The Sun.
London, England, 1857-12-09 00:00:00

NEW WRIT FOR MAYO.

Colonel FRENCH moved " That Mr. Speaker do issue
his warrant for the Clerk of the Crown in Ireland to make
out a new writ far the electing of a knight of the shire to
serve in the present Parliament for the county of Mayo, in
the room of George Henry Moore, Esq., whose election has
been determined to be void."
Colonel NORTH, as a member of the committee which
sat during the last session, opposed the motion, on the
ground that tho writ ought not to issue until the result of
the trial which had been directed by the house should be
made known.

Colonel FRENCH said the resolution to which the house
had come was that the writ should be suspended during
the last session; and he called upon the noble lord at the
head of the Government to put a stop to the atteuipt now
wa•.le to overrule the privileges of the people.
Lord PALMERSTON said that when the question was
last under the consideration of the house lie agreed with
other hon. members that the writ should not then issue,
and that it ought to be suspended until after the trial had
taken place, the expectation being that it would take place
during the autumn. The prosecution, however, bad been
postponed, and it appeared to him doubtful whetherit was
right and proper to continue to withhold the writ and do-
privo the people of Mayo of their representation. He
thought the objection which existed wasno longer tenable,
and entertained no objection to the motion. (Hear.)
The motion was then agreed to. •
SIR HENRY HAVELOCK—THE QUEEN'S
MESSAGE.

On the motion of Lord PALMERSTON the house resolved
itself into committee for the purpose of considering thel
following message from her Majesty
" Victoria Regina—Her Majesty being desirous of con-
ferring a signal mark of her fa Your and approbation on
Major-General Sir Henry Havelock, Bart., K.C.8., for the
etuiment and distingniihed services rendered by him in
command of a. body of BritiAa, and native troops in paths?

and particularlarly for the gallant and successful operations
undertaken for the,telief of . the garrison of Lucknow, re,
comniends to the House of Lords to concur in enabling her
Majesty to make provision for securing to Major-General
Sir Henry Havelock a provision of 1,0001. per annum for
the term of his natural life." (Cheers.)
Lord PALMERSTON then rose to perform a duty most
agreeable to himself, and one the performance of which, be
was quite sure, would be gratifying to the house, and that
was to move a resolution in accordance with her Majesty's
recommendation. (Cheers.) It was almost unnecessary
for him to say a single word in recommendation of the vote,
which would afford every member of the house the highest
gratification. (Cheers.) It had been said that India was
fertile in heroes. India had also been fertile in those
events which had given to British subjects in that country
opportunities of displaying those great and heroic qualities
which redounded so much to the honour of the nation.
Amongst those who had of late so much distinguished
themselves few bad been more fortunate or so fortunate in
that respect as Sir H, Havelock. (Cheers.) Sir Henry
Havelock was an officer who had served with greatdistine-
tion in almost all the operations which of late years had
taken place in India—having gained great distinction in
the Burmese and Affghanietan wars. Wherever, in short,
British troops had been called upon to act for the
honour,mainte-
nanceoftheHavelock
there Sir Henry deilckgonitY'and interests of the country,
had held a most prominent and
distinguished positiOn. (Cheers.) Darin.- the recent ope-
rations to which the vote now before the awe more i m me'
diately referred, Sir H. Havelock had in the short space of
of about two months gained nine or ten victories by a very
iaferior against a very superior numerical force, and in the
course of those brilliant operations he not only defeated 9
or 10 times, but captured about 70 pieces of cannon. The
two men who had gained the greatest and most signal
military successes during the recent military operations in
India were Sir H. Havelock and Gen. Wilson. (Cheers.)
Sir H. Havelock belonged to the Queen's Service, and there-
fore her Majesty had recommended the grant now proposed.
General Wilson belonged to the East India Company's ser-
vice, and the company claimed the right of granting to that
gallant officer, the captor of Delhi, that amount which her
Majesty now recommended the house to vote to Sir Henry
Havelock. Her Majesty had conferred on these two gallant
officers the dignity of baronet, and had also conferred on
them that other distinction which was greater than any
title—ho meant that military order which was an object of
the higheetarnbition, and the greatest stimulus to the ex-
ertions of every soldier. It was usual when a military
order was conferred for the Sovereign to invite Parliament
to partake in the most agreeable of all duties—that of ac-
knowledging and rewarding the services of those who had
so distinguished themselves. (Cheers.) But in rewarding
such services Parliament ought also to commemorate the
actions of others who had not had the good fortune to per-
form any such specific exploits. They ought not to forget
the chivalrous conduct of General Outram, who having by
superior rank and position obtained the command of the
troops, yet with that delicacy of feeling which was the
concomitant of true courage voluntarily abstained from
taking the command from Sir Henry Havelock, and placed
himself as a volunteer under the orders of that gallant
officer—(cheors)—in order that the man who had under-
gone such fatigues, dangers, and exertions in his endea-
vours to relieve Lucknow should not be deprived by the
arrival of a superior officer of the glory of completing the
duty which he had undertaken. (Cheers.) It was im-
possible to enumerate the names of all those who had
acquired distinction during the recent calamitous events,
but he might particularly mention those of Greathed, Eyre,
Salkeld, and Home---(cheers)—together with the names of
two gallant officers who had lived and died in the service
of the country—Neill and Nicholson—whose loss the coun-
try must very deeply deplore. (Hear, hear.) Then there
was Sir John Lawrence--(cheers)--a most able administra-
tor, who had in the most admirable mane e: organised the
military and civil resources of the province under his con-
trol, and thus rendered the greatest services to this empire.
(Cheers.) General Wheeler, who had been placed in the
most difficult and dangerous position, had unfortunately
fallen in the service of his country, but his name would be
hold in remembrance as well as those of Chamberlayne,
Cotton, and Edwards. (Cheers.) He might go on adding
to the list, for there was hardly a single officer who kad
been called upon during these unfortunate events to per-
form his duty who had not acted in a manner which en-
titled him to have his name enrolled in the annals of the
military fame of this country. (Cheers.) But at the
present moment his duty was confined to the resolution
relating to the grant to General Havelock, which he now
begged to submit to the house. (Cheers.)
Sir J. PAKINGTON had great gratification in seco, d-
ing the motion which had been proposed in terms so just
and proper by the noble lord. (Cheers.) He entirely con-
curred with the nobl.i lord in the belief that there could
be no difference of opinion as to the propriety of the step
now proposed. On the contrary, he believed that all parties
in the house cordially concurred in the resolution. (Cheers.)
If any doubt could exist on the subject it must be
whether the grant was commensurate with the public
feeling. (Hear, hear.) He felt great satisfaction at
the manner in which the noble lord had coupled the names
of Sir Henry Havelock and General Wilson. The public
gratitude was due to one commander as much as the
other. (Cheers.) Considering the climate, the time of
the year, the number of battles fought, and the distance
marched, he believed that the progress of Sir Henry Have-
lock and his devoted band of heroes deserved to be re-
corded amongst the most brilliant military achievements.
(Cheers.) Not lees conspicuous had been the services
of General Wilson and his forces at Delhi. Although
the war there was of a different nature, the troops were ex-
posed to the same kind of hardships as those of Sir H.
Havelock. They also had to encounter the difficulties
arising from the climate, and the incessant, and almost
daily attacks of the enemy, whose force was greatly supe-
rior to his own. And it should also be borne in mind that
the enemy were not only enormously superior in point of
numbers, but were arnfed with weapons which we had put
into their hands; and yet, although the relative supe-
riority, man for man, of the Europeans over the native
Indians was as great at the present time as in former days,
notwithstanding the discipline which they had been taught,
it must be remembered that throughout the contest the
native troops had shown great skill and power in that int-
, pottant arm of war, the artillery. (Hear, hear.) If the
authority of the Crown in India should shortly be restored
—and he trusted that would be the case—it would be
mainly owing to the heroic valour of the troops under Sir
Henry Havelock and General Wilson, who, notwithstand-
ing their slender numerical strength, had succeeded in
stemming that torrent of revolt by which British power in
India at one time seemed to be in danger of being over-
whelmed. (Cheers.) He was glad that the noble lord had
done justice to the great and generous conduct of General
Outram. (Cheers.) He believed that there never was an
incident more creditable to the honour and good feeling of
a British soldier than the generosity shown by that dis•
tinguished man, in the order of the day issued by him,
wherein he abandoned the position which he had the right
to claim, and resolved that Sir Henry Havelock should not
be interrupted in his honourable and well-deserved pro-
gress. (Cheers.) It was his earnest hope and prayer that ,
the neat accounts from India would bring,the intelligence
that Sir Henry Havelock had entirely succeeded in his
grand object of rescuing Lucknow from the imminent
danger in which it had been placed. (Cheers.) Let them,
while they were paying just honour to the men who com-
manded, not forget the heroic gallantry of the forces they
had under them. (Hear, hear.) Nothing but the heroic
bravery of the forces under Generals Havelock and
Wilson could have surmounted the difficulties by which
they were surrounded. He hoped ho should not be unduly
encroaching upon what was no doubt the province and the
proper duty of her Majesty's Government, bat be could
not refrain from saying that, considering how diminished
these two little bands were, considering how few still sur-
vived, who had either gone through the whole siege of
Delhi, or had followed Havelock in his triumphant march
—he could not help feeling a strong impression that it
might be considered not inexpedient by those who advised
the crown that some distinguished honour and reward
should be conferred on the remnant of those gallant bands,
to whom this country owed a debt of-gratitude which it
was impossible for us ever to pay. It was with these feel-
ings that he heartily concurred in the proposition made by
the noble lord, and he begged leave to second it.
Mr. BRISCOE need scarcely say how cordially he con-
curred in what had fallen from the noble lord and the right
hon. Bart. ; but he could not help making a suggestion,
which lie trusted might be favourably received. He wished
to add to the resolution a clause that the pension should
after the death of Sir H. Havelock be enjoyed by the next
successor to the title. _ _

The CFI AIRRAN intimated that it was not competent
for the hon. member to move as amendment increasing
the sum proposed.
Mr. BRISCOE said he Would not move it, but he would
throw it cut as a suggestion for theconsideration of the First
Lord of the Treasury. It might not generally be known that
Gen. Havelock was between 60 and 70 years of age ; he had
a son who had received the Victoria cross, and therefore,
considering the danger to which the life of Sir Henry
Havelock was exposed, he thought it would be a consola-
tion for him to know that there would be some provision
made for his son, without which provision a title would be
a very inadequate reward. Gen. Havelock, indeed, might
almost be saiil to have preserved to this country the empire
of India. He would not say a word on that part of the
subject, but ho heartily suggested that the pension should
be extended to the life of the son. The annuity to Lord
Gough was 2,000/. and it was to go to the next successors
to the title. lie di d not think there was a single indivi-
dual who heard him who did not concur in the suggestion
that he made. (Hear, hear.)
Admiral WALCOTT, as a member of the sister service,
could not help expressing his admiration of the splendid
services of General Havelock. He did not know which to
admire most, the rapid marches and glorious victories of
Havelock or the soli-denial of Outran). The noble lord at
the heal of the Government had expressed in terms so
graceful, so spirited, and so applicable, his sense of the
services of the officers and men, that it would ill befit him
to enlarge on that subject ; but there was one topic which
the noble lord omitted, and which he was sure would com-
mand the response of the house, and that was the sublime
heroism which had led women to unhesitatingly sacrifice
their own lives rather than submit to dishonour. He had
but one other word to add, and in that he believed he car-
ried with him the feeling of his profession, that an oppor-
tunity might be afforded to the blue jackets to imitate the
conduct of the red jackets.
Sir W. CODRINGTON should be very sorry if this re-
solution were to pass without a military
man expressing
his belief that the feeling of the entire profession was in
unison with the strong feeling of the house on this subject.
Nothing that they had heard of could exceed the gallantry,
the determination, an I the constancy under the extreme
of difficulties that had been characteristic both of the
marching, of the endurance, and of the positive fighting of
General Havelock's division and of the troops before Delhi
who were under perpetual attacks, not only while they
were under the command of General Wilson, but while
they were under General Barnard, who bad the greatest
difficulties to encounter. He started amid the revolt, when
there were not fit preparations for moving troops, but he
and General Anton were determined that the troops
should march to Delhi. When they arrived before Delhi
Gen. Barnard saw the enemy in possession of an important
position, and although hex vy fighting and marching had'
taken place, he induced his troops to take from
the enemy
the position they then held, and that ppeition had been
held by our troops from that timo to the present, and was
the e flee nal means of s:curing tho capture of Delhi. Gen.
B:rnzud was at ticked ten times in less than 20 days, Emil
when it was n C) leeted th It there was a constant accession
of mutineers int, Delhi, it •would bo seen that he was
worthy of the gratitude of his a uatry. It was ill conse-
quence of Gen. Barnard's maintaining that position under
all those difficulties that Gen. Wilson was able to take the
city. So strongly, did Gen. Wilson feel the difficulty, that
it was a question with him whether, if he did not get re-
lieved, he should fail back. He said, then they must go
back to the officer who obtained that position. Having
waited with patience' with bravery, and determination,
land having received his supplies, nothing could be finer
pan the preparations and the assault of Delhi. We hail to
deplore a great loss—the Lis of General Nicholson and of
other great officers, to whom the house and the country
owed the greatest possible gratitude. We had also to de- i
plum the loss of Gen. Neill. lie had come froei service m
the Crimea, where he was in command of the T141461/C°ll.