The Sun.
London, England, 1857-12-24 00:00:00

EAST INDIA COMPANY.

[A portion of the following appeared in our impression
of yesterday.]
Tile quarterly general court of proprietors was held at
the India House, Leadeuhall•street, this day, at 12
o'clock, for the purpose of submitting for confirmation
the resolution of the general court on Dec. 16, approv-
ing the resolution of the Court of Directors of the 2d
inst., granting to Major-General Sir Archdale Wilson,
Bart., K.C.8., an annuity of 1,0001., and to Lady Neill,
widow of the late Brigadier-General Neill, and to Mrs.
Nicholson, the mother of the late Brigadier-General
Nicholson, special pensions of 500/. per annum re-
spectively, In addition to the allowances they are
entitled under the regulations.
Mr. R. D. IvlartQLEs, chairman of the Court of
Directors, presided.
The meeting of the last Court having been confirmed,
The CHAIRMAN announced that the dividend warrants
for the half-year would be ready on the 6th of February.
A PROPRIETOR said he wished to know, previous to
the resolutions being carried, whether any steps bad
been taken to meet the contingency of General Sir A.
Wilson's death.
The CHAIRMAN said the business of the Court was
confined to confirming the resolution of the previous
Court or not—no alteration can be made in the terms
of the resolution.
The resolution was then formally pat to the Court.
Mr. LEWIN said he did not approve of the sums
mentioned; on the contrary, he thought the sums totally
inadequate. With respect to the annuity of 5001. which
it was proposed to give to Lady Neill, he thought it Was
much too small to enabled her to maintain her proper
position. The Government Jjhad conferred upon
her all the nominal honours of a K.C.8., but he
thought she would be better without that mark of dis
Unction. Everybody knew who General Neill was—
(hear) —and therefore there was no necessity, for the
purpose of perpetuating his memory, of conferring an
empty title upon his widow. (Bear.) He thought that
the annuity ought to be 7501. The hon. proprietor was
then about to enter into the question of the employment
of steam vessels in the conveyance of troops to India,
when

A PROPRIETOR rose to order. He submitted that the
hop. proprietor was out of order.
Mr. LEWIN said he had no wish to bo irregular. He
would presently move his resolution as a substantive
motion.

The CLUBMAN then put the resolution, which was

carried.

Mr, JONES then rose for the purpose of moving the
following resolution, viz. :—" That it is due to the
advancing intelligence of the people of India that a
deputy from each university in the several Presidencies
be maintained at the public expense in this country,
with a view to inform the proprietors as to the wishes
and complaints of the people of India." lie commenced by
complaining of the manner in which he had been treated at
the last court, when he brought forward his resolution,
namely, counting him out. There was another circurestance
much to be regretted—that was the small attendance that
day. Such an attendance would almost justify the
threat that had been held out, that the Government
would, in a short time, entirely abolish the corporation.
He contended. that the best judges of the wants and ne-
cessities of the natives of India were the °mitt of Direc-
tors. (Hear, hear.) The chairman had stated that
the present mutiny was but a sepoy rebellion.
Against such an opinion he would place the opinion of
Dr. Duff, He was not of that opinion. The sepoys
had been inflamed by the natives of India, and the
mutiny was the result of the discontent that pervaded
the entire Indian population. The law of inheritance
was a great source of discontent, and he was fortified
in his opinion by a passage which he found ,in a work
published by a Ilindoo society, which stated that
if the present course of interfering with the religious
opinions of the natives was pursued, they would
have at least 80,000,000 of discontented subjects. (Hear,
hear.) The hon. proprietor then referred to the opinion
of the Hindoo with respect to the possession of property
which they believed necessary to their future salvation.
Ile next referred to the policy of Lord Dalhousie, which
he characterised as reckless, obstinate, and tyrannical ;
the violation of treaties, and the robbing of the native
princes of India, had led to the present unfortunate
affairs.
The CHAIRMAN here announced that he had just
received intelligence from India. The note he held in
his hand was as follows :—" The Government has
received intelligence stating that Lucknow has been
relieved."
The announcement was received with loud cheers.
Mr. JONES then proceeded with his speech, and con-
cluded by observing that the mildest way in which the
difficulties of India could be met, was by adopting the
plan laid down by his resolutioa.
Mr. LEWIN seconded the motion of Mr. Jones.
Mr. M`KENzie thought there was no honesty in the
motives, and therefore he opposed the motion.
Mr. CLARKE also opposed the motion.
The CHAIRMAN, having paid a compliment to Mr.
Jones for the manner in which L e had brought forward
his motion, proceeded to defend his statement that the
present disturbed state of India was a revolt occasioned
by the sepoys, and the sepoys alone. What was the
fact ? Why, throughout the whole of India, with the
exception of the Bhogees, who were a predatory tribe,
and had been from time immemorial plunderers—with
this single exception, he believed throughout the whole
peninsula there had been no rising of the people, and it
was also a positive fact that where there were no sepoys
there was no mutiny. (Hear, hear.) There had been a
trifling entente at Patna, but it was speedily put down,
and from the best authority he asserted that where the
native people of India had not assisted the Government
in putting down the mutiny, they bad remained perfectly
neutral. (Hear, hear.) Then, again, it was said that
the native princes and potentates were opposed to the
Indian Government, but this he also denied. (Hear,
hear.) To show the feeling of the Mohammedan princes
he would just mention a circumstance that took place
in Hyderabad, in the Deccan. A Mohammedan priest
was preaching a sermon, in which the Christians were
spoken of with the greatest love, a fanatic got up, and
using the native expression, that what was being preached
was all nonsense, and interrupted the proceedings.
Solut Jung, a native prince, was present, and he ordered
his own guards to take the man into custody, which was
instantly done. If the native princes had been against
us, such a proceeding was not likely to have taken place.
(Hear, hear.) Other princes had acted in a similar spirit,
aid such circumstances fully proved that the outbreak
was a military mutiny, and not an insurrection of the
people. (Hear, hear.) He had received a letter from
Sir J. Lawrence, who was also of a similar opinion.
(Hear, hear.) Now, what had been the case in those
places where the sepoys were driven out—at Delhi, for
instance I Why, the natives had returned, and the re-
venue flowed in uninterruptedly. (Hear, hear.) With
respect to the resoluion of Mr. Jones, he did not think
it would carry out his views.
After a few observations from several hon. proprietors,
Mr. JONES sail he thought the best course for him to
pursue under the circumstances was to withdraw his
motion. (Hear, hear.)
The motion was then withdrawn.
The telegraphic despatch received by the Government
was here read at length•by the chairtnau, amidst loud
cheer'. On coming to,the part of the document in
which 22,000 men were stated to be under the command
of Sir Cohn Campbell, he said it was evidently a mis-
take. It ought to be 12,000.
ABOLITION OF THE COMPANY.
A PROPRIETOR begged to ask the chairman for any
information respecting the bill which it was said was to
be introduced into Parliament.
Tue CHAIRMAN said he had anticipated sucn a quint-
tMn, and he bad now to inform the Curt that the de-
puty chairman and himself had had an interview with
Lord Palmerston on Saturday last, when he conainuni-
cated to them that it was the intention of the Govern-
ment to propose a bill to Parliament to place the
Queen's East Indian dominions under the Government
of the Crown.
Mr. LSwIN then rose to move the following resolution :
"That the disasters that have lately occurred to our
Indian territories have been owing to the want of fore-
sight on the part of the Indian Government, and to a
neglect of the amens which were at hand to counteract
them. That to the supineness and apathy of the home
government of India is attributable the want of timely
military aid, which it was in its power to supply by
means of steam-vessels, which would have averted the
slaughter of our troops and countrymen, and averted
the danger which now threatens the garrison of Lock-
now."
The rdsolution having been seconded, was put to the
meeting, and lust.
Mr. LEWIN then handed in a motion for consideration
at the next quarterly court, to the effect "that the
grounds on which a pension of 5,000/. was granted to
Lord Dalhousie be further considered."
The CHAIRMAN objected to the resolution being re-
ceived,
Ater some discussion, it was rejected, and the court
adjourned. •