The Sun.
London, England, 1844-03-27 00:00:00

of the Chinese, became every day more important. Dr.
Morrison, unfortunately for himself, but fortunately for
his fame, and fortunately for the benefit of the English
nation, remained. He lived to take an important part
in the negotiations for the treaty of Nankin; and when
it was recollected that Sir Henry Pottinger, although a
man of great ability, was ignorant of the Chinese lan-
guage, the necessity of having by his side a man like
Dr. Morrison would be quite evident. When the treaty
was concluded, there was a general feeling throughout
the whole of the Anglo-Chinese community that some
honours and favours ought to be conferred on Dr. Mor-
rison; and Sir Henry Pottinger accordingly appointed
him one of the Legislative Council of Hong-Kong. He
was thus placed in a situation which would have enabled
him to assist his father's family. He had while he lived
remitted to them various small sums, and had given up
the whole of his share of his father's patrimony to
his sister. But while his family in England
were congratulating themselves on his success, the cup
of prosperity was suddenly dashed from their lips ; for,
a few days after his appointment, he was seized with the
fever of Hong-Kong, and fell a sacrifice to it.—(Hear,
hear.) Sir Henry Pottinger had stated, in a proclama-
tion, that the loss of Dr. Morrison was a public and na-
tional calamity, and he trusted that it would be so felt
by his Sovereign and his country; and in a private letter
to him (Sir G.Staunton), Sir Henry Pottinger had said,
speaking of Dr. Morrison, that no man living could sup-
ply his place.—(Cheers.) He submitted that he had
made out a case for the consideration of the House.
They were two individuals who had performed eminent
services, who had sacrificed their lives in the cause of
their country, and whose families, therefore, had a
claim upon that country.—(Cheers.) He did not bring
forward the case as one of destitution, except as far as
regarded the sister- of Dr. Morrison, who was residing
at Newcastle, and who he understood was in a destitute
state ; but with regard to the rest of the family,
although not in a state of destitution, he considered
that their means were totally inadequate to maintain
them in the station which they ought to occupy.—(Cheers.)
The Hon. Gentleman concluded by moving his resolu-
tion.
Dr. Bowring and Sir John Hobhouse rose at the same
time, for the purpose of seconding it. Dr. Bowring,
however, gave way.
Sir JOHN HOBHOUSE did not know if the forms
of the House would permit the motion of the Hon. Ba-
ronet to be put without the consent of the Government.
If they would, he begged to second the motion, for he
could bear his testimony to the great and extraordinary
services of Dr. Morrison.—(Cheers.) They had heard
a statement of those services from the Ilon. Baronet
who had just sat down ; and, if there was any one gen •
tleman in that House, who more than another was capa-
ble of justly appreciating those services, it
was the Hon. Baronet.—(Loud cheers.) He had
hoped that the Government would have found
some way of expressing their opinion of the eminent
sevices of these gentlemen. After what had fallen from
the Hon. Baronet, he would not add one word more to
the nature of those services ; but if any one had read the
beautiful memoirs of Dr. Morrison, he would there see
the considerations which had induced him to continue in
his useful—his charitable—he might add, his Christian
career. The mantle of the father had descended on the
son ; and if the forms of the House would permit of it he
hoped that the appeal which had been made to the Right
Hon. Baronet opposite, to the Government, and to the
House, would not be made in vain.—(Cheers.)
Sir ROBERT PEEL must, in the first place, admit,
and he did so with the greatest pleasure, the justice of
the eulogium which had been pronounced by the Right
Hon. Baronet, and by the Hon. Gentleman, on the cha-
racters of Dr. Morrison and his son. They had
both rendered eminent public services.—(Cheers.) They
had both been remarkable for the fidelity with which
they had performed their duties—(Cheers)—and those
two literary works of Dr. Morrison, the father, to which
the Hon. Gentleman had alluded, were works, he must
say, which in the highest degree merited the public ap-
probation.—(Cheers.) Nothing could have been more
agreeable to his own personal feelings than to have ac-
ceded to the motion ; but there were duties imposed
upon public men, from the performance of which they
must not shrink ; and he would ask them to consider
what must be the consequence of the interference of the
House with the granting of pensions to public ser-
vants. It had been the custom some years since to al-
low pensions to the widows and female relatives of those
civil servants of the Crown, who had died in the per-
formance of a public duty, but that custom had, for some
years past, been very properly discontinued.. No man
could fill the situation which he, Sir R. Peel, filled
without being aware how many cases were constantly
pressed by the widows and relatives of public servants
of the highest merit and distinction, whose petitions it
was impossible to grant. In the whole range of re-
venue services no pension was allowed to the widow or
relative of the deceased officer, even though he died in
the service of his country. In the case of a clerk in a
public office, a man who had discharged his duty faith-
fully and assiduously for forty or fifty years, and who
might die from over exertion in the discharge of
these duties, notwithstanding these claims not
a single farthing was allowed for his widow or rela-
tive. Parliament did not allow any provision for such
persons. In the case of the army and navy the pension
granted to officers who died in the public service was
indeed very small, and the power very limited. Flag-
officers of the navy, after discharging their duty for
many years, and who might havo died in the service of
their country, could only hope for a pension not exceed-
ing 120/. a year for their widows. In the case of a cap-
tain in the Marines who might die in action, the provi-
sion fur his widow was limited to 200/. a year. In the
civil service the clerks got liberal salaries, but it was
expected they would themselves make provision for their
widows and families. If the House once departed from
the course hitherto acted upon, and established a pre-
cedent such as the present motion, if carried out, would
involve, they might depend upon it that they would find
it very difficult to resist the numerous and powerful ap-
plications which would be constantly poured in upon
them. The House must take a comprehensive view of
the question and must look to the future. It became his
duty to state to the House the circumstances of
the present case, and if there were anything
to warrant them in departing from the ordi-
nary usage. The Crown was not allowed more
than 1,2001. a-year at present for the purpose of granting
pensions, which was conferred on literary and scientific
men, and with the greatest possible regard to real
merit. He (Sir R. Peel) considered this allowance very
scanty, but it was the allowance of Parliament to the
Crown, after mature and serious deliberation.—(Hear,
hear.) Mrs. Morrison was the widow of Dr. Morrison,
who died in 1834. She was not the mother of Dr. Mor-
rison who lately died in the performance of public duty
in China. The only immediate relative was the sister,
to whom the Hon. Gentleman had referred. Mrs. Mor-
rison was the widow of the father—the late Mr. Morri-
son was the son of a former wife. Mrs. Morrison was
already in the receipt of a pension of 2001. a-year, which
had been conferred on her when the power of the Chi-
nese establishment had been transferred from the East
India Company to the Imperial Government. She had
been previously in the receipt of 1251. a-year from the
East India Company. She was allowed 251. a-year each
for the maintenance of her five children, which pension
of 25/. a-year would continue until these children
reached the age of eighteen years. The salary of the
elder Dr. Morrison was 1,3001. a-year, and the
salary of his son, who had lately died, 1,2001.
a year, but the East India Company and the Govern-
ment were of opinion, that the eminent services of
those distinguished individuals, entitled their relatives to
a liberal allowance. Mrs. Morrison was now in the re-
ceipt of 2001. a year herself, and 251. a year for each of
her five children. Nor had the case of her family been
overlooked by the Government. The Earl of Aberdeen
had appointed her eldest son to an Assistant-Secretary-
ship in China, of 162 L a year, lately increased to 3001.,
a year, and with a prospect of increase to 6001. a year.
—(Hear.) Lord Aberdeen signified to Mrs. Morrison,
that as soon as her second eldest son was fit
for a situation he would be forthwith appointed to
one with a competent salary. He thought he had con-
clusively shown that the Crown had not been in any
way indifferent to the interests of the family of Dr. Mor-
rison, and he believed that if the rejected claims of the
widows and relatives of several distinguished public ser-
vants were brought into comparison with the treatment
of the family of Dr. Morrison, the contrast would be
very favourable to the latter. The Government were
anxious to assist the family of the late lamented gentle-
man to the best of their ability, but, notwithstanding
that it gave him much pain to resist the motion, not only
on the ground of a personal respect for the character of
the lamented deceased; but of the eminent public ser-
vices he had rendered, still, filling the office he did, and
recollecting the pernicious and troublesome precedent
such a concession would establish, he must resist the
motion.

Mr. LYNDSAY was understood to say that he would
support the motion. Dr. Morrison was not only a bene-
factor to his country but to humanity, and after his
immediate wants had been provided for by the East
India Company, he established a college in Malacca, for
the instruction of foreigners in the Chinese language.
At the age of eighteen Dr. Morrison was appointed to
act as interpreter to the East India Company, and most
ably did he perform the duties of that situation. Few
men possessed not only so good a knowledge of the
Chinese language, but few were so thoroughly
ac-
quainted with the feelings and habits of the Chinese
people. lie not not only acted as interpreter, but as the
confidential friend of Sir H. Pottinger, and he hoped the
Government would not overlook the claims of his
widow.

Sir G. STAUNTON replied. The only provision
which Mrs. Morrison at present en io •dNivas 2004
the son. He a year.
This was irrespective of the salary 3 eo
believed that the health of the son had n
suffered
iu China, and it was probable he was i
his
way to this country. The prospect from this on
was, therefore, not very cheering. He would how-
ever leave the subject in the hands of the Govern-
ment, confident that the Right lion. Gentleman would
do what was right. He would not press his motion to a
division.

Sir R. PEEL said that there were before him, at
present, 100 cases of other widows, whose relatives
performed important services to the country. Justice
should be done to all parties as far as it was in their
power.

- Mr. HINDLEY wished to know whether any lands
would be appropriated by the Government for the Morri-
son College.
Lord STANLEY said the subject was at present in
the hands, of the Governor of Hong-Kong, and till ho
received his report he could not say anything upon it.
The motion was then withdrawn.

CONTROVERTED ELECTIONS.
On the motion of Sir R. PEEL, the following Mem-
bers were nominated as the Select Committee on Con-
trOverted Elections:—Lord John Russell, Lord Gran-
ville Somerset, Mr. Charles Buller, Mr. Wilson Patten,
Sir George Grey, Viscount Sandon, The O'Conor Don,
Mr. Pakington, Mr. Hawes, Mr. Kogg, Mr, Charles