The Sun.
London, England, 1857-07-28 00:00:00

ROYAL ASSENT.

The SPZAKEII and several members attended the
House of Lords to hear the royal assent given by com-
mission to numerous bills. (See Lords.)

AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE.

Lord CASTLEROSSE appeared at the bar of the
house with her Majesty's gracious answer to the Ad-
dress relative to the slave trade in Africa, in which her
Majesty stated she would do all in her power to carry
the wishes of the house into effect.
PORTSMOUTH ELECTION.
The SPEAKER announced that the petition against
the return of Portsmouth bad been withdrawn, and the
order for referring it to a committee was read and dis-
charged.

THE lONIAN ISLANDS.
Sir DE LACY EVANS asks, I if there was any truth
in the statements in the pubic jlurnals, that the loni-
ans had declared their readiness of shedding their blood,
to east off British control ; and, if true, what measures
bad been taken to prevent it?
Mr. LABOUCHERE raid that he had received no
official information from the lonian Mends, but he had
seen several private letters from that part. On two or
three occasions lately the lonian Assembly had passed
early in the session resolutions striking at the counec-
tion with this country, and it is usual on such occasions
for the Governor to prorogue the assembly forthwith on
such occasions. The Assembly had not passsed such a
resolution this session, and in consequence the Assembly
bad not been prorogued. The disturbances alluded to
bad arisen from the presentation of a petition to this
house by Sir J. Pakington from M. Montgomery, rela-
tive to the propriety of there being a representative for
the lonian Isles in this house. He was unable to state
what had been done in consequence.
INDIAN NEWS.
In answer to a question from Sir J. PAKINSITON,
Lord PALMERSTON said that the Government bad
not received any telegraphic communication in anticipa-
ef the news from India. The Government were ignorant
of what it was likely to be.
TFIE BUSINESS OF THE DAY.
Lord PALMERSTON moved the postponement of
the order of the day till after the disposal of Mr.
Disraeli's motion on India.—Agreed to.
THE STATE OF INDIA.
Mr. DISRAELI—Sir, I hardly know whether there
is anything more inttresting—l am sure there aro few
things more instructive—than to recall the commence-
ment of great events. It is remarkable how insignificant
incidents at the first blush have appeared which have
proved to be pregnant with momentous consequences,
and that in a street riot at Boston and Paris began, in
fact, the two great revolutions of modern times. Who
would have supposed, when we first heard of the rude
visit of a Russian sailor from a port in the Black Sea to
Constantinople, that we were on the eve of one of the
greatest of modern wars, and on the solution of one of
the most difficult of pslitical problems ? And so, a few
weeks ago, when a paragraph appeared in our j rnals that
there was a mutiny in a native regiment in India, I dare
say fow people read the paragraph. I dare say, indeed,
most persons turned for amusement to the more exciting
di cu-sions in this house on questions of domestic int -
rest or cf comparative insignificance ; and if the tranquil
course of the House of Commons this year did not afford
. them even this resource, they were, I dare say, more
interested in the stimulating adventures of the police
courts. But, sir, I hare always thought if mankind
ccu!d bring themselves to ponder in time on the corn-
mercoment of those events that greatly affect their for-
tunes and destiny, it is possible that we might bring to
the transaction of affairs more prudence and more energy
than are generally exercised at the commencement
of such incidents, and that probably we might
prevent many eublie disasters and calamities. It
was with that feeling, sir, when the first
news arrived of the occupation of Delhi by the
rebels, that I thought I was o-dy psrformicz my duty
in addressing some inquiries to her M jesty's G )vern-
ment as to their opinions with regard to the cause of
those remarkable events and the exact position of affairs.
I am bound to say that at the time the answer which I
received impressed me with the feeling that her Majesty's
Ministers did net view the events which ha I occurred in
that spirit which I thought their latent importance de.
served. The helve rec3ll_ct the information that
was afforded .hy the Government on that occasion. The
right ho i. gertleman (Mr. V. Smith) told the house that
the Governor General,of India wrote in very good spirits,
that her Majesty's Government hoped and trusted—nay,
that they even believed—that by the rex, mail wo should
hear that the city of Delhi had been rand to the ground,
and, in order to afford that test of truth and of denger
which is so thoroughly appreciated by the inhabitants of
the British isles, we were told to look to the stare of the
public securities. (A. laugh.) We were told that the stocks
at Calcutta had not fallen, bat, on the contrary, had
rather risen, and the inference to be drawn from this
- circumstance was that the danger was neither profound
nor extensive. Well, Sir, the tone taken by the Govern •
merit in the other house of Parliament was not more se-
rious. The noble lord there informed the country that the
Government were utterly taken by surprise both here and
• in India—that 24 hours helixes these events occurred they
' were not even suspected. (Hear.) Even in that patrician
assembly more generally considered to be connected with
the land the funded test was also introduced. A question
was asked, as if in combination with the Ministry, whe-
ther the funds had fallen at Calcutta, and the answer
that they had not fallen was received with marks of ap-
probation. (Hear.) I admit that one ought not to review
with too critical severity the first expressions of a Go-
vernment after such events ; but when the Government
bad had the advantage of being informed, not by tele-
graph, but by despatches—el.leth they had had a con.
sideeable time to cons.der these events—when several
Councils (anxious, I have no doubt), had been
bald upon them some ten days aftr the Ent
' notification the house was favoured by a great
officer of State—one of the principal members of the
Cabinet—incidentally, it is true, still, on the occasion of
an Eastern debate having some indirect reference to
India (the Persian war) the house was favoured with the
matured opinion of the Cabinet upon these great events
—the Chancellor of the Exchequer informed the house
that the revolt of the Bengal army was a sudden ies•
pulse,
ls occasioned by superstitious feelings, c. Hear,
•
bear," from the Treasury bench.) We were favoured
with the mature opinion of the Government upon the
cause of these important events, and were led to believe
from the tone of the Government and the expressions of
persons of authority, who, if not members of the Govern-
ment, exercise great influence in this house, and are
supposed to be general supporters of the Government,
that the conduct of the troops in India was looked upon
as a mere military mutiny. (Hear, hear.) I apprehend
that it is of the greatest importance to obtain as clear an
idea as we can of the causes which have led to this re-
volt. When the Government appeared to me to be in a
condition I ventured to intimate that it was their para-
. mount duty to investigate the causes of dissatisfaction.
Some objection was taken, that this being a mere mill-
- tary mutiny all ai e had to do was to put it down, and
when it was put down then the Government would con-
icier the condition of the Indian army, I humbly think