds of the native
princes are free from doubts of an uncertain future,
and feel a confidence which the Dalhousie policy
uprooted, we may expect that the arts of industry
will be actively prosecuted. Of territorial domi-
nion we have already more than enough, and ex-
perience has shown that fresh acquisitions are not
accompanied by increased revenue. We should
take the position of an umpire in a court of con-
ciliation, retaining sufficient power to enforce obedi-
ence to our just decrees. India should be viewed
as a market of production and consumption, not
as an arena of diplomacy, or a theatre of war. Its
real interests should ever be regarded as insepar-
able from the manufacturing interests of the United
Kingdom. Hitherto it has been a field in which
the relatives of the Court of Directors have
amassed private fortunes, but nothing has been
done to elevate the condition of the people. A
new race now exists, numerous and influential,
descended from native mothers and British fathers,
and it is neither just nor prudent to ignore their
claims to some share of administrative power. To
the Hindoo, Mahomedan, and half-caste popula-
tion the despatch of Lord Ellenboroogh is really a
message of reconciliation and peace, based on the
eternal principles of justice. At noformer period
did they receive such gratifying assurances, and we
may regard Lord Ellenborough as the pacificator of
Hindostan. It is a proudly distinguishing title,
and he may well accept it as a compensation for
his loss of office, though the publ;c would rejoice if
he watched over the application of his own glorious
principles.

INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS.

The annual conversazione of this body took place
last night at the house of the Institution, Great
George street, Westminster. Mr. Locke, M. P.,
the president, had the pleasure of gathering around
Lim an assemblage of the most eminent scientific,
professional, and practical men, not only of the
United Kingdom, but of foreign countries. As
usual, upon these occasions, the theatre, and the
suite of reams by which it is approached were filled
with models of all the latest inventions in every de-
partment of practical science. Rare and choice
flowers spread fragrance around—pictures by the
best modern painters adorned the walls—exqt I ite
busts and full-sized figures in marble were profusely
diapla) ed—and at every step the attenton of the
visitor was c ilhd to exhibit. ions of excellence in the
practical application of science and artistic enter-
prise. Among tho4e which excited the most general
intertst were some new developments of the
rapidly-advancing discoveries of the age—the elec-
!re telegraph and ph =tography. In the former, M.
John, of Prague, exhibited an improvement upon
Morse's patent, by which the mesage, as it is sent,
is presented on a thin and narrow strip of paper—
somewhat re embling a piece of tape, in distinct
and indelible characters, and the r,•ceiver of the
message being farnishe .1 with the original tel gram,
will la., enabled thus to correct any mist die in
tvansor iption. It is said that by this system as
many at 70 wont a, minute tu be legibly written.
r. 13 tut n.'s articclated trains of vessels of light
alsodrau
specially
arl
liylv
an
lbayp
ta
feoarint-
it] g
internale o f great
river power,
trabaluct
of Ind a, also e
d pha es upon a largo scale,
very general attention.
The photonapl.7, pictures of the moon in its various
The mon ier nugget of pure gold,
exhibited at
table
t were
t,he also c
trae great sourcealae
e,
of attrac. ion.
l
which his been exgl,
was shows upon a e beside an. equally
of the richest unrivalled black of malachite
genf.ral appearance
de-
scription. The "nugget" tested the strength of
IllsaTistsfaction.
many to turn it over, and in its
and configuration suggests irresaatibly the idea of
an igneous origin. It is needless to add that the
with the
president receiv. d his numerAts guests
made
fuotrintoliseti
rcourle entertainmentan d thgaat
vteh
universale arrangt