The Sun.
London, England, 1859-04-15 00:00:00

the walls of our National Gallery some record of the events
in which he has been engaged from the pencil of the dis-
tinguiihed artist who is his relative in this country. (Hear,
hear.) I will' not trespass upon the house by going into
the details upon which the noble lord has so ably and with
such good taste fully entered—a task which lam sure the
noble lord entered upon with the greatest pleasure, and
on which I am sure he would have dwelt still longer had he
not thought that his duty to the house did not admit of it.
It is needless to say of our English soldiers and sailors
that, wherever they may be, they are sure to perform their
duty to their country with all the zeal, courage, and per-
severance which so greatly distinguishes them. The noble
lord Minded to certain officers not included in the vote which
we proposed when we were in office, and whom, therefore,
he seemed to think that he was debarred from including in
this vote because the services occurred before the last vote
of thanks was passed. I ought in justice to those officers
to state that her Majesty's Government, in proposing the
late vote of thanks, felt themselves bound by certain rules,
and the practice of Parliament with regard to such occasions
compelled us to limit ourselves to those officers who held a
certain position. There is one class which lam aware it is
impossible to include in a vote of thanks of this kind, but
whose actions, nevertheless, are not undeserving of being
mentioned here. I allude, sir, to the great number of civi-
lians scattered all over the country. (Hear.) I am reminded
by an hOn. friend near me that some allusion was made to
them in the last vote. But I speak now, sir, not only of
men but of women—(hear)—exposed to perils and dangers,
and whose conduct has been of the most heroic description.
(Hear.) We have all seen accounts of large numbers who
have gone forth to distant countries, who have been ex-
posed to all the hardship of privation and famine and the
dangers of hostile tribes ; we have read of the sufferings of
crews of vessels who have undergone hardships which we
should have thought it almost impossible for human nature
to endure; we have all read of great battles of distinguished
commanders, in which the sufferings of armies have been
intense ; but in all these eases it was either an individual
effort of courage, or it was performed by men trained up in
such services with all the means and appliances for meeting
dangers. But we saw in India thousands of our country-
men and countrywomen scattered over an immense coun-
try, placed there for purposes of administration, commerce,
and agriculture, unprepared for any difficulties involving
the necessity of fighting for their lives—we have seen them
suddenly overwhelmed by a calamity which no human eye
could see, but which found them, in the eloquent words of
one of our writers on the subject, "every one fighting, every
one resisting." It was a spectacle honourable in the highest
degree to the national character, and one showing in
the highest relief, those qualities of mind and determina-
tion which distinguish the nation to which we have the
happiness and honour to belong. Those who had to defend
themselves fought with the most heroic valour; those whose
lot it was to be overwhelmed met their fate in a manner
worthy of their country. The acts of both classes are such
as we cannot forbear to keep in mind, for they redound to
the honour of the country to which we belong, and they
tend to raise us in the estimation and regard of all the
nations of the earth. (Hear, hear.) I will not trouble the
house further than by saying that I most cordially concur
in the vote which the noble lord proposed. (Hear, hear.)
Sir DE L. EVANS rose to offer hiss ncere thanks to the
noble lord (Stanley) for the admirable manner in which he
had spoken on this subject. (Hear, hear.) He did not look
upon this as a mere ceremonial—it was a matter of great
importance. He ventured to say that there was no honour
which could be conferred upon the military and naval forces
of this country, which they would more prize than the vote
of thanks of that house.
Lord J. RUSSELL might perhaps be permitted to add
his voice to the vote now before the house. He had been
delighted to hear the noble lord (Stanley) speaking of the
merits of the Governor-General of India and of the officers
who had acted with him in the recent rebellion. He did
not intend to follow the noble lord through his speech, but
he would say that he believed that there never was a greater
service performed by civil and military officers than had
been performed by these classes in India ; there never was
a graver danger—never a more complete success. (Hear,
hear.) It was in many respects more wonderful than their
victories in former times there. In former times we had to
meet tribes furnished only with their own arms, knowing
only their own modes of warfare. But in this case we had
to meet an army armed and disciplined by ourselves—the
arrow had indeed been feathered from our own wing. (Hear.)
Whether the house looked to the offensive or the defensive
operations, it would find them characterised by the greatest
ability •and success. He (Lord J. Russell) would hardly
have risen, had he not thought there was one thing not to
find fault with., but respecting which there seemed to be an
omission which ought on that occasion to be made good. It
was this, that while the great empire of India had been pre-
served to us by the abilities and devotion of those at the
head of affairs there, and of their subordinates, we ought to
be thankful that during the struggle we had had the assist-
ance of the most illustrious and distinguished natives of
India. (Hear.) He mentioned this because, while we had
every reason to rejoice in the triumph which had been ob-
tained, he remembered the noble lord in one of his speeches
had pointed out the dangers which might yet happen here-
after. It had been said by Lord Macaulay that " our empire
in India was neither an empire relying wholly on force nor
wholly on opinion ; it was a mixed empire founded both on
force and opinion." He (Lord J. Russell) trusted that the
noble lord, who had shown himself so well able to perform
the duties of the position which he held, would, now that
these military triumphs were at an end, prove himself
equally successful in gaining the good will of the natives
of India, and so strengthen our empire in that great coun-
try. (Hear.)
Mr. V. SMITH felt it would be presumptuous in him to
add but a very few words to what had been said on the pre-
sent occasion. The house would, however, perhaps permit
him for a few moments to dwell on the subject. He could
assure the house that, during the eventful and anxious
autumn of 1857, he felt no little consolation in thinking that
those who had the management of affairs in India were men
well qualified to sustain the fortunes of this country. There
were some omissions in this vote which he certainly re-
gretted. He was sorry not to see there the name of Sir P.
Grant. He regretted this the more because he had had
the honour to appoint that distinguished officer. There
was another officer, not so well known perhaps, Major-
General Lawrence, whose name he should likewise have
wished to see in the resolution. With regard to the noble
lord the Governor-General of India, he must say that he
thought this country had reason to be proud of Lord
Canning. He recollected, and some hon. gentlemen would
recollect, the dinner which was given to Lord Canning pre-
vious to his leaving this country for India. In his speech,
Lord Canning expressed his hope that his reign in India
might be a peaceful one, but if it were otherwise, he
hoped that his Government would be able to show by their
firmness and moderation in danger that they were not un-
prepare?' for war. He did not wish to refer to bygones, but
he felt it only right to say that he thought that in his conduct
under the outcry which at one time was raised against him,
Lord Canning had shown the most praiseworthy firmness.
In his conduct throughout the most trying situation in
which he was placed Lord Canning's conduct had been such
as to call for their unqualified admiration. (Hear, hear.)
The noble lord (Stanley) had given a reason for not noticing
Lord Harris in the present vote, and in that reason he (Mr.
Smith) concurred. The noble lord had at the same time
taken the occasion of speaking of Lord Harris in such hand,
some terms that he thought he would be perfectly satisfied.
From speaking of those who were still amongst them, he
would pass to a distinguished public servant now unhappily
no more—he alluded to Sir H. Lawrence. Death, which
closed or ought to close the lips of all to aught which
affected injuriously a man's memory, occasionally permitted
one to state that which otherwise there might be reasons for
not stating. Now that this able public servant was no more,
he (Mr. Smith) might without any impropriety state a fact
which, until this time, was known only to the family of Sir
H. Lawrence. At the time when battle and disease were
striking down the best and bravest officers, both military,
and civilian, it became the duty of the Government to con-
sider the possibility of the death of the Governor •General.
It was then his (Mr. Smith's) duty to look out for a person
who should take his place. He fixed, with the concurrence
of his noble friend at the head of the Government, and with
the sanction of the Board of Directors, on Sir H. Lawrence.
(Hear.) He thought it due to the memory of that distin-
guished man to state this—(hear, hear)—to show how highly
his talents were appreciated both by his masters the East
India Company, and by the Government. (Hear.) One diffi-
culty there was which necessarily connected itself with votes
of thanks, and that was the almost impossibility of extend-
dinisgtrithcetisrnteeromustrsaogeass
ttoooakpppllayeeto. thTohsuse offiincetrhseup-itrhesinenwthcaossee
the course of conduct by which General Jacob—(hear' hear)
unfortunatelyand
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preservation of
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was noe doubt
India.
n
i
Major.MTherson also, the agent at the courtp of Scindia,
had rendered important service by detaining the Gwalior
Contingent, even after they had mutinied, for four months
during the most critical period of the mutiny. His noble
friend the member for Tiverton had alluded to the omission
of civilians from the vote, but he (Mr. Smith) believed the
reason to have been that since the vote of 1858, in which
they were included, no second opportunity had been given
for distinction. To the general terms of the vote he begged
to give his most cordial concurrence.

Colonel NORTH, while concurring in everything that
had been said in praise of Lords Canning and Clyde, re-
gretted that the name of Sir Patrick Grant had not been
included in the vote. On the death of Earl Anson, Sir
Patrick was called to Calcutta by telegraph to take the
command, and he at once organised the column which,
under Havelock, performed such glorious services. He
(Colonel North) believed also that the naval brigade was
first suggested by Sir Patrick Grant, and that his sugges-
tions were of the greatest use to Lord Clyde when he
assumed the cowhand.
Mr. A. KINNAIRD complained of the omission of the
names of Sir Sidney Cotton and of Colonel Edward es from
the vote. Both had rendered most important service on the
frontiers, but yet the noble lord, by rigidly following prece-
dents, and excluding all services excepts those which had
been performed in general action, had been obliged to ex-
clude them both. There were also two officers, the only
survivors of Cawnpore, namely, Colonel Delafosse and
Captain Thompson, now in England, and neither had re-
ceived the slightest mark of notice or approbation.
Mr. VANSITTART thought that the Pacha of Egypt
should receive some mark of distinction from the country
for the services he had rendered in transporting our troops
across the desert. On one occasion he transmitted two
regiments of cavalry, having first royally entertained them
at Cairo, and at various times had facilitated the transit of
large bodies of our troops.
Sir E. CODRINGT ON called attention to the case of
Major-General Johnstone, commanding at Jellundar.
Neglect of duty had been charged against that gallant offi-
cer, but on reference being made to the Commander-in-
Chief, Lord Clyde made the following report • " It is evi-
dent that General
an
hdetherefore,
acted
anb Johnstonetesotaastands
deu
accused
impressedeacedlsseti;roanfa hisn
error
rr unsullied,aobr
il niwt
yji with hdigaiadi sus,
nt
mili-
tary
eotn nhtge..
utmost
sense
ocsht ofa
rodfauett whichye
r,
The Commander-in- Chief is of opinion that an atonement
is due to him." Another case of hardship was that of
Major-General Windham, whose name would have been
included in the last vote of thanks but that the vote was
passed on the Bth of February, while the Comman-
der-in .Chief's despatch rendering justice to him did not
arrive in England until the 17th. General Windham was
second in command to Lord Clyde. In the despatch of
December 20th that noble lord acknowledged that General
Windham had been laced in a position. of great difficulty,
and called upon the Governor-General to give his protec-
tion and good offices to that officer. Upon this the Gover-
nor-General issued an order to the effect that General
Windham's reputation, as a leader of conspicuous bravery
and coolness, had lost nothing by the omission of his name
from Lord Clyde's despatch—an omission which that noble
lord regretted, and adding that the Governor-General
would not fail to bring under notice the difficulties under
which General -Windham had been placed. He (Sir W.
Codrington) was of opinion that if these despatches had
come home in time General Windham would not now be
without his vote of thanks; and he could not but regret
that that officer should suffer from what was merely an un-
fortunate accident. He concurred in every word which had
been said in praise of the noble Commander-in-Chief in
India.
Colonel SYKES, as an old sepoy officer, a character of
which he felt proud, deemed it his duty to call attention to
the services and loyalty of the Bombay and Madras armies,